The second session of the 103rd General Assembly begins Wednesday at the Missouri Capitol. Lawmakers are set to be in Jefferson City through mid-May.
What can Missouri taxpayers expect from the people elected by a majority of their voters? Word on the street is not much.
A major election year happens in 2026, which can impact what work is accomplished. Many lawmakers are seeking re-election or higher office. Others are term-limited. Both of these reasons will lead to some lawmakers being more vocal than they usually are.
If they are running for office, they may seek media attention. If they are serving their last year in the legislature because of term limits, then they don’t have as much to lose.
If a crystal ball could tell us what Missouri legislators pass this year, it would probably show the state budget for Fiscal Year 2027, which begins July 1st. That is the one responsibility the elected members have.
What state services, programs, and projects are funded, not funded, and their price tag are important to look for. The FY27 fiscal year is expected to be tight. Missouri is not broke, but its billions of dollars in cash reserves are dwindling, largely because of federal pandemic-era funding that has an expiration date. Some citizens, organizations, and state agencies should be prepared to not get everything they ask for.
As for what else is accomplished, one item that has been talked about a lot by some Republicans is income tax cuts. It’s also a priority for Gov. Mike Kehoe.
Republicans control the Missouri House, Senate, and each statewide elected office in this state. Due to the supermajority of Republicans, an income tax cut package is expected to sail to the finish line.
A big problem Missouri has been dealing with for several years is lack of access to childcare. Another priority could be passage of a childcare tax credit package to help address this problem. State Rep. Brenda Shields, R-St. Joseph, has offered the legislation for about four years but it hasn’t quite made it to the governor’s desk. Gov. Mike Kehoe has said he would like the bill to reach his desk.
Another issue to watch: if lawmakers attempt to resolve the traffic jam of crime suspects sitting in Missouri jails awaiting a competency evaluation to find out if they can be prosecuted.
The long line for an evaluation has been an increasing problem for Missouri over the past few years. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, Missouri law requires an evaluation within 60 days of a court order.
One proposed solution offered is sponsored by State Rep. Brian Seitz, R-Branson. He has pre-filed a bill that would require any person arrested and subject to an evaluation have one within 45 days of their arrest.
“We have inmates that have been held, you know, in local municipalities, cities, and so forth, for upwards of a year awaiting a mental health evaluation,” Seitz told Missourinet.
School choice could be a focus for many Republicans this session. If a school choice measure passes, it might be an open enrollment bill sponsored by Rep. Brad Pollitt, R-Sedalia. He has filed the proposal for a few years now. It would let K-12 public schools decide for themselves if they want students from neighboring districts to enroll in their district. Like many bills, it has died in the Missouri Senate.
State Rep. Ed Lewis, R-Moberly, told Missourinet he’s confident the legislature will pass his bill to fight sex crimes against children. He is proposing to restart Missouri’s task force to fight human trafficking. It would also strengthen the penalties for sex crimes against children.
Very few abortions have reportedly been completed in recent years, but that has not stopped several abortion-related bills being filed this year. The topic is likely to get some debate time in some way, shape, or form.
Another likely big election year topic centers around transgender people. Missouri has already banned most gender transition healthcare for children. A bill that might get attention would restrict transgender students playing in sports. Legislative attempts to do so have been offered for several years.
Lawmakers are scheduled to begin the new session at 12:00 p.m. Wednesday in Jefferson City.
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