LISTEN): State Sen. Travis Fitzwater (R-Holts Summit) appears on “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”

By Zimmer Communications

State Sen. Travis Fitzwater (R-Holts Summit) chairs the Missouri Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee. Senator Fitzwater joined us live on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” this morning, discussing education, home-schooling, his proposed constitutional amendment involving reducing the size of the Missouri House and tweaking term limits and Boone County’s planned regional law enforcement training center. Senator Fitzwater tells listeners that Missouri has one of the best home-schooling laws in the nation, adding that legislation from State Rep. Phil Christofanelli (R-St. Peters) will make that law stronger. Senator Fitzwater and his wife home-school their children. Senator Fitzwater has filed Senate Joint Resolution 70, which is a proposed constitutional amendment. Senator Fitzwater wants to reduce the Missouri House’s size from 163 to 102. Under the measure, ALL Missouri House districts would have to be wholly contained in one Missouri Senate district. The proposed constitutional amendment would also tweak Missouri’s term limits law. Currently, Missouri lawmakers can serve up to eight years in the House and up to eight years in the Senate for a total of 16 years. Under SJR 70, lawmakers could serve up to 16 years total in the General Assembly, regardless of which chamber. Senator Fitzwater admits lawmakers in both parties don’t like the idea of reducing the House’s size to 102. He also says it’s time to consider reducing the session’s length. Missouri lawmakers currently meet from January to May. Senator Fitzwater also discussed Boone County’s planned regional law enforcement training center in Columbia, which will have a statewide role. Ground was broken on Wednesday. He says Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden (R-Columbia) and Boone County Presiding Commissioner Kip Kendrick (D) played major roles, adding that Kendrick also worked on this when he served in the House: