Missouri State Representative - 124th District

Continued Commitment

Representative Luke Scavuzzo in the News

Latest News

Democracy in Action...

Voters in the southern half of Cass County returned Luke Scavuzzo to the statehouse in the 124th District house race by a convincing margin. (Read the full article in the Cass County Democrat Missourian)

Kansas City Star Endorses Luke Scavuzzo for State House District 124

In their October 27th Monday Editorial, "Choices for Missouri General Assembly seats", the Kansas City Star endorsed Luke Scavuzzo, noting, "Democratic incumbent Luke Scavuzzo of Harrisonville led the charge to hold Aquila Inc. responsible for building a Cass County power plant in violation of local zoning laws. His defense of the area should earn him another term." (Read the full article in the KC Star)

NFIB Endorses Luke Scavuzzo for State House District 124

The National Federation of Independent Business, Missouri's leading small business association, announced its endorsement of Luke Scavuzzo in his bid for re-election to the Missouri House. Rep Scavuzzo secured the group's nod because of his strong record on small business issues critical to Main Street. (Read the full press release...)

Rep. Scavuzzo named 2008 Legislator of the Year

State Rep. Luke Scavuzzo, a first-term Democratic lawmaker from Harrisonville, has been named a 2008 Legislator of the Year by House Minority Leader Paul LeVota. LeVota picked Scavuzzo, D-Harrisonville, for the honor in part for Scavuzzo’s efforts in fighting legislation sought by Aquila Inc. to provide retroactive approval of a Cass County power plant that Missouri courts had repeatedly ruled was illegally built. (Read the full press release...)

Scavuzzo appointed to special agriculture committee

State Rep. Luke Scavuzzo, D-Harrisonville, has been appointed to the House Interim Committee on Emerging Issues in Agriculture. The 12-member committee, which will meet during the coming months while the Missouri General Assembly is not in session, will study the recent impact of existing state agriculture policies and recommended changes in state law to strengthen Missouri’s farming economy.(Read the full press release...)

124th Legislative District - second quarter campaign finance reports

Luke Scavuzzo (D), the incumbent, will face Jim Danner (R), a replacement candidate, who was put forward as a candidate after the original republican candidate was disqualified for failure to file a financial disclosure statement. Luke Scavuzzo filed his second quarter 2008 campaign finance report with the Missouri Ethics Commission on July 12th... (Read the full article)

Rep. Scavuzzo Honored by Cass County Composite

Missouri Representative Luke Scavuzzo was honored by the Cass County Composite Squadron recently when the squadron presented him with his official Legislative Membership certificate and pocket badge. Participation in the Legislative Squadron allows our distinguished Congressional members to enter as a Major in grade, and each member is encouraged to participate in the Missouri CAP program. (Read the full story...)

Missouri State Teachers Association endorses Missouri House and Senate candidates

The Missouri State Teachers Association released a spate of endorsements on June 12th. Endorsements included Luke Scavuzzo for House District 124. (Read the full story...)

AFL-CIO releases endorsement list

The state branch of the AFL-CIO released a flurry of endorsements today for individuals seeking state legislative, congressional and statewide offices this year. Endorsements included Luke Scavuzzo for House District 124. (Read the full story...)

Legislative Update

The main focus this week has been the budget. It must be completed by Friday, May 9th at 6 p.m. and we are about two-thirds of the way to completion. This will be the largest budget in Missouri history. When completed, the budget for Fiscal Year 2009 will be right around $22.5 billion dollars... (Read the full press release...)

Legislative Update

There is a lot going on here at the Capitol this week. With only two weeks left, there is plenty of work to be done. The budget has to be passed by May 9th at 6:00 p.m. We should start working to finalize the budget sometime at the end of this week and most of next week... (Read the full press release...)

Problem power plant south of KC could be spared by legislature

A problem power plant south of Kansas City that has caused considerable controversy might be spared by the legislature. The House has voted in favor of Aquila even though the representatives closest to that plant urge it not to.Rep. Luke Scavuzzo (D-Harrisonville) argued during House floor debate that Aquila doesn't deserve the break, "because I do not feel they have been forthright with the people of my district, the citizens of Peculiar and the people of Cass County." (Read the full story)

House approves unconstitutional bill to let Aquila off the hook

The House of Representatives today gave first-round approval to a likely unconstitutional bill that would give the Missouri Public Service Permission the authority to retroactively approve an Aquila Inc. power plant that the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District has twice ruled was illegally built and should be dismantled. Luke Scavuzzo, D-Harrisonville, led the fight against the legislation. “After consistently and repeatedly losing in court, Aquila wants the rules changed so they can turn their defeat into a win after the game has been played,” Scavuzzo said. (Read the full press release...)

