The 2021 edition of the Missouri General Assembly is underway. Forty-nine new State Representative and 11 new State Senators were sworn in Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, at noon. There is new leadership in the House, a new Speaker of the House: Rob Vescovo, (R) from Jefferson County, and a new Majority Floor Leader, Dean Plocher, (R) from St. Louis County. Leadership in the Senate remained the same with Dave Schatz, (R) Sullivan, reelected as President Pro-Tem and Caleb Rowden, (R) Columbia, reelected as Majority Floor Leader.

The early focus of the session is on the budget. While revenues are expected to meet the needs of the current fiscal year (FY 2021), Revenues for Fiscal Year 2022, which begins July 1, 2021, are projected to be $418M short, meaning severe cuts that could include some sacred cow programs. Another round of federal COVID relief dollars that allows states more discretion on how they can spend the money could relieve the budget pressure, but nothing is a sure thing at this writing.

We are currently tracking several issues and will report on their progress in the coming editions. We thank you and the staff at MIBA for their continued confidence in our abilities to represent your organization before the Missouri Legislature. Stay safe out there!