By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
An area legislator has found a spot on a new Missouri House committee which will consider bills dealing with technology as well as help the legislature handle emerging technology.
State Rep. Jeff Farnan of Stanberry is one of two freshmen on the House Special Committee on Innovation and Technology. Farnan has a degree in computer programming and has written computer programs, stating he has always enjoyed tech. He says he mentioned to an aide to the Speaker of the House his background and interest, asking to be a part of the committee. He says his inexperience in the General Assembly didn’t seem to play a role.
“It’s more the Speaker was looking for somebody that had experience in that field and by me explaining that to his assistant, that was why I got on there,” Farnan tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.
Farnan says the committee will take on legislation concerning technology, but will also attempt to guide the General Assembly on how best to deal with the latest innovations.
Farnan has advanced a bill of his own for the committee to consider. It would allow Missourians to use bio-metrics to buy alcohol.
“The advantage to this is that this scanning process will take one to two seconds, instead of somebody having to get out their driver’s license and the person looking at it and determining if their old enough to buy liquor,” Farnan says. “This will help decrease the time that you have to stand in line to buy something at the concession stand.”
Farnan says the process would be voluntary, noting that some might consider it an invasion of privacy.
Farnan, a Republican, says the committee has the expertise to handle issues that might prove too much for other committees.
“This is where you would want these bills to go, especially like the bio-metric bill. You wouldn’t want it to go to, say Tourism, where that committee would probably have no idea what you’re even talking about and then they’re making a decision if this is a good bill or not,” Farnan says. “So I think that the Technology Committee can definitely guide the House in the right direction.”
The Speaker’s office says the committee will support the development of technology, help ensure Missouri’s future global competitiveness, and ensure protections for Missourians.
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