State lawmaker omits Cape Girardeau County in bill, pledges correction

People make mistakes and state Rep. Dave Griffith of Jefferson City (R-60th Dist.) vows to fix a legislative error quickly.

Griffith's measure, House Bill 1562, designates nearly all of Southeast Missouri as the "Stars and Stripes Historic Region."

The National Stars and Stripes Museum and Library is in Stoddard County at Bloomfield, Missouri.

By a unanimous 138-0 vote, Griffith's bill passed Wednesday, with three members voting present.

Among those who did not vote in the affirmative but rather as "present" on what appeared at first glance as non-controversial legislation was Rep. Kevin Windham, Jr. of St. Louis County (D-85th District).

Windham -- a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University -- wondered why Griffith didn't specify Cape Girardeau County as part of the historic area, according to a Capitol source.

Stars and Stripes Historic Region is specified in the bill as 25 counties, including Bollinger, Perry and Scott.

Cape Girardeau County, often referred to as the "hub" of Southeast Missouri, did not appear in the bill approved by the House.

"(The omission) was not intentional at all," Griffith told the Southeast Missourian in an email.

"It was completely an oversight and I'm working on fixing that on the Senate side," he said.

Griffith said Cape Girardeau County will be added in the Senate version as will the City of St. Louis.

Assuming Senate passage, Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) officials "may place suitable markings and informational signs in the designated areas. Costs for such designation shall be paid by private donation."