Senator Ben Brown’s Capitol Report for April 10, 2024

Taking Action to Secure Elections

One of the best phrases a senator can hear on the floor about their sponsored legislation is “The bill is declared perfected and ordered printed.” At this stage, the language has been finalized, and the proposal is one roll call vote away from passage and moving to the other chamber. On April 2, I had the privilege of hearing this sought after phrase as Senate Joint Resolution 78 was perfected.

I introduced SJR 78 to improve confidence in our electoral system, restore and preserve faith in this fundamental pillar of democracy and ensure every Missourian’s voice is heard and counted. In the spirit of transparency and integrity, SJR 78 proposes an outright ban of ranked choice voting (RCV) in the state. While RCV may seem like a modern solution for electoral dilemmas, I believe the complexity overshadows clarity and the promise of inclusivity is marred by the disenfranchisement of voters. Multiple rounds of calculation, confusing language and the exclusion, discounting or removal of ballots should alarm everyone. I am optimistic this resolution will pass and give voters a chance to prohibit RCV in Missouri, uphold a tried-and-true system of one person – one vote and fortify the basic requirements to register to vote in Missouri.

The second provision of this resolution pertains to non-citizen voting. It would amend our state constitution to only allow U.S. citizens to vote in our elections. While this requirement is already ingrained in our federal voting laws, I believe there is no downside to further protecting Missouri’s election laws by enshrining it in our state Constitution as well. This issue was the subject of much debate earlier in the year before unfortunately being stripped off of the initiative petition reform bill that passed the Senate. I was proud to finally get this provision through the Senate, and I believe this is a great step toward strengthening the integrity of our elections going forward. The Senate passed the resolution on April 9 and sent it to the House.

The Senate Economic Development and Tax Policy Committee I chair advanced several House proposals this week I was happy to endorse. Since House Bill 1511 is similar in scope to a bill I filed, I look forward to handling it in the Senate. The measure will require political subdivisions that adopt an ordinance requiring the installation of electric vehicle charging stations to cover the costs associated with installing, operating and maintaining the stations themselves, rather than placing that burden upon the business owner. 

The other proposal the committee passed will establish the “Regulatory Sandbox Act” and create the Regulatory Relief Office within the Department of Economic Development. The purpose of the Sandbox program and new office are to identify state regulations that could be waived or suspended to allow prospective businesses a two-year period to develop innovative products for consumers. This would grant the department some flexibility and oversight, while giving participating business owners the opportunity to try, test and develop new products with less risk. This is similar to language included in Senate Bill 894, which was passed by the Senate on April 4 and sent to the House.

2024 Senate Student Fine Arts Exhibit Honoree Recognized

The Missouri Art Education Association and Missouri Alliance for Arts Education co-host a statewide art contest each year and display each senatorial district’s entries in the Capitol’s Third Floor Rotunda. While it was hard to choose one from all the talented entries from our community, Madison Mengwasser’s artwork will represent the 26th Senatorial District in the Senate Art Exhibit at the Capitol from April of 2024 through March of 2025. Madison is a junior at Linn High School. I had the privilege of meeting her and her art teacher, Lana Hunt, on April 3 during the awards ceremony and presenting a resolution to Miss Mengwasser.

                                                                                                                                Senator Brown presents Madison Mengwasser with a resolution during an awards ceremony on April 3.

University of Missouri System Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol

On April 4, I met with two very talented college students from our community who participated in Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol. The program provides opportunities for students to work with faculty on cutting-edge research across the four campuses of the University of Missouri System. 

Mikaela Ritchie of Union, Missouri, is a student at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. Mikaela has been working alongside Missouri S&T’s talented faculty to conduct research on “Poly-ε-caprolactone Nanoparticles to Remove Endotoxins.”

                                                                                                                                                             Senator Brown presents a resolution to Mikaela Ritchie.

Julianna Bayless of Gerald, Missouri, is a student at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Julianna has been working with research staff at the University on a project on hidden matter revealed by the James Webb Space Telescope.

                                                                                                                                                            Julianna Bayless receives a resolution from Sen. Brown.

As always, it’s a tremendous honor to serve those who call the 26th Senatorial District home. If you need assistance with navigating state government or the legislative process, please reach out by calling 573-751-3678 or emailing Ben.Brown@senate.mo.gov.