Senator Jamie Burger’s Capitol Report for April 17, 2025
What a beautiful week this has been, both at the State Capitol and along the winding roads that lead to it. Flowering trees and blooming perennials remind us of the grandeur of God and the hope that comes with spring’s warmth and Easter’s renewal. I hope everyone enjoys spending time with family and recollecting on Christ’s ultimate sacrifice as you celebrate his miraculous resurrection this weekend.
When I return to Jefferson City after Easter break, there will only be four weeks remaining in the legislative session to pass policies and balance the operating budget for fiscal year 2026. The Senate Appropriations Committee began tackling the proposed $47.9 billion spending plan passed by the Missouri House of Representatives last week. During the “markup” process, committee members go through the budget, line-by-line, and decide to accept the House’s figure, go with the governor’s recommendation or draft their own line item amount. The budget will then be brought up on the Senate floor. Once passed by the Senate, it goes back to the House for final approval, and if the House doesn’t accept the Senate’s changes, the differences will be hashed out by a conference committee made up of members from both chambers. Balancing a budget is the only constitutional mandate for the Legislature, and this year it must be on the governor’s desk by May 9.
The Senate briefly debated my regional planning commission (RPC) proposal on April 14. Subject to approved appropriations, Senate Bill 240 raises the funding cap for Missouri’s 19 boards and revises the current list. Since there hasn’t been an increase in funding to these vital local resources since the early 1960s, I will continue to advocate for providing RPCs the capital needed to sustain their programs and serve local communities. I’m hopeful this bill will be taken back up and moved forward in the next week or so.
Honoring Local Senior Service Award Recipients
I rolled into Jefferson City early this week to attend the 2025 Lieutenant Governor’s Senior Service Award ceremony in the Capitol’s Rotunda on April 14 and congratulate two winners from District 27. A decorated veteran of the Vietnam War, Jim Eddleman was instrumental in establishing Missouri’s National Veterans Memorial in Perryville, which welcomes more than 18,000 visitors a year and contains a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC.
The other honoree, Ray Reinagel of Kelso, is a mentor, coach and faith leader who has been a positive role model for students at Notre Dame Regional High School for more than two decades. These gentlemen have left an indelible mark in their communities and continue to inspire those around them.
The lieutenant governor and Sen. Burger congratulate Jim Eddleman.
Elected officials and Sen. Burger congratulate Ray Reinagel.
Focus on Missouri Photo Contest is Underway
The Missouri Department of Agriculture hosts an annual photo contest for people of all ages to showcase our state’s vast agricultural beauty. This year’s “Focus on Missouri Agriculture” competition will have three categories, Beauty of the Farm, Faces of the Farmer, Around the Barnyard and Everyday Life, plus a Kid’s Corner for youth under 12. Learn more about the contest, which runs April 4 – June 6, and view past winners by visiting agriculture.mo.gov/focus. Our community is a great muse for this contest, so I hope to see it represented in the display at the State Fair in August!