Senator Ben Brown’s Capitol Report for Jan. 31, 2025

Governor Outlines Safer Missouri Plan

One of the highlights of the week was the governor’s annual State of the State Address, which was delivered to a joint session of the General Assembly in the beautiful chamber of the Missouri House of Representatives on Jan. 28. During the speech, he outlined his budget and legislative priorities for public safety, economic development, agriculture and education as tenets of his vision for a Safer Missouri. 

This initiative encourages the Legislature to pass a comprehensive crime bill, enhances scholarships to attend law enforcement academies and establishes the Blue Shield Program, which will assist with community public safety training and equipment.

As you can imagine, I was pleasantly surprised to hear him call out my name and support my legislation to grant licensure reciprocity for spouses of law enforcement officers, Senate Bill 283. He shares my vision to eliminate the state income tax, crack down on illegal immigrants entering Missouri and defend the sanctity of life in the wake of Amendment 3’s passing as well. Our rural community will greatly benefit from his push for funding rural road and bridge projects and strengthening agricultural programs, like FFA. 

The governor also touted changes to education, like recalculating the foundation formula that funds public schools and increasing school choice options. His recommendations for the budget include fully funding schools’ transportation needs and allocating more money for teacher salaries and rural school districts. As fellow entrepreneurs, the governor and I also share the sense of urgency in making these policies happen at “business speed” and take months, not years.

Public Hearings in Full Swing

Now that January has come to an end and all the opening session ceremonies are done, the focus switched to a full schedule of public hearings this week. On Jan. 27, the Committee on Government Efficiency, which I’m proud to serve on, held an information-gathering hearing with the corresponding members of the Missouri House and listened to various department heads discuss their suggestions and challenges. While we have our work cut out for us, I’m excited to tackle this project and ensure taxpayer dollars are well spent in Missouri.

 I chaired the Senate Economic and Workforce Development Committee’s first hearing of this legislative session on Jan. 29. The members heard bills relating to unemployment benefits, reforming tax credits, and the Lemonade Stand Act, which prevents municipalities from requiring businesses earning under $10,000 to obtain a business license. Eliminating red tape, safeguarding businesses, and preparing employees for success will be this committee’s focus throughout the session.

Two of my bills are scheduled for hearings next week. On Monday, I’ll present Senate Bill 62 to the Senate Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee and explain why it’s important to require proof of citizenship when registering to vote and maintain accurate voter rolls. On Feb. 4, the Senate Education Committee will hear my proposal to permit homeschooled children to participate in their school district’s extra-curricular activities. You can listen to live committee hearings by clicking on the “Hearings” tab at senate.mo.gov.

Welcoming Visitors

                                                                            Senator Brown welcomes members of Families for Home Education, who were at the Capitol to advocate for Senate Bill 63 and visit with legislators.

It’s an honor representing District 26 in the Missouri Senate. 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.