LAWMAKERS SAY SESSION GOOD FOR BILLS NOT PASSED

Area lawmakers say the just-completed session of the Missouri Legislature was a good one partly because of the bills that weren't passed.

"I actually looked at this session as a pretty good session," said state Rep. David Schwab, R-Jackson.

Schwab was one of five area lawmakers who discussed the session at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's First Friday Coffee. About 170 people attended Friday's meeting at the Show Me Center.

In addition to Schwab, the lawmakers included state Sens. Jerry Howard of Dexter and Peter Kinder of Cape Girardeau, and state Reps. Patrick Naeger of Perryville and Mary Kasten of Cape Girardeau. Howard is a Democrat. Kinder, Naeger and Kasten are Republicans.

Schwab gave the session high marks for the defeat of a bill that would have allowed collective bargaining for public employees in Missouri. "I don't feel we need that in Missouri," he said.

The Legislature also turned a deaf ear to a proposed Equal Rights Amendment and killed the Equal Pay Act, a measure that Schwab said would have been a burden on employers.

The bill would have prohibited employers from paying people different wages for similar work because of gender, age, nationality or disability.

The practice is already illegal under federal law, but the legislation would have allowed "equal pay" cases to go before a jury in state court.

Business groups lobbied against the bill.

Schwab said it would have required businesses to keep more records in regards to employee pay and would have resulted in a flood of litigation.

The Legislature passed only 83 bills in the 2000 session.

Schwab said fewer bills made for a better legislative process in Jefferson City.

"It allowed for a lot more thorough debate," he said. Bills were debated on the floor longer, and that allowed lawmakers more opportunity to change the legislation.

"We added a lot more amendments to bills,' he said.

"We slowed down, took our time and did a better job with what we have done," Schwab said.

One measure that passed in the session was Howard's telemarketing bill.

The measure sets up a statewide "no-call" list, which will be maintained by the attorney general. Telemarketers would be barred from making phone solicitations to those Missourians who sign up.

In response to a question about whether Internet sales should be taxed, Howard said the business community in Missouri needs to debate the issue before asking lawmakers to address it.

Kinder talked about bills that lawmakers passed.

He said the Legislature passed a $17 billion state budget, which included more than $50 million in operating money for Southeast Missouri State University, and capital improvement funding for the River Campus development and the new Cape Girardeau Area Career and Technology Center, formerly the vo-tech school.

"The big news of this session was the road bond bill," he said. The measure authorizes $2.25 billion in bonds to fund road and bridge construction projects in the state.

"We are going to see a huge speed up in highway construction in the state," said Kinder.

Kasten, who is retiring after 18 years in the Legislature, received a standing ovation when she got up to speak.

"It has been just a joy to represent this area," she told the crowd.

Kasten echoed Schwab's sentiments about the lower than usual number of bills passed in the last session. "I do believe you are better served by less bills and less government."