First Month of 2015 Session Concludes

The Missouri Senate concluded the first month of the 2015 session this week. Since opening day on Jan. 7, senators have been busy filing new measures, receiving committee assignments for the 98th General Assembly, and considering proposed legislation in public hearings. The majority of our time in the initial weeks is spent in committee, where we vet legislation and hear from the public and experts on ways the measure would affect the state.

Work on the budget is also well underway. The governor released his budget recommendations for Fiscal Year 2016 on Jan. 21, concurrently with his annual State of the State Address. Members of the Appropriations Committee, on which I sit, will now take those recommendations to craft the Senate’s version of the budget. We’ve also been taking testimony from various state agencies and departments on their financial needs for the next budget year. As we move through this process, I will continue to advocate for investing in education, programs and services that help the neediest citizens in our state, and projects that can benefit the Kansas City area.