House passes Aquila bill to let the company keep operating Cass County plant built without permission

The Missouri House gave preliminary approval Wednesday to legislation that would allow Aquila Inc. to avoid dismantling the Cass County power plant built in violation of local zoning laws. Rep. Jeff Harris, a Columbia Democrat, pointed to a crowd of school children in the gallery and told them that the legislation provided an important lesson. “This sends the message that if you are big enough and powerful enough, you get what you want in this building,” Harris said “You don’t have to play by the rules the rest of us do and you can ignore the law.” Rep. Jake Zimmerman, a St. Louis County Democrat called the legislation a “stunning violation of the principle of local control and the principle of the rule of law.” Rep. Luke Scavuzzo, a Harrisonville Democrat, said Aquila became conciliatory only after a string of court decisions against it. (Read the full story)

Local control in the Missouri House? Not on utility bills

Here’s a circumstance that you don’t see in the Missouri General Assembly very often. The House today passed a bill that is intended to deal with a situation strictly in Cass County. The two representatives from that area, Rep. Brian Baker, R-Belton, and Rep. Luke Scavuzzo, D-Harrisonville, were vehemently opposed to the legislation. And yet a bill supported by two representatives from far away, Rep. Shane Schoeller, R-Willard, and Rep. Ed Emery, R-Lamar, passed in the House against the wishes of the local representatives. Why? It’s a power utility bill. More specifically, it’s a bill that would allow Aquila to keep its Cass County power plant, even though they built it in violation of both county zoning and a court order. (Read the full story)

Legislative Update

With only four weeks left in the session, the pace here at the capitol is a sprinters speed. Last week two very important bills were debated on the Floor of the House. On April 9th, by a vote of 80-58, the House of Representatives stripped a private school voucher provision from a bill to raise minimum teacher salaries. The second bill was House Joint Resolution 70. This bill would limit annual growth in general revenue spending to the rate of inflation with a further adjustment for population increases. (Read the full press release...)

Aquila power plant a case for the courts, not the legislature

Missouri lawmakers should not approve Aquila’s brazen and retroactive attempt to keep its $140 million power plant operating in Cass County. This is a legal issue that the state Supreme Court ought to decide... (Read the KC Star Editorial)

Help for Aquila advances in Missouri House

A House panel voted 6-5 to approve legislation that would let Aquila avoid dismantling the Cass County power plant it built in violation of local zoning laws. The vote, which sends the bill to the full House, came one day after the House Special Committee on Utilities heard from a wide range of witnesses who ripped Aquila and the very idea of rewarding a company that flouted a court order against building the plant. (Rep. Luke) Scavuzzo called the committee’s vote “just the opening skirmish in the battle against this misguided legislation.” (Read the full story)

Backers of bill receive campaign contributions from Aquila PAC

Missouri Rep. Ed Emery (R-Lamar), chairman of the House Special Committee on Utilities, received $2,975 in campaign contributions from area utility companies during the 2007 and 2008 reporting periods, $325 specifically from Aquila’s Employee Political Action Committee.
(Read the full story)

Republicans force through committee passage of Aquila bill

Rep. Luke Scavuzzo vowed to continue fighting legislation approved today by a House committee that seeks to grant retroactive active approval for an Aquila Inc. power plant in Cass County that the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District has twice ruled was illegally built and should be dismantled.... (Read the full press release...)

House panel approves pair of bills to let Aquila keep operating South Harper plant in Cass County

A House panel voted 6-5 Thursday to approve legislation that would let Aquila Inc. avoid dismantling the Cass County power plant it built in violation of local zoning laws. The bill will face considerable opposition when it reaches the House floor. Democrat Luke Scavuzzo called the committee's vote "just the opening skirmish in the battle against this misguided legislation." (Read the full story)

Cass County residents testify against Aquila bill

A group of Cass County residents traveled to the Missouri Capitol today to join state Rep. Luke Scavuzzo in opposing legislation that attempts to grant retroactive approval for an Aquila Inc. power plant near Peculiar that the state Court of Appeals has twice said the company had no authority to build... (Read the full press release...)

