Mel Hancock to be inducted into Hall of Famous Missourians

Missouri House Speaker Tim Jones, R-Eureka, plans to posthumously induct former Congressman Mel Hancock into the Hall of Famous Missourians.

Hancock, who died at his Springfield home in November 2011 at age 82, represented the Seventh District of Missouri in the U.S. House of Representatives 1989-97.

“Mel was one of our most well-regarded public servants who defended the rights of Missouri taxpayers and tirelessly worked to reduce the size of government,” Jones said in a news release. “Our state is on much more solid financial ground today because of his efforts."

Jones pointed to Hancock's amendment to the Missouri Constitution, known as the Hancock Amendment, which was approved by voters in 1980 and prevented the state government from raising residents' income taxes without voter approval.

Hancock also co-founded Springfield-based banking securities company Federal Protections Inc. in 1969, according to Springfield Business Journal archives.

Jones also announced he would induct Virginia Minor, known for her work starting the women's suffrage movement in Missouri, the release said.

Jones' inductees would add to two Missourians selected by state residents. After a month of voting and more than 33,000 votes cast, voters selected Andrew Taylor Still, the father of osteopathic medicine, and Robert Heinlein, a renowned 20th century science fiction author.

The new inductees join the likes of Mark Twain, Laura Ingalls Wilder and George Washington Carver, whose bronze statues are displayed in the Missouri State Capitol.

Inductees to the Hall of Famous Missourians were previously made solely by the House speaker. However, last year's selection of commentator Rush Limbaugh was met with criticism, leading to the voting process this year, according to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch report.