Senator Mike Bernskoetter's Legislative Column for Jan. 12, 2024

Friday, January 12, 2024

Senator Mike Bernskoetter
6th Senatorial District

For Immediate Release: 
Jan. 12, 2024

 

Capitol Building, Room 416
Jefferson City, MO 65101 

Contact Matt Morris: 
573-751-2076

Committees and Appointments

The second week of the 2024 legislative session saw an escalation of activity as committees began holding hearings on legislation and confirmations. 

The Senate General Laws Committee, which I chair, held its first hearing of the year on Wednesday, Jan. 10. These hearings are an opportunity for citizens and experts on the subject matter to testify before the committee in order for us to be as informed as possible on the impacts of and public feelings about the changes being proposed.  

In Wednesday’s hearing I was proud to present Senate Bill 745. This bill protects tax payer dollars by ensuring that money set aside for unemployment benefits is being saved during times when the economy is up, so that the state has an adequate savings during times when it is down. Under SB 745, the length of time an individual can receive unemployment benefits would be tied to the Missouri average unemployment rate. I have presented this bill before and it has been an ongoing effort by lawmakers for years. I am hopeful that it will be approved by the committee and we can discuss it on the Senate floor in the coming weeks. 

Sen. Bernskoetter testifies in support of 6th District appointees in Gubernatorial Appointments Committee hearing on Jan. 10. Left: Mick Campbell, Commissioner of Finance with Missouri Dept. of Insurance and Finance; Middle: Chad Hartman, Missouri 911 Service Board; Right: Kenneth Jones, Capitol Commission.

I was also proud to stand by three individuals from the 6th Senatorial District who were appointed to various boards and commissions as they stood before the Gubernatorial Appointments Committee this week. Kenneth Jones of Clarksburg was appointed to the Capitol Commission, Chad Hartman of Versailles was appointed to the Missouri 911 Service Board and Mick Campbell of Mt. Vernon was appointed as Commissioner of Finance with the Missouri Department of Insurance and Finance. All three appointees were confirmed by the Senate on Thursday, Jan. 11. 

I will continue to provide updates on the activities of the committees I serve on and my legislation as it progresses. If you have any questions or would like to be a witness in any of these hearings, please reach out to my office and we can assist.   

Please feel free to contact my office at 573-751-2076. For information about my committee assignments or sponsored legislation, please visit my official Missouri Senate website at senate.mo.gov/Bernskoetter.