Legislative Column for the Week of Feb. 3, 2025

This past week has been a busy time for the Missouri Senate. While bills are starting to be placed on the calendar for debate on the floor of the Missouri Senate, budget discussions and committee hearings have taken up most of the days. I am committed to finding solutions that benefit the constituents of the 12th Senatorial District.

This week, the Missouri State Capitol saw an influx of individuals from northwest Missouri as the annual “Great Northwest Days” took place on Tuesday, Feb. 4, and Wednesday, Feb. 5. This event is used to show the importance of our area and the economic impact it has on the entire state. I was encouraged by the amount of constituents, businesses and local entities that made their presence known in our State Capitol.

The Senate Appropriations Committee heard testimony from the Missouri Department of Agriculture, the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, the Missouri Department of Corrections and the Missouri Department of Public Safety.

The Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee debated Senate Bill 62, a measure that is aimed at securing Missouri elections by requiring documented proof of citizenship and the removal of individuals from voter rolls who do not identify as citizens of the United States.

In the Senate Education Committee, Sen. Mike Moon and I presented Senate Bill 49. This legislation would allow for school districts to employ or accept chaplains as volunteers. I believe that educators, counselors and administrative staff do a good job of educating our youth. However, rules and regulations have burdened and not allowed our teachers an adequate amount of time with students. Allowing a school district to employ a chaplain or have one as a volunteer would benefit students and teachers, and provide schools with additional resources to address students’ emotional and spiritual needs. School boards wouldn’t need to adopt this policy until March 1, 2026.

On the Senate Floor, we perfected six bills, including a bill I sponsored. Senate Bill 50 would address problems relating to the construction of new county jail facilities. Senate Bill 50 was perfected by a voice vote on Feb. 5 and sent to the Missouri House of Representatives for similar consideration the following day by a vote of 30-1.

Additionally, the Senate debated a bill that became an omnibus “sunset” removal bill, meaning it received several amendments that would eliminate dates in which certain laws would no longer be active. I was in proud support of an amendment that would remove the sunset on the law prohibiting the prescription and administration of cross-sex hormones or puberty-blocking drugs for the purpose of a gender transition for persons under the age of 18. If this sunset is not removed, the prohibition would expire on Aug. 28, 2027. The underlying bill was laid over, but I am hopeful it will be picked up again at a later date or that we can accomplish this through a standalone bill or amendment on a different bill.     

As always, please feel free to call, email or write with your ideas or concerns. My Capitol office number is 573-751-1415, my email is rusty.black@senate.mo.gov and my mailing address is
 201 W. Capitol Ave., Room 420, State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

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