Jefferson City — State Sen. Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, was appointed by Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard, R-Joplin, to chair the Senate Transportation, Infrastructure, and Public Safety Committee yesterday.
“I am honored that Senate leadership has entrusted me to be the chair of the Transportation, Infrastructure, and Public Safety Committee during this critical time for our state’s infrastructure,” Sen. Schatz said. “It is no secret that Missouri’s roads and bridges are falling behind as funding lags and I am looking forward to working with my colleagues in the House and Governor-elect Eric Greitens to find new solutions to our state’s transportation needs.”
As a state representative, Sen. Schatz served as the House Transportation Chairman during the 2013 and 2014 legislative sessions.
The Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee is charged with considering legislation concerning roads, highways, bridges, airports and aviation, railroads, port authorities and all other means of transportation; motor vehicles, motor vehicle registration and drivers’ licenses, infrastructure across the state of Missouri, and matters relating to the safety of the general public. High profile bills considered by the committee in 2016 included a potential referendum and gas taxes and the Prescription Drug Monitoring Bill that Senator Schatz sponsored.
“This committee has a broad scope and while most of the focus is on transportation, I will continue to lead on public safety by sponsoring legislation to create a Prescription Drug Monitoring Database,” Sen. Schatz said. “The opioid epidemic has hit our state and our community hard and the public has joined with law enforcement and medical professionals in calling for this important legislation.
“I have experience dealing with transportation issues and I am looking forward to addressing the needs of our transportation infrastructure. Missouri is the crossroads of our nation and we have to keep our highways and ports in top condition to attract the kind of private sector investment that ultimately drives our economy. With new administrations in Washington, D.C., and Jefferson City, I am confident that we can reinvest in our infrastructure and build a better transportation network for tomorrow’s economy.”