State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer Archives

November ballot measure would impose two-term restriction on all Missouri statewide elected officials

September 29, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missourians will be heading to the polls in November, to cast ballots on a measure imposing term limits on all statewide elected officials.

You’ll be voting in November on Amendment One, which would amend the Missouri Constitution to extend the two-term restriction that currently applies to the governor and treasurer to the lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general and state auditor.

A “yes” vote would amend the Missouri Constitution to impose a two-term restriction on all statewide elected officials. A “no” vote would leave the terms that statewide elected officials may serve unchanged.

The Secretary of State’s fair ballot language says that if passed, Amendment One will have no impact on taxes. State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville, sponsored the legislation in the Missouri General Assembly.

Members of both major parties have previously served more than two terms in Missouri statewide office, in recent history.

Democrat James Kirkpatrick served five terms as secretary of state, from 1965 to 1985. Kirkpatrick, who died in 1997, established Missouri’s current record for tenure of an elected statewide officeholder. Democrat Jay Nixon served four terms as attorney general, serving from 1993-2009, when he was sworn-in as governor.

Republican Peter Kinder served three terms as lieutenant governor, from 2005-2016. And Republican Margaret Kelly, who was appointed as state auditor by Governor Kit Bond in 1984, was elected to a full term in 1986 and was re-elected auditor in 1990 and in 1994. She retired in January 1999.

Governor Parson to sign Missouri’s witness protection bill on Monday (AUDIO)

September 21, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Legislation that’s aimed at providing witness protection will be signed into law Monday afternoon by Missouri’s governor in Kansas City and Carthage.

State Rep. Dr. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, speaks on the Missouri House floor in Jefferson City on August 25, 2020 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The bipartisan witness protection legislation was one of Governor Mike Parson’s (R) top priorities for the recent special session on violent crime. State Rep. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, says the bill is crucial.

“And what law enforcement has told us is the number one thing they need to prosecute criminals is witnesses that are willing to come forward and testify as to what they saw, so that they can put these criminals behind bars,” Patterson says.

The bill, which is House Bill 66, will create a pretrial witness protection services fund, which will provide security to witnesses, potential witnesses and their immediate families in criminal proceedings or investigations.

“They can use those dollars to find housing for witnesses. Do all the necessary things that you need to get witnesses out of the harmful environment that they’re in,” says Patterson.

The Missouri Senate approved Patterson’s bill 29-0, and it passed the House on a 147-3 vote.

Representative Patterson predicts the bill will help law enforcement officers solve more violent crime.

“You know we have a lot of violent crime in Kansas City unfortunately like St. Louis and I think it will be important to help fight violent crime,” Patterson says.

Kansas City has recorded 143 homicides in 2020, compared to 112 at this time last year. St. Louis has had 195 homicides this year, and the “Post-Dispatch” reported Sunday that St. Louis is on pace to have 240 homicides this year, the highest in 25 years.

As for Governor Parson, he’s praising the two bill sponsors: Representative Patterson and State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with State Rep. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, which was recorded on September 18, 2020:

Missouri’s governor pleased with special session on crime; wants House to approve Gardner legislation

September 15, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

While Missouri’s governor is pleased with the special session on violent crime, he’s calling on the House to approve his proposal involving St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner’s office.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson briefs Capitol reporters on August 10, 2020 in Jefferson City, as Attorney General Eric Schmitt listens (file photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

GOP Governor Mike Parson told Capitol reporters last week that he will meet with House leaders about it.

“We’re encouraging them to pass this to be able to give law enforcement the tools they need to fight (violent crime). I’m not sure what they’ll do, again we’ll have a meeting with them to discuss that,” Parson says.

The Senate has approved the governor’s proposal, which would allow Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s (R) office to take on some murder cases that haven’t been prosecuted yet by Gardner’s office. Circuit Attorney Gardner, a Democrat, and the bipartisan Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys oppose that plan.

Governor Parson is also praising the General Assembly’s bipartisan passage of witness protection legislation, a key component of his special session call on violent crime. The governor thanks the two bill sponsors: State Rep. Dr. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, and State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville. He says the bill will help fight crime.

“Which creates a pretrial witness protection fund, in which law enforcement agencies can provide resources for the security of victims, witnesses and their immediate families,” says Parson.

The fund would provide security in criminal proceedings and investigations. The Senate approved the bill 29-0, and it passed the House on a 147-3 vote.

Meantime, legislation eliminating the residency requirement for St. Louis police officers, firefighters and EMS personnel is also on the governor’s desk. St. Louis has recorded 192 homicides this year, and the governor says the residency bill will improve public safety.

“The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department is currently down by more than 140 officers, and this legislation can help fill that gap,” Parson says.

St. Louis Police Chief John Hayden has traveled to Jefferson City multiple times during the special session to testify for the bill, saying his department “desperately needs more officers” due to the surge in violence. Chief Hayden says the city has been averaging more than nine homicides per week. St. Louis had 32 homicides in June and 53 in July.

The Missouri Police Chiefs Association and the St. Louis Police Officers Association testified for the legislation, which is sponsored by State Rep. Ron Hicks, R-Dardenne Prairie.

Bill opponents say St. Louis residents feel safer with police officers living in their neighborhoods.