The Countdown Begins: Bill Drafting for Next Session Begins in Earnest
Missouri Stands in Support of Israel
Following a series of tragic and deadly attacks in Israel, leaders from Missouri have reaffirmed their unwavering support for the state's ally in the region. These attacks, carried out by Hamas, a militant political faction of Palestinian Islamic extremists, have resulted in the loss of over 1,000 lives, including Americans.
Missouri's elected officials have issued statements expressing their support for Israel's right to defend its citizens against these senseless acts of violence and aggression. Simultaneously, they have unequivocally condemned all forms of violence and terrorism.
In response to these attacks, Missouri House Speaker and Senate President Pro Tem jointly issued a statement, urging a swift resolution to the ongoing conflict in the region. They also expressed their support for Missouri's ally and trade partner:
"We reiterate our unwavering support for the State of Israel and its inherent right to defend itself against acts of terrorism and aggression. The terrorists and terrorist regimes responsible for planning and executing these unprovoked and vicious acts of violence must face swift justice, both from Israel and its allies, including the United States of America."
As Missourians and Americans, we stand in solidarity with the people of Israel during these challenging times. Our hearts and thoughts are with the innocent lives affected by these attacks, and we extend our deepest condolences to the grieving families. While we hope for a peaceful resolution through diplomacy and constructive dialogue, we must not forget the importance of standing alongside our friends and allies. Our unwavering support for Israel serves as a beacon of hope for a brighter and more peaceful future.
Transitioning from Veto Session to Preparing for the 2024 Legislative Session
As September concludes and October begins, the Missouri Legislature shifts its focus away from the recent veto session and toward preparations for the upcoming 2024 legislative session. In the final months of each year, lawmakers transition their attention from the previous session's work to laying the groundwork for the legislative agenda ahead.
While election years often see legislators heavily involved in campaigning during October, this year, which is not an election year for the House, state lawmakers are dedicated to setting goals and drafting legislation for the 2024 legislative session. Their objective is to enhance the state's policies, ensuring they better serve the needs of all residents. The prefiling period for Missouri lawmakers begins in December, offering just two months to submit bills for consideration in 2024.
As your representative, I encourage all constituents to engage with the Missouri General Assembly, expressing your priorities and offering suggestions to improve policies. Each legislator is committed to representing their district and advocating for the policies that align with our shared values and beliefs.
I-70 Expansion Project to Commence Next Year
Missouri lawmakers have approved funds for a $2.8 billion project aimed at rebuilding 200 miles of interstate highway, expanding it to six lanes between St. Louis and Kansas City. The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) estimates that this extensive project will take approximately five to seven years to complete.
MoDOT officials recently informed state lawmakers that construction will commence on a 20-mile stretch of Interstate 70, running from U.S. 63 in Columbia to Kingdom City, starting "this time next year." The project will be divided into six distinct segments, with the initial phase covering the Columbia to Kingdom City stretch.
A tentative project schedule outlines that the final project will involve a highway segment from Marshall to Columbia. Contracts for each of these six projects will be awarded separately, with individual project lengths ranging from 20 to 50 miles and contract values expected to range from $300 million to $600 million.
The bidding process for the first project is currently underway, and MoDOT plans to select a shortlist of design-build teams in the next few weeks. The final contract award for this initial project is anticipated to be announced during the February meeting of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission.
Subsequent project contracts will follow in succession, allowing for better cost monitoring throughout the project's execution. The I-70 expansion project aims to enhance transportation infrastructure and connectivity in Missouri.
New Law Makes it Easier for Victims to Get Copies of Birth Certificates
It is something many of us may take for granted, but a new law will make it easier for victims of domestic violence to escape and begin their lives anew. One of the most significant obstacles facing domestic violence victims involves possessing the documents they need to start their lives over.? A provision in Senate Bill 28 will provide free copies of birth certificates when requested by victims.?
For many people trying to get out of abusive situations, it can be a struggle to do so because they need documentation. In some cases, the victim escapes with little or no resources; they leave with little more than the clothes on their back and the backs of their children, only to later realize that they need documentation to do things like get a job or enroll children in school. With little or no money, the $15 fee to get a copy of a birth certificate often presents a huge obstacle for someone in a crisis.?
The language in SB 28 authorizes a waiver of the fee for a Missouri birth certificate when a victim of domestic violence or abuse requests it, and has documentation signed by a victim advocate, attorney, or health or mental health care provider who has assisted that person.?
The goal of the legislation is simple: to extend a hand and ensure that care is given and that these survivors have access to what they need to begin a new life.