Update on State Budget

The House of Representatives approved a $22.45 billion state operating budget for the 2009 fiscal year which begins July 1st. This budget is nearly a half-billion dollars under the $22.94 billion Governor Blunt requested. This is the largest budget in Missouri history, but it still falls short in certain areas... (Read the full press release)

House committee hears Rep. Scavuzzo’s bill to eliminate political patronage at license fee offices

The House Special Committee on Government Affairs held a public hearing today on a bill sponsored by state Rep. Luke Scavuzzo, D-Harrisonville, to eliminate the longtime practice of allowing the governor to award contracts to run the Missouri’s license fee office as perks to his political supporters. (Read the full press release)

Luke Scavuzzo Tours Capitol with Visiting Students

The fourth grade students from McEowen Elementary in Harrisonville visited the capitol last week. They were very busy touring the Capitol, Supreme Court, Governor’s Mansion and observing the House and Senate in session. It is always an honor to have students from the district visit the capitol and for them to see how state government works first hand. (More information...)

Luke Scavuzzo Announces His Candidacy for State Representative of the 124th District

Luke Scavuzzo (D), a life-long resident of Harrisonville, Missouri, announces his candidacy for State Representative of the 124th District. Luke was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 2006. He currently serves as the Minority Deputy Whip for the House... (Read the full press release)

Committee passes resolution on Hydrocephalus Awareness Month

A House committee unanimously approved a resolution sponsored by state Representative Luke Scavuzzo declaring March as Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and urging the federal government to undertake a comprehensive study on the impact of the condition. “There has been little serious research or advances in treatment on this chronic and often debilitating condition in the last 40 years,” said Scavuzzo. (Read the full press release )

Harrisonville Wildcat Football Team Honored

On Tuesday, February 12th, the State Champions Harrisonville Wildcat Football Team was recognized by the Missouri General Assembly for their outstanding 2007 season. Representative Luke Scavuzzo introduced the young men and their coaches to the General Assembly...

Floor Debate Begins on Insure Missouri Program

As the Second Session heads into its 4th week, bills are starting to come out of committees and going to the House Floor for debate. An issue that has started to get a lot of attention is the governor’s Insure Missouri plan. Insure Missouri is a new program intended to offer working adults Medicaid Managed Care coverage with more limited benefits than traditional Medicaid (Read the full press release)

Scavuzzo files fee office bill, calls for end to political patronage

For the past three years Missouri Democrats have criticized procedures Gov. Matt Blunt (R) used to award licensing and fee offices to campaign donors. Yesterday, State Rep. Luke Scavuzzo (D-Harrisonville) filed a bill to end the political patronage system involved with doling out the offices. Scavuzzo's bill, HB 1866, would require the Missouri Department of Revenue to first give consideration for fee office contracts to school foundations and charities, relying then on a competitive bidding process if necessary. (Read the article )

House Democrats to champion change in 2008 session

The 2008 legislative session began Wednesday, January 9th with House Democrats renewing efforts to restore health care services to thousands of Missourians, improve the quality of and access to public education and reform state government, among other goals in their 2008 Moving Missouri Forward legislative agenda. (Read the full press release)

House Democrats propose supplement to A+ Schools program

Building on the successful A+ Schools program, House Democrats on Monday proposed a supplementary scholarship called Missouri Promise to allow A+ participants to advance to a public four-year college or university to complete their bachelor’s degree. (Read the press release)

Governor Blunt and others join the Civil Air Patrol

Missouri Governor Matt Blunt is now a major in the Civil Air Patrol. The Missouri Wing's Legislative Squadron was formed following the successful passage this year of Missouri House Bill 619.  Membership in the squadron is open to all state legislators, elected state officials, and key legislative staff.  Other inductees include State Representative Luke Scavuzzo and many others... (Read the full article)

House Vote on English language requirement amendment

The Missouri House voted 127-29 by roll call to pass a proposed constitutional amendment requiring English be used in official proceedings.

Rural Democrats make county outreach top priority

In an effort to provide out state Missouri with stronger representation in the General Assembly, the Rural Democratic Caucus has designated certain members to take the lead on a variety of important issues affecting county governments and rural residents. Rep. Luke Scavuzzo, D-Harrisonville, has been assigned to spearhead legislative efforts pertaining to prosecuting attorneys and judges. (More information...)

House Honors State Champion Football and Softball Teams

Harrisonville High School’s state champion football and softball teams were honored today by Representative Luke Scavuzzo, D-Harrisonville, and the Missouri House of Representatives. The legislative body applauded the two teams and Rep. Scavuzzo presented each with a congratulatory resolution signed by himself and Speaker of the House, Rod Jetton, R-Marble Hill. “These student athletes have achieved great success on the field and in the classroom,” said Rep. Scavuzzo. (Read the full article)

© 2007 by Scavuzzo for State Representative - Luke Scavuzzo Sr., Treasurer