A Preliminary Look at the Present
(Now Past)MO Legislative Session

By State Representative Cynthia Davis

Publisher’s Note…

With the end of the present legislative session on May 13th (Just before we had to go to press with this issue of the MetroVoice) I decided to ask State Representative Cynthia Davis (House District 19) for her thoughts regarding the session. In our July God & Country issue we will be providing an in-depth look at the pro-family legislation which was considered during this legislative session. In the mean time, Representative Davis was kind enough to provide the following comments.

Many legislators during the present (‘past’ by the time the June issue of the MetroVoice is distributed) experienced the ‘thrill of victory and agony of defeat’ regarding a great number of pro-family bills. It’s difficult to express either joy or sorrow because every session has many convoluted bills that, at the end of the session, turn very bittersweet; sort of a ‘good news, bad news’ situation. The legislative process is extremely slow and our values are emerging at a snail’s pace yet, there has been some incremental progress. Here are a few ‘good news, bad news’ reports from this legislative session.

The bad news is: the St. Louis Post Dispatch continued to distort truth and make Christian Legislators look bad. The good news is: the St. Louis MetroVoice is available to help Christians understand what is really going on.

The bad news is: we did not see any progress toward a prohibition on human cloning due to the Governor’s threat to veto a bill that would have done so. The good news is: I had hearings in committees for: 1. A bill that would take away a mandate on our schools to teach all forms of contraception, thus leaving us with an abstinence focus in our sex education curriculum; 2. A bill that would require biology textbooks to include one chapter with a critical analysis of origins; and 3. A bill that prevents family members from inflicting death by dehydration on disabled people. While none of these bills were voted out of committee, they were all presented to all the legislators and the groundwork was laid for the future.

The one bill that actually passed the House was a bill to legalize midwifery in Missouri. This bill went quite a bit further than anyone thought it would. While this legislation may not seem as important to Christians as bills dealing with abstinence and evolution, the reason the midwifery bill went as far as it did was because it had the most support. It takes a lot of people to nurture a bill along. Although many Christians are emotionally supportive of these concepts, Christians rarely get involved to the extent that would allow a bill to really make it over the finish line. With the midwifery bill, there were midwives and home birth mothers at the Capitol every day for weeks just communicating with the legislators. It was a remarkable show of determination. Supporters of the bill mapped out all of the legislators and personally made contact with each one. This is what it takes to make a difference. I am happy to put forth good ideas, but it takes an army of supporters to turn one into law.

The bad news is: the budget grew by over $220 million. The good news is (if you wish to call it good news): it didn’t grow by any more than that. If you are still confused about the welfare programs that the State offers, get the book by Star Parker called Uncle Sam’s Plantation (available at Back to Basics Christian Bookstore). It’s the family’s job, then the Church’s job to take care of needy people. When Jesus said, “Love thy neighbor,” He was not speaking to Caesar. The good Samaritan did not try to get others to pay for the man who was beaten up. He took care of things himself.

The bad news is: a lot of good bills did not get passed. The good news is: God is still on the throne. Many good ideas were presented in committees and the groundwork was laid for good laws in the future. Salt and light were present at the Capitol. Seeds were sown. Sometimes it takes years for them to germinate. Now it is time to nurture the good ideas.

In conclusion I’d like to offer some sound advice. Over the summer, legislators are in their districts. And, of course, visiting with them in your own community is much easier than driving to Jefferson City. You need to make contact with your legislators and make sure they know you’re watching their voting records. You need to make sure they become familiar with your name and face. Why? Because such actions will better enable you to make a difference on issues that affect you, your family and your neighbors in the future. Your ability to communicate with them right now will have more of an impact on them while things are quiet than when they’re in the middle of a debate over a bill that’s pending. If your legislator is not going to vote with you, it may be that he or she is not informed. Patiently explain why they are on the wrong side of the issue. Be gentle, kind and clear. If you position yourself now, God may use you in a great and mighty way in the next session.