JEFFERSON CITY — The 2014 legislative session is off and running, and it promises to be a year full of opportunities and challenges. We have our work cut out for us, but we must take the initiative and tackle the many challenges facing our state. A number of bills have been filed, and some are already being referred to committees for hearings. My committee assignments will remain the same as last year:

• Seniors, Families and Pensions, Vice Chairman;
• Jobs, Economic Development and Local Government;
• Financial and Governmental Organizations and Elections; and
• Veterans' Affairs and Health.

In my first year in the Senate, we won some great victories for the state of Missouri. We cut taxes for hardworking Missourians, passed legislation to protect our Second Amendment rights, upheld our commitment to protecting life, and continued to resist the federal government’s disaster of Obamacare.  

This session looks to tread much of the same ground as last year’s. We will again try to give Missourians a long-overdue and deserved tax cut and pass another Second Amendment Preservation Act to protect our gun rights from attacks from the federal government.

It also appears that the Legislature will tread some new ground on some important issues. One of these is Right to Work. The idea behind Right to Work is that someone should be able to work for a living without being compelled to belong to a union. Many workers do not approve of the forced financing of union political activities that often occurs and many non-members have more faith in their own ability to negotiate salary, hours, and benefits. A House committee has already heard Right to Work legislation and this could be the year that both the Senate and the House have an opportunity to debate and vote on this important issue.  

Another big issue this year will be ethics reform. Some questionable actions by elected officials and the revolving door of legislators and lobbyists has further eroded public trust in their public servants. To help rebuild that trust, several bills have already been filed proposing to strengthen the ethical standards in the Legislature. This is an important step for Missouri. We must give the people of Missouri confidence their legislators are working for them and for them only.

In tackling these important issues and others this session, we must focus on long-term solutions. Doing this will require us to take a forward-thinking approach to public service and the future of our state. If we are serious about making Missouri a leader in job creation, business and education, we must look beyond the present and to the next 10 and 20 years down the road, working to ensure that our future is a bright one and that Missouri is a leader in the nation in the areas where it will count.

I will discuss specific legislation, including the bills I am sponsoring this session, in future Capitol Reports. Again, I want to thank the people of the 29th District for allowing me to be your voice in the Senate. I do not take the responsibility lightly. With constant attacks on the beliefs we hold dear from seemingly every angle, we need serious, hard-working people ready to deal with these problems. That is what I strive to do for you every day as your state senator. I am confident that with your help, we can come together and build the Missouri we all want for ourselves and for our children and grandchildren.