We are nearing the end of this year’s legislative session, and it is hard to believe my first session is almost over. These last few weeks will be busy as we work to approve legislation and pass a balanced state operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
On Monday, April 19, I was honored to present a resolution to Stephanie Njeri, one of the recipients of this year’s Women Legislators of Missouri Scholarship. Each year, 16 young women who are graduating from high school, two from each Missouri congressional district, are chosen to receive this $1,000 award. At a reception on Monday, I was happy to speak with Stephanie and congratulate her on this incredible achievement. These young women are chosen because of their leadership abilities and their willingness to make a difference in their communities. The applicants must also submit a 500 word essay on the topic: “As women legislators, we are honored and privileged to serve the people of Missouri. If you were a state legislator, what would you hope to accomplish and why?” I am extremely proud of Stephanie and her hard work to earn this scholarship. I wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors.
On Tuesday, April 20, I was proud to present Senate Bill 272 for consideration before the full Senate. This legislation gives lottery winners the option to remain anonymous. The State Lottery Commission, employees of the State Lottery or any organization working with the lottery is prohibited from publishing any identifying information about the winner unless they authorize the disclosure of their identity in writing. Winning the lottery can be an exciting experience, but it can also present unexpected challenges. I believe lottery winners should have the option to remain anonymous so they can safely navigate this significant life-changing event. While the legislation still needs to receive another round of approval from my colleagues in the Senate, I am hopeful it will be sent to the Missouri House of Representatives in the near future so they can consider it before the end of the legislative session.
Each week, the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus receives information about job opportunities throughout state government, and I wanted to share that information with you this week. The Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) is recruiting individuals for various entry-level and part-time positions, and a few of the open positions are in St. Louis. You can read about those job positions here.
Finally, if you are interested in receiving one of the COVID-19 vaccines, you can visit the St. Louis County COVID-19 website at stlcorona.com/covid19-vaccines to learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine and sign up for a vaccine appointment. All Missourians 16 years-of-age and older are now eligible to receive the vaccine. It is important to note that the Pfizer vaccine is the only vaccine currently approved to be administered to children who are 16 years-of-age and older, while the Moderna vaccine may be given to individuals 18 years-of-age and older.
For more information on Sen. Walton Mosley’s legislative actions, visit her official Senate website at www.senate.mo.gov/Mosley.