Capitol Report: Representative Phil Christofanelli
In the News
1/23/23
Dear Friend,
The 2023 Legislative session has begun. New and old legislators return to the capitol to get to the people’s work. I am thrilled to return once again to serve you and improve our state. Read below to learn more about the first two weeks and a couple of the bills I have filed so far.
Legislators Sworn In
Both new and returning lawmakers made their way to Jefferson City at the start of the month to begin service in the Missouri House of Representatives. On Wednesday, January 4, the 163 members of the House gathered in the House Chamber to take the oath of office and officially begin the 102nd General Assembly. I was sworn into my fourth and final term as a Missouri State Representative. I am honored to be a part of our state’s 102nd General Assembly and thrilled to serve the people of St. Charles County once again. I look forward to advancing legislation that will expand the freedoms of Missourians, reduce their tax burden, and give families across our state more choice in their child’s education.
House Committees Assigned
Committee assignments have been announced and I am honored to be named the Chairman of the Insurance Policy Committee. I am excited to work with my colleagues on the committee to improve insurance in Missouri.
Additionally, I am once again on the Elementary and Secondary Education committee as well as the Subcommittee on Appropriations for Education. I look forward to working closely on education issues as I have done in my past three terms.
Holding the Water Contaminators Accountable
Recently, I had the opportunity to address hundreds of Saint Charles City residents on issues surrounding the contamination of wells in our region. The people of St. Charles should not have to worry about the quality of their drinking water. That is why I filed legislation to require the DNR to forward evidence of contamination to the Attorney General to pursue recovery from the wrongdoer. A court could then order those responsible for the contamination to pay damages and the cost of remediation along with any other appropriate relief. Those who have contaminated the water in St. Charles must bear the cost of their mistake – not the taxpayer. Additionally, I will be working with the Budget committee to secure appropriations for water infrastructure that will help our Mayor and city resolve this problem.
Expansion of our workforce and reducing crime should be a top priority of the Missouri legislature. Right now, those who have a criminal record have a hard time getting a job and finding stable housing. This results in a smaller workforce and a greater chance these individuals will commit crimes again. This is why I filed the Clean Slate bill, which creates an automatic record expungement process for low-level, non-violent offenders who served their sentence and have remained crime free for several years. This bill will result in more Missouri workers and less recidivism and I look forward to moving it through the legislative process.
Missourians should be able to bet on sports. Most states that border Missouri now allow for legal sports betting. Every day, Missourians are crossing state lines or placing bets through online venues that bring no revenue to the state. That is why I have once again filed a bill that will legalize sports betting. This is a common sense measure that will generate millions in revenue and allow Missourians to place their bets legally. I look forward to working towards its passage.
Parental involvement in education is critical to our efforts to improve outcomes and prevent politicization of the classroom. To facilitate these goals, filing to run for school board should be as simple and transparent as possible. That is why I have filed HB 800, which will create an online portal on the Secretary of State’s website that will list the name of each school board member in Missouri, what board they serve, their election date, the expiration of their term, and the process for filing for the seat. Armed with this information, parents will be able to more easily engage with their school districts.Click here to read the bill
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office.
201 West Capitol Avenue, Room 406B
Jefferson City, MO 65101-6806
Phone: 573-751-2250
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