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Education and Interests:
1960 Southeast Missouri State University, Bachelor of Science
Majors: Agriculture and Biology
Minors: Chemistry and History
1953 Graduate of Central High School, Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Interests: Family, reading, fishing, hunting, horseback riding
and gardening
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Awards Received:
October 2000: Received Class of 1961 Distinguished Alumni
Award by Southeast Missouri State University
March 28, 2000: Received Leadership Award on behalf of 100,000
Missourians and their families suffering with Alzheimer's
disease. Presented by the Alzheimer Association.
September 1999: Distinguished Service Award for leadership
and support in promoting a full range of services for Missouri's
elderly; Presented by Missouri AHA.
1997-98 Citizen of the Year Award: Presented by the Dexter
Elks Lodge.
May 2, 1998: received SED Award for improving the lives of
Missouri's Children with Severe Emotional Disorders (SED).
Presented by the Missouri Statewide Parent Advisory Network.
1998: Received Legislator of the Year Award from Missouri
mental Health Consumer Network in recognition of dedication
toward the empowerment of Missouri's mental health consumers.
March 31, 1998: Recognized for dedicated service to Missouri
Senior Citizens.
November 1996: Received Distinguished Legislator Award for
outstanding leadership and meritorious service to the Community
Colleges of Missouri. Presented by the MCCA.
October 14, 1995: recognition of lengthy outstanding service
to the mentally disabled and for improving the quality of
life of countless Missourians. Presented by the ARC of Missouri.
September 7, 1995: Award for leadership and support leading
to passage of SB 480 and the Commission on the Special Health
for psychological and social needs of minority older persons.
Presented by Missouri Institute on Minority Aging.
June 13, 1995: Thank You Award presented by Missouri Dental
Assistants Association.
March 28, 1995: Recognition Award for maintaining access
to health care for residents of Southeast Missouri, for efforts
put forth in bringing about the six-county network. Presented
by the Southeast Missouri Health Network.
October 31, 1990: Legislative award for outstanding commitment
to the health of women in Missouri through enhanced access
to mammography screening. Presenting by Missouri Department
of Health.
March 1, 1990: Recognized for passage of SB 742 early detection
of breast cancer. Presented by Missouri Women's Network.
1994 Award for sponsorship and passage of SB 649: The Geologists
Registration Act of 1994. Presented by Association of Engineering
and Geologists.
The 1990 Distinguished Alumni Award for Agriculture: Presented
by the Southeast Missouri State University Department of Agriculture.
Transportation appreciation award: for support of transportation
presented by Pemiscot County Port Authority, Southeast Area
Agency on Aging, Bluff Area Transit System, Adult Day Activity
Center, Southeast Missouri Transit System.
Awarded recognition for continued commitment to healthy,
happy, strong families and for sharing their vision for the
future presented by Children's Trust Fund.
Awarded 1994 Spirit of Enterprise Award: For efforts to protect
our nation's free enterprise system: Presented by Missouri
Chamber of Commerce.
Recognized for dedication and integrity, for serving the
many diverse needs of constituents and all Missourians: Presented
by Missouri Independent Automobile Dealers Association.
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LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
Agriculture
Created a special underground water district for Southeast
Missouri. The "Bootheel of Missouri" has abundant
underground water for irrigating crops. This law makes it
possible for farmers to monitor and control the quality and
quantity of irrigation water and allows the district input
to the state water plan development.
Created agricultural research districts for Southeast Missouri.
The research districts study problems unique to the region.
Passed the Boll Weevil Eradication Bill. The Act helps farmers
join together to uniformly control and eradicate boll weevils.
Passed the purple paint law. This bill allows purple paint
to serve as a "no trespass: warning on fence posts, trees
and other features on the terrain.
Passed the Soil and Water Districts bill. The bill gives
counties south of the Missouri River a third commissioner
and an equal voice on the state soil and water districts commission.
Passed the Legislation creating and was Chairman of the Joint
Commission on Wetlands. The Joint Committee was created to
provide relief guidance and oversight on state and federal
regulations regarding wetlands. The committee has oversight
on state wetlands policies for the stated of Missouri.
Established a Budget item in State Budget for a Rice Breeder
at Bootheel Education Center and for a Wildlife Specialist
and an Aquatic Specialist through Semo University.
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Resolutions:
1999: Requested federal assistance for agriculture
1999: Requested the federal government to enforce existing
anti-trust laws and make other efforts to assist farmers
with fair pricing.
2000: Created the Missouri Delta Regional Authority
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Education
SB 944 The Safe Schools Act: Includes and amendment I offered
to create an ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) type pilot
program using military school methods. This is a voluntary
program teaching discipline, patriotism, self-esteem through
earned achievements, and builds an unparalleled sense of belonging
for troubled young people.
1998 SB 781, The Desegregation Bill: Included my amendment
to provide $750,000.00 in additional funds for the Pemiscot
County Special School District. The Southeast Missouri special
school district is one of only two such districts in the state.
As a rural Senator my support included Capital improvements
at Southeast Missouri State University for funding the River
Campus, the Robert A. Dempster Hall, Donald L. Harrison College
of Business, A.S. J. Carnahan Building, the new Rice Breeder
located at the Bootheel Education Center and the Southeast
Missouri Reading Recovery Program. In 2000 a wildlife specialist
and an aquatic specialist were added at the Bootheel Education
Center to help farmers with wildlife damage problems, bacterial
infections, disease and other problems in aquatic life.
Economic Development
Accomplished successful passage of legislation to increase
funding for local airports.
Successfully Cosponsored the increase for personal income
tax exemptions cutting income taxes fairly across the board.
Increased tax cuts using the "circuit breaker"
law helping elderly people ease their property tax burden.
Amended private pension tax liability that had been promised
because of the "Davis Decision."
Referred, reviewed and promoted grant applications sent to
any state department from every town and city in the six counties
served.
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Health and Mental Health
In 1991 passed an amendment for tuberculosis screening, which
includes prisons and nursing homes so the dangerous disease
could be contained and treated.
In 1999 passed legislation to require tuberculosis patients
to complete treatment before they return to the community.
In 1997 sponsored and passed HB 600 on Phenylketonuria (PKU).
The law calls for screening to detect PKU in order for the
disease to be treated in newborns through a special formula.
Early treatment prevents mental retardation.
Served on the Joint Committee on Managed Care, Cosponsored
managed Care Reform and helped write the legislation. This
legislation was a model for the nation in creating patients'
rights. Although insurers were paid for coverage in many cases
the insured was refused care.
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Insurance
Early detection of Breast Cancer had reduced deaths from
that dreaded disease by 33% or more as a result of my sponsorship
and passage of a law requiring offering coverage for breast
cancer screenings.
1999 HB 191: Senate sponsor for catastrophic mental health
insurance coverage. The bill was the first of its kind in
the nation.
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Social Services
Established pilot programs for "aging in place"
and freestanding Alzheimer facilities.
Passed SB 211, The Missouri Family Trust Act improving the
ability of families to care for their retarded and disabled
children.
Sponsored and passed the law creating the "Shared Care
Program" which includes $500 tax credits for people who
care for an elderly or disabled in their homes.
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Natural Resources
In 1994 sponsored and passed SB 649: The Geologists Registration
Act.
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Utility Regulation
2000 SB 763 created the Missouri "no-call list."
Missourians can now lock out unwanted phone sales and gain
greater protection against telemarketing fraud.
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