Brian Hauswirth, Author at Missourinet

Parson and Graves tour flood-damaged northwest Missouri; St. Joseph under a flash flood warning

March 22, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

(Reporter Brent Martin at Missourinet St. Joseph affiliate KFEQ Radio contributed to this story)

Widespread flooding across northwest Missouri is rekindling a long-simmering dispute between the state and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

This is the aerial view of flooding in northwest Missouri taken on March 21, 2019 (photo courtesy of Governor Mike Parson Twitter page)

The massive flooding in north Missouri has prompted Governor Mike Parson (R) to issue a state of emergency. And the National Weather Service (NWS) in Pleasant Hill has issued a flash flood warning for St. Joseph, which remains in effect until Friday morning at 8:15.

“The rising floodwaters are affecting more Missouri communities and farms, closing more roads and threatening levees, water treatment plants and other critical infrastructure,” Governor Parson says.

Governor Parson, U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, state Department of Agriculture (MDA) Director Chris Chinn, Missouri National Guard Major General Stephen Danner and State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Director Ron Walker met with local officials Thursday in both Rock Port and St. Joseph.

The group also took an aerial survey of the Missouri River’s flooding impact across northwest Missouri.

During a briefing with St. Joseph-area reporters at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, Governor Parson says he hasn’t spoken to the Corps yet, but says they need to change their priorities to put the safety of people and their property first.

“I think there’s a long history with the state not being really happy with the Corps of Engineers, how they conduct this thing, how they’re doing these levees and how they’re actually using the waterways in our state. So it’s a concern,” Parson says.

Director Chinn says no one can tell the extent of the damage to farmland.

“Right now it’s too early to assess the damage, we have to wait for the water to recede,” Chinn tells reporters. “However, the Missouri FSA (Farm Service Agency) office is going to be prepared and ready when that time comes to start assessing the damage.”

Chinn says the state will be requesting federal assistance from the U-S Department of Agriculture (USDA). FSA is part of the USDA.

Missouri Farm Bureau President Blake Hurst says thousands of acres of crop land are under water, and that flooding damage to highways, bridges and railroads in north Missouri “will take months and years to repair.”

Governor Parson says the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) rescued several people from homes Wednesday night near Craig, along with three other people from a stranded boat.

The governor says a temporary levee in the town of Craig has failed. Craig, which is located in Holt County, is a town of about 200 people. Governor Parson also says a Red Cross shelter in Mound City is currently housing 12 people who’ve been forced from their homes due to flooding.

The state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has been supplying tetanus shots to residents in both Atchison and Holt counties.

Missouri Senator Josh Hawley plans to visit Holt County on Friday morning.

The state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) says I-29 is still closed from the Missouri-Iowa border down to St. Joseph, because of flooding.

Parson: all available resources will be used to assist Missourians with flooding

March 21, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s governor is expected to discuss flooding during an ag day event Thursday morning in northern Missouri’s Nelson, near Marshall.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson is given an aerial tour of the flooding damage near northwest Missouri’s St. Joseph on March 15, 2019 (photo courtesy of the governor’s office)

Governor Mike Parson (R) will be hosting his first “Farmer’s Talk” of the 2019 season Thursday at the Christy Farm in Nelson. It’s part of the 34th annual KMMO (FM 102.9) Ag Day hosted by our Missourinet Marshall affiliate.

Governor Parson told Capitol reporters this week that all available resources will be used to assist Missourians with flooding. Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) Director Chris Chinn will join the governor for the Nelson event.

Missouri Farm Bureau President Blake Hurst calls this an “unprecedented early-season flood”, saying it will prevent many farmers from planting a crop this year. Hurst also says that damage done to highways, bridges and railroads in north Missouri “will take months and years to repair.”

Meantime, members of the state’s congressional delegation in both parties have been touring areas in northern Missouri impacted by the devastating flooding.

U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, who represents 36 counties across north Missouri, will be heading to northwest Missouri’s Holt County on Thursday to meet with local officials.

A view of the flooding damage in northwest Missouri (March 15, 2019 photo courtesy of Governor Parson’s office)

The state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) says I-29 remains closed from the Missouri-Iowa border all the way to St. Joseph, because of flooding.

Congressman Graves tells Missourinet affiliate KMA that there is heavy road, grain and railroad right-of-way damage in northwest Missouri.

U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City, visited Orrick Wednesday to tour flooding damage. Orrick is in Ray County, northeast of Kansas City.

Congressman Cleaver is urging his constituents to heed all flood warnings and to stay strong.

Governor orders flags at half-staff on Thursday to honor Missouri Army Reservist killed in Kuwait

March 20, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

(Reporter Hal Neisler at Missourinet Festus affiliate KJFF contributed to this story)

Missouri’s governor has ordered American and Missouri flags at all government buildings statewide to be flown at half-staff Thursday, to honor an Army Reserve Specialist killed in the line-of-duty in Kuwait.

Flags flying at half-staff (Missourinet file photo)

Governor Mike Parson has signed a proclamation honoring Army Reserve Specialist Jackson Johnson of Hillsboro, who died in Kuwait on March 5. Johnson was 20 years old.

The governor’s proclamation says Specialist Johnson was a transportation management coordinator in the 657th Transportation Company, 419th Transportation Battalion, 649th Regional Support Group, 103rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command.

Governor Parson’s office says Specialist Johnson was killed in the line-of-duty in northern Kuwait when the vehicle he was in collided with another vehicle.

The proclamation says Johnson enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve in February 2016, and that he graduated from Hillsboro High School in May 2017. Johnson was deployed to Kuwait in October 2018 as part of Operation Inherent Resolve.

“Specialist Johnson decided at an early age that he wanted to defend the United States and was courageously serving far from home to protect our nation. We are grateful for Specialist Johnson’s service and pray for his family and friends as they mourn his loss,” Governor Parson says.

The funeral service for Specialist Johnson will be held Thursday morning at 11 at Kutis South County Chapel, which is on Lemay Ferry Road.

Specialist Johnson will be buried with honors at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.

Missouri’s governor touts state government restructuring; says DED is being outperformed by other states

March 20, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s governor says a proposed state government reorganization plan is scheduled to take effect on August 28th. Governor Mike Parson, a Republican, updated the Capitol Press Corps on the restructuring plan during a Tuesday afternoon press conference in Jefferson City.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson (at podium) briefs Capitol reporters about his state government reorganization plan on March 19, 2019 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of the governor’s office)

The restructuring involves four state agencies, primarily the state Department of Economic Development (DED). Monday was the end of the 60-day period in which Missouri lawmakers could vote to oppose the proposal, and that didn’t happen.

Governor Parson is praising the Legislature.

“And I want to thank the Legislature for their support of our efforts to improve state government and make Missouri the best in the Midwest,” Parson tells Capitol reporters.

The proposal involves moving DED’s Division of Workforce Development to the Department of Higher Education and several other moves, which Parson says will allow DED to focus entirely on economic development.

The restructuring plan also involves returning the Division of Energy from DED to the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and making the Missouri Arts Council part of the Lieutenant Governor’s office. It would also move the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Office of Public Counsel to the newly-named Department of Commerce and Insurance.

Governor Parson says Missouri is not competitive with neighboring states, adding that Missouri’s DED houses more functions than any of its Midwest peers.

Parson says the Show-Me State ranks 14th among its Midwest peer states in gross domestic product (GDP) and eighth for wage growth. He says it ranks ninth for job growth.

The governor says the plan will focus DED.

“We must do a better job clearly identifying expectations and priorities, and ensure our agencies are structured in the best way to meet those goals,” says Parson.

Parson says DED has 865 full-time employees, more than any of its Midwest peers.

Missouri DED Director Rob Dixon joined Governor Parson at Tuesday’s press conference. Dixon says other Midwest states are outperforming his agency in nearly every measure, including workforce development.

Dixon backs the governor’s state government restructuring plan, saying that when everything is a priority, “nothing is a priority.”

“In economic development, Missouri is not competitive in economic development with other states and we had to take action or we’re going to continue that negative trend line,” Dixon tells reporters.

Governor Parson says DED has had seven directors in the past decade.

State Sen. Jeanie Riddle, R-Mokane, and State Rep. Travis Fitzwater, R-Holts Summit, also spoke at the press conference. Riddle and Fitzwater both praise the reorganization plan.

2019 Missouri legislative session’s first half is praised by Speaker Haahr

March 19, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s House Speaker says the 2019 session’s first half has been successful. Lawmakers have left Jefferson City for their spring break, and won’t return to the Statehouse until Monday.

Missouri House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith (right) and House Speaker Elijah Haahr brief Capitol reporters on March 6, 2019 in Jefferson City (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, briefed the Capitol Press Corps on Thursday. He addressed numerous topics, including job growth, workforce development, transportation and criminal justice reform.

Haahr says the House has given final approval to 70 bills, adding that economic growth remains a top priority for House Republicans.

“We’ve passed four separate workforce development proposals,” Haahr says. “Obviously those were a priority for our members as well as for the executive branch.”

The House has voted 101-49 to approve one of Governor Mike Parson’s (R) top priorities, called the “Fast Track” program. The legislation, which is sponsored by State Rep. Kathy Swan, R-Cape Girardeau, is aimed at adults who are working toward a certification, undergraduate degree or a credential for a high-demand occupation.

The “Fast Track” bill is now in the Senate.

Meantime, Missouri House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith’s (R-Carthage) proposal to use $100 million in general revenue for the state road fund has the support of Speaker Haahr.

“We’ve had some fruitful discussions with both Senate leadership and the governor’s office on reaching an agreement, and I think those discussions will continue and I’m hopeful,” says Haahr.

The governor’s office has said they’re confident that a final transportation agreement with lawmakers is possible, before the end of session in May. Chairman Smith says the state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has paid more than $700 million in debt payments in the past two years.

Speaker Haahr also supports the concept of a proposed constitutional amendment that would reduce the House’s size in Jefferson City. Haahr says the proposal from State Rep. Travis Fitzwater, R-Holts Summit, is a “great idea as far as conceptually.”

“This is something that we’ve discussed for a long time. The House body (163 members) is the fourth-largest in the country. I think it’s something we need to at least consider going forward to how we streamline some of our procedures, and I think his is a good starting point for that discussion,” Haahr says, in response to a question from Missourinet.

Missouri currently has 197 lawmakers, although there are two current House vacancies. Fitzwater’s proposed constitutional amendment would decrease the House’s size from 163 to 136.

If lawmakers approve the plan, it would be placed on the November 2020 statewide ballot.

While Democrats are outnumbered in the Missouri House by a 114-47 margin, the House Minority Leader says their efforts have led the Department of Revenue (DOR) to “abandon its false cover story of a withholding error.”

Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, also briefed Capitol reporters on Thursday. Leader Quade says Democrats pre-filed a tax bill in December, to force the conversation.

“Our efforts to bring awareness to the surprise tax bills countless Missourians are being hit with under the Trump tax law changes count as a major accomplishment for the Democrats this session,” says Quade.

The withholding issue has been the topic of four hearings conducted by the bipartisan Missouri House Special Committee on Government Oversight, and DOR Director Joel Walters is resigning on Friday.

Quade is calling on her House colleagues to approve legislation from State Rep. Dean Dohrman, R-La Monte, which would prevent penalties for delayed payments on outstanding income tax liabilities for the 2018 tax year.

Criminal justice reform has also been a key issue for Quade and House Democrats. Haahr notes the House has already approved six separate criminal justice reform bills. They have strong bipartisan support in the House.

The final day of the 2019 legislative session is Friday May 17.

Mid-Missouri judge hears arguments in Hawley subpoena case (AUDIO)

March 18, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

A Cole County circuit judge heard about 45 minutes of arguments on Friday afternoon in Jefferson City on U.S. Senator Josh Hawley’s (R) motion to quash an attorney’s subpoena for a deposition.

Then-Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley greets a supporter at GOP headquarters in Winchester on October 23, 2018. (File photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI)

Quash is a legal term, which means to reject. The subpoena involves possible violations of Missouri’s Sunshine Law, when Hawley was attorney general.

Cole County Judge Patricia Joyce did not rule on Friday, nor did she provide a time frame. Both sides tell Missourinet they’re optimistic about how the judge will rule.

