JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — After a lot of discussion and debate, the General Assembly was left with legislation that exemplified compromise.
The Senate and the House in Missouri have both given initial approval a legislation that would prevent municipalities from banning, but not restricting, horse carriages, carrier pigeons, hunting dogs, and other working animals.
But the versions perfected this week were not the first drafts. The Senate bill was the eighth draft, according to Sen. Brian Munzlinger. And the House bill was amended in committee and again on the floor.
The original bills specified that the right to use working animals for the mutual benefit and welfare of the animals and those they serve is guaranteed, and would have prevented any local level regulation.
During committee, Rep. Tracy McCreery was firmly against HB 1907 saying it “takes control away from local government.”
But Rep. Bryan Spencer added an amendment to his bill that brought it in line with the language used in the Senate bill. It was that amendment that gathered bipartisan support for the bill.
“[This amendment] allows political subdivisions to make sensible or reasonable regulations,” Spencer said. “It doesn’t allow a ban.”
Amending the bill in such a way would still respect local control, according to McCreery. With the amendment, she supported the legislation.
“No one is completely happy,” Spencer said, “but they still want it.”
Alisha Shurr was a reporter for The Missouri Times and The Missouri Times Magazine. She joined The Missouri Times in January 2018 after working as a copy editor for her hometown newspaper in Southern Oregon. Alisha is a graduate of Kansas State University.
