Lichtenegger, Crowell talk about proposed changes to Proposition B at town hall in Jackson

Rep. Donna Lichtenegger and Sen. Jason Crowell had a clear message at Friday's Proposition B town hall meeting in Jackson: They want the measure to be repealed in its entirety.

The proposition, known as the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act, was passed by voters in November and placed additional regulations on large-scale dog breeding operations, including limiting the number of dogs an owner could have, placing limits on breeding cycles and addressing the dogs' living conditions.

Lichtenegger, a freshman Republican representative from Jackson, discussed some of the modifications members of the House are proposing, including rewording the title of the bill to the Dog Cruelty Act, removing the limit on the number of breeding dogs an owner can have and removing specific time requirements between breeding cycles.

Like most of the 40 people in attendance Friday night at the University of Missouri Extension Center, Lichtenegger is concerned language in the measure is too vague and could be interpreted to include all animals and would have a negative effect on Missouri's animal agriculture. She said since beginning her career as a legislator, she has learned that the language used in bills and laws is critical.

"Words really do mean things. We need to be sure that we cross every T and dot every I," she said.

Lichtenegger is also concerned regulations will have no effect on unlicensed breeders. She said the images of cruelty used during the campaign to pass Proposition B were from unlicensed breeders.

Like Lichtenegger, Crowell said the campaign to pass the measure was misleading. He said the Humane Society of the United States, one of the measure's strongest advocates, wants to expand the measure to abolish animal agriculture.

"This bill was brought out of California by a group of left-wing, liberal nuts. They funded a dishonest campaign," he said. "It's a stupid law. It's an unworkable law. We're trying to get Prop B to go away."

While representatives from the Humane Society of the United States wouldn't comment last week on attempts to modify or repeal Proposition B, during the campaign to pass the measure, society president Wayne Pacelle said there was no intent to abolish animal agriculture in Missouri or any other state.

"The measure is what it is. It's just about dogs. There is no suggestion there is farm animal language in there. It's about dogs," he said.

Even though the proposition failed by a large margin locally, Missouri voters approved the measure 997,870 votes to 936,190. According to county results on the Missouri Secretary of State's website, the measure primarily received support from the St. Louis and Kansas City areas, but Pemiscot County and Dunklin County in the Bootheel also passed the measure.

Neither Lichtenegger nor Crowell feel they are discounting the votes of those who supported the bill.

"Their vote does count when they are given fair, honest information. This campaign was neither fair nor honest," Lichtenegger said. "Anyone that's been bamboozled doesn't want to admit it. The voters were deceived."

Crowell said many of the voters who supported the proposition didn't really read and understand the language of the bill.

"As we look at it, we see problems people didn't see," he said.

Crowell said while the legislature does not take this type of action routinely, it does have precedent.

"It shouldn't be the norm, but it does happen," he said.

Despite Lichtenegger's and Crowell's assertions to the contrary, Proposition B supporters at the meeting said they were being disenfranchised.

"I knew what I voted for. I voted, and now they're laughing at me. They're telling me I'm stupid," said Judy Cureton of Cape Girardeau.

Cureton said the bill could be open to some minor adjustments but said she is particularly disturbed that voters will not have the opportunity to approve any changes or repeal of the measure.

According to a handout provided at the meeting, six House bills and three Senate bills have been introduced in the 2011 legislative session to either modify or repeal the measure. More information about the bills is available at www.house.mo.gov/billcentral.aspx.

cbartholomew@semissourian.com

243-8600

Pertinent address:

684 W. Jackson Trail, Jackson, MO