Representative Jim Neely's Capitol Report
Greetings Friends of the 8th District!
I hope you are enjoying the longer days of the refreshing sun light out there. Warmer temperatures and spring are upon us.
House Approves Bill to Require Victim Impact Program for DWI Offenders (HB 1488)
A bill now headed to the Senate would require a person who is guilty of driving while intoxicated to complete a victim impact program approved by the court.
A victim impact panel is made up of speakers who have either been seriously injured by an impaired driver or have a loved one who was seriously injured or killed by a drunk driver. Members of the panel share their stories with offenders who attend as part of their court sentence.
Victim impact programs currently exist in Missouri and many judges already require offenders to participate in them. The legislation approved by the House would ensure that every judge sends offenders to the victim impact programs by making them a mandatory consequence for drunk or impaired driving offenses.
By placing offenders face-to-face with people whose lives have been permanently changed by a substance-impaired driver. Victim impact panels provide offenders with the understanding that drunk driving is a choice that impacts the lives of innocent people and is 100 percent preventable. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Missouri House Approves Kratom Consumer Protection Act (HB 2061)
House members have approved legislation to regulate the sale of an herbal supplement known as kratom. The bill would establish the Kratom Consumer Protection Act to create a simple regulatory framework for the consumption and sale of the supplement.
Kratom is an herbal extract that comes from the leaves of an evergreen tree grown in Southeast Asia. Those who use the substance say it offers relief from pain, depression, and anxiety. Some also use it as a tool to combat addiction to opioid medications. Consumption of a large amount of kratom can be harmful, especially if it is mixed with another product, so it is important to ensure consumption of the product is at a safe level.
The Kratom Consumer Protection Act would require dealers who prepare, distribute, sell, or expose for sale a food that is represented to be a kratom product to disclose on the product label the basis on which this representation is made. A dealer would be prohibited from preparing, distributing, selling, or exposing for sale a kratom product that does not conform to these labeling requirements. Dealers would also be prohibited from preparing or selling a kratom product that has been adulterated or contaminated with a dangerous non-kratom substance. Additionally, the act would prohibit dealers from selling kratom products to anyone under the age of 18.
The bill now heads to the Senate for discussion.
As always, please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions, concerns, or suggestions you might have. As your Representative, I am here to assist you however, I can. I can be reached by email at Jim.Neely@house.mo.gov or by phone at 573-751-0246.