Senator Jamie Burger’s Capitol Report for Jan. 22, 2026

Thursday, January 22, 2026

Senator Jamie Burger’s Capitol Report for Jan. 22, 2026

Building Legislative Momentum

The month of January is flying by at the State Capitol, and I look forward to building on this great momentum for the remainder of session. More than 750 bills have been filed, nearly a third of them have been second read and referred to committee, and Senate hearings are underway. Next week, senators will also begin debating legislation in the chamber. The eternal optimist in me believes this will be a productive session that sends beneficial policies to the governor before session ends on May 15.

My first piece of legislation to be passed out of committee is Senate Bill 918. This proposal will align Missouri’s statute on the admissibility of expert testimony with the Federal Rules of Evidence. The language in SB 918 mirrors the Supreme Court rule and will provide clarification and clear guidance of the gatekeeping function of courts. I anticipate a robust floor discussion soon.

While I didn’t have any legislation to present in committees this week, my post-consumer paint recycling program bill is scheduled to be heard by the Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy and the Environment Committee on Jan. 27. Senate Bill 917 permits a representative organization or a producer of architectural retail paint to develop and submit a recycling plan to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The bill also outlines the mechanism to implement the program and subsequent sale of used paint collected.

Gubernatorial Appointment from the District

On Jan. 21, I was honored to sponsor Joseph Palmer’s appointment to the Missouri Real Estate Appraisers Commission, pictured left. He is a highly qualified professional whose experience will be a great asset to this board and the agents it represents.