Newly elected lawmakers take bus tour around state

Touring the state by bus might seem like a chore to some, but about 60 newly elected state representatives said it offered an education about many state-funded programs they must make decisions about in the years to come.

The freshmen legislators rolled into Cape Girardeau Wednesday night for a gathering at Southeast Missouri State University, where they were welcomed with an open-bar reception at Dempster Hall. While there, they were shown a slide show and video presentation by Southeast president Ken Dobbins highlighting the university's accomplishments and the region's educational makeup.

The group first took to the road on Friday for Fulton, then made their way to Rolla, Springfield, Branson, West Plains and Poplar Bluff.

The tour was designed to familiarize the legislative freshmen with state-owned and funded properties and state programs, said Donald Prost, the state's director of Legislative Research. With 90 of the 163-member House of Representatives in their first terms, the trip's goal was timely.

"We're worn out -- I can tell you that," he said. "It's not a pleasure cruise for any of them. The important thing to remember is that they're doing this on their own and are not being paid for their time, because none of them have been sworn in yet."

After the reception, the group was treated to a barbecue dinner and chamber music at the Otto and Della Seabaugh Polytechnic Building where they were welcomed by Cape Girardeau Mayor Jay Knudtson, who spoke about cooperative efforts between the city and the university. The evening was capped off by another slide show of the university's technology programs and a demonstration of a robotic arm.

Following tax dollars

The most helpful part of the tour for Rep.-elect Tom Self of Cole Camp was seeing where state tax dollars are going and why, he said.

"With this tour, you get to see the facilities you're funding," he said. "The tour makes you more educated and knowledgeable about what you're doing to them or for them."

Since Friday, the group has visited facilities such as a school for the deaf, a prison, a National Guard armory and sites of tourism interest.

The tour offered Trent Skaggs, representative-elect from north Kansas City, a chance to visit a part of the state he has not seen before.

"This is probably my only opportunity to get down here," he said. "This gives us perspective and will help us to put faces with institutions as we work in the Legislature."

Prost said the newly-elected officials seemed to be enjoying all the tour had to offer and took every advantage to learn more about different Missouri institutions.

"They've all been fairly interested in most everything we've done on the tour," Prost said. "I think it's been very worthwhile for them. Of those that participated, I think they will find it very useful to have visited the places they've been once they are in the Legislature."

Rep.-elect Gayle Kingery of Poplar Bluff said he felt at home during the tour's stop in Cape Girardeau. He graduated from Southeast in 1966. The trip has been useful and educational, he said.

"I'm familiar with Southeast Missouri, as far as the parts I've been through," Kingery said. "This is a learning process for us, because we need to know what their needs are."

Many of those in attendance were university staff members looking to educate the new legislators about SEMO's accomplishments.

Though only at the halfway mark of the tour, Rep.-elect Brian Nieves of Washington has already seen a pattern emerge of possibly the most important issue facing the next legislative session.

"So far, the main thrust of what we've seen has been about education," he said. "Finding the money in the budget to fund education is a priority. I believe it's there."

Nieves said the trip has been an eye-opener for many who may have not fully understood what was ahead of them in the next session.

"We've got a bigger job ahead of us, especially those of us who were on the outside looking in, than we ever expected," he said. "I think my fellow freshmen came into this with their eyes wide open, but even so, you don't full understand an issue until it is put in front of you."

The trip will wrap up by the week's end after stops in St. Louis today, then Sedalia, Kansas City, St. Joseph and finally back to Jefferson City. The travel budget was set at $80,000, but Prost said he expects to come in under budget because not all of those eligible participated.

mwells@semissourian.com

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