The budget will go through both the Senate and the House and must be completed and approved by May 9, according to the Missouri Constitution.

On Tuesday, Jan. 21, the governor delivered his annual State of the State address to a joint session of the House and Senate in the House chamber.

While this opportunity allows him a chance to announce his priorities for this legislative session, it also gives him time to outline his proposed budget before both chambers.

Early childhood education is a priority of mine, so I am pleased the governor tripled funding for the Missouri Preschool Project.

The governor's budget calls for an increase in kindergarten through 12th grade funding to $278 million to fully fund the foundation formula in the next two years. The budget calls for substantial increases for these essential programs:

• First Steps, $8.5 million
• Missouri Preschool Program, $20 million
• Student transportation, $15 million
• Broadband capacity investment, $10 million
• Reimbursements for certain special education students, $10.4 million

With the federal Health Insurance Marketplace now up and running, Missourians have the opportunity to become part of the growing population of Americans who have affordable, quality health care coverage within their reach. This marketplace, made available by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), allows Missourians to compare health care options using side-by-side information regarding price, quality and benefits for each health plan under consideration.

Enroll by March 31 to avoid a penalty.

Penalty for not having insurance is $95 a year or 1 percent of household income. There will be a new box on your W-2 tax form to verify health insurance. However, be aware the penalty for those who do not have health insurance is going to increase over time. In 2016 the penalty per adult is $695 and $347 per child or 2.5 percent of the household income. There is a cap of 300 percent of the household income for these penalties.

Fill out an application at www.healthcare.gov to see if you qualify for a discount or tax credit.

There are several ways to learn more about the ACA or the federal Health Insurance Marketplace:

• Visit www.healthcare.gov for live chat assistance.
• Call the Marketplace Call Center: 1-800-318-2596, it is open 24/7.
• Visit www.covermissouri.org.
• Call 211 for assistance from local social services to find a federally qualified health center that will provide in-person assistance to fill out forms and find a certified navigator.
• Download a paper application that can be printed and mailed. (If choosing this option, please utilize the guidance of live chat or phone or local navigator to ensure accuracy.)

There are no fees to use the marketplace and no one should solicit health coverage to you. Report fraud to the Missouri Attorney General’s office by calling 1-800-392-8222.

Here is a checklist of information you will need when you sign up:

• Social Security numbers (or document numbers for legal immigrants)
• Employer and income information for every member of your household who needs coverage (for example, from pay stubs or W-2 forms—Wage and Tax Statements);
• Policy numbers for any current health insurance plans covering members of your household; and
• Completed Employer Coverage Tool for every job-based plan you or someone in your household is eligible. (You’ll need to fill out this form even for coverage you’re eligible for but don’t enroll in.) Visit www.healthcare.gov to view this form.

For information on health care seminars in the St. Louis area go to: http://covermissouri.org/tools/events/events.php. To learn more about the ACA or the federal Health Insurance Marketplace, visit www.healthcare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596.

The St. Louis Fire Department Lifesaving Foundation was established to help firefighters and first responders with training they need.

The St. Louis Fire Department responds to more than 140,000 calls each year.

The St. Louis Fire Department Lifesaving Foundation offers organizations and individuals a way to contribute to helping life-savers assist those in need of its services. 

Funds raised go to help pay for training and purchase safety gear that not only protects the responders, but those seeking their help.

The organization is currently raising funds for an Emergency Medial Simulation Center. According to the foundation's website, the center will be hands-on and state-of-the-art for emergency medical training that will take place in a realistic environment. Life-like training mannequins will respond to treatments with appropriate changes in vital signs, pulses, respirations and more. The mannequins offer immediate feedback to the life-saving measures that are delivered during the training.

The foundation has noted that St. Louis City first responders will take training priority, but added the training initiative will also be made available as training tool for first responders in the Metro area.

For more information on how to help with Phase 2 of the fundraising campaign contact Rebecca Davis at (314) 535-LIFE.

There are more than three million registered organ donors in Missouri.

The 2013 Organ and Tissue Donor Annual Report is now available online. Readers will find an inspiring transplant story that speaks of mentoring donors and their families as they await transplants. Several different Missouri volunteers are recognized for their hard work. Local driver's licence offices are also recognized for their vital role in signing Missourians up for the organ donor registry.

Click here to read the report.

Click here to register to become an organ donor.

Click here to watch a video of the zoo's newest additions.

The St. Louis Zoo saw lots of excitement in 2013, much of that involved welcoming a host of new zoo babies. In 2013, there were 2,000 births at the zoo.

Priya, an Asian elephant, was one of the most famous births of the year. The zoo now has 10 elephants. Other species born included five Somali wild asses, a zebra, an okapi, nine gazelle, two babirusa, five McCord’s box turtles, ruffed lemur triplets, a tawny frogmouth chick, two Humboldt penguins and nine ocellate mountain vipers.  The zoo also welcomed a camel, two fennec fox kits, two banteng, a mountain bongo, two lesser kudu, two lowland nyala, a red kangaroo, four Transcaspian urials and the first recorded hatch of a Rhinoceros hornbill, just to name a few. Almost all of the 2,000 births at the zoo were recommended by the Species Survival Plans.

The zoo is open year-round from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; for more information about special zoo events or the zoo in general, go to www.stlzoo.org.