House gets early call to action

Rep. Allen Andrews

The opening day of the 2016 legislative session was marked by a speech from House Speaker Todd Richardson in which he called upon members to work together to “find answers to the seminal challenges of our time and make tough decisions.”

Richardson reminded members that the Missouri House of Representatives, “cannot be a place where inaction, infighting, and indifference define us.

“This must be a place where we tackle and solve real problems,” he said.

In his speech, Richardson highlighted many of the recent accomplishments of the Legislature.

He emphasized the General Assembly’s work to end the practice of taxation by citation in the municipal court system; passage of the first income tax cut in a century; reforms to the state’s welfare system to help get people out of poverty rather than trap them in it; and efforts to reduce the numbers of abortions in the state by 30 percent over the last 10 years.

Richardson also cited several accomplishments that have not received as much attention, including efforts to make oral chemotherapy medications more affordable for Missourians battling cancer; work to ensure Missourians with eating disorders have access to the help and care they need; and proactive steps taken by the Legislature to protect children from the ever-growing dangers of human trafficking.

As Richardson said in his speech, “By doing so, we’ve made our state a better, more compassionate place.”

In setting the tone for the upcoming session, Richardson reminded his colleagues that while much had been accomplished, the Legislature still has much to do.

“We live in a state where wages are stagnant,” he said.

“Consider this; the spending power of a Missouri family is $5000 — less than it was at the start of this century. We live in a state where a devastating cycle of dependency traps too many of our fellow Missourians in poverty. More people are on government assistance than ever before. Spending on welfare and entitlement programs is growing at a rate faster than our economy.”

Richardson called on his colleagues to work together to help find solutions to the problems facing Missouri families, and to develop ideas that will allow Missourians to pursue the American Dream rather than be trapped in poverty.

Richardson ended his speech by asking members if they will use their, “time and the unique power we all hold to make this state a better place and to be an advocate for those who sent us here? The answer to that question is the one that will define us.”