Lawmakers are back at the State Capitol to continue discussing and debating proposals before the legislative session adjourns on Friday, May 15. From my perspective, our top priority is the budget; but, along the way, we also have other items that need our attention in the final days of the 2020 legislative session.
Among the measures the Legislature has sent to the governor is Senate Bill 599, a wide-ranging proposal that relates to banking and financial rules. Included in the bill are Senate Bill 984 and Senate Bill 654, both of which I sponsored this year. My portions of SB 599 relate to protecting senior citizens and individuals with disabilities from being financially exploited and it also makes some minor changes to the Missouri Family Trust Company Act. I am hopeful to see the governor sign SB 599 into law.
In this last week of the legislative session, there is limited time to finish everything we set out to do in January. As you can imagine, the coronavirus has changed everything for us at the Capitol. First and foremost, we met our constitutional obligation to pass a balanced state operating budget. I suspect this week will resemble the final week of previous sessions that I have been a part of, the days will be long and it will end with a frantic dash to the finish line. As we look toward the final week, please know that I am proud to represent each of you in the Missouri Senate, and I truly believe that the work done in the State Capitol is intended to make our great state a better place to live, work and raise a family.
I am honored to serve as your senator in the Missouri Senate. If, at any time, you have questions, concerns or ideas regarding state government, please feel free to contact me at (573) 751-8793 or Sandy.Crawford@senate.mo.gov.