Sen. Barbara Anne Washington’s Legislative Column for the Week of Sept. 13, 2021

Lawmakers returned to the Missouri State Capitol on Wednesday, Sept. 15, for the annual, constitutionally-mandated veto session. This session provides the General Assembly the opportunity to consider overturning any of the governor’s vetoes on legislation passed earlier in the year. In order to do this, however, at least two-thirds of both the Missouri House of Representatives and the Missouri Senate must approve of the override motion.

This year, four bills were vetoed in their entirety by the governor:

• Senate Bill 226, which would have provided certain businesses impacted by COVID-19 health orders a tax credit, among other tax-related provisions;
• House Bill 362, regarding the Missouri Sunshine Law and access to public records;
• House Bill 661, a transportation omnibus bill; and
• House Bill 685, modifying provisions relating to the duties and qualifications of certain public officers.

In addition to these bills, the governor also vetoed a number of line items in Missouri’s Fiscal Year 2022 budget. These line-item vetoes halted the spending of around $115 million out of the roughly $35 billion state budget passed by lawmakers in May of this year.

During veto session, the Legislature did not overturn any of the governor’s vetoes on standalone bills, but the Missouri House did vote to override the vetoes on several budget items. When these items came over to the Senate for consideration, they failed to garner the support of two-thirds of the chamber in order to go into effect.

Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Special License Plate

During the 2021 legislative session, lawmakers passed Senate Bill 189, which I sponsored. This legislation creates a special license plate for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Anyone interested in supporting this Kansas City gem can apply for the license plate by following these steps:

1. Make a $10 donation to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
   • Donations can be made directly to the museum on their website or by sending the museum a check upon sending in your application.
   • Be sure to get a receipt for your contribution.
2. Complete the 1716 form to apply for the specialty license plate. This form can be found at mo.gov/motor-vehicle/plates/personalized-specialty.html.
   • When completing the form, select “other” and fill in that you are applying for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum plate.
3. Send your application, along with your $10 museum donation (or the receipt for your donation), and your $15 standard plate application fee to the museum at 1616 E 18th St., KCMO, 64108.

As of April 9, all adult Missouri residents are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of occupation. Please contact your local pharmacy or health care provider for information on how best to receive one of the available vaccines. For more information about the vaccine in Missouri, please visit covidvaccine.mo.gov.

COVID-19 vaccine walk-in appointments are available at Truman Medical Centers’ two hospital campuses (2211 Charlotte and 7900 Lee’s Summit Road) between 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Children ages 12 to 15 are eligible for the vaccine with parental or guardian consent. Interested individuals may schedule a vaccine appointment at www.trumed.org or by calling 816-404-CARE (2273). Vaccine information, including free transportation info, is available at trumed.org/covid-19/covid-19-vaccine.

The YMCA of Greater Kansas in partnership with Truman Medical Centers/University Health is also providing COVID-19 vaccines at the Cleaver Family YMCA at the following times: Tuesday and Wednesday, 9 am – 3 p.m.; Thursday, 3 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.; the fourth Saturday of the month, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Vaccinations are available for anyone age 12 and older. Those ages 12-17 will need consent from a parent or guardian prior to receiving the vaccine. Call 816-404-CARE to schedule an appointment time.

The Jackson County Health Department also has numerous vaccine and testing clinics available. For more information, please visit jacohd.org.

The Center for COVID Recovery is open to treat patients who experience long-term effects from the virus. For more information, visit trumed.org/covid-19/center-for-covid-recovery/; please share this information with anyone who continues to struggle after a positive COVID-19 diagnosis.

Thank you for your vote of confidence to serve the people of the 9th District in the Missouri Senate. In an effort to keep you up-to-date with my legislation or other proposed measures, please feel free to visit my website at senate.mo.gov/Washington. I appreciate your active interest in your community and encourage your participation in the legislative process. Should you need assistance with state matters, please feel free to contact my office at (573) 751-3158.

Senator Washington’s Sponsored Legislation for 2021

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