Wallingford ready to go back to House

Wayne Wallingford is returning to whence he came as the lawmaker from Cape Girardeau again takes a seat Wednesday in the Missouri House after an eight-year stint in the state Senate.

Wallingford, 74, (R-147) served two years in the General Assembly’s lower chamber from 2011-2013 before winning two terms in the upper body of the Legislature.

Term-limited out of the Senate, Wallingford successfully sought election back to the House last year, where he can serve a maximum of three additional two-year terms.

Wallingford remembers well the way.

“The two chambers are about 50 yards apart on the third floor of the Capitol,” said Wallingford, a Vietnam War veteran who flew more than 300 missions as a combat navigator in the U.S. Air Force.

“You have to remember who holds the gavel in each chamber, though,” he said, noting the 34-member Senate has a president and the 163-member House is governed by a speaker.

Wallingford, who is chief people officer for McDonald’s of Southeast Missouri, has pre-filed several pieces of legislation for the upcoming 101st General Assembly.

Hospital violence protection

Suggested by the Missouri Nurses Association, Wallingford’s bill would require hospitals in the state to develop workplace violence protection plans to protect health care employees and personnel by no later than Aug. 28, 2022.

Additionally, the legislation would require hospitals to keep written records of violent incidents against hospital employees for five years.

If a violent incident results in an injury or if a firearm is used, the hospital must report it to the state Department of Health and Senior Services within 24 hours.

“I’m married to a retired registered nurse,” said Wallingford, who received a kidney transplant in early November, “and I am aware some patients or relatives can get unruly or violent.”

SEMO mission statement

“Surprisingly, Southeast Missouri State University does not now have a mission statement recognized by the Legislature,” said Wallingford, who has introduced a bill recognizing Southeast “as an institution with a statewide mission in visual and performing arts, computer science and cybersecurity.”

Wallingford said his legislation, which he expects to pass both chambers easily, is long overdue.

“Mizzou has such a recognized mission and our very fine university does not,” he said, noting passage will have the anticipated effect of enhancing Southeast’s “credibility” when trying to attract students, recruit teaching faculty and obtain grants.

Child custody

“There was a judge in Texas many years ago who was trying to figure out visitation arrangements between divorcing parents,” said Wallingford, adding he is persuaded custody cases usually become quite one-sided.

“The judge in that case gave the father every Thursday and every other weekend,” he said, noting the majority of custody went to the mother.

“This arrangement has become the norm all over and it’s just not fair to the children or to the shorted spouse,” Wallingford said.

Ironically, Wallingford said, while fathers usually “get the short end of the stick” in child custody cases, the idea for his legislation came from a woman from Cape Girardeau.

“My bill requires that custody start out as equal in Missouri because it is in the best interests of the child,” said Wallingford, adding there are understandable exceptions to the requirement.

“If a parent is unfit, that’s a whole different ballgame,” said Wallingford, who said a similar bill compared to his passed in Kentucky two years ago has cut court time and associated costs incurred by divorcing parents.

“It also may make a (split) a bit more amicable and helps to avoid some of the other problems seen in usual custody arrangements,” he added.

“Divorce is usually not the friendliest event in a person’s life,” Wallingford said.

When custody is unequal, the veteran legislator contends, the tendency is for one parent to “badmouth the other resulting in parental alienation.”

Other legislation

Both chambers are expected to take up quickly COVID-19 liability protection and a Wayfair bill, legislation Wallingford has indicated previously he will support.

In January 2020, the state’s budget director estimated Wayfair, requiring out-of-state vendors to collect and remit a state sales tax, would bring $60 million to $80 million into state coffers.

Missouri and Florida are the only two states without such a levy.