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The Week of Jan. 16, 2023

Last week, Senate leadership announced the committee assignments for the 102nd General Assembly. I am proud to say I will continue to serve on the Senate Appropriations; Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy and the Environment; Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence; and the Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions and Ethics committees.

This week, committees began meeting and hearing legislation. This is a great opportunity for Missourians to come to the Capitol and voice their thoughts on legislation. It also helps lawmakers understand the impact of the bills we file and how they will affect residents of our state.

On Jan. 18, the Senate Education and Workforce Development Committee heard legislation that seeks to prohibit schools from teaching about past or present racism in American society. The committee took no immediate action on the bill but is expected to eventually advance it to the full Senate.

Senate Bill 4 would ban the teaching of “critical race theory” in K-12 classrooms. CRT is a concept taught in some law schools that examines the impact racism on institutions. It is sometimes mischaracterized to target any discussion of race or racism in public schools.

Other News

Governor proposes $50.53 billion state budget for FY 2024

On Jan. 18, the governor proposed a $50.53 billion state operating budget for the 2024 fiscal year that relies significantly on Missouri’s current $6 billion surplus. This comes just as state revenue collections are slowing as a massive tax cut the governor championed last fall takes effect. The governor unveiled his budget plan as part of his annual State of the State address before a joint session of the Missouri General Assembly.

An $859 million proposal to rebuild and widen certain high-volume stretches of Interstate 70 provided the centerpiece for the governor’s speech. The plan calls for expanding three key sections of I-70 – east from Kansas City to Odessa, west from St. Louis to Warrenton and several miles both east and west of Columbia – from four lanes to six.

Further details of the I-70 plan were unclear. Since the Missouri Constitution restricts lawmakers to appropriating funding for no more than two fiscal years and the project is anticipated to take much longer than that, the governor’s ability to keep his commitment to widening the interstate is questionable as he will leave office in January 2025 and the next governor could set different funding priorities.

The governor’s budget calls for increasing overall spending by about $2.4 billion more than the over $47 billion originally appropriated for FY 2023, which runs through June 30. Relying on the surplus, the governor’s plan calls for a 16.3% increase in general revenue spending over current levels – from $12.6 billion in FY 2023 to over $14 billion in FY 2024 – even though budget officials expect general revenue collections for the upcoming year to increase just 0.7%.

General revenue is the state’s most flexible funding source, unlike federal funds or constitutionally earmarked taxes, as it doesn’t come with limitations on how it can be spent. The new tax cuts are expected to cumulatively reduce general revenue collections by about $2 billion a year once fully implemented.

The governor’s budget priorities include fully funding both the formula for distributing basic aid to local public schools and the state’s share of local student transportation costs, along with $56 million to expand pre-kindergarten programs for 4-year-olds and $78 million for additional child care subsidies. He also proposed a 7% core funding increase for public colleges and universities, which he said would be the largest in 25 years.

There were several initiatives championed by the minority party that the governor now backs, including an additional $22 million to improve staffing and resources at the troubled Children’s Division of the Missouri Department of Social Services, which for years has suffered from excessive caseloads and high staff turnover.

Although the annual budget process begins with the governor presenting his plan, the Legislature is free to accept, modify or ignore his various funding requests in the coming months as it crafts the appropriations bills that make up the state operating budget. Lawmakers face a May 5 constitutional deadline for granting final passage to those bills. The 2024 fiscal year starts July 1.

New Treasurer becomes first person of color in high state office

The state’s 48th treasurer was sworn in on Jan. 17, becoming the first person of color in state history to hold one of Missouri’s six elected statewide executive branch offices. The governor appointed him to the post to fill a vacancy.

He was born and grew up in India, but moved to Cape Girardeau in 2001 to attend graduate school at Southeast Missouri State University. He currently resides in Wildwood and owns a law practice specializing in immigration issues. He will step away from the firm while serving as treasurer. He replaces the former state treasurer, who resigned Jan. 9 after winning election in November as state auditor.

His swearing-in marked the third straight week a new statewide official took the oath of office in Missouri, following the state auditor and the attorney general, who was appointed by the governor to replace the previous attorney general, who was recently elected to the U.S. Senate.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Thank you for your interest in the legislative process. I look forward to hearing from you on the issues that are important to you this legislative session. If there is anything my office can do for you, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (573) 751-3599.