The Gadfly is a series of letters offering commentary on local issues and published in the Warrensburg Gazette.

Dear Editor

My congratulations to the Missouri House & Senate; the legislative session is over and they managed to avoid passing anything too damaging. Based on the state website, only 32 bills (other than the budget) were sent to the Governor for signature and 2 more will be sent to the voters.

Here's the items that will face the voters:

• Voters will get to "correct" a loophole with the "citizens salary commission" (which was designed to get politicians their pay raises without voting on the record); they made a mistake and required the general assembly to approve the commission recommendations. If we vote for this scam, they'll be completely insulated from accountability.

• Voters will also get to fix a problem that non-profits have in getting volunteers to work their bingo games. Right now, you have to belong to the Legion or the Elks for 2 years before you can help at bingo; voters will get to reduce the time to a more rational 6 months.

Here are a few of the more interesting bills waiting on the Governor's signature:

• All policemen will now have to keep track of the race of everyone they stop, and they or their department will get into trouble if they stop too many minorities. Sets up reporting requirements and allows any city/county to establish a "civilian review board."

• Allows a county's Public Administrator to decide if he/she wants to be paid a salary instead of fees based on how much he/she works. Requires the Federal government to get state legislative approval to condemn land by eminent domain for forests, recreation, agriculture or native American gambling - fat chance that this will stand up in court!

• Allows a bunch of additional counties & cities to pass room taxes for tourism. Marshall gets to vote on a room tax to fund a Community Center.

Here are some that didn't pass:

• Both houses passed Sunshine Act revisions but couldn't agree on all details. This means that public bodies can get away with violating the public's right to know with very little penalty. Big city papers, which can afford to sue for access, opposed certain new loopholes, leaving common citizens with little effective recourse.

• Rep. Howerton's bill to regulate private prisons failed; was it because he's a Republican who is running against Senator Caskey, a Democrat? The public won't get to vote on what to do with the tobacco settlement money, so the courts will decide if it's subject to Hancock requirements or will be a rich slush fund for the legislature to play with.

My general philosophy is that the fewer they pass, the better off we are.