JOLLY REFLECTS ON SIX YEARS OF STATE SERVICE
Kelly Houx
Wednesday Sun, 10-04-06
Retiring Rep. Cathy Jolly said the desire to serve the
public that drove her to run for office six years ago has
not changed.
Jolly, D-45th, said she wanted to help more people after
serving as an assistant Jackson County Prosecutor.
“I wanted to leave my handprint on the state,” she said.
“I wanted to help families improve their quality of life.”
Jolly said serving with the drug response team attached
to the prosecutor’s office fueled her desire to seek public
office.
“We started reaching out to the community that was affected
by drug use and drug violence,” she said. “We helped clean
some neighborhoods up, offered better protection and started
working on legislation to get drugs off the streets.”
During the last veto session a couple weeks ago, Jolly said
farewell to her colleagues in Jefferson City.
“It felt like I had just walked into first session, but
I can say with all certainty I have had a tremendous opportunity
to be part of something bigger every time we voted or drafted
a piece of legislation,” she said. “I know that I am simply
Cathy. I am a neighbor, wife, and mom. The title of representative
is bestowed by the people.”
Jolly praised her constituents for sharing concerns and
offering ideas for possible legislation.
“I listened to parents, friends, and former co-workers
from the prosecutor’s office,” she said. Legislation she
advanced includes closing loopholes in Missouri’s sex offender
registration law, which requires all offenders to register
with local law enforcement authorities. One of her last
pieces of legislation allows sex crimes or child abuse victims
to have access to the records of criminal proceedings involving
attackers. The in formation could be used for a civil lawsuit.
Jolly also sponsored legislations dealing with the illegal
drug Ecstasy and offering tougher penalties for prosecutors
trying drug trafficking cases.
The Senior Care and Protection Act took effect in June
2003. Jolly served as the lead sponsor of the original House
version that advocated for seniors in long-term care facilities.
“It was about providing good care for seniors,” she said.
She also co-sponsored legislation that requires retailers
who sell kegs of beer to attach identification.
Jolly’s families-first ideas manifested in legislation
to help single mothers who qualify as working poor to find
child care.` Jolly served as vice chair of a committee that
studied the procedures to safeguard Missouri children from
abductions via the AMBER alert system. She also sat on the
crime prevention and public safety committee and education.
“My first year, I sat on the critical issues, consumer
protection and housing committee,” she said. “We saw everything
and the kitchen sink.” Jolly said people in elected roles
still do good.
“As far as the job and experience, I have no regrets,”
she said. “I am disappointed that party agendas factored
into decisions such as cutting about 90,000 people from
Medicaid. I am also sad that we are not funding our schools
better.
“We have to help people understand their voices do matter.
During non-election years, I walked door-to-door to see
what people were thinking about. I want people who turn
18 to register to vote with the same sort of enthusiasm
they have when the get their drivers license.” |
