Many Democrats are reluctant to hand over the names and addresses of their supporters to Hancock, who in the past has served as an official spokesman for the state Republican party. House Minority Leader Jeff Harris is organizing an alternative invitation for Democrats which he said will charge legislators 22 cents per invitation before postage.
JEFFERSON CITY - Democrats continued to remake their legislative lineup by electing Columbia Representative Jeff Harris their new floor leader in a closed-door caucus Friday.
It's especially tough for Kelly Schultz, aide to Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, who calls herself a "tree-hugger." She said she cringes when she sees a monumental amount of photocopying to do. Schultz keeps three recycling bins under her desk, but even then, she said, it's not always enough.
However, Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, said he would call it a "wasted session" from the perspective of Republicans. Harris said the legislature has taken very little action in areas including reducing medical liability insurance, promoting economic development and fixing the state's roads.
But some Democrats argued that higher education is still underfunded. That was enough reason for Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, to vote against the bill, despite the increase.
Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, said he wants to be sure the legislature does not attempt to prevent institutions from increasing tuition. He said a letter inquiring about increases isn't as extreme as it could be, but he fears some legislators could have a tendency to do more.
JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri's House Judiciary Committee has sent to the full House a measure that would restrict liability lawsuit awards similar to the measure vetoed by the governor last year.In approving the measure Wednesday, the committee rejected a substitute offered by Columbia's Rep. Jeff Harris to restrict the bill to medical malpractice.The Harris substitute would have established a government-run medical malpractice insurance plan and imposed stronger regulations on private me..
JEFFERSON CITY - Any public governmental meeting conducted through electronic communication-conference call, video conference, internet chat or internet message board-would now have to be made accessible to the public, under a new bill proposed by Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia.
Columbia Reps. Jeff Harris and Chuck Graham, both Democrats, defended their position that the money was only a technicality, and would not affect statewide MAP testing.
Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, and Rep. Chuck Graham, D-Columbia, introduced an amendment to a House education appropriations bill that would move all state funding for the MAP tests to Missouri's state aid distribution formula.
"If that's the extent of our analysis," said Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, "Then we can go ahead and continue this exercise but it really sounds like a one-size-fits-all approach."
JEFFERSON CITY - Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, and Rep. Chuck Graham, D-Columbia, introduced an amendment to a House education appropriations bill that would move all state funding for the MAP tests to Missouri's state aid distribution formula. That would allow individual school districts the option of how -- or whether -- to finance the administratin of the exams.
In approving the measure Wednesday, the committee rejected a substitute offered by Columbia's Rep. Jeff Harris to restrict the bill to medical malpractice.
Fairness, however, was one reason why Rep. Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, said he voted against the bill. Allowing big businesses to continue to avoid paying corporate income taxes, Harris said, would leave small businesses at a considerable disadvantage to large corporations.
Democrats in general said they were appalled by Jetton's remark on the House floor, including Columbia representatives Vicky Riback Wilson and Jeff Harris.
Columbia's newest member of the legislature and the only one not forced out after this year by term limits, is Rep. Jeff Harris who is serving his first term.