Preparing for the Home Stretch

It is hard to believe that we are at the halfway point of my first session in the Missouri Senate. Given that no two sessions in the General Assembly are the same, and the last couple of years in the Senate were not exactly a windfall of synergy and productivity, I really had no idea what kind of environment I was walking into. I am happy to report, so far, the Senate has functioned very well and there has been a lot accomplished. 

Personally, I am proud that I was able to get my first bill in the Senate passed and sent to the Missouri House of Representatives before we left for Spring Break. Senate Bill 94 continues the effort to remove barriers to simple health care methods by allowing appointments to be conducted over the phone or through audio-only methods, in addition to in-person and on-camera appointments. Many do not have the transportation or modern technology necessary, so we need to allow as many options as possible for them to receive care and treatment. I am glad this bill quickly got through the upper chamber and look forward to seeing it pass the House and move on to the governor’s desk. 

I have also seen early success with Senate Bill 95, which creates a tax credit for diaper banks and lowers the sales tax on diapers and some hygienic products from 4% to 1%, has been passed out of the Economic and Workforce Development Committee. In my opinion, these products are not a necessity and not a convenience. Therefore we should be doing all we can to make them affordable and accessible. While I’d make them free if I could, this is a good step in the right direction. This bill is now ready to be heard and debated on the Senate floor. 

A bill I am hopeful will be passed out of Committee and on the floor soon is Senate Bill 178. This larger bill is the product of years of work by a bipartisan group of legislators and makes several great advancements for health care coverage. Provisions include issues and policies such as prenatal blood test coverage, mammogram notices, year-long contraceptive coverage, Expedited Partner Therapy and reducing forensic examination restrictions. This legislation could help a lot of people and I am confident we can all work together to make it happen. 

The Senate has made a lot of progress for the people of the Missouri this year. We passed a simple bill changing Missouri’s marriage law to prohibit anyone under the age of 18 from getting a marriage license with no exceptions. We passed the Missouri CROWN Act, prohibiting discriminatory practices relating to hairstyles in schools, and created the Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls Task Force. We also removed the sunset for the Federal Reimbursement Allowance (FRA), ensuring federal funding that keeps many rural hospitals open has an avenue into the annual operating budget. 

One of the first bills passed by the General Assembly and sent to the governor for his signature was House Bill 14. This was a supplemental budget bill that approves money needed to cover the state through the end of the current fiscal year on June 30. The work on the fiscal year 2026 state operating budget, the Legislature’s lone constitutionally required task every year, will begin in earnest in the coming weeks. 

There are many issues still awaiting us when we return from next week’s legislative spring break. I anticipate there will be many late nights ahead as we work through this and many other bills, so I plan to rest, recharge and connect with my family and the district next week. Please reach out if you have thoughts, questions or concerns regarding the final two months of session. 

Contact Me

I always appreciate hearing your comments, opinions and concerns. Please feel free to contact me in Jefferson City at 573-751-6607. You may write me at Patty Lewis, Missouri Senate, State Capitol, Rm 425, Jefferson City, MO 65101, send an email to Patty.Lewis@senate.mo.gov or visit www.senate.mo.gov/Lewis.