A winter storm in Missouri that began Sunday and will continue into Monday has caused state legislative leaders in both chambers to cancel session for Monday in Jefferson City.
Missouri Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, presides over the Senate in Jefferson City on March 4, 2020 (file photo courtesy of Senate Communications)
Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, announced Sunday on Twitter that because of brutal cold weather and potential for snow accumulation, the Missouri Senate will not be in session on Monday. Rowden also says the Senate will take the rest of the week one day at a time, to keep people safe.
Snow is expected in much of Missouri, including Jefferson City, throughout the week.
Leader Rowden tells Missourinet that Senate committees will not meet on Monday either.
As for the 163-member Missouri House, Majority Floor Leader Dean Plocher, R-Des Peres, tells Missourinet the House will not be in session on Monday.
All Missouri House committee hearings originally scheduled for Monday are now canceled, and will be rescheduled for sometime this week.
The National Weather Service in Paducah has issued a winter storm warning for southeast Missouri (February 14, 2021 graphic courtesy of NWS Paducah Twitter)
A winter storm warning is in effect for much of eastern and southeast Missouri.
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Paducah says towns like Cape Girardeau, Poplar Bluff, Kennett and Malden could see a total of six to 12 inches of snow, by Monday.
That region is still trying to recover from last week’s two-day ice storm, which closed schools and shut down heavily-traveled I-57 near Sikeston for a time.
The NWS in St. Louis says road conditions are still poor across a majority of the state, adding that roads have been deteriorating in Missouri from west to east.
Monday is Washington’s Birthday, which is a federal, Missouri and county holiday. While it’s a state holiday, the Legislature planned to be in session, until the snowstorm.
Most state employees will be off on Monday, which will keep several thousand cars off the road. More than 14,000 state employees work in Cole County, making state government Jefferson City’s largest employer.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol will be working on Monday, and crews from the state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) will continue to treat and plow roads.
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