A reporting trip to the Capitol could pay dividends to many

Your rep or senator will appreciate the coverage, to be sure. As one told me last month, ‘Our local paper is only interested in making sure I place my ad for my business. They don’t care what I do at the Capitol.’ And should it ever come to a vote in Missouri that all public notices can be published on a website instead of in a newspaper, we’re going to need all the goodwill and votes we can muster.”

Chad Stebbins, MPA Executive Director

With the Missouri legislative session in full swing through May 16, there’s still plenty of time to report on how your state representative or senator is representing your district.

Ideally, you or someone from your staff would come to Jefferson City on a Tuesday or Wednesday, when the legislature is in full session. There would be lots of good opportunities to take photos and see the parade of visitors and lobbyists who stop by your legislator’s office. Thursday might also work, but it’s usually an abbreviated day with everyone returning home early afternoon.

Sure, you could interview them on a Friday when they are back at home, but you wouldn’t be able to capture the hustle and bustle of the State Capitol. If that’s the only option that would work for you, you can contact House photojournalist Tim Bommel at Tim.Bommel@house.mo.gov to see if he might have a stock photo of your rep from either committee work or floor debate. If you’re looking for a photo of your senator, email Harrison Sweazea at hsweazea@senate.mo.gov.

Regardless of where you conduct the interview, you could ask about their typical day, bills they are sponsoring, committees they are on, some of the challenges and perks of being a legislator, greatest surprises, and even where they live in Jefferson City (some rent apartments or houses with other legislators). Your readers would benefit from this peek-behind-the-scenes coverage of their elected officials.

Your rep or senator will appreciate the coverage, to be sure. As one told me last month, “Our local paper is only interested in making sure I place my ad for my business. They don’t care what I do at the Capitol.” And should it ever come to a vote in Missouri that all public notices can be published on a website instead of in a newspaper, we’re going to need all the goodwill and votes we can muster.

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Speaking of public notices, the Public Notice Resource Center (PNRC) reports legislation that would move all or most public notices in Indiana, Kentucky, and Idaho to government websites passed significant milestones in February. “The most significant threat to newspaper notice appears to be the assault launched in Indiana, where HB-1312 would eventually allow all public and private notices in the state to be posted on a website established by the Indiana Office of Technology.” The measure passed the Indiana House on Feb. 18 by a 57-36 vote.

In Kentucky, HB-368 would allow city and county governments to publish notices on government websites. Currently, cities and counties with populations above 80,000 can move most notices to their own websites, although many continue to publish their notices in newspapers. HB-368 passed the Kentucky House 62-30 on Feb. 26.

Missouri is mentioned in the PNRC’s March newsletter, along with Georgia and Idaho, as three of 10 states where self-storage legislation has been introduced. “Finally, the self-storage industry has been especially aggressive this year in its ongoing effort to avoid publishing newspaper notices before storage facilities can execute lien sales on their customers’ property,” the report says.

The self-storage industry is indeed aggressive, even in Missouri. The Missouri Self Storage Owners Association (MSSOA) has an executive director, a nine-member board, and three lobbyists representing it. MSSOA’s services, according to its website, include creating a legislative presence in Jefferson City and moving the self-storage industry forward in the state.

Some of you contacted your local representative at MPA’s request in late February regarding House Bill 757, sponsored by Rep. Don Mayhew (R-Crocker). The bill mainly deals with catalytic converters but would also eliminate public notices in newspapers that are currently required before self-storage unit property can be auctioned off due to non-payment of rent by the property owner. It was voted “Do Pass” 12-5 (entirely along party lines) by the Committee on Crime and Public Safety on Feb. 27.

MPA has fought this issue for at least five years. We will continue to fight the good fight, but may need to enlist your assistance once again.