We’re now more than halfway through the First Regular Session of the 98th General Assembly, which began on Wednesday, Jan. 7. Much of the work done during the first half of session takes place in committee, where members consider various bills and hear public testimony on the proposals.

On Jan. 13, I was reappointed to the Senate Appropriations Committee, which is responsible for creating the Senate’s version of the state’s annual budget. Passing the state budget is the only constitutionally required duty of the Missouri General Assembly.

Approving the state’s annual spending plan is one of the most important tasks the Legislature undertakes each year. It’s an incredible responsibility, and one I do not take lightly, to know my colleagues and I on the committee are helping to decide where and how taxpayer money will be invested. It’s truly a privilege to serve on the Appropriations Committee, and I was honored by the reappointment.

In addition to the Appropriations Committee, I was appointed as Vice-Chair of the Senate Progress and Development Committee, which considers and reports on bills and matters concerning the changing issues relating to human welfare. I am also serving on the Senate Administration Committee, which controls the financial obligations and business affairs of the Senate; the Senate Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions and Ethics Committee, which reviews matters relating to ethics and the conduct of public officials and employees, among other duties; and the Senate Small Business, Insurance and Industry Committee, which considers legislation relating to the ownership and operation of small businesses, different forms of insurance, and labor management, among other issues.

On Wednesday, Jan. 21, the governor gave his annual State of the State address, which coincided with the release of his budget recommendations for the coming fiscal year. The governor laid out an impressive agenda. Most notable are the funding increases for education in Missouri, including a record-level $150 million for K-12 classrooms. He also recommended an additional $11 million for early childhood education for low-income working families, $25 million for performance-based funding for higher education, and $161.5 million from bond proceeds for the repair and renovations of Missouri's colleges and universities.

Education should always be one of our highest priorities, and I was grateful to see this reflected in the governor’s budget. We have a responsibility to prepare future generations for the challenges ahead. Providing a world-class education is the single most effective thing we can do to accomplish that.

The governor again called on the Legislature to expand Medicaid as part of the Affordable Care Act. Under the proposal, Missouri would increase the eligibility for Medicaid to include residents who earn up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $25,000 for a family of three, a move that would expand coverage to an estimated 300,000 uninsured Missourians. The federal government would pick up the total costs of the expansion until 2017, with Missouri paying for only 10 percent after that.

Last year, Missouri sent $2 billion of our taxpayer dollars to Washington to reform and improve health care in other states that have decided to move forward with Medicaid expansion. According to the most recent studies, expansion would create 24,000 jobs in our state. We can’t afford to wait any longer. Increasing access to health care needs to be our highest priority, and the best way to do that is through Medicaid expansion. If elected officials in the Capitol are serious about bettering the lives of their constituents, they need to look past the partisan politics associated with this proposal and weigh it on its own merits, which are numerous. This is truly an opportunity to change lives.

One in four women will experience domestic violence at some point in her life. These are our mothers, sisters, daughters and friends. According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, 41,494 incidents of domestic violence were reported in 2012. What's worse is that children often bear witness to these horrific acts. It’s not just a women’s issue.

Unfortunately, incidents of domestic violence have a way of repeating themselves. Children exposed to domestic violence are more likely to commit the same acts when they’re older. It creates an endless, generational cycle of violence that eats away at the foundations of our neighborhoods and communities. For too long, these kinds of acts were kept in the dark, hidden behind locked doors. No longer. We have to do everything in our power to stop it. As a state, we need to send a clear message that we will not tolerate domestic violence, and we will offer our full support to those who seek to escape it.

This year, I’m sponsoring legislation to create unpaid leave for employees affected by domestic violence. Senate Bill 130 lays out certain provisions regarding businesses that employ individuals who are or have a family or household member who is being assaulted, battered, coerced, harassed, sexually assaulted, unlawfully imprisoned or stalked. Permission to take leave would be granted to seek medical attention, recover from an injury, obtain victim services or counseling, participate in safety planning and pursue legal assistance. If passed, the attorney general would enforce provisions of this act.

No victim of domestic violence should ever have to choose between seeking help and keeping their job because of an employer that doesn’t allow for this type of leave. If we want to help end domestic violence, we must give survivors some degree of certainty that seeking assistance won’t cost them their job. The last thing these individuals need are more barriers between them and safety. We need to help these citizens escape their attackers, and ensure they have employment after seeking help. Senate Bill 130 would do that. Senate Bill 130 was heard in committee on March 17.

According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, 41,494 incidents of domestic violence were reported in 2012 alone.

Last year, I partnered with Secretary of State Jason Kander to strengthen Missouri’s domestic violence laws and protect survivors who seek the state’s protection with legislation that expanded the set of aggravating factors in existing stalking laws to include accessing, or attempting to access, the address of a participant in the Safe at Home program. This session, I have filed Senate Bill 211, a bipartisan bill that would also allow human trafficking victims to participate in the Safe at Home program. Passed as a consent bill, SB 211 was approved by the Senate on March 10 and is currently being considered by the House.

Each session, members of the House and Senate sponsor legislation aimed at bringing awareness to the causes near and dear to them. For the 2015 session, I've filed three pieces of legislation relating to public education. Senate Bill 276 designates the third Thursday in November as the "Great American Smokeout Day." I filed this legislation on behalf of a 15-year-old Florissant constituent who is on a mission to increase public awareness of the dangers and costs of secondhand smoke.

