Month: January 2011

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Critters

Eighth bill to modify Proposition B read

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

I kid you not, there is now an eighth bill about Proposition B, HB 332.

This one, sponsored by Representative Ward Franz, is confusing. It doesn’t revoke any of the Proposition B regulations. It does grandfather in existing breeders, which is something I can’t accept. It also, bizarrely, includes references to “humane societies” directly in the text. I just can’t figure out the reason why.

Regardless, grandfathering in existing commercial breeders is unacceptable. We’re supposed to turn a blind eye to the condition of the dogs in existing breeders? It’s OK for dogs to suffer in the 1400+ licensed breeders, but not for any breeder? The whole point of Proposition B is that there are problems with existing breeders, not some hypothetical breeder in the future.

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Critters

Support for Proposition B from Representative Kirkton and Senator Schmitt

I received a very gracious phone call from Senator Schmitt’s office, assuring me that the Senator “owns and loves dogs”, and that he will support Proposition B.

My House Rep, Jeanne Kirkton, supported Proposition B before the election, and continues to support it now. In fact, her office has been kind enough to help me attempt to get some information from the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

I appreciate both my state representatives supporting Proposition B AND my vote.

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Critters

House of Representative second meeting

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

The House of Representatives agricultural committee meets a second time on Proposition B, Thursday January 27, right after session adjournment, in House Hearing Room 3.

The Senate meets today, at 1pm, in Senate Committee Room 1.

Of course, after we’ve seen the demeanor and witnessed the bias among representatives attending the House meeting yesterday, we know that Pro-Proposition B forces will not get a fair hearing any of these days.

Majority Whip Jason Smith, who doesn’t have to attend these meetings but can as Majority Whip, was particularly aggressive in his questioning of Proposition B advocates. You understand why when you read that his mother owns one of the Missouri Dirty Dozen—a commercial breeder deemed to be especially negligent.

Normally, I’d be hesitant about bringing in this type of personal information, but Representative Smith had an obligation to inform the room of his personal involvement before participating yesterday, and didn’t.