KINDER PLEASED WITH SENATE PANEL ASSIGNMENTS

JEFFERSON CITY -- Sen. Peter Kinder thinks his committee assignments for this legislative session will enable him to have a direct impact on important issues for the 27th District.

"I was very pleased," the Cape Girardeau Republican said. "I got everything I wanted but labor and industrial relations."

Kinder will serve the next two years on committees for education; commerce and environment; ethics; financial and governmental operations; and judiciary.

In other assignments, two Southeast Missouri Democratic senators retained chairmanships of committees they headed the past two years.

Sen. Jerry Howard, D-Dexter, will direct the committee for aging, families and mental health, while Sen. Danny Staples, D-Eminence, will chair the transportation panel.

Howard also retained his seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee.

"I had sought the appropriations chair, but it did not come to pass," he said.

Howard's committee also will study the idea of creating a new Department of Aging, elevating it from division status.

Howard's other committee assignments include vice chairman of agriculture and local government; vice chairman of conservation, parks and tourism; and a member of judiciary and financial and governmental operations.

Staples, besides his chairmanship, will serve as a member of committees for aging, families and mental health; corrections and general laws; gubernatorial appointments; and interstate cooperation.

Senate members also serve on joint committees that include members of the House of Representatives.

Kinder and Howard will stay on the joint committee on wetlands, a committee that Howard likely will take over as chairman this year.

Kinder will continue with joint committees on welfare reform; agricultural institutions; and health care policy and planning.

Howard hopes to stay on joint committees for administrative rules and economic development oversight.

Even though he did not get the Labor and Industrial Relations Committee, Kinder said he will be attending many of its meetings because the panel will deal with further workers' compensation reform.

"I am wanting to make sure we are on the right track for reforming it," he said.

The education committee has a new chairman this year in Sen. Joe Moseley, D-Columbia. He replaces Sen. Harold Caskey, D-Butler, who will chair civil and criminal jurisprudence and the ethics panel.

Kinder hopes to push a constitutional amendment this year that would allow parents a choice on which schools their children attend.

Kinder's school choice bill had a hearing last year, but was rejected in committee. Caskey is a staunch opponent of school choice.

With new federal banking regulations needing to be implemented, Kinder said his assignment on the panel for financial and governmental operations should keep him busy this year.