Missouri Press Association members attending this year’s Day at the Capitol had the opportunity to hear from the state’s new Secretary of State, Speaker of the House and both Lieutenant Governor and Governor.
For the 35th year, MPA members met in Jefferson City for Day at the Capitol, Jan. 23. The morning started off with attendees meeting in the Capitol for a quick legislative update before being sent to roam the halls and meet with their local legislators.
As in previous years, the key goal for the morning is facetime with legislators so newspapers can draw attention to proposed legislation that is detrimental to the publication’s ability to keep their community informed. While bill numbers change year-to-year, important legislation to keep an eye on includes those that limit accessibility to records through the state’s Sunshine Law or take public notices out of newspapers, both of which are a concern this legislative session in various forms.
When MPA members reconvened for the morning session, they were sent to the House lounge. Historically, the Association’s morning Day at the Capitol program has been held in the Senate lounge, but this year it was moved to the opposite end of the building in conjunction with the House lounge opening for tours for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Among the morning’s speakers were House Speaker Jonathan Patterson, who talked about his legislative priorities for the chamber this session, including making “Missouri the most pro-life state it can be.”
Patterson said he is waiting on legislation to come together and there are a wide range of views to consider when crafting a response to Amendment 3, approved by Missouri voters in the November 2024 general election.
“Whatever we do has to go back to the will of the voters,” he said.
Also speaking in the morning were new statewide office holders Secretary of State Denny Hoskins and Lieutenant Gov. David Wasinger.
Wasinger started his remarks by talking about his experience as a boy delivering the Hannibal Courier-Post in his hometown. He also talked about how when he would go to collect subscriptions on his route, he would see how important the local newspaper was to people who might not have a lot of extra money to spare.
Because of his previous experience delivering newspapers, Wasinger said when he was asked by MPA Executive Director Mark Maassen to speak during the morning program, he jumped at the chance. Wasinger also said he appreciates the work that the media, especially local newspapers, do to ensure people are informed.
He described himself as a political outsider who can’t be “bought and paid for” and a supporter of Pres. Donald Trump. Like the president, Wasinger said he wants to shake up the political establishment in Jefferson City.
“I will be a warrior for the Trump administration in the lieutenant governor’s office,” Wasinger said, adding that he will work “hand in glove” with federal authorities to “eliminate the out-of-control illegal immigration problem in the state of Missouri.”
Secretary of State Hoskins, who previously served as a state senator and representative, also expressed his support for local newspapers. As a subscriber to his local newspaper in Warrensburg, Hoskins said he will continue to do whatever he can to support them because they are “vitally important” to their communities.
In his new statewide role, Hoskins said he plans to visit all parts of Missouri. “It’s important to get out amongst the people and not just be in a box here in Jeff City.”
Hoskins said election integrity will be a critical issue for his office moving forward as he wants Missouri’s elections to be considered the most secure and fair elections in the country.
As the state’s keeper of records, Hoskins stressed that he wants his office to set an example for open government in Missouri.
“We want to be transparent at the Secretary of State’s office, but we want other parts of government to be transparent too,” he said.
At the Governor’s Mansion, Gov. Mike Kehoe spoke to members and took questions about the state’s legislative priorities for the coming year. Since Kehoe had not yet given his State of the State address, some questions were deferred until he could lay out plans during that Jan. 28 speech.
Still, Kehoe reiterated his support for cutting taxes for Missourians and developing a legislative response to Amendment 3’s passage last year.
Members are encouraged to meet with their legislators in person as often as possible to relay the importance of laws that ensure open access to government records and meetings. In-person meetings are the most effective way to get your legislators to listen.
If you have questions about meeting with legislators, contact MPA Executive Director Mark Maassen or Chad Stebbins, who can provide talking points about critical legislation being considered. Contact Maassen at mmaassen@mopress.com and Stebbins at cstebbins@mopress.com.