It was quite a busy week in the Senate because of the many legislative committee meetings, and we took up the first bills of the year to be debated on the Senate floor. On Monday, I filed Senate Resolution 1168 urging the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the dramatic, and I believe unnecessary, spike in propane prices. The resolution also urges the department to investigate the price disparity of propane among storage facilities and the supply shortage available to consumers. During my presentation of the resolution, I was able to educate the Senate body about the never-before-seen price increase by the propane suppliers and I asked for my colleagues to assist in our efforts to get to the bottom of this travesty. Several senators, from both rural and urban districts, expressed their concerns as well.

That same day, Missouri’s Attorney General Chris Koster launched an investigation into the matter after his office received dozens of complaints and a request from my office. The Attorney General’s office says it is currently investigating all complaints made to the Consumer Protection Division and working with businesses and agencies in nine other states across the Midwest to determine the cause of the price increases. I also reached out to Missouri’s delegation in Washington D.C., who coincidently, started a 10-day vacation as the price of propane tripled for Missourians. We live in a world of technology that provides us instant knowledge on almost unlimited subjects.  For those responsible for this situation to say they didn’t see it coming is not believable.  I think they knew exactly what they were doing, and they are now reaping record profits on the backs of hard-working Missourians. In the past few days we have witnessed an example of extreme corporate greed.  I am not opposed to businesses making a profit, because that is how our economic system works.  However, with free market principles also comes corporate responsibility to treat customers fairly.