Sen. Caleb Rowdens Column – March 16, 2018

March 16, 2018

Senator Caleb Rowden’s Column for the Week of March 12, 2018

The Missouri Senate made great progress during the first half of the legislative session. We have been working hard the past few months to pass legislation that will promote economic growth and improve the lives of all Missourians. Missouri’s economy has one of the best outlooks in the Midwest, and I believe this trend will continue.

The Missouri General Assembly truly agreed and finally passed legislation aiming to give law enforcement officers another tool in their fight against human trafficking. House Bill 1246 requires the Department of Public Safety to develop human trafficking hotline posters providing information and resources for victims. Missouri is a hotspot for human trafficking and many of these victims are children. This form of modern-day slavery will not be tolerated in our state. It’s a serious problem that exists in our own communities, and this is one step toward helping the victims of sex trafficking receive the help they need in order to escape a terrible situation created by those who aim to exploit them for profit. It is essential that we continue working to fight human trafficking and to provide resources to victims to aid in their recovery process. House Bill 1246 was the first bill signed into law this year and I look forward to finding new solutions to address human trafficking in Missouri.

This week, the Senate passed House Bill 1665 which authorizes the Missouri Board of Education to grant visiting scholar certificates to professionals who wish to teach in public schools. The recipients of these certificates must be employed in the content area they plan to teach and may only teach students at the high school level. This bill is intended to create business-education partnerships to build career pathway systems for students. After receiving approval from both the Missouri House of Representatives and the Senate, HB 1665 now moves to the governor for his consideration. I was grateful for the opportunity to carry this bill in the Senate and I believe it will provide students with a great opportunity to learn from working professionals in specialized fields.

I always appreciate receiving visitors from the 19^th Senatorial District. This week I had the opportunity to meet with President Jeff Lashley and several students from Moberly Area Community College. These students are the future of Missouri, and I was impressed by their dedication to earning an education. Moberly Area community College continues to do great things in Mid-Missouri and is an important part of the development of our future workforce!

I also had the privilege of talking with individuals from Sisters Supportive Living. This organization, based in Booneville, Missouri, serves clients in Cooper, Howard and Boone Counties by offering disability services and helping individuals find jobs. I appreciated their articulation of issues of importance to them and enjoyed our conversation. Their service to our community is incredible and has impacted the lives of many people.

The General Assembly is currently on spring break and will reconvene on March 26, 2018. While visitors are always welcome at the Capitol, the building will be pretty quiet next week before lawmakers return for the last half of the legislative session.

I am here to serve you, and my office door is always open to your questions, concerns and suggestions. You can reach my staff at 573-751-3931, and you can visit www.senate.mo.gov/rowden for an array of legislative and constituent resources.