Looking Back on the First Half of Session
The Missouri General Assembly is now halfway through the 2019 legislative session. Currently, lawmakers are back home in their districts for the legislative spring break, and will return to Jefferson City when the Legislature reconvenes on Monday, March 25. The session will officially conclude less than two months later, on Friday, May 17.
In the Senate, we’ve had a productive first half of session, approving several pieces of legislation with the aim of making government more efficient and responsive to the needs of all Missourians. Here is a quick list of some of the Senate’s major accomplishments this year:
- Senate Bill 28, passed by the Senate on Feb. 21, places a cap on state-issued tax credits for low-income housing, allowing the suspended program to be reinstated;
- Senate Bill 7, passed by the Senate on March 4, reforms civil procedure statutes to limit out-of-state court shopping and clarify proper venue for legal actions; and
- Senate Bill 291, passed by the Senate on March 7, provides additional resources for 911 services in many parts of the state.
The Senate also gave its approval to House Bill 14, the state’s supplemental budget, wrapping up the 2019 fiscal year. Our body will now turn its attention to crafting a state operating budget for the 2020 fiscal year, which will receive final approval by the end of the legislative session.
As always, please feel free to call, email or write with your ideas or concerns. My Capitol office number is (573) 751-1415, my email is dan.hegeman@senate.mo.gov and my mailing address is Room 332, State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.