July 30, 2019

**UPDATE: Rep. Rebecca Roeber passed while on a family vacation in Colorado.

*Speaker of the House Elijah Haahr has confirmed that Rep. Rebecca Roeber has passed away in her sleep this morning at her home in Lee’s Summit.

“As a teacher and then as our colleague, Rebecca had a heart of a servant and this is truly a great loss to every life she touched.  It was a privilege to have been one of those people, to become her friend, and to serve with her.  She will be truly missed,” Haajr shared in an email statement.

March 25, 2019 State Representative was involved in a serious automobile accident on the way to the Capitol. Due to undiagnosed sleep apnea, Rebecca suffered 18 broken bones and was in critical condition for weeks. Roeber continues to state in her notice for November 2020 re-election notice that she was ready to fight hard for conservative, commonsense values.

On June 25 the she announced on Facebook:

“I am both honored and delighted to announce my re-election candidacy for State Representative for the 34th District in the Missouri Legislature.  Thank you for your ongoing support and prayers. Vote Rebecca on November 3, 2020!”

She was released from Wilshire to continue rehab at home on July 23^rd.

From the State Legislation page Rep. Rebecca Roeber, a Republican, represents part of Jackson County, including much of Lee’s Summit and Greenwood, (District 34) in the Missouri House of Representatives. She was elected to her first two-year term in November 2014.

Prior to her legislative duties, Rep. Roeber has been an educator for 17 years in the Raytown district.

Rep. Roeber is a 1976 graduate of Shawnee Mission West High School in Overland Park, Kansas. She received her bachelor’s degree in Education from Avila University in 1996.

Rep. Roeber and her family attend the Abundant Life Church in Lee’s Summit.

Born in Kansas City, Rep. Roeber currently resides in Lee’s Summit with her husband. They have two children and one grandchild.

Chairwoman Roeber is the sponsor of a House bill that would allow charter schools to

expand to Missouri cities and charter counties with a population larger than 30,000. The legislation, House bill 581, seems to be at an impasse for the year without her to nurture it through the House.

House Speaker Pro Tem John Wiemann, R-O’Fallon, says the bill was removed from the House calendar because of the amount of time it sat in the calendar and was not brought up for debate.

Speaker Haahr says the bill already faced an uncertain future with Roeber out. He noted that charter school legislation would have probably have had come through the Senate first, where it’s already been filibustered.

“If not, we always have next year to work on that issue,” says Haahr.

Proponents of charter school expansion legislation include the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the organization Excellence in Education in Action. Supporters say school choices benefit all in society and that expansion will give more children an opportunity to attend schools that meet their needs.

Under current law, charter schools are only allowed in St. Louis, Kansas City and an unaccredited school district. Charter schools are publicly-funded schools which operate independently of traditional public schools.

• Email from Speaker of the House 1:32 p.m.