Last week, I was sworn in as the new senator for the 3rd District. It’s an honor to serve the
citizens of our district, and a privilege to act as their voice in state government. There are many issues the people of our state are looking to the General Assembly to address this year. I’m optimistic about what we will accomplish this session.

People across the state gathered in Jefferson City on Monday for the inaugural festivities. The De Soto High School band marched in the inaugural parade prior to the swearing in of statewide officials, and it was wonderful to see youth from our area take part in the occasion.

The swearing in ceremony was held on the front lawn of the Capitol, with legislators, state officials and members of the public in attendance. The governor spoke briefly—to the relief of all of us enduring the freezing temperatures—about the need for compromise and unity in tackling the state’s problems.

Later that evening, the traditional Grand March and Inaugural Ball was held in the Capitol Rotunda. I attended the festivities with my family. It was a wonderful time, and also provided a great opportunity for the public to see their elected officials in a different setting.
Once the pomp and circumstance were finished, though, we wasted no time getting to work as I had an 8:15 am committee hearing the next morning.

Much of the last week has been spent getting to know the various officials, agencies and departments that help with the legislative process. In the coming weeks, most of our work will be done in committees, where we’ll consider legislation and hear testimony regarding different proposals.

I will serve as vice chairman of the Senate Education Committee, which met for the first time on Wednesday. This committee reviews bills that affect K-12 and higher education. Over the interim, a joint committee issued a report on implementing a higher education formula in Missouri, with at least part of the funding based on performance. The Education Committee will continue working towards creating a comprehensive formula for distributing state funds to higher education institutions. We’ll also be looking at recent pilot programs for teacher evaluation and how we can apply that information to make sure we’re using a balanced and accurate method for grading the effectiveness of our teachers. I will also serve on the Joint Education Committee, where members from both chambers will work together to craft the best education policies for our state.

Economic development and job creation have been two of the General Assembly’s biggest priorities in recent years, and with good reason. There are still many Missourians out of work, and countless families struggling to make ends meet. We must find ways to help businesses in our state grow and expand. To this end, I’ll be serving on the Jobs, Economic Development and Local Government Committee.

This committee has already considered legislation to create a tax incentive to attract amateur sporting events, such as college and high school sports tournaments, to the state. Visitors who attend these events shop at local stores, stay in local hotels and eat at local restaurants, which helps those businesses thrive and brings in additional revenue to the state without saddling citizens with a tax increase. The credit would be calculated on the number of tickets sold, allowing all communities, not just the metro areas, to benefit.

I will also sit on the Seniors, Families and Pensions Committee, which considers legislation regarding the preservation of the quality of life for senior citizens, among many other duties. It’s critical that we do all in our power to protect the most vulnerable members of our society. We must never forget those who came before us and their contributions to our progress as a state and as a people. History is cyclical. The challenges we face today have their origins in issues we’ve been dealing with as a society for centuries, maybe longer. Our senior citizens have seen those challenges, and the knowledge they have is invaluable. They deserve our respect and our aid, and I pledge to be a tireless advocate on their behalf. 

Additionally, I will serve on the General Laws Committee, which reports on all bills related to a general topic. I will continue these weekly Capitol updates to keep you informed on all important events in Jefferson City.

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