We commend the state representatives for slogging along, right in the middle of one of the worst winter storms to hit Missouri in years. On February 2nd, our intrepid representatives managed to hold together long enough to refer HB 281 and HB 332 to the agricultural committee. In addition, the House agricultural committee also held public meetings on HB 100, which basically denies the ability to create any new agricultural regulations, and HJR 3, which would disallow any future citizen initiatives having to do with livestock, including pet animal breeders.
Of course, the public was stuck at home or in traffic, surrounded by snow and ice. Soooo sorry we couldn’t make it to the public meetings. How glad we are that you soldiered through without us…and without our input.
But wait…there’s more…
Our busy little representatives have filed yet another bill to modify Proposition B: HB 405. I haven’t checked it word for word, but it seems to parrot the Senate bill SB 113, which was passed by the Senate agricultural committee last week. Just like the senate bill, HB 405 suggests it is a “modification” when it does nothing more than gut Proposition B. Another devious, deceptive act by our good state representatives.
Let’s not stop there, though. The House also heard the second reading of HJR 17, which is yet another Constitutional amendment to prohibit any new regulations related to agriculture, hunting, or fishing in this state.
No other industry in Missouri receives such protections. Evidently to some Missouri state representatives, Missouri should have no other industry but farming, and probably no other people but farmers. After all, this seems to be the only work being accomplished in Jefferson City.
This flurry of panicked, paranoid bills forces me to the conclusion that our Missouri state representatives are more afraid of happy, fluffy kittens and healthy, cute puppies than al-Queda.