Legislative Column for the Week of Jan. 19, 2026

The Missouri Senate completed the third week of the legislative session with a shortened schedule due to the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday. As a result, we convened just three times during the week. While two bills from our office were originally scheduled for committee hearings, both were postponed and are now expected to be heard next week.

Despite the abbreviated week, important work continued in the Senate Appropriations Committee. The committee held a hearing to review the governor’s supplemental budget, which addresses funding needs for the current fiscal year. One important item we discussed in the supplemental budget is $100 million in federal funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program to support rural health care needs across Missouri. An additional $116 million from this program will be considered in the fiscal year 2027 budget. These investments will help deliver critical funding to rural hospitals in a timely manner and strengthen access to care in rural communities across the state.

The short week in the Capitol meant a packed schedule from Tuesday through Thursday. I had the privilege of welcoming many constituents into my office the past week, and I want to urge anyone from my district who might be passing by Jefferson City to stop in and discuss issues important to them. On Wednesday, I had the privilege of introducing two constituents to the committee for gubernatorial appointments, as Rolfe McCoy from Chillicothe was appointed to the Dental Board, and Nelson Dinsmore from Meadville was appointed Presiding Commissioner of Linn County by the governor in the interim, now to be approved by the Missouri Senate. Another highlight of the week was my meeting with the Northeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission, hearing how they are addressing the shortage of available rural workforce housing in parts of the state and how their model is providing much needed new housing and growth in rural communities.

I remain committed to representing the priorities of Northwest Missouri and will continue to keep you informed as legislation advances through the General Assembly.

As always, please feel free to call, email or write with your ideas or concerns. My Capitol office number is 573-751-1415, my email is rusty.black@senate.mo.gov and my mailing address is
 201 W. Capitol Ave., Room 420, State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

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