We "started" last week and got our first real "snow day" in years. The first official day was followed by a huge snow storm so the Legislature bowed to the forces of nature and there was only a technical session held.

This week we actually had committee hearings and guess what the first issue we sent to the Floor? Health Care! See my thoughts on that below.

This may be a different kind of year for Jeff City. Lot of pressure to "reform" and some unique political pressures and tides. Here we go.

"ETHICS" everywhere in Jeff City. Even talk of passing a law on it!

Press conferences abound. Promises fly. And a NEW COMMITTEE is announced.

After a year in which a State Rep and a Senator were convicted of campaign violations and one State Rep went to prison for accepting a bribe, politicians have decided this year might be a good time to "crack down" on politicians. My sense of humor is titillated on this. This is the same Majority Party that forced through a repeal of campaign donation limits after the people of Missouri voted overwhelmingly to adopt strict limits.

Now the same politicians who led the charge to abolish limits are demanding reform. Oh. But not necessarily to restore the limits. More like, let's not have any free meals from lobbyists. This irony was so strong and so humorous to me that I was tweeting about how we were going to have to build a gigantic bandwagon so all the pols could have a front row seat. Two hours later I was sitting in the Chamber listening to the Speaker make his opening day address. Predictably the first issue he talked about was ETHICS. And then the Speaker said he was appointing a special Committee to work on this reform. I am thinking "yeah... right" when he says my name on the list of people appointed to this new committee. Uh oh. Now instead of just laughing at the antics of politicians all trying to jump on the bandwagon at once I will have some responsibility to "do something" on this issue.

Hmmm. The new chair told me he would actually run this committee in a "bi-partisan" manner and not put out a bill without bi-partisan support. After 7 years of being treated in an extremely partisan manner on every issue we deal with in Jeff City I was suspicious. But the next day the Chair said exactly the same thing to the press. Maybe we will put out a meaningful reform bill. Certainly have plenty of room to work in this State. I will keep you posted on the process..

STRANGE BEDFELLOWS INDEED

FIRST ISSUE VOTED OUT OF RULES COMMITTEE FOR FLOOR DEBATE: HEALTH CARE

Each year we discuss a few resolutions that call on the Federal Congress to do things. For example, pass a law on Social Security. Usually these are feel good type things that politicians put up so that they can make political points on these issues.

But talk about looking for political points while ignoring the business of the State this takes the cake. This "health care" resolution calls on Congress to reject the current Health Care proposal in Congress. Never mind that no one knows yet what that proposal actually will be since there are at least two versions - the House and Senate versions - these Republicans want to "just say no." I have to hand it to them they stay on message. They have absolutely no message other than NO and they manage to package it in such a way that they have a lot of people in this country nervous about this new health care reform. In fact some Missouri Democrats may vote for this. Although I think those are folk that think the reforms do not go far enough.

But in the Missouri House it is so plain that the debate is not really about what sort of law should be passed about health care it is simply a hope to score political points. And guess what? They will inevitably score some points in that ALL of the Republicans and some of the Democrats will vote to say "NO" to health care reform. Oh, and there are all sorts of proposals floating to "reject" the Health care law. Exciting times.

DWI laws being proposed but one big surprise: