The Missouri Senate returned to the Capitol this week for the First Regular Session of the 98th General Assembly, which officially began at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 7. For the next five months, we’ll be working in Jefferson City on legislation to improve the lives of citizens in our state. It’s an honor to serve the residents of the 19th District, and I look forward to a productive year.

I’ve already filed the following bills:

• Senate Bill 109 - Modifies provisions of law regarding claims against public higher education institutions covered by the State Legal Expense Fund;
• Senate Bill 110 - Modifies the appointment and employment authority of the University of Missouri Board of Curators;
• Senate Bill 158 - Adds a statutory aggravating circumstance for murder in the first degree for certain acts of terrorism; and
• Senate Bill 210 - Extends the sunsets from September 30, 2015 to September 30, 2016, for the Ground Ambulance, Nursing Facility, and Intermediate Care Facility for the Mentally Retarded Reimbursement Allowance Taxes.

Legislators have until the end of February to file bills. I will keep you updated on my sponsored legislation and any new measures I propose as the session continues. 
The Senate will spend the next few weeks working mostly in committee, where we’ll hear testimony on various bills.  As measures are approved, they’ll make their way to the floor for debate by the full Senate.
I look forward to being appointed again as the Appropriations Chairman in addition to being the chair to the Government Accountability Committee. Members of the committee include Vice-Chairman Rep. Kathie Conway, Senators Ed Emery, R-Lamar, Will Kraus, R-Lee’s Summit, Eric Schmitt, R–Glendale, Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D–University City, Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, Gina Walsh, D– Bellefontaine Neighbors. Representatives Paul Curtman, John Diehl, Kevin Engler, Tommie Pierson, John Rizz, and Rochelle Walton Gray. The focus of the Government Accountability Committee is to:

• Make a continuing study and analysis of inefficiencies, fraud and misconduct in state government;
• Determine the appropriate method of obtaining data on each entity of state government that will provide relevant information at least biennially for the identification of potential and actual inefficiencies in each state entity's function, duties, and performance;
• Make any other recommendation to the General Assembly necessary to reduce inefficiencies in state government; and
• Identify and acknowledge government agencies and officials who perform functions in an efficient and effective manner.

A full report of the committee’s activities and recommendations must be sent to the governor by Jan. 15 of each year the General Assembly convenes in regular session.
In addition to considering legislation, work will soon begin on the Fiscal Year 2016 budget. As chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, a vast amount of my time during session is spent crafting our state’s spending plan. Over the next month, the committee will begin taking testimony from various state departments on their fiscal needs for the coming year.
The Senate will not be in session Monday, Jan. 19, in recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The governor will issue his State of the State address in the House chamber on Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m. The address will be streamed live at www.MO.gov.

Thank you for your interest in the issues that affect the citizens of Boone and Cooper counties. If you have any questions or concerns throughout this session, or plan on coming by the Capitol, please contact my office at (573) 751-3931.

Did you know...?

Missouri did not have an official state flag until nearly a century after achieving statehood.  The Daughters of the American Revolution organized a committee to design the flag. Head of the committee was Mrs. Marie Elizabeth Oliver, wife of Senator Robert Burett Oliver.  The bill to support her design of the flag was introduced to the Missouri Senate on March 17, 1909. After three years of attempts, the bill for the “Oliver flag” was passed.  Governor Elliot Major signed the bill into law on March 22, 1913, making the Oliver flag the official state flag of Missouri.