Governor Parson announces launch of mobile app for schools to rapidly alert responders and school staff to emergencies
Governor Mike Parson announced that public and charter schools in Missouri can begin signing up to utilize a new state-funded mobile emergency alerting app that allows teachers and others to rapidly alert school staff and first responders to emergency situations. The alert app will be available free to schools and users
“We want all students across Missouri to have the opportunity to learn in safe and secure schools,”?Governor Parson?said. “That’s why our administration included funding for this school safety app. It puts a simple to use silent alerting app into the hands of teachers and school personnel, so they can get word out of an intruder or other emergency. We will continue to advance school safety and the ability to quickly respond to threats to Missouri’s students and educators.”
The Missouri Department of Public Safety has funding available for an?emergency alert app to be available for public and charter schools across the state. Last month, Missouri contracted with Raptor Technologies to provide what is referred to as a silent panic alerting system.
Utilizing technology that schools already have in place, the app expedites and streamlines emergency response by allowing teachers and other school staff to quickly initiate an alert through their mobile device or computer. The silent alert works directly with 911 to provide critical information, such as location-based information and school campus maps, with first responders, law enforcement, and campus personnel – within seconds. Additionally, districts are able to schedule and manage their ongoing safety drills using the Raptor software.
Missouri school districts may begin enrolling in the alerting program by going to?www.raptortech.com/Missouri . Each district will have its own account that will link the alerts to selected area first responders. Raptor will conduct training for each district, beginning with pilot schools and then district-wide training. The company encourages districts interested in utilizing the app to contact Raptor to begin the enrollment process.???
Governor Parson?also?announced ?169 school districts and charter schools have received grants from the newly created School Safety Grant Program. The $20 million grant was part of Governor Parson's Fiscal Year 2023 early supplemental budget request. Governor Parson's Fiscal Year 2024 budget proposal includes?an additional $50 million for the program.
Here's a link to the release, https://governor.mo.gov/press-releases/archive/governor-parson-announces-launch-mobile-app-schools-rapidly-alert-responders .
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and Odyssey, a platform that helps states connect families to public funding and education services, announced the launch of the Missouri Close the Gap Grant program. This is a one-time grant of up to $1,500 for parents/guardians who reside in Missouri to use for allowable education expenses. Applications are now open and must be submitted by October 25, 2023.?
To be eligible for the grant, students must be Missouri residents and be enrolled in grades K-12 in a Missouri public school district or charter school. Per state statute, the distribution of funds will be prioritized for families whose income is below 185 percent of the federal poverty level. If sufficient funds are available after those below 185 percent of the federal poverty level receive funds, families at or above that poverty level may receive funds.
“Close the Gap is another way to support our mission to provide students access to opportunities," said Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven. “In partnership with Odyssey, we are providing families a platform to search for and purchase the resources, tools, and enrichment their student needs to be successful inside and outside of the classroom.”
“Every student deserves access to a high-quality education, and Odyssey will provide Missouri families and students with convenient and modern technology to quickly and easily access funds to get what they need to succeed,” said Joseph Connor, founder and CEO at Odyssey. “The pandemic brought on unimaginable challenges for our students and their learning. Missouri’s Close the Gap Program will help support the ongoing efforts to accelerate learning and get students back on track.”
Close the Gap Grant applications will be administered on Odyssey's website, where families can access both the application and the Odyssey Marketplace. Listed below are additional program details and allowable educational expenses.
Program Details:
·?????? Parents/guardians will need to create an Odyssey account to submit an application.
·?????? If the system is unable to verify income level or residency through an automated process, parents/guardians will be requested to submit additional information.
Allowable educational expenses include
·?????? Instructional resource materials;
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·?????? Tutoring;
·?????? Academic day or summer camps;
·?????? Computer equipment;
·?????? Internet connectivity;
·?????? Before- and after-school educational programs;
·?????? Course fees and textbooks;
·?????? Online access for an academic app or subscription;
·?????? Education, learning, or study skills services;
·?????? Arts-related day or summer camps; and
·?????? Art Enrichment
Lawmakers tour Ameren Headquarters in St. Louis Legislators and staff receive in-depth look at Ameren's operations
On Tuesday, Sept. 5, lawmakers and their staff received an in-depth look at some of Ameren's operations during a legislative tour of its headquarters in St. Louis. During the tour, legislators had the opportunity to learn about Ameren's transmission system and how the company works with the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) to maintain a reliable electrical grid. They also received information on how Ameren works with MISO to dispatch generation assets into the energy market. Additionally, lawmakers also learned how Ameren's infrastructure investments through the Smart Energy Plan helped the company weather this summer's historic storms. Thanks to Ameren's Smart Energy Plan, the company prevented more than 55,000 customer outages and over 27 million minutes' worth of service interruptions during the July and August storms that impacted its service territory.
