JEFFERSON CITY — State Sen. Lincoln Hough, R-Springfield, has lined out his first priorities for the 2021 legislative session, which will begin in January.
“We have spent nearly a year living under a pandemic, and it has drastically affected the lives of all Missourians,” Sen. Hough said. “Despite this, the General Assembly must still prepare for the start of the upcoming legislative session. As I look forward to 2021, I am committed to doing everything I can to ensure our public K-12 schools and higher education institutions have the funding and resources needed to ensure our students continue to receive a first-class education.”
Senator Hough has pre-filed Senate Bill 45, which creates a cancer benefits trust for firefighters; Senate Bill 46, which seeks to end the requirement that new motor vehicles receive a safety inspection immediately prior to their sale; and Senate Bill 47, which gives Greene County and the City of Springfield more flexibility in relation to sales taxes.
Lawmakers began pre-filing legislation on Dec. 1. At that time, those proposals are then assigned numbers for the next session, based on senators’ seniority. Missouri senators can also continue to introduce legislation into the regular legislative session, which will start in January.
“In addition to the bills we will consider next year, there is also a question of the next state operating budget,” Sen. Hough said. “The pandemic has affected our state’s bottom line, and as vice-chair of the Missouri Senate Appropriations Committee, I am committed to ensuring state government remains open, funded and able to provide vital services to all Missourians.”