Mercer County Passes Second Amendment Preservation Act

On Monday, the Mercer County Commission passed a law nullifying any federal acts, laws, orders, rules, and regulations which they say would interfere with the rights of their citizens to keep and carry arms.

Such laws include:

–Taxes, fees, or stamps imposed on firearms, accessories, or ammunition not common to all other goods or services;

–Registering or tracking of firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition or their owners;

–Acts ordering the confiscation of firearms, accessories, or ammunition from law abiding citizens.

The ordinance declares that no county officer or employee can be a party to enforcing any federal laws that the commission says infringes on the right to keep and bear arms. The ordinance also says that any official, agent, employee, or deputy of the US Government who enforces any such infringements are permanently barred from being hired as a law enforcement officer or to supervise any law enforcement officer in Mercer County. 

This ordinance does not apply to Mercer County deputies who assist federal agents in the arrest of suspected criminals.

Federal agents attempting to enforce regulations listed in the ordinance in Mercer County will be subject to arrest by the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department.

A Moment with Mike -- Gun Control, taxes on agenda

      This week in the state Capitol was marked by a lot of discussion, and a lot of calls and emails, in regard to controversial gun control legislation filed in the Missouri House.  The bill in question (HB545), filed by a couple of members from St. Louis, was meant to make it a felony to possess an assault weapon or a large capacity magazine.  The bill would give Missourians 90 days to turn over their guns or face felony charges.

      The most important thing to understand about this bill is that it has no chance of becoming law.  The Missouri House has an overwhelming majority of members from both parties who believe in defending the Second Amendment rights of their constituents.  The bill was really meant to generate media attention, which it has certainly done, but it is only supported by a small minority of House members.  You can rest assured that your state legislature will do all it can to protect your right to keep and bear arms, and we will stand against legislation like HB 545, or any other, that would infringe upon your Constitutional rights.

      A bill that was passed in the House and sent to the Senate last week would allow Missourians who have a delinquent tax bill, the opportunity to pay off their debt without additional interest or penalties.  The legislation would create a tax amnesty period to pay their back debt with the stipulation that they would comply with state tax rules for the next eight years.  If they failed to do so, they would be charged the full interest and penalties that were waived.

      This is a proposal the House has approved several times in recent years but it has not made it across the finish line.  The last time the state did something similar was a decade ago when an amnesty period generated an additional $74 million in tax revenue one year and another $42 million the next year.  With the amnesty period we are considering this year, we anticipate a much needed boost of about $70 million to our state budget.  The Senate will pick up the debate on this soon.

      In other action the House Committee on Agriculture Policy approved some legislation that I am sponsoring this year to help develop a comprehensive long-range strategic plan for career and technical education in Missouri.  The bill would create a special advisory council to oversee Missouri’s career and technical education programs and the student organizations like FFA, FBLA, DECA and others.

      The council would be made up of educators, administrators and members of the business community who have a vested interest in the success of CTE programs.  They would work together to develop both a short and long-range statewide plan for career and technical education and make recommendations to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on how to make our CTE programs a  vital part of our educational system.

      Our CTE programs have an enormous impact on many young people in our state and nowhere more than here in Northwest Missouri.  More than 63% of the state’s high school students participated in at least one CTE program for the 2011 – 2012 school year.  The practical training and leadership skills that are taught in these programs are vital to those that are going out into an ever-changing workforce.  I will keep you apprised as this bill moves through the process.

     If you have questions, you may reach me at my Capitol number 573-751-9465, at the local district number, 660-582-4014, by email at mike.thomson@house.mo.gov or by mail at Room 401B State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

A Moment with Mike for March 23rd, 2011

Last week marked the half-way point in this legislative session and this week of “spring break” will give us a chance to spend some time at home and connect with those in our district. I look forward to that opportunity and plan to spend several days visiting schools and talking to those 4^th grade classes that are starting to study Missouri history and government. I have tried to keep constituents apprised of what is going on in the House and what legislation is being passed that could affect all of us. Several initiatives were passed out of the House and sent on to the Senate last week.

HB 294, approved by the House last week, would strengthen the Second Amendment rights of Missouri citizens. One provision of the bill would lower the age requirement on concealed-carry permits from 23 to 21. Currently, Missouri is the only state to have an age requirement of 23 and this change would put Missouri in line with the majority of other states. The bill would also keep sales taxes on firearms and ammunition from rising above the rate of other sporting good items. While there is not currently a higher rate on ammunition, the bill would prevent this idea, which has been frequently discussed in other states, from happening in Missouri. The bill also changes some antiquated laws that pertain to the purchase of rifles and shotguns and allows Missourians greater freedom when purchasing firearms.

A bill I mentioned in a previous column (HB 213) made its way to the House floor last week. This legislation would make it illegal to abort a fetus deemed capable of living outside the womb. Specifically, it would ban abortions after 20 weeks unless two doctors verify that a fetus is either not viable or constitutes a medical threat to the mother. Doctors would use tests of the fetus’ gestational age, weight and lung function. For a fetus found to be unviable, a doctor would be required to report to the state why the child was unviable after performing the abortion. Doctors who violate the proposed law could be severely fined or imprisoned. We know that there are few abortions performed after 20 weeks but it is in the best interest of all Missourians who value life to make it clear that these abortions cannot be performed unless they represent a threat to the life of the mother.

A proposed amendment to the state constitution passed by the House last week would ensure the right to a secret ballot for anyone voting to form or join a union. HJR 6 was passed because we believe existing law has worked well to allow employees to vote to unionize in private where they are free from intimidation or coercion. We want to protect the rights of Missourians to continue to vote in private even if federal law changes.

The first thing on the agenda when we return on March 28^th will be passage of the House version of our state budget for 2012. We will present a balanced budget that will then go to the Senate for discussion and revision. This is required by law and definitely the most important thing that we do each year.

If you have questions, you may reach me at my Capitol number 573-751-9465, at the local district number, 660-582-4014, by email at mike.thomson@house.mo.gov or by mail at Room 401B State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101