Sarah Kellogg

Despite distractions created by Governor Greitens’ scandals, some senators are pleased with what they’ve accomplished this legislative session.

The session ended Friday, and many senators ended their state politics careers due to term limits. Senator Dan Brown is among them. He says the mark of a good session is passing a good budget.

“I’m leaving my last term, and I’m leaving with a budget that I’m proud of that doesn’t have holes in it. I tried to prevent hat for whomever the new appropriations chair may be,” Brown says.

A bill requiring lessons on consent and sexual assault passed the legislature Tuesday night after it was added as an amendment to a larger education bill.

The original House bill, written by students and sponsored by Rep. Holly Rehder, R-Sikeston,  never got a vote in the House chamber. 

The legislation was then added by Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, to House Bill 1606 during Senate debate, where it was adopted.

Sen. Bill Eigel, R-Weldon Spring, thought there was a consensus among his fellow lawmakers on a House tax bill when he brought it to the floor. However, differing opinions on the bill may have killed chances for this year.

The bill would reduce the income tax rate for the highest bracket by .4%, with the possibility of a reduction of .5%

The House General Laws Committee has passed a bill allowing firearms in current “gun free zones” along with other legislation concerning guns.

Of the eight bills that had public hearings on Monday, five passed through committee Tuesday evening. The voting mostly went by party lines, with all five Republican sponsored bills and one Democrat-backed bill passing the majority republican committee.

This includes a bill that allows firearms without a conceal and carry permit into current gun free zones such as bars, hospitals and churches.

Proposed legislation would allow some Missouri employees to take unpaid leave to take care of matters relating to domestic violence.

The Senate Seniors, Families and Children Committee held a public forum on the bill Wednesday morning.

The bill would legally require workplaces with a minimum of fifteen employees to allow workers to take one week of leave concerning matters of domestic violence. These days could be used to seek medical attention, obtain counseling, seek legal help or other matters related to a situation of domestic violence.  Employers with at least 50 employees would be required to allow two weeks.

Missouri could fall in line with other states hoping to implement work requirements for “able-bodied” Missourians on Medicaid.

A Senate Committee held a public forum Wednesday morning on legislation that would require some residents to engage in 20 hours of work, education, job searching or other services per week.

Currently, Missouri has no way of keeping track of processed sexual assault collection kits. A proposed bill hopes to fix that.

During a hearing Monday afternoon, members of the public spoke in favor of a bill that would create an online system that uploads and stores information on sexual assault kits.

Right now, a survivor of rape would possibly not have the ability to know where that kit is. Sen. Jeanie Riddle, R-Mokane, the bill’s sponsor, cited Attorney General Josh Hawley’s proposed statewide audit to determine just how many rape kits are untested in the state of Missouri.

Governor Eric Greitens defended his tax plan at a news conference Thursday afternoon, stating that the tax cuts would lead to more money for residents and would not decrease the amount of funding the government receives.

Greitens was responding to comments from the state auditor’s office that stated any more tax cuts would ultimately harm Missouri’s economy.

A proposed house bill would require law enforcement officials to obtain a warrant to use any device that intercepts communication from wireless devices. This includes: cell phones, tablets and laptops. Currently, it is against the law to gather wired communication such as landlines without a warrant.

The Special Committee on Homeland Security held a public hearing on the bill Thursday morning.

As a part of the Missouri Capitol’s Sex Trafficking Awareness Day, lawmakers and other officials spoke at a rally held Tuesday afternoon. The day was a part of Missouri’s Sex Trafficking Awareness Month, which takes place in January.

The rally, assembled by Missouri Senator Jamilah Nasheed, featured speeches by lawmakers on the importance of combating sex trafficking in the state.

Representative Cora Faith Walker, who currently sponsors a bill that “prohibits the prosecution of minor children for prostitution,” emphasized how awareness is not enough.

The House Committee on Crime Prevention and Public Safety held a public hearing Tuesday morning on a proposed bill that criminalizes the nonconsensual circulation of private sexual images. A more commonplace term for this is revenge porn.

According to the statements made at the hearing, thirty eight states have similar laws already.