We are now more than halfway through the legislative session, and things are moving rapidly. In the first ten weeks of session, the House passed over 100 bills for the Senate to consider. A handful of bills have been Truly Agreed and Finally Passed, as well, and await the Governor’s signature.
Perhaps the biggest news of the last few weeks is that House Joint Resolution (HJR) 173, also known as the income tax elimination bill, was passed by the House two weeks ago. Although I ultimately cast a “yes” vote for this legislation, I want to make clear that this was not an easy vote and I spent a tremendous amount of time working through each provision in it.
While I do support eventual elimination of the income tax, there are some parts of this legislation that I disagree with. At the end of the day, I supported the advancement of the legislation to the Senate and plan to closely review any changes and proceed cautiously to make sure this is the best course of action we can bring to the people for a vote at
the ballot box. I am looking forward to reviewing the Senate’s changes to the bill before voting on whether to send it to the Governor’s desk.
It is also important to note that this legislation will not become law even if it’s passed and signed by the Governor. Rather, it is a House Joint Resolution, which will place a question on the ballot for you, the citizens of our state, to decide whether we should eliminate the income tax in the manner stated. If you have any questions as this legislation continues through the process, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with my office.
In other news, I had the privilege of being back in the district last week during our legislative spring break with my newest grandbaby. Anyone who has had the privilege of being a grandparent knows that it’s one of the greatest joys in life. While in the district, I also attended a ribbon-cutting for the new VA clinic in West Plains, and also had some
great conversations with several constituents.
This week, after returning to Jefferson City, I was able to present my bill, House Bill (HB) 3256, to essentially ban cashless venues and require most facilities to accept cash. It is important to note that my bill would not require anyone to use cash but would protect those who choose to use cash. No one should be excluded from society because they refuse to use electronic means of purchase. This bill would ensure that cash is always acceptable in the State of Missouri. I will be sure to keep you updated on this legislation as we move forward.
As always, it is a pleasure to serve you in the Missouri House of Representatives. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can be of service to you.
Sincerely,
Lisa Durnell
State Representative District 154
