Senator Travis Fitzwater
 10th Senatorial District
For Immediate Release: 
 March 7, 2025

Capitol Building, Rm. 418
 Jefferson City, MO 65101

Contact Alyssa Bruemmer: 
 573-751-2757

Protecting Children

This week, the Senate discussed and ultimately passed Senate Bill 43, a bill that has been a top priority for me, but more importantly for the children of Missouri. This bill looks to address needs in the foster care system by allowing the Department of Social Services to contract with organizations to help provide the best care for some of the state’s most vulnerable kids. I believe that by partnering with groups who fill certain gaps in the system we can not only expedite the foster care process and find stable solutions faster, but we can make the entire process less traumatizing.

In addition, many children in the foster care system lack proper legal counsel. This bill would help foster children move through the legal system by appointing legal counsel to youth past the age of 14 instead of a guardian ad litem unless the judge deems otherwise.  It will place lawyers on the side of the children and help them reach permanency faster.

Lastly, the bill would create the Child and Family Legal Representation Coordinating Commission. The commission would operate within the Missouri Supreme Court and ensure that foster children are receiving quality legal aid and counsel.

The bill is of special importance to me. Foster children are often forgotten, left to navigate an overwhelming system. Senate Bill 43 will give them resources that could help in getting them out of the system and into loving homes or placements.

The Senate also discussed and gave first round approval to House Bill 495, which is also a top priority for my office. The bill will improve public safety across the state through expanded penalties for crimes that are destabilizing our communities, giving more accountability and resources to our law enforcement and depoliticizing the St. Louis Metro Police Department, and allowing police assistance from neighboring states among other provisions.

As a priority of my colleagues in the legislature as well as the governor, the bill changes the way the City of St. Louis Police Department is run by forming a board made up of five members; four (4) governor-appointed citizen commissioners and the mayor of the City of St. Louis. I believe this change in leadership is crucial to help save the City of St. Louis and remove the over politicization of the department while preventing any efforts to defund the police.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to my office.

Senator Travis Fitzwater serves residents of Callaway, Lincoln, Montgomery, Pike and a portion of St. Charles counties in the Missouri Senate. For more information about Sen. Fitzwater, visit senate.mo.gov/Fitzwater.