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It’s been an eventful week at the State Capitol. Tuesday, July 14, was the deadline for the governor to sign legislation approved during the 2020 session. He put his pen to 17 bills during the final days, bringing the total number of measures signed to 45. ...

As a fourth-generation family farm owner myself, I take special pride in representing and fighting for the thousands of farming families, which call southern Missouri home. We have some of the most diverse and unique agriculture found anywhere in the country and I constantly remind those who have never set foot in our area that if they want to see real Americans working day in and day out from sunrise to sunset, then come to rural Missouri and see what hard work really is. ...

Summer has arrived and election season is heating up. Politicians can be seen walking parade routes and greeting voters at local gatherings. Our mailboxes fill with pamphlets and campaign signs appear on the side of the road. Before you know it, we’ll be lining up to cast our ballots – following appropriate social distancing guidelines, of course...

American life has been dramatically altered over the last several months as our nation has weathered the coronavirus pandemic. These changes are perhaps most profound to parents of school age children who have found their local elementary or middle school shuttered. ...

Dear Friends,  We could hug each of you who have given our family so much. You have taken the darkest season of each of our lives and brought a light of hope into it. Each of you has been a hero. Fighting for us to see our dad in his final hours.  You have encouraged us with your presence, cards, calls and messages, keeping us in your prayers, sending us food, buying  t-shirts, donating and hosting a benefit. We are most of all grateful that you were there for us. There was no distance you weren’t willing to cross. You have left us speechless with gratitude.  While we wear our t-shirts boasting, “Our God is Greater,” we know that it is true. Jeff is healed in heaven. You brought a little of heaven to us in your kindness.  God didn’t make us to live life alone, and we didn’t have to, thanks to you.  We can never repay what you have done, but please know your neighbors can never forget the love you have shared and we are incredibly grateful. Sincerely, The Family of Jeff Taylor Myrtle, Mo.

After the death of George Floyd, Americans across the country were united in their calls for justice. Now, over a month later, the responsible calls for justice have been drowned out by violent mobs. Local leaders in major U.S. cities have demeaned their law enforcement officers so harshly over recent weeks that it’s harder than ever for them to respond to the chaos. ...

As a member of the Missouri Legislature, I normally focus my attention on matters before our state’s General Assembly, but I’m also a citizen and try to stay informed about legislation being considered in Washington, D.C. I’m especially interested in measures that directly impact us here at home. Lately, I’ve been paying particular attention to U.S. Senate Bill S.3422, otherwise known as the Great American Outdoors Act...

As Arkansas began Phase Two of its gradual reopening of businesses and social activities, the governor issued three executive orders related to the coronavirus outbreak. The first provides immunity from civil liability for businesses and employees, to protect them from frivolous lawsuits alleging they were responsible for someone’s contracting Covid-19, the potentially severe illness caused by the coronavirus...

A few weeks ago, we reminded Arkansans of the upcoming deadline for the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship. This week, we received word that the deadline has been extended to Aug. 1. Unlike in prior years, students who are already receiving the scholarship, have a sufficient number of hours, and have earned satisfactory academic progress before March 27 are automatically eligible for the scholarship for the 2020 fall semester...

A common misconception is that the Missouri General Assembly is in session throughout the whole calendar year, just as Congress stays in session the entire year. The fact of the matter is that the Missouri Legislative Session begins in early January and ends in May, with a Veto Session in September, and the occasional Special Session from time to time. ...

What a difference a few months makes. In March, few Missourians had ever heard of COVID-19. Today, as we await the beginning of summer, the virus has impacted the lives of nearly everyone in the state. If our health has not been affected, our livelihoods and lifestyles have been altered in ways we could have never imagined. The good news is that we appear to be moving past the worst of COVID-19...

In recent weeks, big tech companies have intensified their attacks on conservatives’ free speech. These massive corporations can do this because they have built considerable control over all of the information Americans view online. The vast majority of internet searches in the United States, over 88 percent, begin on Goggle’s website. ...

By Dennis Ellsworth, executive director of the Missouri Sunshine Coalition, a nonprofit partnership of businesses, news media, government officials and citizens who advocate for open meetings and open records. So fractured is compliance with the Missouri Sunshine Law that state health officials -- and at least some local governments -- are impeding the release of vital information due the public about the COVID-19 pandemic...

The Legislature has adjourned for the year, and there are no current plans for lawmakers to return to the Capitol until the annual veto session in September. In the meantime, we watch and wait to see if the governor will sign the legislation we passed in 2020...

