CWA Prayer/Action Chapter hears legislative updates

The local Prayer/Action Chapter of Concerned Women for America held their monthly meeting on Tuesday, June 17, with special guests State Rep. Brian Seitz, District 156; and State Sen. Brad Hudson, District 33. Both shared updates from the recent legislative session of the Missouri General Assembly. 

The meeting opened with prayer and a statement of the CWA core values, led by Haven Howard, who has directed the Branson Prayer/Action Chapter for several years and now serves as State Director. She also introduced District 163 State Representative Cathy Jo Loy, who was visiting the Branson area. Loy shared briefly about her journey from homeschool mom to political involvement, encouraging women to get involved in their communities. 

Rep. Seitz and Sen. Hudson shared, in turn, about the accomplishments of the recent session. Seitz served in the working group for the passage of HJR73, which would repeal and replace Amendment 3 to the Missouri Constitution. He spoke about determining the most dangerous points of the amendment and finding common ground with other representatives to get the votes needed, and said while there will be continued work to be done, he is grateful to get the bill passed and for the court rulings addressing some of the serious safety issues affecting the rights of women as well as the lives of unborn children. 

Sen. Hudson spoke about the use of “previous question,” to get HJR73 to a vote and passed rather than subject to potential filibuster. He reiterated that there is still hard work ahead, as the bill heads for the Secretary of State’s office for review for the Nov. 26 ballot. Sen. Hudson also pledged to keep working on initiative petition reform, regarding the process of amending the state Constitution by ballot. His goals include preventing the use of out-of-state funding to get petition signatures, and requiring approval by at least half of the state’s districts, to get better representation of rural Missourians.

Both legislators shared about the House/Senate partnership in the passage of “Trey’s Law,” limiting the use of non-disclosure agreements and helping ensure judicial protection for victims of childhood sexual assault. 

Other highlights mentioned by Rep. Seitz included funding for improvements to Branson’s Hwy. 76 “strip,” including better crosswalks and lighting; and his work on the tourism committee and the designation of Branson as Missouri’s “Live Entertainment Capital.” He also shared that progress was made regarding the issue of biological men participating in women’s sports, but there is still work to be done to pass a bill. 

Sen. Hudson shared that SB160, protecting religious freedom on the state’s college campuses, was headed to the governor’s desk. He also described his work on the Budget Appropriations Committee, stating his goals of helping limit the government to “doing what government is supposed to do,” such as shared infrastructure, and not enacting policies that hinder private businesses. 

Both legislators expressed thankfulness for one another and for others, such as Rep. Loy, who partner to represent values held by so many southwest Missouri residents. They encourage constituents to reach out to their offices with concerns or questions at any time. 

The meeting closed with prayer for Missouri legislators, our national leaders and the current situation in Israel. Visit https://concernedwomen.org to learn more about CWA and how you can make a difference in our communities, Missouri and our nation.