A Week of Legislative Firsts

This week saw a couple of firsts for the 2023 legislative session, both for the General Assembly as a whole, as well as for me personally. Collectively, the first bill “truly agreed and finally passed” by the 102nd General Assembly is now before the governor. Also this week, I carried a bill all the way through the Senate process for the first time since entering office in January.

The first bill passed this year, House Bill 14 will come as welcome news to the thousands of residents of the 10th Senatorial District who work for state government. A supplemental appropriations bill, SB 14 includes the 8.7% pay raise for all state employees requested by the governor during his State of the State Address. The bill also includes a $2 per hour shift differential increase for state workers who provide overnight care in “congregate” facilities such as Missouri’s veterans’ homes, mental health care residential facilities and correctional institutions. The final version of the bill closely follows the governor’s request, with one notable exception. Members of the Legislature and Missouri’s six statewide elected officials will not get a pay raise.

Like so many other employers, the State of Missouri has struggled to attract and retain workers. Currently, the state has approximately 7,000 unfilled positions, out of an authorized workforce of about 53,000. That means about one out of every eight state jobs is vacant. Turnover at several state agencies runs as high as 30% each year. Labor shortages are especially dire in those jobs requiring 24-hour supervision or care, prompting the need for extra compensation for those shifts. I understand taxpayers don’t like the idea of paying public employees more, but the state must remain competitive in the job market if we are to continue to provide the services Missourians expect from their government. By the way, for those looking for work, the State of Missouri is hiring. You can see all open positions at mocareers.mo.gov.

As for my own legislative efforts, I’m happy to report Senate Bill 70 has passed out of the upper chamber and is now waiting action by the House of Representatives. This legislation authorizes Missouri to enter into the Counseling Interstate Compact, making it possible for mental health counselors licensed in other states to practice in our state. While the term “interstate compact” may be unfamiliar, the concept is not. When you drive from one state to another, your Missouri driver’s license applies. Likewise, drivers licensed in other states can operate a vehicle in Missouri. That’s due to an interstate compact. The counseling compact would work much the same way. So long as the licensing requirements in another state are on par with Missouri’s, a counselor licensed elsewhere could work here without having to apply for a new license.

In 2020, the General Assembly passed legislation allowing the spouses of military personnel stationed in Missouri to continue their professional careers with their out-of-state credentials. Since then, we’ve begun expanding license reciprocity to other professionals. Joining the Counseling Interstate Compact will expand mental health care options for Missourians, increase the availability of telehealth treatment services and encourage experienced professionals to relocate to our state.

Finally this week, I signed as a co-sponsor of a Senate resolution of remonstrance condemning the circuit attorney of the City of St. Louis and calling on her to resign her position. At a time when violent crime runs rampant in St. Louis, I believe the circuit attorney has been completely ineffective in addressing the issue, continuously failing to prosecute criminal cases with an office plagued by turnover. The final straw came last week, when a repeat offender struck a pedestrian while driving on a revoked license. The victim, a 17-year-old student athlete in St. Louis for a volleyball tournament, was severely injured. The driver would have been behind bars if not for the fact the circuit attorney had failed to revoke his bond. This latest incident demonstrates what happens when we fail to get tough on crime. The circuit attorney’s reign of lawlessness in St. Louis must stop, and I’m committed to joining with my colleagues to do whatever we can to bring law and order back to the city.

Senator Travis Fitzwater serves residents of Callaway, Lincoln, Montgomery, Pike and a portion of St. Charles counties in the Missouri State Senate. For more information about Sen. Fitzwater, visit senate.mo.gov/Fitzwater.