JEFFERSON CITY — State Sen. Sandy Crawford, R-Buffalo, has been named this year’s “Legislator of the Year” by the Missouri Association of Public Administrators (MAPA).
“This came as such a great surprise, and I couldn’t be more appreciative,” Sen. Crawford said. “This is such a wonderful group of hard-working people, and I am honored to receive this distinction.”
MAPA was established in March of 1981. It is made up of the public administrators from each county in Missouri and the City of St. Louis. Public administrators serve as court-appointed personal representatives in decedent’s estates, and as guardians and/or conservators for individuals who are unable to care for themselves or their property when there is no one else to serve. MAPA also serves as an advocacy group for the mentally ill, developmentally disabled, individuals with brain injury and older individuals with dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Over the years, Sen. Crawford has handled several pieces of priority legislation on behalf of MAPA to reform the guardianship process and to improve the quality of care for those it serves. This includes the passage of Senate Bill 111 in 2017 and Senate Bill 806 in 2018. This year, Sen. Crawford is the sponsor of Senate Bill 230, which has received approval from the Missouri Senate and is currently in the Missouri House of Representatives. This proposal would modify provisions relating to venue in guardianship and conservatorship proceedings.
More than 100 public administrators from around the state were present to honor Sen. Crawford with MAPA’s “Legislator of the Year” award.