KINDER BEGINS SECOND SESSION WITH SEAT ON EDUCATION PANEL

JEFFERSON CITY -- One of freshman Sen. Peter Kinder's biggest disappointments last year in the Missouri Senate was his lack of seniority to claim a seat on the Senate Education Committee.

Last December, as Kinder received his committee assignments, the Cape Girardeau Republican made it clear to Senate leaders and his constituents that he wanted a seat on the panel as soon as one became available.

That opening developed, and on Thursday Senate President Pro Tem James Mathewson announced the appointment of Kinder.

"The appointment fulfills a commitment I made one year ago to seek a seat on the committee," said Kinder. "Southeast Missouri State University is very important to our region. This is a must assignment for me."

Kinder said the committee also oversees legislation affecting elementary and secondary education, also important to his 27th District.

Said Kinder: "I am extremely pleased to have been chosen to serve on this committee. I am committed to fight for a better educational future for all Southeast Missourians. Our school children and teachers have suffered long enough. Their resources have been siphoned off to urban schools by unelected federal judges."

Besides education, the senator will serve on seven other regular committees during the 1994 session. That does not include his seats on three joint committees: one overseeing state wetlands policies, a panel reviewing welfare reform, and a committee overseeing implementation of House Bill 564, which passed last year to improve access to health care in the state.

The General Assembly convened for the year at noon Wednesday, and Mathewson delivered opening remarks to the 34 members of the Senate. Although issues like health care, welfare reform, and campaign finance reform have been touted as the major issues for 1994, Kinder said it is clear that violent crime is emerging as a major issues.

Mathewson, in his address Wednesday, called it the number one issue facing lawmakers.

Kinder said he is interested in a program referred to by Mathewson called "three strikes and out," which has been tried in other states. Mathewson suggested that on the third conviction for a violent crime, parole should not be allowed and the prison term must be served in full.

Kinder said he supports carrying the concept further as other states have done by making the third conviction a life prison term with no chance of parole.

The interim joint committee on welfare reform was meeting Thursday afternoon to finalize recommendations that will be in a report to legislators. "It is not clear how much consensus we have on the committee, but I think what we have are reaching bipartisan consensus for wide reaching reforms," said Kinder.

"I am also getting attracted to the idea of a sunset on welfare programs, so that a program will not definitely be perpetuated merely because it has always existed," he said. "What everyone is coming to is the realization that we have a failed system and we have to radically change it."

The senator has expressed concern about the governor's call for health care reform, especially "if the executive branch wants to take us down the road in a state plan of Clinton's version of health care. I have a lot of concerns about that."

Kinder, who has been an opponent of the education reform bill passed last year, Senate Bill 380, predicted quick action to close a loophole. But Kinder said the bill may have other flaws that will be corrected.

"The matter of education funding is not entirely disposed of," he said.

"I also hope we will revisit workers' compensation this year. We did not solve that issue with Senate Bill 251 last year. I was torn whether to be for or against it, and voted for it, but it was only a feeble first step," said Kinder. "We need to go much further as other states like Kansas, Nebraska and Arkansas have done to control theses costs.

"It is not enough to say we dealt with that issue last session. We did not. Other states that have taken appropriate action are looking at back-to-back rate decreases. It is a jobs issue of the first order for Missouri. We are seeing companies not locate in Missouri for new plant expansions and seeing existing employers looking at moving to a state where they can do business for much lower costs."

Kinder said he is unsure exactly what bills he might sponsor this year, except that he is finalizing a bill that would provide school choice. The measure contains a referendum clause that would send it to a vote of the people.

"We need to have this debate in Missouri. We need a measure of competition and an opportunity for poor and middle class-parents to have the choice of educating their children that wealthy parents have always enjoyed," said Kinder.

Under his plan, parents would have a scholarship system to use in deciding which school their child would attend.

Kinder said he is looking forward to his second year in the Senate and anticipates plenty of issues to keep legislators busy.

"I'd say the mood this week is expectant, as it always it. Everyone is hopeful. Nobody is mad at anyone yet. That is the mood that characterizes these days at the start of the session every year. For people who think so much was accomplished last year I can assure you of what my senior colleagues have told me is true. There always seems to be plenty to do."

Besides the education panel, other committees Kinder will serve on this year are: judiciary; civil and criminal jurisprudence; aging, families and mental health; commerce, consumer protection, and the environment; financial and governmental institutions; local government and elections; and labor and industrial relations.

Kinder's district includes the counties of Cape Girardeau, Scott, Mississippi, Bollinger, Perry and Madison.