Lawmakers have returned to Jefferson City for the First Regular Session of the 101st General Assembly. For all of the issues we see each year, there are always new challenges, and this year is no different. At the same time, we also are seeing some familiar items that seem to have a long shelf life.
First and foremost for myself and my colleagues is the ongoing pandemic. Just one year ago, the word coronavirus was something very few of us had ever heard, aside from reading the label on a can of Lysol. Since March, it has taken over our lives in many ways. COVID-19 took what would have been one of Missouri’s best economies and nearly ended it, in only a matter of days. At the same time, this pandemic meant having to stay away from the Capitol while session was on hold.
A year later, we have managed to make some strides in repairing our economy. Unfortunately, the pandemic is still here. Between now and the beginning of May, the Legislature will put together a fiscally sound plan that does not spend more than the state takes in. I am committed to drafting a state budget that adequately funds state government and provides vital services to our state’s most vulnerable. State law requires us to balance our budget, without question and without fail. This will continue, with or without a pandemic.
It is a privilege to serve in the Missouri Senate, and I look forward to the opportunity to work with some very fine people and continue to make our state a shining example of how state government is supposed to work.
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.