We are nearing the halfway mark of the 2013 legislative session, and we have done a great deal of work in the first nine weeks of this year. In January, I wrote my first column about the Senate President Pro Tem outlining state goals through what he calls B.I.G. (Build our infrastructure, Invest in education, Grow our economy) Solutions.

In order for Missouri to be great, we must focus on B.I.G. ideas and real-world solutions to the challenges in our state today. We must answer the call. We need to focus our attention on transformational policies, which will set Missouri apart and place us on a path for large-scale investment, both short- and long-term. This path needs to lead toward job growth across all sectors of our economy. The Missouri Senate has been working on a roadmap that will put the Show-Me State on the right path to compete not only with our surrounding states, but also on a global level.

Since January, we have passed a bill to rein in inefficient tax incentive programs, given first-round approval to a bill to change personal and corporate tax structures, a bill to protect businesses from unnecessary litigation, and a bill to protect our career and technical education programs ranging from high school through adulthood. These pieces of legislation are important by themselves, but when pieced together, they can be vital to moving our economy forward. Each of these bills affects Missourians across the board, both urban citizens and rural citizens, both business owners and consumers — all of us. Though there is still much work to be done, these bills are practical solutions to the economic challenges we face.

While we continue to work on these issues in the Senate, we also observe national recognition weeks for many important issues. This week is National Severe Weather Preparedness Week. In honor of this week, I would like to call your attention to a free mobile application called “Tornado – American Red Cross” available on iPhone, iPad, and Android Smartphones. The application was written in partnership with the American Red Cross, and provides users instant access to local and real-time information so they know what to do before, during, and after a tornado. The application includes a high-pitched siren and “tornado warning!” alert that signals when a NOAA-recognized tornado warning has been issued in their area, even if users have the application closed on their phones. An “all clear!” alert lets users know when a tornado warning has expired or has been cancelled.

We’re also getting closer to the end of school. My office offers two awards to local schools: the Missouri Senate Outstanding Attendance Award and the Missouri Senate Junior Justice Award. Please make sure to encourage your local schools to take part in these award programs. Another upcoming event is Local Government Day on June 25, which is an annual event that I host in Jefferson City for all county and municipal officials in the district. If you are a county or municipal official, please contact my office if you would like more information.