Dear Neighbor,
Bills in the Legislature sometimes are like professional wrestlers; they start kicking and come back to life even if it looks like they are down for the count.
The Bullying Bill, which I strongly oppose, is a good example. It passed the House last year, only to die on the vine when the Senate did not bring it to the floor. We anticipated the bill would be a high-profile item in 2014 and it started that way.
Then it recently seemed the bill once again was headed toward the back burner. There were rumblings that House and Senate majority members were at a stalemate over some nuances in the bill and that it was back on hold. Now, this proposal is rearing its head again as its Senate companion bill advanced through two committees this week.
It was good to see a number of concerned citizen visit the Capitol this week to express their opposition. The Bullying Bill is unnecessary, expensive and shifts important decisions from local parents and school officials to a statewide panel of bureaucrats. It’s just the latest example of government thinking it knows better than local citizens what is best for them.
I will continue to stand against the Bullying Bill and ask local citizens to remain active in making their opinions known on this issue. As we've learned, things are not over at the Capitol until the last gavel signals adjournment ... and sometimes not even then.
Sincerely,
Tom