"Ameren's headquarters is an impressive facility, and I appreciate the company for inviting me on the tour," said Rep. Michael O'Donnell, R-St. Louis. "As someone who has been involved with utility policy throughout my time in the State Capitol, I enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about Ameren and how it is working to provide a more resilient and reliable electrical grid for its customers." To learn more about the Smart Energy Plan and how it is benefiting Ameren's customers throughout its service territory, please visit amerenmissouri.com/plan .
State of Missouri holds 2023 Show Me Challenge competition, winning team presents idea to enhance wellness services for state team members
The State of Missouri announced the winners of the 2023 Show Me Challenge competition.?On Friday, eight finalist teams competed in person before a panel of state government senior leaders to present the best ideas to improve state government.
Inspired by the hit TV show “Shark Tank,” the Show Me Challenge continues to bring together state team members from across Missouri’s 17 executive departments to pitch solutions that improve systems and processes that serve the citizens of Missouri, cut out unnecessary work, and/or save the State time and money.
The Show Me Challenge invited all State of Missouri team members in the executive branch to submit an initial pitch outlining their solutions. Eight teams were then invited to participate in the final competition. They had the opportunity to further develop their pitch, receive coaching, and then present their ideas in front of a panel of judges, including department directors and other senior leaders with government, policy, and business expertise.
The finalist teams represented 13 of the 17 executive departments of the Missouri state government and competed in front of a live audience.
First place?went to?the team?MO VTIP (Missouri Vicarious Trauma Improvement Plan)?from the?Department of Corrections (DOC),?Department of Mental Health (DMH),?Department of Natural Resources (DNR),?Department of Public Safety (DPS), Department of Social Services (DSS), Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), Missouri Department of Transportation (MODOT),?and Missouri National Guard (MONG)?for their idea to enhance wellness services for Missouri State team members experiencing the effects of post-traumatic stress to improve their quality of life and facilitate service delivery to Missouri citizens.
Winning team members of?MO VTIP are:
·??????? Johanna Bisges
·??????? Meckenzie Hayes
·??????? Shawn Holzhauser
·??????? Todd Houf
·??????? Rachel Jones
·??????? Sarah Jones
·??????? Tara Meisenheimer
·??????? Brian Miller?
Second place?went to?Show Me Sirens?from DNR?and DPS?for their project that will focus on enhancing the safety of not only the guests and employees in the parks, but also the surrounding communities by getting storm sirens installed in state parks where no sirens can be heard and cell phone reception may not be reliable enough to adequately warn of severe weather.
Third place?went to?Operation: Show-Me Brighter Futures from?DSS?and MONG?for their idea to promote career exploration to youth ages 15-18 in the custody of the Children’s Division and the Division of Youth Services through the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) Career Exploration Program (CEP) to encourage positive career options for those youth prior to aging out of foster care.
Fourth place?went to?Show Me Retention?from?DNR?for their proposal to address the loss of core expertise through a cross-departmental program that retains institutional knowledge, increases skill competency among staff and maintains regulatory leverage with all stakeholders. Fifth place?went to?Safety Squad from the?Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DOLIR), DNR, and DPS?for their idea to develop a safety toolkit for all state departments to increase the safety of staff and the customers we serve.
The judges for this year’s competition were Representative Dave Griffith; Anna Hui, Director, DOLIR; Valerie Huhn, Director, DMH; Robert Knodell, Director, DSS; and Caroline Coulter, Deputy Commissioner, Office of Administration (OA).
The judges considered a pitch’s quality, practicality, and potential for impact.
“Our state workforce continues to demonstrate their devotion for improving government and offering up solutions to leave a positive impact on the people we serve,” said?Rep. Dave Griffith. “By bettering state government for our citizens, we don't just create efficient processes; we cultivate trust and lay the groundwork for a brighter future for all.”
“This competition is a great opportunity for frontline state team members to present workable solutions to real-life challenges that are facing not only our customers, but our state workforce as well,” said?Robert Knodell, Director, DSS. “Every improvement in state government resonates in the lives of the citizens we serve. They are the reason we strive for better every day.”
“It is inspiring to watch our fellow team members present problem-solving ideas to the betterment of our customers. Our state workforce understands that our truest measure of success is the satisfaction and trust of the people we serve," said?Caroline Coulter, Deputy Commissioner, OA. “When we prioritize the wellbeing of our customers, every step forward in government is a stride towards a better future for them."
To date, over 600 team members have pitched ideas to improve production and processes across state government. The 2024 Show Me Challenge competition will begin next spring.
For more on the Show Me Challenge, go here .
As always, if you have any questions feel free to contact me at [email protected] , 573-751-3762, or my office is located on the 4th floor of the Capitol in room 411A.
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