FIRST IN COUNTRY

I am writing this letter regarding the series of articles you published by
Karen Dillon on drug seizure and asset forfeiture that led to the passage
this year of Senate bills 5 and 21, which clarified and restored Missouri
law to its constitutional purpose. The legislation was signed by Gov. Bob
Holden on May 17. This made Missouri the first state in the country to
accomplish this through the legislative process.

I have written to each member of the Missouri Senate, thanking them for
their support and outlining my activities with the Southern Legislative
Conference the past year and the unbelievable unanimous vote the conference
gave me in Savannah, Ga., recently adopting the Missouri law as the
conference policy.

I also wrote to House Speaker Jim Kreider regarding his support from the
beginning.

I do not believe any of this would have been possible without the series of
articles you published by Karen Dillon and also the editorial support. I
distributed all of these as they came out to my colleagues in Jefferson
City and later around the country. They were invaluable.

I know The Star and your reporter received national recognition and cash
prizes for your work. Such things are beyond my ability. But I can tell you
that your series made it possible for Missouri to be the first state to
take this step with a law that is now being copied all over the country.

Sen. Harry Wiggins,

Kansas City