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Legislative Column for the Week of March 30, 2026 |
This week, the Senate Appropriations Committee continued our in-depth review of the state budget received from the Missouri House of Representatives. Working alongside appropriations staff, we are carefully going through the budget line by line. As chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I remain committed and focused on the needs of Missourians.
Committee and floor activity remained busy throughout the week. On Monday in the Senate Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee, several bills were voted do-pass and moved forward in the legislative process. On the Senate floor, the pace remains quick, with another dozen bills being perfected and passed this week. I was also pleased to see continued progress on Senate Bill 975, my legislation relating to ambulance districts. This bill would modernize certain provisions for ambulance district governance and help support struggling rural ambulance districts across the state. On April 1, the House Local Government Committee voted this measure do-pass, positioning the bill for further consideration in the House.
Another encouraging development this week came from the Missouri Treasurer’s Office, which highlighted strong results from the latest MOBUCK$ agriculture application period. During this round, 158 linked deposit applications were approved, representing more than $63 million in support for farming operations, equipment purchases and long-term capital investments. The program lowers borrowing costs by about 2%-3% through participating lenders. Just as importantly, MOBUCK$ is not limited to agriculture. The linked-deposit program also supports Missouri small businesses, helping expand economic opportunities across the state. The small-business category reopened on April 1 with $100 million available, and eligible businesses can use the loans for expenses like inventory, rent, utilities, equipment, renovations and property purchases.
Northwest Missouri also continues to be home to many outstanding destinations recognized through the Show-Me 250 initiatives. From historic attractions in St. Joseph like the Pony Express National Museum and Marceline’s Wald Disney Museum, to natural destinations such as Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge and our state parks, as well as Hamilton’s growing reputation as Quilt Town, U.S.A., and Chillicothe, the home of sliced bread. Please visit Showme250.mo.gov to explore all the “250 Can’t Miss Attractions” across our great state.
I had the opportunity to meet with constituents and members of the Missouri Pharmacists Association during their legislative day at the Capitol. It is always valuable to hear directly from constituents and stakeholders about the issues affecting their professions, communities and families. Those conversations help guide our priorities in Jefferson City and keep us grounded in the needs of the people we represent.
As always, it is an honor to represent the people of the 12th Senatorial District. If you have any questions, concerns or thoughts on legislation moving through the Capitol, please do not hesitate to contact my office. I wish everyone a blessed Easter. My office and the Senate will be closed the Friday before and Monday after Easter weekend.
MPA Members and students visiting my office on Wednesday this week.
As always, please feel free to call, email or write with your ideas or concerns. My Capitol office number is 573-751-1415, my email is rusty.black@senate.mo.gov and my mailing address is |
