Rep. John Diehl Elected Majority Floor Leader

Missouri State Rep. John Diehl, R-Town and Country, will serve as Majority Floor Leader beginning in the January 2013 legislative session. Diehl replaces current Speaker of the House, State Rep. Tim Jones, R-Eureka.

The following information was provided in a Missouri House of Representatives news release. A day after Missourians voted in the largest number of Republican House members in state history, members of the majority met in the State Capitol to elect state Rep. John J. Diehl, Jr. to serve as Majority Floor Leader for the 97th General Assembly. Diehl, who previously served as chairman of the House Rules Committee, will take on the duties of the position when the House convenes for the 2013 legislative session in January. He replaces state Rep. Tim Jones, R-Eureka, who now serves as Speaker of the House.  After being selected by a majority of the 110-member Republican caucus, Diehl said his focus in his new role will be on working closely with …

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Should Discussion of Sexual Orientation Be Banned in Classrooms?

Such a ban could occur in most classroom settings if a local lawmaker's bill is approved in the Missouri General Assembly.

A bill forbidding the discussion of sexual orientation in most classroom settings has continued to advance in the Missouri legislature. House Bill 2051, which was introduced to the House in March 29, is sponsored by Rep. Steve Cookson, R-Fairdealing, and co-sponsored by 19 other members of the House, including Rep. John Diehl, R-Town and Country, who represents the 87th district in St. Louis County. The text of the bill reads, “Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, no instruction, material, or extracurricular activity sponsored by a public school that discusses sexual orientation other than in scientific instruction concerning human reproduction shall be provided in any public school.” The bill hasn't been scheduled for a vote, …

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David Smith

3:09 pm on Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Class envy has been bought up and promulgated by all sides of the political aisles over this countries history, it isn't something new. I call it a religious issue because there is no reason for a bill such as this one that does not involve someone's religious viewpoint, be it the viewpoint of the sponsoring legislator or a small but vocal subset of their constituents. And it is a parental choice…   more ›

State Legislative Session Opens Wednesday

A look at bills already filed by West County area state lawmakers.

Missouri state lawmakers will be back in Jefferson City as the 2012 legislative session opens at noon Wednesday. Much like 2011, issues tied to job creation and managing a tight state budget figure to be front and center. Lawmakers were able to prefile bills starting December 1, 2011 for consideration in 2012. Below is a look at some of those filed by Town and Country - Manchester area state lawmakers: State Senator John Lamping    State Senator Jane Cunningham   State represenatives Jill Schupp and John Diehl have not prefiled bills as of Tuesday morning. In an email to constituents, Schupp said she would focus on issues of job creation, healthcare, education, seniors living on a fixed income, and the environment.

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Manchester Alderman Violates Ethics Rules

A Manchester resident voices his concerns, but Ward Three Alderman John Diehl said he won't address the Missouri Ethics Commission's finding publicly until January.

The Missouri Ethics Commission sanctioned Manchester Alderman John Diehl for campaign finance violations during his April 2010 candidacy. At a recent board of aldermen meeting, Manchester resident Dale Schmid, who initiated the investigation, told the board he wanted the findings addressed with the public (see enclosed statement in the PDF portion of this article). However, Diehl, who is up for reelection in April 2012 and has filed for reelection, tells Town and Country - Manchester Patch he won’t address the issue publicly until January. In October, the ethics commission found Diehl and his campaign committee filed a report misrepresenting the amount of money they had received and spent. Diehl also turned in two campaign finance forms …

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Town and Country Helping Joplin Tornado Victims

Supplies are being collected at the Town and Country Municipal Center to help victims of the deadly tornado that tore through Joplin, MO.

Supplies are being collected at the Town and Country Municipal Center to help victims of the deadly tornado that tore through Joplin, MO. Sue Allen and John Diehl, state representatives representing Town and Country, have organized  a collection effort in Town and Country to assist those affected by the tragedy in Joplin. Some of the most needed items are non nonperishable food, water, juice, baby food and formula, diapers, wipes and personal care items. Items will be collected at the municipal center until June 8. They can be dropped off at the lower level of the building, which is accessible through the doors at the back of the building.  Collection hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. During those hours items can …

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Residents, State Reps Speak Out As Redistricting Begins

State representatives and affected residents are the House Apportionment Commission to make redrawn districts competitive.

One speaker put it succinctly: Nothing is more political than redistricting, even though laws strive to keep the politics out of the process. The House Apportionment Commission, which is meeting to redraw boundaries for the Missouri House of Representatives districts, took public comments at the University of Missouri, St. Louis Wednesday. Chairman Joe Maxwell told the audience that two commission members--Trent Skaggs and Marlene Davis--submitted a proposed redistricting map, called Skaggs-Davis No. 1, during an April 28 meeting in Jefferson City. Several state representatives--especially from the city of St. Louis--praised the map as a good starting point for the commission, including Rep. Tishaura Jones, D-District 63 and Rep. Mike …

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Federal Government Avoids Shutdown, Temporarily

Late Friday night, a temporary budget deal was reached to avoid a shutdown of the federal government. Here's what Town and Country-Manchester Patch readers should know about a possible future shutdown.

Late Friday night CNN is reporting that Democratic and Republican negotiators reached a budget deal that will avoid a government shutdown. According to a CNN breaking news alert, House Speaker John Boehner said the House will pass a short-term measure that will keep the government funded through the middle of next week, when a longer-term package is expected to be enacted. However, U.S. Congressman Todd Akin's  camp tells Patch that a short term solution is not the answer to solving the bigger issue of government overspending which could ultimately lead to the bankruptcy of the nation. Akin represents Missouri's second district, including Manchester and Town and Country, and is in Washington, D.C. working with the rest of congress on the …

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Redistricting Hearings Scheduled for Friday in St. Louis

Two public hearings on the congressional redistricting process will be held in the St. Louis area Friday.

State Rep. John Diehl, R- Town and Country, will be among state and local leaders gathering in St. Louis Friday for two of several statewide hearings regarding the congressional redistricting process.  Diehl serves as chair of the House Special Standing Committee on Redistricting. He said the detailed census data released by the U.S. Census Burea last week, will be used to re-draw the congressional district lines to allow for eight representatives instead of nine due to the changes in Missouri's population. (Read Previous Story: Local Reaction and Doubt as 2010 Census Numbers Are Released) State Sen. Scott T. Rupp, R-Wentzville, chair of the Senate Select Committee on Redistricting, will also be in attendance Friday. “These public hearings…

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Census Results Likely to Have Little Local Impact

The results of the 2010 U.S. Census were announced Tuesday and though Missouri's slow growth lost it a representative, it is unlikely to have a dramatic effect on the local level.

The U.S. Census Bureau released the first of the results for the 2010 census Tuesday, revealing that Missouri will lose one of its nine seats in the House of Representatives. The local numbers will not be released until February or March. Missouri's population grew by seven percent between April 2000 and 2010, which ranked it 29th in growth, compared to the other 50 states. This rank is used to determine how many representatives each state gets in the House of Representatives for the next ten years—a process called apportionment. Missouri was one of ten states that lost at least one seat as a result of this year's census. U.S Rep Todd (R-MO), who represents the second district of Missouri issued a statement expressing his disappointment …