Hawley’s legal team calls the case “frivolous.” Hawley’s lawyer, Brian Barnes, spoke to Capitol reporters Friday outside the Cole County Courthouse, after the hearing ended. He reiterates what he told Judge Joyce: that this is a dispute over whether a $3,600 fee is appropriate to review 13,000 documents.

“I can just tell you (reporters) as somebody who’s been involved in litigation that involves a lot of documents, that’s ($3,600) not an unreasonable fee,” Barnes says.

But attorney Elad Gross, who plans to run for Missouri attorney general in 2020, wants Judge Joyce to reject Hawley’s motion. Gross tells reporters the Governor’s office charged him $3,600 for the documents.

“No one has offered to provide me those records. At this point, we’ve all done a lot of work for it. I’m not sure what they’re still hiding, but apparently it’s worth more to them than $3,600,” says Gross.

Gross also says Hawley has five attorneys.

Barnes says there’s no evidence that Hawley violated the Sunshine law. Barnes also says this is an inconvenience to Hawley, who’s been elected to the Senate to represent Missourians in Washington.

“Senator Hawley was sent by the people of Missouri to Washington to do a job, and having to deal with frivolous lawsuits like this is a distraction from him being able to do that job,” Barnes tells reporters.

Barnes tells reporters that Mr. Gross is making “baseless accusations” to further his political career. Gross responds by saying that Senator Hawley has information and is a witness in this case.

Gross also says the Missouri attorney general’s office is “broken.”

Gross also disagrees with the issue of inconvenience, saying he’s willing to accommodate the senator’s schedule.

“It shouldn’t be an inconvenience for a sitting United States Senator to sit for a deposition and provide testimony and provide evidence in a case where he has information. He serves the public,” Gross says.

Hawley’s spokeswoman, Kelli Ford has issued a statement to Missourinet about the lawsuit, which notes Mr. Hawley is not a party to the lawsuit.

“This is a political stunt by a political candidate. It’s unfortunate that Democrat operatives continue to misuse our courts of law for political purposes. It’s a frivolous request. He isn’t party to the lawsuit,” the statement reads.

The case is titled “Elad Gross versus Michael Parson et al.” Et al is a legal term which essentially means “and others.”

Hawley was not in the courtroom on Friday. Attorney Lowell Pearson also represented Hawley in court on Friday.

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft (R) issued a report in late February, clearing Hawley of allegations that he used public funds to support his candidacy for the U.S. Senate.

Click here to listen to the full press briefings outside the Cole County Courthouse on March 15, 2019. Attorneys Brian Barnes and Elad Gross briefed Capitol reporters, including Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth, separately:

Embattled Missouri Department of Revenue Director to resign (AUDIO)

March 15, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

While the governor’s office hasn’t confirmed it, Missouri House Republican leaders say embattled state Department of Revenue (DOR) Director Joel Walters is resigning.

State Department of Revenue Director Joel Walters testifies before a Missouri House oversight committee on February 13, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The resignation was first reported Thursday afternoon by the Columbia Tribune.

House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, and other top House Republicans issued statements on Thursday evening, with Haahr saying that Walters’ resignation “is an important step forward.” Speaker Haahr also says DOR “has much more work to do to regain the trust of the public.”

Governor Mike Parson’s spokeswoman, Kelli Jones, e-mailed Missourinet Thursday evening to say that their office will make a formal statement via press release on Friday morning.

The news comes a day after Missourinet reported that Walters had been called to testify before a bipartisan House oversight committee for a fourth time, due to a tax withholding issue that’s impacting some people’s returns.

House Special Committee on Government Oversight Chairman Robert Ross, R-Yukon, told Missourinet after Wednesday’s hearing that Walters had failed to provide him with data he requested.

“The real frustration comes in the department not being forthright with the taxpayers, not being forthright with legislators and this committee in providing the information that I’d asked for,” Ross said Wednesday.

House Special Committee on Government Oversight Chairman Robert Ross (right) speaks on March 13, 2019 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Speaker Haahr’s statement says that without the bipartisan House oversight committee’s hearings and investigation, “the people would never have known the truth about the mistakes made” by DOR.

