My dedication to Missouri’s military, veterans, and their families has been a priority for me in the legislature. Ensuring that our men and women come home to stable families is important. Last year, the General Assembly passed and the governor signed into law House Bill 136. The bill provided unemployment benefits for military families that moved with the active military member’s placement. The measure also created guidelines for providing courtesy professional licenses to military families when needed for employment. This legislation helps families in need to get on their feet.
This year, I am handling House Bill 1680 in the Senate, a bill that would make changes to a program beneficial to our veterans. The Heroes at Home program would become known as the Show-Me Heroes program. Since it was created in 2006, one of main goals of this program has been to assist veterans in finding jobs when they get home.
The program also assists the spouse of an active military member in finding employment and to address immediate needs during the active member’s deployment and for a year following discharge. This program targets families that have a primary income earner in the military who has been called to duty for more than four months, which causes significant financial burdens, and leaves the family with no outside financial resources. In addition, the program provides assistance to pay bills during a financial crisis. It also contains vocational counseling and training in order for participants to be more marketable; paid internships, when available; and both daycare and transportation assistance.
The changes proposed by HB 1680 would streamline the program that already exists by updating the name of the program to more accurately reflect its goals, as well as to clarify who the program assists by adding military personnel who are recently separated from service, making them eligible for benefits.
Probably our most important obligation to our veterans is to fully fund our veterans’ homes. I am committed to making sure our veterans are supported and the homes are fully staffed and funded. The citizens of Missouri support our military members, veterans, and their families while they dedicate their lives to protecting us. The General Assembly is proud to provide a means by which current and past service members and their families can receive needed assistance in return for their sacrifices. I look forward to discussing and handling more legislation favorable to our military and its veterans during my service in the legislature.
As always, please feel free to contact me or my staff with any questions or concerns at any time. We look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions and trying to answer any questions you may have. You can reach us by phone at 866-277-0882 (toll-free) or 573-751-2272, or by fax at 573-526-7381.
Senator David Pearce serves Bates, Cass, Johnson and Vernon counties in the 31st State Senatorial District.