Numbers don’t lie; unfortunately, when it comes to tobacco use, Missouri’s numbers leave a lot of room for improvement. Missouri has the ninth highest adult smoking rate in the U.S. Each year, nearly 10,000 Missourians die from tobacco-related diseases, with approximately 1,150 dying from diseases caused by secondhand smoke. Additionally, we spend almost $2 billion annually to treat smoking-related illnesses—that’s $2 billion that could be going to our veterans, education or the maintenance of our bridges and highways. The good news is these numbers aren’t permanent.

Every year, on the third Thursday in November, smokers across the nation take part in the Great American Smokeout, which challenges individuals to stop using tobacco and informs them about the many tools they can use to help quit and stay tobacco free. They may use the date to make a plan to quit, or plan in advance and then stop smoking that day.

I also filed Senate Bill 277, which designates the month of November as "Epilepsy Awareness Month." Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder, affecting more than 2 million Americans of all ages. It’s characterized by recurring, unpredictable seizures and can lead to other health problems. Epilepsy Awareness Month seeks to promote research for a cure, raise awareness about epilepsy, improve how people with epilepsy are perceived and ensure that people with seizures are able to participate in all of life’s experiences.

Finally, I filed Senate Concurrent Resolution 4, which recognizes every September 26th as Mesothelioma Awareness Day. Mesothelioma, sometimes referred to as meso or mesothelioma cancer, is a form of cancer most often caused by asbestos, which affects the smooth lining of the chest, lungs, heart and abdomen. The layer of tissue surrounding these organs is made up of mesothelial cells, hence the name mesothelioma. For over a decade now, Mesothelioma Awareness Day has been the driving force behind the movement to bring more attention and funding to this deadly cancer.

On Thursday, March 12, the Missouri Senate third read and passed (30-0) legislation establishing a statewide Health Care Directives Registry. Senate Bill 122 would establish a health care directives registry for the purpose of providing a place to securely store an advance health care directive electronically and to give authorized health care providers immediate access to them when a patient is admitted to a hospital.

Shown above, Sen. Gina Walsh discusses legislation on the floor of the Missouri Senate during the 2015 session.

Advance directives, which are legally valid throughout the United States, identify who you wish to speak for you and make decisions for you if you would become unable to as a result of an accident or illness.

I can’t stress enough the importance of advance directives. Without them, decisions about your medical treatment or end-of-life care may be left up to people who don’t know you or your wishes. Advance directives give you a voice in your health care decisions, even if you are unconscious or too ill to communicate.

The registry would allow Missouri residents to store their advance directive so that medical providers, family members and anyone else they grant access will honor their wishes. Senate Bill 122 unanimously (10-0) passed out of the Senate Veterans' Affairs and Health Committee. 

The database of advance directives is a confidential and secure site, protected by the most up-to-date web and database security standards. All submitted information will be used only by authorized individuals and will be kept completely confidential. Your information could not be shared or sold and would be exempt from the Sunshine Law in order to protect your medical privacy.

The submission process is secure and simple. During an individual’s visit with their health care provider or attorney, who offers access to the electronic registry, the individual, or their legal representative, may complete the electronic form and electronically sign the document—very similar to how a person opens a bank account today.

States like Virginia have successfully contracted out this type of electronic registry, and several health technology information companies already exist around the country and compete to offer the best and lowest bid for this service, saving the taxpayers money.

We each have the right to make our own health care decisions. Senate Bill 122 simply provides people with an easy and confidential option for ensuring that their end-of-life and other critical health care decisions will be honored.

In January, I was honored to support the gubernatorial appointment of Ms. Vernal Brown, a resident from the 13th District, to the Bi-State Development Agency of the Missouri-Illinois Metropolitan District. Ms. Brown is a member of the United Auto Workers Local 325 and serves as the Ford Benefits Representative, located in Hazelwood, which is also in the 13th District.

The Bi-State Board of Commissioners serves those who utilize Metro Transit, which is best known as the operator of the public transportation system for the St. Louis metropolitan region, with MetroLink, MetroBus and Metro Call-A-Ride. Metro Transit also oversees operations of the St. Louis Downtown Airport, the Gateway Arch trams and the Gateway Arch Riverboats.

Throughout Missouri, hundreds of dedicated men and women are helping move our state forward through their service on one of the more than 200 public boards and commissions in Missouri. Whether it’s ensuring the proper licensure of health professionals, advocating for vulnerable children and seniors, or supporting a specific sector of the economy, these citizens are continuing to make sure that the Show-Me State is a great place to live, work and do business. Engaging talented and experienced individuals in public service is a key part of our strategy to continue Missouri’s economic turnaround and improve the quality of life for everyone.

For more information on Missouri’s boards and commissions, please visit www.boards.mo.gov.

I also had the pleasure of meeting Michael Lee, of the University of California, Berkeley, who shadowed me for a day. Mr. Lee is a CORO Fellow in Public Policy. The CORO Fellowship in Public Policy uses the city as a classroom to train the next generation of change makers. Today’s complex urban environments present constantly evolving challenges and opportunities, creating an increasing need for versatile leaders with the ability to forge connections and lead across the non-profit, business and government sectors.

Shown above, Sen. Walsh with Ms. Vernal Brown during the Gubernatorial Appointments Committee Hearing on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2015.	Shown above, Sen. Walsh with Michael Lee in the Senate Chamber on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015.