As the second week of the 2023 legislative session wraps up, the magnificence of what this building and the Senate Chamber represents is not lost on me and is valued and appreciated every day that I get to set foot in this building.

Earlier this week, Missouri Senate committees were announced, and I am proud have been selected to serve as vice-chair for the Agriculture, Food Production and Outdoor Resources Committee. I have also been chosen to serve on the Appropriations Committee, which is responsible for appropriating the state of Missouri’s budget; General Laws; Government Accountability; as well as the Veterans, Military Affairs and Pensions Committee. It is an honor to serve on these committees and I know how important they are to the constituents I represent.

The Gubernatorial Appointments Committee, which has the sole responsibility of considering and reporting upon appointments made to various board, departments and committees by the governor, held its first committee hearing.  Former Rep. Allen Andrews, who represented Atchison, Holt, Nodaway and Worth counties, was appointed to serve as the director of the Division of Employment Security within the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. I was honored to support his nomination and Mr. Andrews was approved unanimously by the Senate on Thursday, Jan. 12.

With committee appointments being announced, along with bills being referred to committees for the first time this week, I am ready to take a deeper dive into legislation. Two of my bills relating to the pension plans of the Public School Retirement System, Missouri State Employees Retirement System, and the MoDOT and the Patrol Employees Retirement System, were referred to the Veterans, Military Affairs and Pensions Committee. My legislation, which would return state law regarding foreign ownership of Missouri agricultural land to the way it was in 2013, was referred to Agriculture, Food Production and Outdoor Resources Committee. I look forward to these debating these bills, along with other bills referred to committees I serve on, with my colleagues in the coming weeks.

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 Room 331, State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.