The disturbing circumstances and events surrounding the death of George Floyd have affected all of us. The police officer, Derek Chauvin, is seen on video pressing his knee down into Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes despite Floyd pleading with the officer that he couldn’t breathe. It is hard to watch. Derek Chauvin and anyone else involved in Mr. Floyd’s death must be held responsible for their actions. All Americans demand justice...

“Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections…and a Majority of each shall constitute a Quorum to do Business; …and may be authorized to compel the Attendance of absent Members, in such Manner, and under such Penalties as each House may provide.” – Article 1, Section 5, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution...

Of all the measures the Missouri General Assembly approved during the 2020 legislative session, I believe one in particular will have a profound effect on our state for years to come. Senate Joint Resolution 38 gives voters the opportunity to amend the state constitution and further restrict the influence of lobbyists and campaign contributors. ...

I appreciate our Founders’ legislative process. This process was created to make lawmaking deliberate. It ought not be easy to pass laws. I have been entrusted with your governing authority. I must be most scrupulous with this honor. The longer I serve, the more I realize that this position must be exercised in the fear of God and in the solemn reverence of you taxpaying employers. ...

From the outset, America has been a profound experiment. What began as a small cluster of colonies wedged between a great ocean and a vast wilderness, became the world’s epicenter of hope and opportunity. A resilient people changed the course of human history by dedicating themselves to a simple yet radical belief that they could rule themselves. ...

As Military Spouse Appreciation Day, Armed Forces Day and Missouri’s Peace Officers Memorial Day have just passed and Decoration Day is now approaching, I came across a two frame/caption picture that captivated my attention. The first setting was a barbecue scene, where people were grilling and enjoying the holiday (since it is the traditional summertime start), and its caption read, “I wish every weekend was Memorial Day weekend.” The following image depicted the solemn embrace of family looking at a fireplace mantle with a photo of a soldier beside a triangular-folded Star-Spangled Banner, with this inscription, “For some, every weekend is Memorial Day weekend.”. ...

The 2020 legislative session came to a close on May 15. In a normal year, the Legislature considers well over 2,000 separate pieces of legislation, and typically passes somewhere between 60 to 100 bills. This year, our scheduled 18-week session was significantly reduced due to the coronavirus. ...

The Chinese government continues to stall all international efforts to find the origin of the coronavirus. In January, Chinese officials said they were zeroing in on the source of the outbreak and that it was “only a matter of time” before it was identified. ...

As the Legislature counts down the final hours of the 100th General Assembly our sole constitutional obligation of passing a state budget is behind us. The $35 billion budget we sent to the governor on May 8 fully funds K-12 education and maintains essential social services programs, despite facing a shortfall in general revenue. ...

After spending weeks shutdown to help slow the spread of the virus, it’s time to restart our economy and allow people to return to work. This has been a difficult time for everyone, but especially here in southern Missouri where people just want to be allowed to work hard, make a living, and provide for their families. ...

There have been times during my legislative career when I have come to the Capitol on a Sunday night to prepare for the following week. It’s always a little eerie spending time alone in our majestic Statehouse when the halls are empty, every door is closed and the occasional footsteps reverberate off hard marble. I’m reminded of that experience a lot this week as legislators return to Jefferson City for the final weeks of the 2020 legislative session...

Before I was elected to office, I owned and operated Cunningham’s Fresh Foods in Marshfield. Those years running a supermarket left me with an appreciation for what it takes to care for customers, keep a store clean and offer the variety of wholesome foods and everyday essentials that consumers demand. In hindsight, those challenges were easy, especially with the great employees I was blessed with. I can hardly imagine what running a retail store is like in the age of COVID-19...

As the Chinese coronavirus has ravaged the United States, upending nations in Europe, infecting nearly every single country on the face of the earth, one thing has been noticeably absent from the global conversation: China’s role in spreading this disease. ...

The Capitol has been mostly dark for the past few weeks. The halls are empty. Office doors are locked tight while legislative staff members work from their respective homes during the coronavirus shutdown. Aside from cleaning crews methodically disinfecting the building, there is only one hub of activity in Missouri’s Statehouse: the second-floor offices of the governor...

During this coronavirus outbreak, our rural communities face unique challenges and require a different response than urban and suburban centers around the country. Unfortunately, these needs are not often understood in Washington. Whether it’s providing immediate and targeted relief for our farmers and ranchers, increasing funding for rural hospitals and health clinics fighting on the frontlines, or expanding zero to low-interest loans for local businesses, I have made it clear to Congress and the White House that my number one priority is rural Missouri. ...

Our country is facing a health crisis unlike anything we have ever seen. Americans are understandably concerned about the coronavirus pandemic, but I have no doubt we will rise to this challenge together. While Congress can’t legislate an end to this disease, my colleagues and I are doing our part to make sure we have the resources in place to respond effectively at all levels of government – federal, state, and local – to get this pandemic under control...

