state Department of Economic Development Archives

Transportation and workforce development are two of Governor Mike Parson’s (R) top priorities for Missouri’s 2020 legislative session, which begins Wednesday at noon in Jefferson City.

Governor Mike Parson addressed the Missouri Asphalt Pavement Association in Columbia on January 7, 2020 (Brian Hauswirth photo)

Parson spoke to Missourinet Tuesday about the session, after he addressed about 300 people at the Missouri Asphalt Pavement Association’s annual conference in Columbia.

“We’re going to continue on with the workforce development pieces that we’re doing with the infrastructure,” Parson says. “Reorganizing some of the (state) government agencies. We’ve still got a lot of work to do there.”

The largest state government reorganization in decades took effect on August 28, and involved four agencies. It’s aimed at allowing the state Department of Economic Development (DED) to focus exclusively on its core mission, which is economic development.

The August restructuring involved moving the Division of Energy from DED to the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and also involved moving the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Office of Public Counsel from DED to the newly-named Department of Commerce and Insurance. The restructuring also moved DED’s Division of Workforce Development to the Department of Higher Education.

As for the workforce development theme, Governor Parson emphasizes the importance of preparing students for the future.

“We want to take a good look at education and make sure those high school students understand what the workforce is out there of tomorrow,” says Parson. “That’s going to be important to me that we develop them and get them ready for that workforce.”

Republicans will have super-majorities in both chambers in 2020. They’ll control the Senate 24-10 and the House 114-48, with one vacancy.

Governor Parson will outline his legislative agenda in-detail during his State of the State Address on January 15, before a joint session of the Legislature.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and Governor Mike Parson, which was recorded on January 7, 2020 at the Missouri Asphalt Pavement Association’s conference in Columbia: