Dome Lit Blue
From sunset on April 28 through sunrise the next morning, the governor ordered the Capitol dome to be lit blue in honor of National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The complex has also been surrounded by blue “Pinwheels for Prevention” throughout the month of April to spotlight how communities can work together to support and protect children.
Photo courtesy of House Communications.
The Legislature stepped up to help protect the innocent victims of child abuse and neglect on April 29 when House Bill 737 was third read and finally passed by the Senate. With the governor’s signature, children who have been in the state’s foster care system will be able to keep the Social Security and other benefits they are entitled to. This is a big win for Missouri’s kids who have been in protective custody and will help them become independent.
My “Champion for Children” tax credit legislation may be brought up for debate on the floor soon. In addition to increasing the tax credit to 70% for all contributions made to CASA, a child advocacy center or a crisis care center, Senate Bill 83 permits homeless children to get a free state ID and raises the age for a child’s statement to be admissible in court from 14-18.
My water preservation legislation cleared another hurdle on April 29 and is one vote away from the governor’s desk. Water is the lifeline of our state, especially for the row crop farmers and ranchers who rely on this precious resource to feed the state. Requiring a permit from the Department of Natural Resources to export water will nip this issue in the bud before the state experiences a water shortage and it’s too late.
With one week left to pass the budget and two weeks left to pass a percentage of the proposals filed this session, the negotiations will be intense going forward. The Senate third read and passed a majority of the appropriations bills that will comprise the operating budget for fiscal year 2026 on the evening of April 29. The Senate’s preliminary budget totals $49.5 billion, and since changes were made to the Missouri House of Representatives version, the bills will now be finalized by conference committees made up of members from both chambers.
To date, the General Assembly has third read and finally passed a variety of bills. House Bill 810 designates the Davy & Natalie Lloyd Memorial Highway in Newton County to memorialize the young daughter of a current Missouri representative and her husband, who were murdered while serving as missionaries in Haiti. Members of the Baker family were at the Capitol on April 29 and applauded on the floor by legislators in both chambers.
Signed by the governor on April 24, Senate Bill 22 addresses summary statements for statewide ballot measures, extends the period to challenge the language to 70 days prior to the election, and permits the Missouri secretary of state to prepare a new summary if the circuit court’s version isn’t found to be sufficient or fair. The measure also allows the Missouri attorney general to appeal a preliminary injunction pertaining to effectuating any provision of the Missouri Constitution or statutes. Missouri’s attorney general has already taken advantage of the new law and filed an appeal on April 25 to the Jackson County judge’s order that allowed abortions to restart in Missouri.
Welcoming Folks from Back Home to the Dome
As always, the highlight of my week is welcoming members of our community to the State Capitol. Below are some of the folks who took the time to stop by and say hi!
Students from St. Augustine and St. Henry join Sen. Burger on the grand staircase.
Senator Burger learns about the soil project Perryville’s Emma Fetterhoff exhibited during the Science Coach event in the Rotunda.
Business owners from our community discussed video lottery terminals with Sen. Burger before joining him on the dais.