Sen. Barbara Anne Washington’s Legislative Column for the Week of May 31, 2021

The First Regular Session of the 101st General Assembly has formally wrapped up, but the lawmaking process continues to play out. With the Legislature approving over 60 bills, it is now up to the governor to make the final decision whether or not these bills will become law. Since the Legislature has adjourned, the governor has 45 days to act on these bills, and he has a couple of choices he can make:

1. He can sign the bill into law. Signed bills will go into effect on August 28, 2021, unless they include an emergency clause provision, which allows them to go into effect immediately upon signing.
2. He can veto the bill and return it to the General Assembly. If two-thirds of both the House and the Senate vote to overturn the veto, the bill will become law.
3. He can decide to not sign the bill, and after 45 days, it also becomes law.
4. He can veto specific line items within the 18 appropriation bills that constitute the state’s operating budget for the 2022 fiscal year. The fiscal year begins July 1, 2021, and runs until June 30, 2022.

I’ll be sure to keep you informed over the coming weeks as we learn about the governor’s actions on bills passed during the 2021 regular session.

New Supreme Court Justice Makes History

On May 24, the governor appointed Judge Robin Ransom to serve on the Missouri Supreme Court, making her the first Black woman to have a seat on the state’s highest court. Judge Ransom was previously appointed by the governor to serve on the Eastern District Court in 2019. Before serving on the appellate bench, Judge Ransom was appointed as a Circuit Judge for the City of St. Louis by Gov. Matt Blunt in 2008. Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge Ransom served for six years as a Family Court Commissioner in the City of St. Louis. She also served in the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office as well as the St. Louis County Public Defender’s Office.

Judge Ransom holds a law degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law and an undergraduate degree in political science and sociology from Douglass Residential College-Rutgers University.

Urban Farming

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced it is seeking applicants for its Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production grant program. The grants range from $100,000 to $500,000 and applications are due July 30. This is the second year the grants have been made available. More information can be found by visiting farmers.gov/manage/urban/opportunities or by consulting your local USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office.

Each week I will provide updates on COVID-19 information. As of April 9, all adult Missouri residents are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of occupation. Please contact your local pharmacy or health care provider for information on how best to receive one of the available vaccines. For more information about Missouri’s vaccine distribution plan, please visit covidvaccine.mo.gov.

Vaccinations are already underway in our community. For instance, COVID-19 vaccine walk-in appointments are now available at Truman Medical Centers’ two hospital campuses (2211 Charlotte and 7900 Lee’s Summit Road), 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday. In addition, you can schedule a vaccine appointment by visiting the hospital’s website or by calling 816-404-CARE.

The Jackson County Health Department also has same-day appointments available. See jacohd.org/events. For COVID-19 testing locations, please visit jacksongov.org/1190/COVID-19-Test-Sites. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. In addition, those who are symptomatic are encouraged to call 404-CARE, option 2, to schedule a drive through test at one of Truman Medical Centers’ two hospitals.

Additionally, Spalittos’ Pharmacy, located at 3801 Independence Ave., Kansas City, MO 64124, is also providing COVID-19 vaccinations. Currently, Spalittos’ Pharmacy has vaccine appointments throughout the day on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. There are specific times reserved for vaccine appointments on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. To register for a COVID-19 vaccine, call 816-231-4717 or visit the pharmacy’s website.

Thank you for your vote of confidence to serve the people of the 9th District in the Missouri Senate. In an effort to keep you up-to-date with my legislation or other proposed legislation, please feel free to visit my website at senate.mo.gov/Washington. I appreciate your active interest in your community and encourage your participation in the legislative process. Should you need assistance with state matters, please feel free to contact my office at (573) 751-3158.

Senator Washington’s Sponsored Legislation for 2021

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