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Regal Fritillary Missouri State Butterfly legislation moving forward in Jefferson City
Note from George:
In a separate note Carol Davit makes a very good suggestion. In addition to a phone call or personal visit, sending notes and emails to your elected officials in support of the Regal Fritillary State Butterfly legislation that’s moving forward is very important. For example, written contact information for Representative Charlie Denison is: Email Charlie.Denison@house.mo.gov while US mail is Rep Charles Denison, MO District 135, 201 West Capitol Ave. Rm 316, Jefferson City MO 65101. Please do your part to help the effort this year, send the note and/or make the phone call. Thanks and best regards, George
Note from Carol Davit, Thursday, January 19:
Why don’t you give Rep. Denison a call. His assistant, Elaine Meller, indicated to me that being present at the hearing would be the most effective, but I’m sure letters and calls would be great too. Give Elaine or Rep. Denison a call at 573-751-2210. Coordinating the efforts is important, and local support is VERY important. “Symbol” bills like this are not always that popular among legislators–but in my conservations with legislators, I spoke of this as a legislation that “honors our the prairie legacy of Missourians.” This is not just about the regal–this is an opportunity to show as much support at the hearing as we can for prairie, as well.
Why don’t you give Rep. Denison a call. His assistant, Elaine Meller, indicated to me that being present at the hearing would be the most effective, but I’m sure letters and calls would be great too. Give Elaine or Rep. Denison a call at 573-751-2210. Coordinating the efforts is important, and local support is VERY important. “Symbol” bills like this are not always that popular among legislators–but in my conservations with legislators, I spoke of this as a legislation that “honors our the prairie legacy of Missourians.” This is not just about the regal–this is an opportunity to show as much support at the hearing as we can for prairie, as well.
Note from Carol Davit, Wednesday, January 18, 2012:
All, Last year, a constituent (Buck Keagy) of Missouri Representative Charlie Denison’s district (#135, part of Springfield), asked Rep. Denison to introduce legislation designating the regal fritillary as Missouri’s State Butterfly. Given this species dependence on prairie, MPF is supportive of is passage. Buck is a Missouri Master Naturalist and MPF member (plus a member of Friends of the Garden).
The legislation did not move forward last year, by Rep. Denison has reintroduced it. Last week, I met with him and he and I visited several other representatives to ask them to co-sponsor. I informed them about MPF, Missouri prairie legacy, and how this legislation would honor Missouri’s prairie legacy that we are dedicated to conserving for all Missourians. Rep. Denison was most pleasant and interested in MPF.
Five co-sponsored, and Rep. Denison filed the bill. It is House Bill 1266. Today I visited with Rep. Don Ruzicka, chair of the House Tourism and Natural Resources Committee, the committee to which Rep. Denison requested the bill be heard. The bill has not been referred to committee yet, but when it is, I will let you know of the hearing date. Hearings of House Tourism and Natural Resources Committee take place at 8 a.m. on Thursdays, so if it is heard in this committee, that will be the day and time. It probably won’t be heard as early as next week, Thursday, Jan. 26, but I don’t know for sure. We could have as little as one day’s notice. I am in contact with Rep. Ruzicka’s and Rep. Denison’s assistants on this. Rep. Ruzicka was very pleasant. He is a former MDC Conservation Agent and had kind words to say about Doug Ladd and Jeff Cantrell. He attended the Dunn Ranch bison release.
Having as many people as possible to testify in person at the hearing would be most helpful. If you can’t testify, any bullet points of support you are willing to share that I or others could use in our testimony would be most helpful.
Sincerely,
Executive Director
Missouri Prairie Journal Editor
Missouri Prairie Foundation
Web site: www.moprairie.org
Web site: www.moprairie.org
573.356.7828 cell
Protecting Native Grasslands
Botanical Center & Gardens Brochure (
Note received by email:
Just found out bill 1266 will not have a hearing this week. I will check back next Monday p.m. or Tues. a.m. to see if it will be heard next week and will keep you posted.
Sincerely,
Carol Davit
Executive Director
Missouri Prairie Journal Editor
Missouri Prairie Foundation