Senator Elaine Gannon’s Capitol Report for March 30, 2023

Firmest Friend to the Truth

One of the quotes that adorn a wall in the Senate chamber is “Free and fair discussion will ever be found the firmest friend to the truth.” The upper chamber is known for uninterrupted floor discussions, and as you can imagine, these conversations can be heated at times with 34 passionate public servants voicing their constituents’ opinions and concerns. This process is also what makes the Senate such a wonderful venue for crafting and vetting legislation. Thank you for allowing me to speak for you during these free and fair discussions, especially when it comes to protecting children.

The Senate perfected several proposals this week to help children, including Senate Bill 198. With provisions similar to my bill exempting homeless children from paying fees to obtain legal documentation, SB 198 goes one step farther and waives these fees for survivors of domestic abuse. I am also glad we gave preliminary approval to Senate Bill 213, which prohibits courts from awarding custody to a parent who has been found guilty of abusing said child.

I started the week of by presenting Senate Bill 384 to the Senate Judiciary Committee. This legislation deals with the Interstate Compact Act for Adult Offender Supervision, which provides states the authority and process to transfer these individuals across their borders. The goals of SB 384 are to remove obsolete language from statute, impose a transfer application fee and clarify judicial authority. This measure is endorsed by the Missouri Department of Corrections.

Two of my proposals are now advancing in the House. My measure to extend MO HealthNet benefits to postpartum women has been referred to the House General Laws Committee. I welcome the opportunity to present this bill to my former colleagues and hope the House votes to send Senate Bill 45 to the governor. Similarly, my legislation to waive licensing fees for homeless children was referred to the House Special Committee on Tax Reform.

It’s hard to believe, but there are only six weeks remaining in the 2023 legislative session. As soon as the House approves their version of the state operating budget, the Senate Appropriations Committee will make its recommendations. The governor has proposed a budget which will allocate $233.4 million to school transportation and $78.5 million to a child care subsidy, among numerous other line items.