Senator Brian Williams’ Legislative Column for April 4, 2025

Protecting the Vulnerable

Missouri totally redeems herself in April. Cardinals’ baseball season is in full swing, warmer temperatures prevail and the Capitol is surrounded by tulips and other colorful spring perennials. This is also the month the Senate Appropriations Committee takes up the operating budget proposed by the governor and itemized by the Missouri House of Representatives for the upcoming fiscal year. 

I kicked the month off by presenting my Restoring Artistic Protection Act to the Senate General Laws Committee on April 1. Senate Bill 661 states that evidence of a defendant’s creative or artistic expression shall not be admissible in court or used against them in criminal cases. Missouri is home to some of the greatest musicians, poets, writers and actors, and their art deserves protections. The focus of my legislation, which was voted do pass on April 2, is to protect first amendment rights, uphold the Missouri Constitution and ensure artists can express themselves without being incriminated or accused of crimes they didn’t commit. 

Members of the House Special Committee on Tourism heard Senate Bill 348 on April 2, which enacts several state designations. These include Celia Day on the second Tuesday of each year and the Celia Memorial Highway on sections of Highway 54 in Callaway County, where the former slave was executed for defending herself against years of sexual abuse from her owner. The bill designates the second week of April as Human Trafficking Awareness Week to coincide with Celia’s heroic actions and historic significance and names May 8 as Kappa Alpha Psi Day in Missouri. I’m also pleased the legislation honors Negro Baseball League’s John Donaldson Day on Feb. 20 and establishes End Neighborhood Violence Day on June 17 to memorialize Preston Ja’mon Jones, who lost his life to senseless gun violence, and give advocates a day to mobilize and address the epidemic of violence plaguing our communities.

2025 Human Trafficking Prevention and Awareness Event is April 17

Please join me on the campus of the University of Missouri-St. Louis for this important, annual event. Panelists will share stories and provide resources on how every day citizens can mitigate this scourge in our state. 

It is an honor representing each of you in the Missouri Senate. If you have any ideas to improve our district or questions about legislation, please contact my office at 573-751-4106 or visit my Senate website at senate.mo.gov/Williams.