Happy New Year!

It's that time of the year again when we usher in a new legislative session. On Wednesday, Jan. 8, the Second Regular Session of the 97th General Assembly convened in Jefferson City.

Each General Assembly lasts for a two-year period. Since we are in the second of those years, the beginning of the legislative session starts with fewer formalities than previous years given that there are no new senators to swear in nor changes to our Senate leadership.

Though this week mostly marks a ceremonial beginning to our session, there has been plenty of work behind the scenes to prepare. Starting Dec. 1, legislators were able to begin filing legislation for the upcoming session. Since that time, more than 200 pieces of legislation have been filed in the Senate alone. Once those bills are read in on the Senate floor and assigned to committees, the bulk of the legislative work can begin.

In December, I prefiled six pieces of legislation, including: a bill to reform ethics laws in Missouri; a tax cut for middle class families; a bill to halt the implementation of common core in Missouri; legislation aimed at fixing the school transfer issue; a new idea for funding transportation in Missouri; and a bill aimed at protecting the rights of Missourians in regard to the Affordable Care Act. Each piece of legislation addresses a topic I think should be a focus of the Legislature this session.

This session I will again welcome several interns from Missouri universities to Jefferson City to share in the process and learn the ins and outs of the Missouri Legislature. Working with the interns is always a rewarding experience, and one that I look forward to repeating again this session. I will be featuring each intern in upcoming newsletters, so be sure to follow these updates to learn more about the bright young individuals I will be hosting this session.

As always, my office is also here to assist you. Feel free to give either Holly or Jennae a call regarding questions pertaining to legislation and any other general questions you may have.

Best wishes to each and every one of you for a very happy and prosperous new year. I am hopeful that in the weeks to come, I will have great news to share with you from our time here in Jefferson City.

Very Sincerely,