News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:   
Lisa Church
660-826-2822

JAN. 9, 2008

DAVID PEARCE ANNOUNCES LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR 2008

Fixing discrepancies for overtime pay for police and firefighters, protecting cell phone owners from the intrusion and expense of unwanted calls, and easing some hurdles for transferred military families are among the legislative priorities for State Rep. David Pearce as the 2008 session began today, January 9.

“The State Legislature has the responsibility to ensure a fair, level playing field for all Missouri residents, whether we’re talking about overtime for our public safety officers or the ability of public entities to develop projects that create jobs,” Pearce said. “I look forward to working on these projects that will help make Missouri a better place for our families.”

The bills Pearce plans to sponsor during the 2008 session include measures to:

• Fix the overtime pay for police and firefighters.  This legislation would reinstate federal standards for overtime wages that were in place before the passage of Proposition B (2006), including exemptions for firefighters, commissioned employees and flex-time rates.   It is similar to the final version passed out the Senate last session as SB 255.

• Expand the No-Call list.  This bill would include cell phones numbers, prohibit sending unsolicited faxes and text messages, and prohibit automatic dialing announcing devices in certain situations.  It is similar to HB 112 that Pearce filed last session and was combined with six other bills that passed out of the Special House Committee on Utilities.

• Establish a Missouri Voluntary Developer Agreement Law (known in the past as the Economic Development Code).  Portions of this proposal passed in the Omnibus Economic Development bill last session.  The MVD bill would allow TIF-like programs to be implemented on a voluntary basis by public entities.  This concept has passed unanimously the past two years in the Special House Committee on Job Creation and Economic Development.

•  Regulate the establishment of sex offender treatment facilities.  This bill would prohibit an individual from owning or operating a sexual offender treatment facility for more than one person who is required to register on the sexual offender registry.  Previously established facilities and those contracted through government bodies would be exempt. This is similar to HB 578 passed last year out of the Special House Committee on General Laws.

• Strive to make Missouri a more military-friendly state; co-sponsored with Rep. Terry Witte.  This bill is based on recommendations from the Missouri Military Preparedness and Enhancement Commission and is similar to HB 135 filed last session.  Teacher certifications from other states would be accepted to allow military dependents greater ease in transferring to Missouri; first-grade students who have completed accredited kindergarten in another state would be accepted regardless of cutoff age; and absentee voting in federal elections and school board elections would be allowed—similar to the pre-2002 statute.

Pearce, a Johnson County Republican, is serving his third term in the Missouri House. He announced last summer that he intends to run for the 31st Senatorial District, which includes covers Johnson, Cass, Bates and Vernon counties in western Missouri.