By Maria Hickey, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – One Missouri lawmaker wants to reduce the number of representatives in the statehouse.
Representative Will Kraus says he'd like to drop 26 seats splitting the state into 137 districts.
The Republican from outside Kansas City says Missouri has the fourth largest state house but ranks seventeenth in population.
"One hundred sixty-three members is a very large house and by reducing the number of members we're going to be able to save the state a significant amount of money and still provide good service to the people in our districts," Kraus said.
He pre-filed his bill.
Kraus also sponsored similar legislation last year but says it got no traction. Kraus says opposition came mostly from rural legislators concerned about traveling larger districts.