Representative Jason Grill, (D-Parkville) will file his 2008 legislative package in the month of February 2008. Below are brief summaries of this legislation. Rep. Jason Grill will continue to fight to Move Missouri Forward and improve the lifes of all Missourians.
Education
1. This legislation establishes the “Missouri Books from Birth Program”. Under the program, DESE along with a nonprofit partner will develop a statewide program, which will distribute a book each month to children in Missouri from birth to age five. This legislation is very similar to legislation passed in Tennessee. More information can be found at governorsfoundation.org about this important program to encourage youth education and reading.
2. This legislation establishes the “Missouri Diploma and Transcript Act,” which creates the crime of selling a fraudulent diploma or transcript. This will help fight the problem of companies selling bogus diplomas or transcripts, which hurt the integrity and mission of our state educational institutions.
Election Reform
3. This legislation establishes procedures for listing candidates for statewide office, state senator, and state representative in random orders on the election ballot. This would not give any candidate any unfair advantage of being listed first, last, or in the middle of their respective election on the ballot. For example if John Smith were running against Mary Johnson for State Representative, there would be equal number of ballots printed with John Smith first and Mary Johnson second on ballot for that election and vice versa.
Consumer Protection
4. This legislation establishes the “Missouri Consumer Credit Report Freeze Act,” which allows a consumer to place a freeze on his or her credit report. I have taken many of the strongest points from others states legislation on this issue and constructed a bill, which allows for more individuals to do this free of charge and without hassle.
5. This legislation would protect consumers by establishing security procedures for business and government to maintain the confidentiality and integrity of personal data to prevent security breaches. When a data breach occurs notice would be required to consumers that their personal data has or may have been compromised. This would alert consumers so they can take measures to protect themselves from identity theft. Most states have passed notice of data security breach legislation.
6. This legislation would allow consumers to file a police report in their home jurisdiction if he or she has been the victim of identity theft. In many instances consumers need these police reports to get access to their federal right to get records of transactions from a business where the identity thief did business while impersonating the consumer.
7. This legislation establishes laws for destruction of personal information to prevent identity theft. This would prevent sensitive personal information from falling into the hands of identity thieves.
Taxation
8. This legislation establishes the “Federal Retirement Exemption Act,” which exempts federal retirement income from Missouri income tax for an individual 62 years of age or older who has an annual Missouri taxable income of $85,000 or less and has retired from employment by the United States.
9. This legislation changes the laws regarding the “Missouri Homestead Preservation Act” to allow for applications filed in or after 2008, to be based on the increase in tax liability from the base year to the year prior to the application year. “Base year” means the year prior to the first year in which the eligible owners application was approved, or 2006, whichever is later. This legislation will help Missouri’s seniors.
Supporting Missouri Families
10. This legislation known as the “Motherhood/Fatherhood Stay at Home Tax Credit” is very similar to HB 932 http://www.house.mo.gov/content.aspx?info=/bills071/bills/HB932.HTM filed last year, which received bipartisan support and made it out of committee, as well as out of the House as an amendment onto another bill. This bill will help families and encourage more parental involvement in a child’s most important early years.
Encouraging Missouri’s Economy
11. This legislation establishes the “Promoting Missouri Food Products Act,” which provides any retail grocer, grocery store, or similar establishment a tax credit for sales of Missouri food products totaling at least fifteen percent of all the taxpayer’s gross annual sales. This legislation will encourage grocery stores to carry and sell Missouri products which were produced or grown in this state.
Promoting Missouri’s Small Businesses
12. This legislation establishes the “Fairness for Missouri Business Act,” which encourages investment in small businesses and promotes convenience and efficiency for them by providing liability protection for small businesses, providing a process for continuing partnerships, and by eliminating duplicate bureaucratic paperwork.
Protecting our children
13. This legislation increases the punishments and penalties for the selling of tobacco to minors. This legislation will help fight the youth smoking problem in Missouri.
Transportation/License related issues
14. This legislation would allow Missouri drivers to only have to display a rear license plate on their vehicle, instead of the two required by current law. Many states, including Kansas, allow drivers to display a license plate of their choice such as a Missouri Tigers, Kansas Jayhawks, or Kansas City Chiefs novelty plate on the front of their cars. Many Missouri drivers have voiced their opinions on this issue due to the makeup of their vehicles as well.
15. This legislation allows individuals to display license plate tags on an interior window instead of on their license plate. This legislation will fight the problem of stolen license plate tags in Missouri.
