Missouri State Rep. Kent Haden, R-Mexico, is warning that if lawmakers don’t get their acts together it could have a serious impact on the citizens of the state.

Haden spoke at the Audrain County Missouri Farm Bureau’s annual legislative dinner on Friday, Jan. 26, at the Knights of Columbus Hall. Haden said lawmakers on the Republican side are fighting and it may affect the legislature’s ability to do the most basic job it has: Pass a budget.

“It’s dysfunctional, sadly dysfunctional. The Senate is virtually paralyzed,” Haden said. “I hope we get it settled. If we don’t we could have a session where we’re down there for four and half months and we may not get a budget passed. It’s that serious.”

The fighting and dysfunction are mainly the result of intra-party fighting by the Republican supermajority in the House and Senate. Republicans have enjoyed a super-majority for more than 20 years.

“They can’t get along and nobody wants to give in,” Haden said, mostly speaking about the Senate. “There’s a certain element if you’re not 100 percent for me then you’re 100 percent against me.”

Haden said if Republicans don’t get it figured out it will cost them at the ballot box in November.

“We have to not be as dysfunctional as we are,” Haden said. “If we do not, the Republicans will lose the majority. We’ve got our work to do.”

Haden also said if Republicans don’t get things together it will be another year where major priorities don’t get accomplished like changes to the Missouri constitution that would change the petition initiative process. Missouri has had the process in place for more than 100 years to put issues on the ballot when the legislature fails to act. The petition initiative process has been used quite effectively over the last 10 years to get things like an increase in the minimum wage and the legalization of cannabis.

Haden and Republicans think it’s too easy to change the state’s constitution through the petition initiative process and use cannabis as an example.

“We’ve shown that with marijuana,” Haden said. “If you spend $12 million and you promote it you can get any law that you want. Marijuana is 37 pages and it’s a horrible bill.”

Haden admitted that abortion rights activists are the main reason behind the change.

“We should pass it regardless because there will probably be an abortion bill as an initiative petition, probably next fall,” Haden said. “It’s become an abortion issue also.”

Haden said he is introducing a bill next week to help farmers battle eminent domain when it comes to solar and wind projects taking over farmland. Haden’s bill will make sure taxes collected from projects stay in the local county, limit farmland that can be used in any county to two percent, and require materials used to be at least 75 percent produced in the United States.

“We’re being the sponsors in essence with our farmland,” Haden said.

Haden said the solar industry has about 30 lobbyists in Jefferson City and they have some pretty powerful folks backing them.

“They’re the biggest, the best, and the wealthiest,” Haden said. “So many of Missouri’s former political operatives and families are invested in solar. If you want to know why it’s hard to do something. It’s a tough sled but we’ve got to put up a good fight because it’s our land.”

Haden said Jefferson City is getting some good things done like making sure there are more large animal veterinarians available and increasing the number of primary care doctors in the state.

“We have a shortage of doctors and if you’re trying to get an appointment it’s tough,” Haden said. “We’re trying to help with that.”

Spencer Tuma, director of national legislative programs at Missouri Farm Bureau, also gave an update on where things are in the nation’s capital. Tuma said the Bureau thought Congress would pass a new farm bill last year but instead extended the 2018 bill. Tuma said she’s been told Congress will try again this spring but isn’t optimistic.

“Unfortunately, politics are really not working in our favor right now in Washington,” Tuma said. “It is just making it really tough to get any bills passed this year, not just ag bills.”

Tuma said their number one priority in Jefferson City will be getting a bill passed that will allow the Missouri Farm Bureau to sell a health care plan that is similar to health insurance but not the same. 

“How it would operate would remind you of how insurance operated before the Affordable Healthcare Act,” Tuma said.

Haden said the bill Tuma is referring to passed out of committee last week and is awaiting the next step. Haden said that the bill will be tough because insurance companies are fighting it.

“They do not like competition,” Haden said of health insurance companies. “That’s a good bill and we need to have it.”