JEFFERSON CITY—Addressing the state’s education policies and municipal court reform will be top priorities for the upper chamber, Senate Leader Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, announced today (1-7) in his opening address. Dempsey was elected unanimously for his second term as Senate Leader. A total of 17 senators were also sworn in during the opening ceremony, including six new members who were elected on Nov. 4, 2014.
Dempsey said he expects members will unite once again this session in their commitment to fight for Missouri’s children and raise the standard of education in the Show-Me State.
“The urgency for reform and educational opportunity has never been greater,” said Dempsey. “I know reform is difficult, but I also know reform is right because quality education changes lives. Every child matters, and every child deserves the opportunity to succeed.”
Last year, the Senate passed a bill that would have reduced the number of students having to leave their own communities in pursuit of a quality education and would have held failing schools accountable. Dempsey said those same goals will be incorporated into a similar bill this year.
Dempsey also said addressing the systemic failures of some of Missouri’s municipal courts will be of high importance.
“Despite the best efforts of the ‘Macks Creek Law,’ cities across the state continue to abuse traffic enforcement and rely on the fines generated, not to discourage bad driving behavior, but rather to support their own government bureaucracy,” said Dempsey. “We will not turn a blind eye to the need for reform on this front.”
Majority Floor Leader Ron Richard, R-Joplin, said he wants to see a broad discussion on ethics reform this session.
“I will be pushing an ethics reform bill that will create transparency of the meals legislators receive from lobbyists, tighten laws on who and what has been reported, and ban out-of-state travel. Since I have been in public service, my main focus has been job creation. I will continue to do whatever it takes to bring jobs to Missouri,” said Richard.
“New challenges await us this year and I expect this chamber to continue to work together in order to make our great state the best it can be. I am confident we can do this, because I’ve seen it happen before. We will examine the issues, work the long hours and together craft the policies that will make our state a better place to live,” said Dempsey.
The 2015 Regular Session will run through May 15. To learn more, visit www.senate.mo.gov. |
