REP. BILL BOUCHER

91st General Assembly

Rep. Bill Boucher, a Democrat, represents part of Jackson County (District 48) in the Missouri House of Representatives.

Rep. Boucher is a retired electrical engineering design consultant and served in the U.S. Air Force from 1957-1961.

Elected to the House in 1992, Rep. Boucher has been a staunch supporter of legislation involving veterans, the blind and handicapped. Some of the key legislation that he has sponsored includes: HB207, gives $750,000 for veterans service officer programs, $10 million to the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, $3 million for World War II medals, medallions and certificates, and any unused money from that $3 million for buglers at veterans’ burials. These funds come from the Mo. Veterans Commission Capital Improvement Trust Fund, which is funded by the $2 boarding fee on gambling boats; SB267, abolishes the death penalty for the mentally retarded; SB721, which revises programs for the handicapped, to enhance access to telecommunications to enable access to other assistive technologies, and to provide for blind screening and education; SB961, gives the World War II medal, medallion, certificate and D-Day medal; HB201, requiring state departments and agencies to comply with the federal law regarding accessibility of information technology for the disabled; HB401, establishing a program for blind student literacy; SB387, establishes the Family Development Account, setting up a biannual review of Dept. of Social Services caseloads and creating the Welfare to Work Protection Act; HB1519, establishes the National Guard Trust Fund to fund numerous veterans programs and the Early Childhood Education Fund; HB1088, establishes a yearly statewide literacy study of blind students; HB107, gives state purchasing preference to products manufactured or produced by qualified non-profit organizations for the blind or certified sheltered workshops; HB630, requires the State Board of Education to adopt a rule of flag etiquette instruction; SB582, clarifies provisions of Missouri law regarding the rights of individuals using service dogs; and SB884 & 841, makes changes to Missouri laws regarding the commitment and conditional release and entitlement of persons who are acquitted of certain crimes based on mental disease or defect and expanding the rights of victims of dangerous felonies.

Rep. Boucher has been honored with numerous awards and certificates, including the following: Friend of School Nursing award from the Mo. Association of School Nurses, 1994; Rhode Island House of Representatives Recognition for work on Tough Man Fighting Legislation, 1996; the President’s Award from the Mo. Rehabilitation Association, 1997; Value Engineering award for the Grandview Triangle Redesign, 1997; Alphapointe Assn. For the Blind and Lighthouse for the Blind Appreciation Award, 1997; VFW Certificate of Appreciation, 1997-98; Missouri Council of the Blind and Missouri Federation of the Blind awards, 1998; The American Legion Legislative award, 1999; Western Missouri Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, Legislator of the Year award, 1999; and Friends of the ARC (Association of Retarded Citizens) Award, 2001.

Rep. Boucher attended St. Raphael Academy in Pawtucket, Rhode Island., Longview Community College and the University of Kansas.

Born November 13, 1937 to parents of French-Canadian heritage in Central Falls, R.I., Rep. Boucher currently resides in Kansas City with his wife Dee. They have three children and five grandchildren.