Does any other senator desire to be heard?

If you have ever listened to floor debates in the Missouri Senate, you may have noticed the presiding chair asking “does any other senator desire to be heard?” before proceeding to the next action. This prompt gives senators the chance to inquire about a bill’s content so they can fully comprehend the language and vet the legislation.

On Feb. 10, I brought Senate Bill 84 up for perfection on the floor with the goal to strengthen the penalties against those who tamper, threaten or harm an election official or their families. In my opinion, poll workers are basically an extension of the state, and they deserve extra protections under the law and to know the Legislature has their backs. After fielding questions and providing some clarity on the bill’s intent, I decided to lay the bill over for future debate. I wish this type of legislation wasn’t necessary, but the growing concerns and feedback I’ve received from Missouri’s county clerks says otherwise and reinforces its need. This discussion has been merely been paused, not stopped!

Deliberations on an omnibus criminal justice package, Senate Bills 52 & 44, met the same fate and were also paused in the upper chamber. Lauded as one of the governor’s top priorities for 2025, I am sure many more senators will desire to be heard on this package in the coming weeks.

I was able to make headway on Senate Bill 240 when I presented it to the Senate Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee. Missouri currently has 19 regional planning commissions (RPC) which provide technical assistance, as well as planning and coordinating services to local jurisdictions. However, the threshold for this grant funding hasn’t been updated since the law was enacted in 1966. The Scott County Commission I served on was heavily reliant on the Sikeston Area Regional Planning Corp for data, grant applications, infrastructure reconnaissance and other vital projects. Under SB 240, several Missouri RPCs will be replaced and the maximum grant amount for each will be adjusted to align with the consumer price index.

My other measure that was heard in committee this week was Senate Bill 168. Commonly referred to as the “squatters’ bill,” SB 168 deals with removing people who are unlawfully occupying a property through ex parte orders. Property owners pay for taxes, maintenance and repairs on their property and ought to have greater protections under the law. My proposal would put some teeth into the current penalties for squatting.