93.9 The Eagle – The News and Talk of Columbia, MO
Bipartisan legislation that designates June 12 of each year as Women Veterans Appreciation day is heading to Missouri Governor Mike Parson’s (R) desk. The bill is sponsored by State Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-Columbia). It’s personal for him.
“My grandmother was in the World War II in the U.S. Navy. She actually flew over the Atlantic looking for downed pilots. But yeah, so I filed Women’s Appreciation Day and it got onto Senate Bill 139 which passed. I was on the conference committee to help usher it through and it is headed to the governor’s desk,” Tyson Smith says.
Senate Bill 139 is a bipartisan bill that includes numerous state designations, including Albert Pujols day, breast cancer awareness day and UFO capital legislation.
Representative Tyson Smith’s grandmother also worked on bombers when they came in. He says his bill also highlights the growing number of women in the U-S military and the National Guard.
“June 12 comes from President Harry Truman. That was the day in 1948 that he allowed all women to serve permanently in the armed forces. So it has a great attachment to our state because of Harry Truman,” says Tyson Smith.
Representative Smith notes at least ten other states have this designation. He says the bill says let’s appreciate American’s female veterans.
Meantime, Smith is pleased with how Missouri’s 2023 session has gone. He tells 939 the Eagle that it’s been a good session.
“Every session is different, every year is different, every year has a different feel. But I’m excited moving forward, again Women Veterans Appreciation Day hopefully is going to get signed soon,” says Smith.
One of Smith’s bills that did not pass this session would have prohibited the selling or purchasing of semiautomatic and fully automatic firearms by anyone under 20 years old.
