The Missouri General Assembly is gearing up for the start of the 2024 legislative session, with House members beginning to reveal their plans and goals for the upcoming year. This year, members filed 343 bills on the opening day of prefiling, just 29 short of the House’s opening day record.

For the 2024 session, legislators will file bills addressing a wide variety of topics, with the objective being to enhance the state’s policies, ensuring they better serve the needs of all residents.

One change that members are subject to in the 2024 legislative session is a new provision added in the House rules during the 2023 legislative session. This new provision, outlined in House Rule 39, restricts members from submitting more than 20 bills without obtaining prior approval from the Speaker of the House. Officially implemented on July 1, 2023, this marks the commencement of the first legislative session wherein members must adhere to the newly imposed cap on the number of bills they can file.

To date, Missouri’s 163 House members have filed more than 500 bills, combining with the more than 500 bills filed by the Senate. The legislative session officially begins Wednesday, January 3, 2024, but members have the ability to introduce bills until March 1st.

To keep informed on the bills that are prefiled in the House, please visit the official website of the Missouri House of Representatives at www.house.mo.gov and click on the “Prefiled Bills” link.

Budget Leaders Agree to Consensus Revenue Estimate as Work Begins on State Budget

Budget leaders from the House and Senate have reached an agreement with the governor’s office for projected revenue growth in the coming fiscal year. Known as the Consensus Revenue Estimate (CRE), the figure is used by the governor and legislative leaders to build and balance the state operating budget.

The key figure in the CRE is the projected general revenue collections. Net general revenue collections in FY25 are expected to be $13.16 billion. This represents a 0.2 percent net general revenue growth over the revised CRE for FY24.

The revised estimate for the current fiscal year (FY24) assumes $13.14 billion in net general revenue collections, which represents a 0.7 percent decline compared to FY23.

These past few weeks, some members of the House have been in Jefferson City, as work on the budget for the upcoming session is already underway. Members of the budget committee have been sitting through hearings with various state departments to review their budget items and get a jump start on the process before session convenes on January 3.

Legislators will receive a detailed budget proposal from Governor Mike Parson during his final State of the State address on January 24th.

An Update on General Revenue Collections and Missouri’s Economy

In November 2023, Missouri’s net general revenue collections decreased by 1.2% compared to November 2022, from $1.01 billion to $1.00 billion. For the fiscal year-to-date (2024), net general revenue collections declined by 2.2%, from $5.15 billion last year to $5.04 billion this year. Here’s a breakdown of gross collections by tax type:

Individual Income Tax Collections:

Decreased 8.2% for the year, from $3.66 billion to $3.36 billion.

Decreased 4.3% for the month.

Sales and Use Tax Collections:

Increased 12.8% for the year, from $1.26 billion to $1.42 billion.

Increased 5.9% for the month.

Corporate Income and Corporate Franchise Tax Collections:

Increased 5.0% for the year, from $315.4 million to $331.3 million.

Increased 70.9% for the month.

All Other Collections:

Increased 14.0% for the year, from $287.9 million to $328.4 million.

Decreased 3.6% for the month.

Refunds:

Increased 8.0% for the year, from $363.6 million to $392.6 million.

Increased 1.5% for the month.

New Investment & Partnerships Seek to Reduce Maternal Mortality in Missouri

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has announced a $4.3 million investment to address maternal mortality and improve the health of pregnant women. The funding, approved by the Missouri General Assembly, aims to enhance the quality and accessibility of health services for women during pregnancy and postpartum. Missouri ranks 44th among states in maternal mortality, with an average of 61 women dying annually during pregnancy or within one year of childbirth. The state’s plan includes initiatives such as standardized protocols for maternal-fetal health care, training for maternal care providers, a standardized postpartum care plan, a health access project in collaboration with the University of Missouri Health System, and the establishment of a maternal-child health dashboard for improved data accessibility. Additionally, the Missouri Department of Mental Health has received a $687,777 grant to address maternal depression and related behavioral disorders. The goal is to prevent maternal deaths and improve overall maternal health outcomes through comprehensive support, training, and infrastructure development.

New Commissioner of DESE named

Senator Karla Eslinger has been appointed as the next Commissioner for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) by the State Board of Education. Starting from June 1, 2024, after concluding her legislative work in the Missouri Senate, Eslinger brings over 30 years of education experience, including roles as a teacher, principal, district-level administrator, and superintendent in southwest Missouri. With a background in education and a track record of leadership, Eslinger aims to ensure quality educational opportunities for every child in Missouri. She will succeed the current Commissioner, Margie Vandeven, who announced her departure on July 1, 2024, after more than seven years of service. Eslinger’s priorities include early childhood education, literacy, safe schools, workforce development, and teacher recruitment and retention. Governor Mike Parson and State Board President Charlie Shields commend Eslinger for her leadership qualities and dedication to advancing Missouri’s education system.

End of the Year

It is an honor and privilege to serve as your State Representative for the 143rd District of the State of Missouri. I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.