Working in a Winter Wonderland
Snow! Love it or loathe it, we’ve gotten a lot of it! While many Missourians are making snowmen, snow angels, snowballs, snow ice cream and snow forts, the Senate has been burning the midnight oil inside the warm and inviting Missouri Capitol! Committed to delivering results for Missourians, we’ve made significant progress in the past few weeks. I am pleased to report that on Feb. 13, Senate Bill 67, my bill protecting taxpayers from penalties or interest if they are denied tax credits due to funding shortages, received final approval in the Senate and was sent to the Missouri House of Representatives for consideration. An accumulation of other important bills also passed in the Senate since my last legislative update, including: - Senate Concurrent Resolution 3, which modifies the statewide mission of Missouri Southern State University.
- Senate Bill 59, which expands tax deductions to cover survivor benefits for veterans and first responders, unreimbursed educator expenses and income for first responders.
- Senate Bill 163, which expands the income tax deduction for National Guard members to include compensation for state active duty and state emergency duty starting in 2026.
- Senate Bill 47, which amends Supreme Court Rule 52.08 relating to class actions.
- Senate Bills 49 & 118, which authorizes school districts and charter schools to employ or accept chaplains as volunteers.
- Senate Bill 105, which modifies provisions relating to invasive plants.
- Senate Bill 97, which modifies various provisions relating to banks and trust companies.
- Senate Bill 60, which modifies the offense of endangering the welfare of a child in the first degree.
- Senate Bills 81 & 174, which modify provisions relating to fireworks protections.
- Senate Bill 145, which modifies provisions relating to the taxation of certain businesses.
- Senate Bill 167, which modifies provisions relating to the offense of hazing.
Senate Bill 4, which modifies utility regulations in Missouri, has been discussed at length on the Senate floor. I personally have spent many hours studying this bill, which was presented last month in the Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy and the Environment Committee, where I serve as vice-chair. Senate Bill 4 aims to strike a balance between rate hikes for consumers and insuring that all Missourians have reliable electricity, water and gas service. Senate Committee Updates Each legislative session, the Missouri General Assembly must pass a balanced state operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year. This budget reflects many of our state’s priorities and funds all state functions. I am proud to serve on the Senate Appropriations Committee, where state departments have been presenting the wants and needs we will take into consideration as we draft the state budget for Fiscal Year 2026. On Feb. 11, I presented Senate Bill 68, which creates provisions relating to safe school environments, to the Senate Education Committee. The purpose of this bill is two-fold: improve school safety and create a better learning environment for Missouri children. The first part of SB 68 would require every local education agency to report school safety incidents and credible school threats to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. I believe gathering this information would help identify recurring problems, formulate plans for improved school safety and create better learning environments for students. The second part of SB 68 relates to cell phone usage during school hours. Cell phones have become a huge part of daily life, and I believe school districts and charter schools need written cell phone policies in order to prevent instructional loss. While researching, I read that, on average, children spend an hour and a half each school day using their cell phones for social media and entertainment – not for schoolwork. Cell phones also make cheating easier and are being used by some students to send and receive sexually explicit messages. The bottom line is, school should be a safe place of learning for our children. On Feb. 18, I presented Senate Bill 158 to the Senate Insurance and Banking Committee. This bill, which I believe would save lives, ensures patients who need pain medication have an affordable alternative to addictive and possibly dangerous opioid drugs. Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first non-opioid and non-addictive pain pill in generations. I believe this is a great first step in putting an end to the opioid crisis. REAL ID Just a reminder that beginning May 7, 2025, residents of every U.S. state and territory will be required to present a REAL ID-compliant driver license or ID card, or another form of ID accepted by the Transportation Security Administration, to board federally regulated domestic flights. Individuals must also present a REAL ID-compliant driver license or ID card to access federal facilities, including military bases and federal courthouses, and to enter nuclear power plants. For more information, including how and where to obtain your REAL ID, visit dor.mo.gov. Contact Senator Henderson It is a privilege and honor to represent you in Jefferson City. Please feel free to contact my office at 573-751-4088. For more information about my committee assignments or sponsored legislation, please visit my official Missouri Senate webpage at Senate.mo.gov/Henderson. |
