Missouri Committee Chairman to Bring Right to Work Bill

State Representative Bill Lant, Chairman of the Workforce Development and Safety Committee intends to bring3 Right To Work before the legislature this session. Dave Horvath has the story in the Neosha News.

District 159 State Rep. Bill Lant of Seneca is the chairman of the Workforce Development and Safety Committee. Lant said House Speaker Tim Jones asked committees to do things differently this year, and all committee chairs have begun hearing bills to get them ready to go to the floor. Some will make the floor this week, and Lant expects many bills to begin hitting the floor regularly next week.

“I’ve heard three “Right to Work” bills so far, and a prevailing wage bill this week,” said Lant, “and we’re trying to give everybody on both sides of the issues a chance to say everything they want to.” The other committee chairs are doing things the same way, and Lant said many positive comments have been received about the new process, adding the Senate is working in the same manner.

Lant said the caucus determined last year it wanted to be able to vote on a Right to Work” bill this session.

Lant said the caucus determined “Right to Work” legislation is a priority because six of the eight states that border Missouri, and all in this region, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas are “Right to Work” states.

“The facts and figures show “Right to Work” states are growing and Missouri is not. For the first time last year, Missouri actually lost population” and, Lant said, “we have twice lost congressional seats in past 10 to 15 years because other states have grown faster than we have.”

He mentioned Tennessee and Texas as two nearby states that are attracting big industry, adding that if industry feels like a “Right to Work” state is more advantageous to them, that is where they are going to go.