Weekly Column for April 18, 2019
There is a greater sense of urgency as you walk around the State Capitol this time of year. We are on the downhill side of the legislative session, and the funnel bills must go through to get to the governor’s desk continues to become smaller as we approach our final day — May 17.
Below is a recap of several pieces of legislation we have given initial approval to this week.
Senate Bill 218– This bill requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to establish voluntary pilot programs for both agriculture education and mental health education in elementary schools in Missouri;
Senate Bill 184– This is a bill that I have written about before. It renames the Missouri Works Training Program to the “Missouri One Start Program” and gives the Department of Economic Development more flexibility in addressing workforce training needs across the state; and
Senate Bill 34– This bill establishes the Coroner Standards and Training Commission. The commission will create training standards relating to the operation, responsibilities and technical skills for county coroners throughout our state. This act also specifies that if a coroner is not current on his or her training, the Department of Health and Senior Services can prohibit that coroner from signing any death certificates. Currently, Missouri does not require coroners to complete any training.
Finally, I’d like to wish all of you a happy Easter. My prayer is that you are able to spend time with family and friends and are able to reflect on Christ’s gift of sacrificial grace, forgiveness and new life.
It is an honor to serve you in the Missouri Senate. Please do not hesitate to contact my office at (573) 751-3678 or by email at dave.schatz@senate.mo.gov if you have any questions.