Missouri Senate convenes, welcomes U.S. Sen. Eric Schmidt and introduces a slate of bills
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Summary
The Missouri State Senate opened with prayer and the pledge, approved the journal, welcomed U.S. Sen. Eric Schmidt as a guest and introduced a series of resolutions and Senate bills — including SJR 114 and measures on MoHealthNet, insurance coverage, police retirement, and treatment protocols — then referred gubernatorial appointments to committee and adjourned until Jan. 21.
JEFFERSON CITY — The Missouri State Senate convened in routine session, opening with a prayer by the Reverend Stephen George and the pledge of allegiance before completing roll call and approving the journal.
Senators welcomed U.S. Senator Eric Schmidt, a former state senator, who addressed the chamber earlier in the day and sat at the dais as a guest. The senator from Platt introduced Schmidt, saying the senator had “actually used to sit in our seats, and is now representing us in the United States Senate.” During the introduction the senator from Platt joked that he had consulted artificial intelligence for a lighthearted fact, saying, “ChatGPT says that it's Senator John Fetterman.”
The senate recorded several procedural actions and a large group of bill introductions. A senator identified as the 'Senator from the first' announced three resolutions to be printed in the journal. The secretary read Senate Joint Resolution 114, offered by Senator Hudson, described on the floor as "a joint resolution relating to judges." No debate occurred on the resolution at introduction.
The secretary then read a series of Senate bills offered by multiple senators. Among the measures introduced and sent forward for committee assignment were:
- Senate Bill 1568 (offered by Senator Carter), "an act relating to administrative remedies in MoHealthNet cases." MoHealthNet is Missouri's Medicaid program.
- Senate Bill 1569 (offered by Senator Lewis), "an act relating to insurance coverage for treatment of certain menopause related conditions."
- Senate Bill 1570 (offered by Senator Lewis), "an act relating to birth certificates."
- Senate Bill 1571 (offered by Senator Lewis), "an act relating to insurance coverage of orthotic, prosthetic, and assistive devices."
- Senate Bill 1572 (offered by Senator Henderson), relating to the board of trustees of the Police Retirement System of St. Louis.
- Senate Bills 1573–1575 (offered by Senator Crawford), addressing children in custody of the state, a sales tax for museum purposes, and capital gains tax provisions, respectively.
- Senate Bill 1576 (offered by Senator Fitzwater), creating a commission to study trade with Ireland.
- Senate Bills 1577–1579 (offered by Senator Gregory of the fifteenth), covering the advisory board of a vocational enterprises program, monies received from sale of state real property, and driving-while-intoxicated penalty provisions.
- Senate Bills 1580–1581 (offered by Senator Bean), relating to the ordering and administration of ketamine for mental health purposes and to Ibogaine treatment.
On procedural business, the senator from Shelby asked that gubernatorial appointments and reappointments be referred to the committee on gubernatorial appointments; the presiding officer ordered that referral. With no further business on the floor, the senator from Platt moved to adjourn and the senate agreed by voice vote, standing adjourned until Wednesday, Jan. 21 at 1 p.m.
No committee debate, committee referrals beyond the gubernatorial appointments referral on the floor, formal motions to amend, or recorded roll-call votes on substantive bills took place during this session; the bills were introduced and sent forward for further consideration. The items read on the floor will be printed in the senate journal and assigned to committees for hearings and potential amendment.