Retiring lawmaker Donna Lichtenegger embraces 'my government'

When the 2019 session of the Missouri Legislature convenes today, Donna Lichtenegger will be there, but not as a state lawmaker.

The Jackson Republican spent the past eight years as state representative for District 146, which encompasses most of Cape Girardeau County.

Under Missouri law, House members can serve a maximum of eight years.

Lichtenegger said Tuesday she will be on hand for the start of the session because she feels it is her civic duty.

“I think it is important because this is my government,” she said.

“I want to give them (lawmakers) the support and encouragement they need,” Lichtenegger said.

Her successor as state representative for District 146, Republican Barry Hovis, already has received some of her advice.

“She has been very helpful to me,” he said, adding Lichtenegger has informed him about various legislation.

Lichtenegger said she was interested and active in Republican politics long before she was elected to the House in 2010.

Lichtenegger said she is proud of legislation she sponsored and helped pass, including one barring quarries from blasting less than 1,000 feet from an existing school. The measure grew out of the fact a quarry opened within a short distance from Saxony Lutheran High School in Cape Girardeau County.

Lichtenegger, who was a dental hygienist, successfully backed legislation over the years dealing with the dental industry. One of those laws reinstated dental care for adult Medicaid patients and another allows retired dentists and dental specialists to teach classes at Missouri’s dental schools.

The Jackson resident expressed concern about term limits, suggesting it leads to fewer experienced lawmakers and increasingly puts the power in the hands of lobbyists.

The result is a lack of “institutional knowledge” as lawmakers grapple with putting together a budget and passing legislation, Lichtenegger said.

“Over one half of the (House) budget committee has been lost to term limits,” she said.

Lichtenegger unsuccessfully proposed legislation last year to amend the Missouri Constitution to allow a maximum of three four-year terms for state representatives and two six-year terms for senators.

House members currently can serve a maximum of four two-year terms. Senators can serve a maximum of two four-year terms.

Lichtenegger’s proposal would have increased the maximum number of years lawmakers could serve in each Legislative body from eight years to 12 years, assuming the measure had been placed before voters to change the constitution.

The Legislature did not pass the measure.

She recalled the difficulty she and other lawmakers faced in dealing with then Gov. Eric Greitens last legislative session.

“It was a very disturbing time,” Lichtenegger said.

Greitens resigned last year amid criminal and legislative investigations stemming from an extramarital affair and campaign finance questions. He denied any criminal wrongdoing.

Lichtenegger called for Greitens to resign in February, months before he stepped down.

The call for his resignation came after Greitens was indicted by a St. Louis grand jury on a charge of felony invasion of privacy. He was accused of taking a compromising photo of a woman during an extramarital affair in 2015, a year before he was elected governor.

“Our citizens deserve people of good moral and exceptional character,” Lichtenegger said in calling for his resignation. “The point is that he ran on moral and high character. He has lied to the people, and he has lied to his family, and he has disgraced his family,” she said last year.

She said Tuesday she had concerns about Greitens’ character even before he was elected in November 2016.

“I had a really hard time with that election,” she said.

Lichtenegger said she was criticized for calling for the Republican governor to resign.

“A lot of people got mad at me,” she remembered.

But she defended her stance, insisting Greitens “domestically abused” the woman with whom he had an affair.

Greitens also engaged in ethical violations regarding his campaign organization, Lichtenegger said.

Greitens often was at odds with lawmakers, including those of his own party, she said.

“He did not work with the Legislature at all,” Lichtenegger said.

She said, “Both Republicans and Democrats really disliked the governor.”

The invasion of privacy charge was dropped last spring.

A felony charge of computer tampering, which accused Greitens of misusing a charity donor list to solicit campaign cash for his 2016 run for governor, was dropped after Greitens agreed to resign.

In retirement, Lichtenegger said she will continue to encourage foster parenting.

“These kids deserve a life out of turmoil,” she said.

Lichtenegger said she will speak up on issues when she sees a need.

“I will probably be in Jefferson City quite often,” she said.

She also has some advice for incoming lawmakers.

“You have to be ready to listen,” Lichtenegger said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641