Good January OPRC Meeting in Mountain Grove
The Ozarks Property Rights Congress held their January meeting at the Hayloft Restaurant in Mountain Grove on January 26th. Nearly 50 folks, including 147th District Representative Don Wells, came to hear updates on property rights issues.
OPRC research specialist, Doreen Hannes, represented OPRC as part of 18 concerned citizen groups whose members delivered a beautifully framed Declaration of Duty to each State Representative and Senator on January 4th in Jefferson City as part of the Consent of the Governed Rally. They greeted the legislators, “We’re the people and we’re here to help.” “It was a very, very positive thing,” Hannes said.
Hannes said that though it is still early in session, it is obvious that concerned citizens will need to go up to Jefferson City often to make their voices heard this year. She exhorted everyone to get involved with the legislative process. “It is our job, as citizens, to be vigilant, to be aware, to know what’s happening, to stand in the gap, and require the right action from our elected officials.”
“You don’t have memorize every word of a bill or know all of the State’s Revised Statutes to be effective, but you do have to know the bill’s ramifications for freedom,” she added. “In several cases we have been able to bring about a right action from our state legislators. They just have to know that we get it, that we understand the process, and that we’re not going to sit back and take whatever they want to do anymore. It’s up to us, also, to inform out friends and neighbors what is happening.”
Hannes reviewed some bills currently proposed in the Missouri General Assembly. “The Right to Raise Livestock is a returning bill. It sounds good until you carefully look at the wording. Basically, it gives Missouri citizens the right to raise livestock in a “humane manner.” That is humane manner as defined by the University of Missouri. The University of Missouri does whatever the USDA tells it to. The USDA has hired a former Humane Society of the US litigator to run the USDA Animal Welfare Division in the west half of the country. Knowing the beliefs of the HSUS, that sends up a big red flag on this bill. It opens the door to regulate animal owners with the USUS desired animal welfare practices.
“I’m for animal welfare. I raise animals I want my animals to be as happy and healthy as possible, but I do not believe they have more rights than people. Animal cruelty is against the law already.”
Issues in Senator Brian Munslinger’s nuisance law suit bill SB490 are already covered by the Farm Freedom Act. Land use issues handled on a state wide level is zoning, pure and simple. We already have the capacity for redress. It is a local control issue and is best handled on the local level. This bill effectively gives Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) extra rights while pretending to protect farmers.”
Two bills that I feel we can support is HB1444 which would prohibit the sterilizing, adopting out or euthanizing seized animals before the case has thoroughly decided.
SB547 the Right to Work Bill. Representative Wells commented, “This bill will bring companies with jobs to Missouri. Presently, companies are taking their jobs to “right to work” states.” Wells encouraged citizens to begin a letter writing campaign to the Missouri House Speaker Steve Tilley to make their feelings know that Missouri needs this right to work legislation.
Attendees also heard a report from Carolin Burch who attended the Mountain Grove Lion’s club noon meeting. At the meeting, former State Treasurer Wendell Bailey presented his 15 Point priority list for a Ten County Plan designed to increase the income and educational levels in South Central Missouri. There will be more information on this as it develops.
Bob Parker took time off from the campaign trail to touch base with the home folks. Speaking of being a fiscal conservative, Parker said, “We need to defund the non-elected, job killing regulatory agencies who place unreasonable, costly burdens on businesses and citizens. We have to cut off the money. Even if there is good in a bill, if it funds these agencies, a Congressman has to vote no, then explain to folks back home why the no vote was necessary.” In the August primary, Parker is facing JoAnn Emerson for the 8th Congressional District seat.
The next OPRC Meeting will be in Gainesville on February 9 and in Mountain Grove on February 23.
