The Missouri Times is speaking to new lawmakers this session. Get to know more of the “Freshmen to Watch” here.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Rep. Mitch Boggs was born and raised in Lawrence County.
Boggs has lived in his district, HD 157, his entire life. Describing it as a “Bible Belt area,” the Republican freshman said his constituents’ priorities include gun rights, property rights, and preventing government overreach.
Boggs is the owner of the Exit 33 Truck Wash as well as a construction company. He’s a longtime farmer and serves with the Avilla Fire Department. Additionally, he serves as the Vineyard Benefit Special Road District commissioner. But it’s his construction career that he said really prepared him for the legislature.
“Whenever you’re a construction manager, you’ve got to get people to work together, and so I want to bring that to the table and build upon our strengths,” Boggs told The Missouri Times.
Boggs filed three bills in his first session but is really focused on HB 1290, legislation that would prohibit health care facilities from limiting a patient’s ability to have visitors during any treatment that exceeds 24 hours. The bill was heard in the House Health and Mental Health Policy Committee in March where it has stalled.
Calling it “much needed,” Boggs said the issue has “affected people the deepest, and it’s sad — the testimonies and the stories are definitely something hard to just listen to.”
Boggs has co-sponsored a slurry of bills, but he said he is proud to have his name on HB 85 — the Second Amendment Preservation Act.
Boggs’s main focus in the legislature thus far has been committee work, he said. He serves on five committees, including Budget, Economic Development, and General Laws. He said he likes to dissect the bills he hears and categorize them as either “bigger government” or “smaller government.”
He also said he’s learned about the value of a balanced budget during his first session.
Boggs has been married to his wife, Lynn, for nearly 30 years. The pair has eight children and eight grandchildren with another little one on the way. In his free time, Boggs enjoys checking on the cattle with his grandchildren.
“I’m grateful for my wife, my eight children that keep the businesses rolling … and I’m thankful for God’s help, most of all. He’s the one I turn to, and he leads me along the way every day,” Boggs said.
Elise Eaker studies journalism at Lincoln University. Prior to Lincoln, Elise graduated from Fulton High School. She is a native of Fulton.
