Members of the Missouri General Assembly gathered in the House Chamber on Tuesday afternoon to listen to the annual State of the State Address delivered by Governor Mike Kehoe. Missouri’s new governor outlined his legislative and budgetary priorities for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26).

In addressing public safety, Gov. Kehoe introduced the “Safer Missouri” initiative through six executive orders aimed at supporting law enforcement. His budget proposal includes $10 million for the Blue Shield Program, funding for the Missouri Blue Scholarship Program and $2.5 million for the sheriff’s retirement system. He also proposed a $4 million investment in fentanyl testing to enhance school safety and called on the legislature to take action to increase penalties for fentanyl trafficking.

Gov. Kehoe also stressed economic development as a priority. He expressed a commitment to eliminating Missouri’s individual income tax and reducing regulations to foster growth. Additionally, $100 million was reappropriated to address rural road improvements.

To address childcare needs, the Governor issued an executive order to streamline childcare regulations. He proposed $10 million to support partnerships aimed at expanding access to child care, alongside funding for timely provider payments and career development initiatives.

In the realm of education and workforce development, Gov. Kehoe called for voluntary open enrollment in public schools and proposed $50 million for the Educational Savings Account (ESA) program. His budget recommendations included $200 million for the Foundation Formula, $370 million for school transportation, $33 million for teacher salaries, $30 million for Small School Grants, and $15 million for career and technical education centers.

Agriculture, a vital part of Missouri’s economy, was another focal point of the address. Gov. Kehoe proposed $800,000 in permanent funding for Missouri FFA and $55 million for new livestock facilities at the Missouri State Fair, reflecting his commitment to supporting the agricultural community.

The governor also addressed government efficiency and veterans’ affairs. His proposals included pay plan increases for state employees, $4 million for alternatives to abortion programs, and $10 million for Missouri Veterans Homes. In closing, Gov. Kehoe honored veterans and emphasized the importance of ensuring adequate funding to prevent closures of veteran homes. He reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to working with legislators to achieve shared goals and secure a brighter future for Missouri.

Committees Start Strong with Important Legislation

Now that the legislative session has gone into full swing, various committees are hearing a variety of bills across a vast number of topics.

I had the privilege to bring forward my own legislation on Feb. 3 in the House Emerging Issues Committee. HB624 is a critical piece of legislation that I am incredibly happy to have brought forward this earlier in the legislative session. Below is a summary of the bill:

“Currently, schools are only allowed to let a student compete in an athletics competition designated for the biological sex of the student, as stated on the student’s official birth certificate. Except, female students may participate in competitions designated for male students if there is no corresponding athletics competition designed for female students available. This provision is set to expire on August 28th, 2027. (HB624) removes the expiration date.”

I am proud to be offering this bill to the committee and doing so with fellow Representatives Hardy Billington and Brian Seitz.

I will also be bringing forward HB314 this upcoming week to the Crime and Public Safety Committee. I want to thank Chairman Jeff Myers for allowing my bill to come before the committee. I believe HB314 to be critical for ensuring Missouri can be the safest state possible. Below is a summary of the bill:

“Currently, offenders convicted of certain offenses who also have one or more previous commitments to the Department of Corrections are required to serve a minimum percentage of the sentence imposed, depending on the number of the previous prison commitments. This bill repeals the previous commitment-based tier and specifies that an offender who has no previous commitments to the Department of Corrections must serve 75% of his or her sentence, and an offender who has one or more previous commitments must serve 80% of his or her sentence. An offender who has been convicted of the offense of rape in the first degree or attempted rape in the first degree; enticement of a child or attempted enticement of a child; or armed criminal action must serve 100% of his or her sentence.”

Getting to Work on Improving Public Safety

The Crime and Public Safety Committee, which I proudly serve on, worked quickly to pass out a comprehensive public safety package this week, setting the stage for HB 495 to head to the House floor in the coming days. HB 495 seeks to enhance public safety measures, improve law enforcement accountability and address critical issues affecting the communities across Missouri. One component of the bill would transfer control of the St. Louis Police Department to a board of police commissioners by the end of 2025. The board would oversee the department’s policies, appeals, and disciplinary actions while ensuring that salaries and working conditions for officers remain unchanged.

The Committee also heard testimony on and passed out two other bills:

HB 117 would expand burglary laws to include breaking into a vehicle to steal or commit a crime. If the offender has or steals a firearm during the break-in, it’s a Class C felony. The bill also makes it a Class E felony to try opening multiple car doors or locks to gain entry, unless the person owns the vehicle or has permission.

HB 225 allows law enforcement agencies to request assistance from agencies in other jurisdictions, including those outside Missouri but within the United States. It clarifies that officers assisting outside their jurisdiction must follow specific procedures when making arrests and remain employees of their home agencies for benefits and employment matters. The bill also updates rules for emergency vehicles, affirming that they can disregard certain traffic laws when using audible and visible signals. However, police vehicles do not need to use sirens or lights when gathering evidence of speeding violations, responding to a crime in progress where signals could alert suspects or conducting surveillance on a vehicle or its passengers suspected of criminal activity.