House Majority Floor Leader Rob Vescovo, R-Arnold, has also issued a statement, which reads, in part: “I’m proud of the oversight committee for standing up for the hard-working families who may end up with a surprise tax bill this April because the department failed to do its job.”

Ross was visibly frustrated with Walters at the start of Wednesday’s hearing at the Statehouse in Jefferson City. After the hearing, Ross told us he’s frustrated with Director Walters and the department.

“With dealing with this agency that has a pattern, a history, a track record of simply not providing the data that we as representatives of the people need for the answers that our constituents are looking for,” says Ross.

Ross had requested that Walters provide him a sampling of the DOR data of taxpayers who’ve seen the largest swing, under the withholding issue. Ross told the audience during Wednesday’s hearing that Walters’ response was not what he requested.

Ross says he’s spoken to some Missouri taxpayers, who are state employees, who received about an $800 refund last year, but owed about $800 this year.

Walters has also been blasted by Democratic lawmakers, including House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, who’s been raising concerns about the tax issue since December. That’s when she pre-filed legislation aimed at addressing it.

She spoke to the Capitol Press Corps Thursday afternoon, regarding the 2019 session’s midway point. Quade puts some of the blame on Governor Parson’s administration.

“We now know that the Parson administration was well aware of the looming tax bills last fall,” Quade tells reporters. “Even drafted a news release warning Missourians, but chose not to release it because it didn’t want to talk about the issue that close to the (November) elections.”

Quade is calling on Governor Parson to “take full responsibility for his administration’s failures.”

DOR has testified that the average state refund is down about $78, while the average tax due is up about $65.

The department has created a dedicated phone line to answer questions from taxpayers. That number is (573) 522-0967.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with House Special Committee on Government Oversight Chairman Robert Ross, R-Yukon, which was recorded on March 13, 2019 at the Statehouse in Jefferson City:

Columbia Planned Parenthood arson case heading to federal grand jury

March 14, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

Federal prosecutors say a federal grand jury in Jefferson City will decide within the next month whether to indict a Columbia man charged with the February arson at Columbia’s Planned Parenthood clinic.

42-year-old Wesley Brian Kaster is currently charged in a criminal complaint with maliciously damaging a building, owned by an organization that receives federal financial assistance, by means of fire or an explosive.

U.S. Attorney’s office spokesman Don Ledford tells Missourinet a complaint is temporary, and that the federal grand jury has 30 days to decide whether to indict Kaster.

Kaster was arrested on March 2 and was charged with the criminal complaint on March 4. He remains in the custody of U.S. marshals.

An affidavit filed by federal prosecutors says work gloves recovered from the Planned Parenthood building were allegedly the same make, model, color and size gloves from Kaster’s welding employer in Jefferson City.

The affidavit also says that when federal investigators searched Kaster’s home, they found numerous items of evidence “that definitively tied” Kaster to the crime scene.

The FBI investigated the case.

Missouri income tax penalty legislation has bipartisan support; Revenue director to testify again (AUDIO)

March 14, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri taxpayers who have been impacted by a withholding issue may be getting some relief.

State Rep. Dean Dohrman, R-La Monte, testifies before the Missouri House Special Committee on Government Oversight in Jefferson City on March 13, 2019 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

A Missouri House oversight committee heard testimony Wednesday in Jefferson City on legislation from State Rep. Dean Dohrman, R-La Monte, which would prevent penalties for delayed payments on outstanding income tax liabilities for the 2018 tax year.

We also learned during Wednesday’s hearing that Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) Director Joel Walters will be called to testify before the oversight committee for a fourth time, later this month.

Dohrman’s House bill 1094 has bipartisan support in the committee. Representative Dohrman testified before the House Special Committee on Government Oversight.

“I mean there comes a point we all have to just lay everything aside and govern,” Dohrman testifies. “And my goal is to help taxpayers as much as possible without impacting the fiscal year.”

If approved, Dohrman’s legislation would only apply to taxpayers who establish a payment plan with DOR.

DOR has created a dedicated phone line for taxpayers to call. That number is (573) 522-0967.

Director Walters testified in late February that more than 63,000 Missourians had already called that number.

“Our purpose here (in the Legislature) is not to penalize taxpayers for honest errors that came about because of the changes in the federal tax withholding this year,” Dohrman tells Missourinet.

House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, who pre-filed similar legislation in December, participated in Wednesday’s hearing and called on her House colleagues to approve Representative Dohrman’s bill.

Walters testified in late February that the average state refund was down about $78, while the average tax due is up about $65.

Meantime, the oversight committee chairman called for adding a refund provision to Dohrman’s proposal. Committee Chairman Robert Ross, R-Yukon, spoke to Representative Dohrman during Wednesday’s hearing.

“I think we ought to consider adding some sort of a refund provision to this bill to allow a taxpayer that has went ahead and paid that penalty to then be refunded that. Would you agree?” Ross asks Dohrman.

“Absolutely,” Dohrman replies.

Chairman Ross also announced at the start of Wednesday’s hearing that Director Walters will testify before the committee for the fourth time, after the legislative spring break.

A visibly frustrated Ross told Walters that a written response about the tax withholding issue that DOR provided is not what Ross requested. Ross wants to see a sampling of the DOR data of taxpayers who have seen the largest swing, under the withholding issue.

Walters testified briefly on Wednesday, saying that DOR has processed 1.4 million tax returns thus far in 2019.

The Department of Revenue has placed cards at all Missouri license offices and is mailing fliers to employers requesting that they post the information in employee break rooms.

During previous testimony, Walters has urged Missourians to check their state withholding information.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and State Rep. Dean Dohrman, R-La Monte, which was recorded on March 13, 2019 at the Statehouse in Jefferson City. Mr. Dohrman represents Johnson, Pettis and Saline counties in the Missouri House:

Missouri Gold Star Families memorial legislation stalls in House; key term is “official”

March 13, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

A resolution recognizing the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument in Point Lookout as Missouri’s “Official Gold Star Families Memorial Monument” stalled this week in the Missouri House, over concerns about the term “official.”

State Rep. Shane Roden, R-Cedar Hill, speaks on the Missouri House floor on February 20, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

State Rep. Jeff Justus, R-Branson, the resolution sponsor, says the bill highlights the commitment that southwest Missouri’s College of the Ozarks has to veterans.

“And one of the reasons that it would be good to be in our area is that the thousands of veterans and the people and the tourists that come to our area that would be able to see it, you’d probably give it the most exposure of any other memorial in the state,” Justus says.

Bill supporters say Branson is a tourist destination and that many tourists would be able to see Missouri’s commitment to veterans.

Justus’ resolution was approved in February by the House Veterans Committee by an 11-2 vote, and no one testified against it during the committee hearing.

However, opposition surfaced during Monday evening’s House floor discussion, and included lawmakers from both parties. Opposition centers around the word “official.”

State Rep. Doug Beck, D-St. Louis County, who serves on the House Veterans Committee, spoke against the resolution on the House floor, telling colleagues there’s a Gold Star memorial at Jefferson Barracks Park near St. Louis.

“I think to name any type of memorial the official memorial of the Gold Star Families possibly slights those others that put their time and effort into any other memorial that’s across the state,” says Beck.

Beck also notes there’s a Gold Star memorial in Jefferson City, not far from the Capitol.

State Rep. Bob Burns, D-Affton, also objects to the term “official.” Burns notes the Gold Star memorial monument at Jefferson Barracks park is located in his district.

One of Justus’ GOP colleagues also spoke against the bill, during floor debate.

State Rep. Shane Roden, R-Cedar Hill, told Representative Beck he agreed with his opposition to the bill. Roden tells House colleagues his Jefferson County district includes mothers who’ve lost sons in Iraq, who have worked to get a monument at Jefferson Barracks Park.

“To know those mothers that have made sure that every single of those people in St. Louis County at Jefferson Barracks, especially at a very fitting place in Jefferson Barracks on those hollowed ground,” Roden says.

Justus’ resolution is backed by State Rep. Chuck Basye, R-Rocheport, who chairs the House Veterans Committee. Chairman Basye tells House colleagues the intent of House Concurrent Resolution 9 is not to discredit any other Gold Star monuments in Missouri.

Basye says Branson does a great job for veterans, adding that they have a “wonderful veterans museum down in that area.”

Justus’ resolution has been laid over.