The number of Missourians infected with the COVID-19 virus continues to rise with each passing day. At the moment I prepare this report, no cases have been reported in the eight counties of the 33rd Senatorial District, but I suspect that will change over time. The total number of positive tests for the coronavirus in Missouri has doubled every two days or so, and a few deaths have occurred around the state...

The Green New Deal, solar energy tax credits, federalizing local elections, corporate board diversity requirements, and emission standards for airlines. What do you all of these things have common? They have absolutely nothing to do with the coronavirus outbreak, yet they were the top concerns for Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi this week...

The Green New Deal, solar energy tax credits, federalizing local elections, corporate board diversity requirements, and emission standards for airlines. What do you all of these things have common? They have absolutely nothing to do with the coronavirus outbreak, yet they were the top concerns for Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi this week...

Like many other Missourians I’ve been taken back by the sacrifices Americans are being asked to make to reduce the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Our public health officials tell us that we’re facing a potential crisis unlike anything we’ve seen since the days of polio, smallpox or the great influenza epidemic of 1918. ...

Recently, President Trump released a proclamation seeking Americans to pray, “In our times of greatest need, Americans have always turned to prayer to help guide us through trials and periods of uncertainty...But in this time we must not cease asking God for added wisdom, comfort, and strength, and we must especially pray for those who have suffered harm or who have lost loved ones. ...

Recently, President Trump released a proclamation seeking Americans to pray, “In our times of greatest need, Americans have always turned to prayer to help guide us through trials and periods of uncertainty...But in this time we must not cease asking God for added wisdom, comfort, and strength, and we must especially pray for those who have suffered harm or who have lost loved ones. ...

In October 2018, Ripley County Memorial Hospital closed. The loss of a local hospital is a blow to the community in many ways, not the least of which is the fact that local residents continue to pay for it. Before it closed, the hospital received funds from a local sales tax. Unfortunately, collection of that tax continues even after the hospital’s closure. Because the tax is written into state statute, it requires an act of the Legislature to stop it...

In 2016, the James Comey-led Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) obtained warrants to spy on the Trump Campaign using highly questionable and provably false evidence. While we’ve known that this was little more than a partisan witchhunt, a government report published at the end of last year exposed the Comey-led FBI’s gross negligence for what it was. ...

Need to stop Medicare Part B Hello, Toni: My husband, John enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B when he turned 65 last September because friends had said if he does not enroll in Part B, he will get a penalty. He is fully employed with excellent employer benefits...

This week the Senate took action on a number of important bills. Among the measures that cleared the Senate and passed onto the House of Representatives was my Senate Bill 617. This legislation, once enacted, will provide epi-pens to rural fire departments. ...

President Trump’s work to secure our borders, build a wall and restore the rule of law across our county has energized millions of Americans since he became President. However, his efforts to keep American families safe have continually been undermined by cities, which flagrantly disregard our country’s illegal immigration laws and serve as “Sanctuary Cities” for illegal immigrants seeking a safe hide-away. ...

Since the coronavirus outbreak began in China, misleading information has swirled in the media. Data and statistics have been shared without any context; rumors and speculation have been presented as absolute truths. The New York Times has already labeled it the “TrumpVirus.” When the Left’s hatred of the President is more important to them than letting clear and straightforward facts get to the American people, panic creeps in and everyone is hurt. ...

It was an eventful week in the Missouri legislature, one that included, what I hope, will be one of the longest sessions of the year. The week began routinely, with the Senate taking up legislation for perfection in the chamber. I’m happy to report that my Senate Bill 617 was brought before the body on Monday and received initial approval with little discussion...

Veterans late enrollment in Medicare Part B is costly Hello Ms. Toni: I am a veteran and have always received my healthcare from the Michael DeBakey VA center. I turned 65 last April 2019 and did not sign up for Part B in Medicare. Now I have a serious heart condition requiring surgery and I would like to go to a heart specialist outside of the VA, but I have been told I will have to pay 100% for doctor care, MRIs, etc. ...

The reason the controlling political party in Congress produces a budget for the federal government every spring is to lay out their priorities for the next 10 years, to set spending levels for the numerous federal agencies, and to share those numbers and ideas with the American people. ...

It’s been said that budgets are a reflection of values. How we spend our money reflects the things that are important to us. Or, as the Bible says, “Where your treasure is, there your heart is also.” As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I am constantly impressed by what Missouri’s budget tells us about our values. Well, more than a third of state money goes to take care of those in need...