State Rep. Jeff Porter has filed his first bills for the 2020 legislative session. This will be Porter’s second year representing District 42, which includes the Warrenton and Marthasville areas and all of Montgomery County.

Two of Porter’s bills are aimed at improving public safety on Missouri’s roadways. Another would return flexibility to some school district calendars.

• A bill to eliminate the state’s age limit on texting and driving, HB 1633, would instead prohibit all drivers of any age from texting behind the wheel of a moving vehicle. Currently, state law allows people over 21 years old to text while driving.

“After driving a lot on the interstate, (I see) a lot of people are texting,” Porter commented. “People need to be more safe, regardless of age.”

Porter said drivers would still be allowed to use hands-free technology, including talk-to-text features, to communicate in the car.

• HB 1635 would make it more clear what drivers on state highways are supposed to do when emergency vehicles are approaching. Drivers are expected to move as far as they can to the right on roads with two or fewer lanes.

This bill would also allow drivers to shift to the  left on roads with three or more lanes, clearing the center for emergency vehicles.

• In a reversal of recently passed school district requirements, HB 1636 would allow any district with a four-day school week to set an opening date more than 14 calendar days before Labor Day. That would be an exception to recent state law that requires schools to start later in the year.

“The problem you run into is that (the rule) was built on a five-day format,” Porter explained. But when students are only going to school four days a week, Porter said it becomes a challenge for districts to fit in the state-mandated amount of education hours.

Both the Warren County R-III and Montgomery  County R-II school districts use four-day school weeks.

• HB 1632 would add “distilled spirits” to the list of alcoholic beverages that can be donated for nonprofit organization events.

• HB 1634 would remove certain restrictions on insurers advertising their services or providing services at reduced rates.

Porter said he has other bills he plans to file soon, including one that would ensure that alternative energy businesses like solar farms are being properly taxed for the benefit of local districts.

More information about each of the bills can be found at the Missouri House of Representatives website, www.house.mo.gov.