Senator Justin Brown's Legislative Column for Jan. 12, 2024
Friday, January 12, 2024
State Sen. Justin Brown For Immediate Release: | Capital Building, Room 420 Contact: Ashley Bax | |
Public Testimony on Bills Is Underway Hello from Missouri’s Capitol! The second week of the legislative session saw an increase in activity, particularly with committees that are now beginning work on seeking public input on the hundreds of bills that have been filed by lawmakers. 
Several Senate committees held their first hearings. I was proud to have two residents of the 16th Senatorial District come up for confirmation in the Gubernatorial Appointments Committee hearing on Jan. 10. Dr. Melissa Gourley from Mountain Grove was appointed by the governor to the Missouri State University Board of Governors, and Gary Polk of Salem was selected as the Dent County District Two Commissioner. After getting to know these two individuals, I am confident that they will do wonderful things in their respective posts and that the state is in a good place having people like them in key leadership positions. Next week the committee I chair, the Senate Emerging Issues Committee, will hold its first public hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 16. This committee is focused on recent trends and issues that need to be addressed or that could have lasting impacts on Missourians. Chairing this committee is very fulfilling as we see a variety of topics come through our hearings. I look forward to discussing our first bills of the year which cover collection of delinquent property taxes and the establishment of the “Missouri Rural Access to Capital Act.” So far, six pieces of legislation that I sponsored this year have been referred to various committees. I am hopeful that those will be given hearing dates soon and will be sure to report on the progress those bills make through the legislative process. It’s my honor to serve as your senator for the 16th District. If you have questions or need any assistance, please call my office at 573-751-5713 or log onto my webpage at senate.mo.gov/brown for more information. ### | ||