Senator Angela Walton Mosley’s Legislative Highlights for January 2023

HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH!

January is over! We spent the month filing legislation, hearing our fellow senators present bills in committee, and this week, finally debating legislation on the Senate floor.

This week, the Senate perfected Senate Bills 3 & 69, establishing the Regulatory Sandbox Act, which creates the Regulatory Relief Office in the Missouri Department of Economic Development. This office would identify state laws or regulations that could potentially be waived or suspended for participating businesses during a two-year period in which the business demonstrates an innovative product offering to consumers.

We perfected Senate Bill 25, which exempts from state taxes any federal grant money used for providing or expanding broadband internet in our state. We also passed Senate Bill 51, which allows physical therapists to examine and treat certain conditions without a prescription or referral. After 10 visits or 30 days, whichever is first, the physical therapist will consult with an approved health care provider to determine if continuing physical therapy is necessary.

We also began debate on Senate Bills 4, 42 & 89. This legislation creates the “Parents’ Bill of Rights Act of 2023” and the Missouri Education Transparency and Accountability Portal to give residents access to each school district’s curriculum, textbooks, source material and syllabi. This bill also prohibits the teaching of “divisive” concepts, such as critical race theory.

Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

On Jan. 11, the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus hosted a celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy in the Capitol Rotunda. This event featured performances by the Lincoln University Dance Troupe and the Jewell and Converted gospel choir. I was proud to introduce the keynote speaker, Missouri Supreme Court Judge Robin Ransom, the first Black woman to serve on that bench. We must continue to honor Dr. King’s legacy and use his teachings to combat hate; fight for social, economic and racial justice; and work toward true equality and equity in our state.

Senator Angela Walton Mosley speaking at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration event.

State of the State

On Jan. 18, the governor gave his annual State of the State address. Each year, he reports the state’s successes of the past year and outlines his fiscal priorities for the upcoming state operating budget. He is proposing funding increases for child care, as well as expanding Pre-K options for low-income Missourians, fully funding the K-12 Foundation Formula and increasing funding for the critically understaffed Children’s Division. The governor also wants to address the staggering maternal mortality rate in our state by proposing additional funds for the Missouri Department of Social Services to help combat this crisis.

Amendment 3 Town Hall Meeting

On Jan. 26, I was proud to host a town hall discussion regarding the recent passage of Amendment 3 legalizing the use of recreational marijuana. This is a big change for our state, and I wanted to give community members the opportunity to ask questions and listen to experts explain how this change will affect Missourians. Thank you to everyone who attended and participated in the discussion, Janay Mosley for moderating and all of the panel members for their time and expertise.

Janay Mosley moderates the Amendment 3 Town Hall discussion.

Senator Angela Walton Mosley’s Committee Assignments

·        Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy and the Environment

·         Governmental Accountability

·         Gubernatorial Appointments

·         Insurance and Banking

·         Progress and Development

Senator Angela Walton Mosley’s Bill Highlights

·         Show Missouri Film and Digital Media Act

I had the pleasure of presenting Senate Bill 67 to the Senate Economic Development and Tax Policy Committee on Jan. 30. This legislation creates the “Show Missouri Film and Digital Media Act” and reauthorizes a tax credit for qualified film and television production related expenses in Missouri. The tax credit expired in 2013, and this bill would reauthorize it until Dec. 31, 2029.

·         SNAP Benefits

Senate Bill 313 establishes a “Restaurant Meals Program” as part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the Missouri Department of Social Services. This program would allow households with elderly, disabled or homeless individuals to use their SNAP benefits to purchase hot and ready-to-eat meals from private establishments that contract with the department. Expanding SNAP benefits to include the purchase of these items will give participating households more options for meal preparation and alleviate part of the stress of deciding what to have for dinner. I filed this legislation last year, but unfortunately it was not passed by the General Assembly. This issue is one of my top priorities, and I look forward to moving this legislation through the legislative process and sending it to the governor’s desk.

For more information on my legislative actions, visit my official Senate website at senate.mo.gov/Mosley.