Springfield State Rep. Sara Lampe has filed legislation to repeal the law requiring the director of the Missouri Department of Transportation to annually deliver a State of Transportation address before a joint session of the General Assembly.
The Springfield Democrat said the speech has outlived its original intent since it was first delivered in 2004.
“Every year the director tells us MoDOT is doing a good job with what it has but needs substantially more money to deliver a top-notch transportation system. The message is similar to what every other department director tells us,” Lampe said. “Members of the General Assembly know of MoDOT’s needs. They also know it has been 20 years since Missouri voters last approved a tax hike. Although I respect Pete Rahn, his time probably would be better spent convincing Missouri voters of MoDOT’s needs than preaching to the choir.”
According to the Lampe release, the only other joint sessions held each year are for the governor’s constitutionally required State of the State address and the traditional State of the Judiciary address by the chief justice of the Missouri Supreme Court. Since the judiciary and the executive are co-equal branches of state government, Lampe said is important for them to appear before the third co-equal branch, the Legislature.
“MoDOT is part of the executive branch, which is overseen by the governor,” Lampe said. “As a result, transportation issues are more properly dealt with in the governor’s State of the State address. Having a separate speech on transportation is, at best, redundant.”
Sen. Joan Bray has filed the legislation in the Senate. Lampe filed the bill in the House this morning.
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