Entering the New Year, I will continue to work for you and promise to always support good government in our state. I am proud to represent the citizens of the 16th District and I believe that together we can make Missouri a better place to live, work and raise families.
The Second Regular Session of the 99th General Assembly is now officially underway in Jefferson City. On Wednesday, Jan. 3, lawmakers returned to the Capitol to kick-off the 2018 legislative session.
This session, lawmakers have filed more than 304 pieces of legislation. One of our goals this session is to create a smaller, better, more efficient government that is appealing to businesses looking to move to Missouri. With a more efficient state government, we can cut back the harmful red tape negatively affecting our state’s small businesses. Tax reform, finding a solution to transportation funding and ensuring our children get the best education they can, all remain top priorities.
Here are a few of the key issues:
Labor Reform – Last year’s passage of Right to Work was just the first step in reforming our state’s labor laws. Allowing businesses the opportunity to create better jobs with growing incomes will lead to stronger economic growth. I am committed to making Missouri a pro-worker state by working with my fellow senators to reform two major labor issues:
• Prevailing Wage – One of the main requests legislators receive from rural community leaders is to reform Missouri’s prevailing wage laws. By eliminating these laws, Missouri taxpayers can feel confident they are rewarding and attracting good contractors and employees, while efficiently using taxpayer money.
• Public Sector Unions – Government unions are not held to the standards of transparency and accountability as their counterparts in the private sector. Missourians should know how their government unions spend their money. We need to create protections for not only the workers, but the taxpayers as well.
Tort Reform – Missouri’s unfair and outdated civil judicial system has forced businesses and job creators out of the state. Tort reform is critical to economic development and I will continue to work towards improving our judicial system in the 2018 legislative session. These reforms will create a better business climate, so businesses can hire employees rather than waste money on frivolous lawsuits.
Regulatory Reform – We need to create a smaller, better and more efficient government that is appealing to businesses looking to move to the Show-Me State. With a more efficient government, we can cut back harmful red tape and end the overreach of government. I am deeply committed to ensuring that state government is accountable to the citizens of Missouri.
There are many things to be considered this year, including the impact the federal tax cut will have on our state budget and how we, as a Legislature, can fix the funding issue for in-home and nursing home care. I look forward to listening to the governor lay out his proposed budget during the State of the State Address on Jan. 10. According to the Missouri Constitution lawmakers must have an approved budget to the governor by May 11.
As always, I encourage my constituents to contact me throughout the year with comments, questions or suggestions by calling my office at (573) 751-5713. To find more information about the bills I sponsor, visit www.senate.mo.gov/brown. Thank you for reading this and for your participation in state government.