By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Missouri Chamber of Commerce officials have outlined five priorities for this year’s legislative session in Jefferson City.
Chair of the Chamber, Stet Schanze with Gray Manufacturing in St. Joseph, says the top priority of the chamber is passing legislation to ease the state child care shortage, something the legislature hasn’t been able to do the past two years.
“I think there’s an enthusiasm that we’re going to get legislation through this year,” Schanze tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “It’s not going to be bogged down where nothing’s coming out and, hopefully, most importantly, meaningful legislation that comes out.”
Schanze says a lack of child care has prevented some Missourians from re-entering the workforce.
Schanze says violent crime is another issue that concerns the Chamber.
“Eighty percent of businesses believe that crime, the high rate of crime in our state, is negatively impacting our economy,” according to Schanze, who referred to a Chamber survey of its members.
Schanze says crime is worse in some areas than others, but is always a concern of business executives considering a move.
“They’re going to Google the city they’re moving to and they’re going to see all the things that pop up, whether it’s real or perceived, and in this case, I think it’s more real,” Schanze says. “We’ve got to do a better job at addressing the crime in the state of Missouri.”
Commerce officials in a news release expressed frustration about productivity at the Capitol in Jefferson City a year ago and hope that more could be done this year.
Little got done at the state Capitol in 2023 or 2024. The Chamber points out the Missouri General Assembly approved only 28 non-budget bills in the last legislative session.
Schanze says the Chamber looks to the legislature to accomplish more this year.
“I think we’re going to see some legislation approved this year, but they’ve got to do it,” Schanze says. “But I can tell you in talking with our local delegation they’re ready to go try to get some stuff done for us.”
Other priorities outlined by the Chamber include enhancing energy generation, clarifying the provisions of Proposition A approved by voters in November, and cutting government red tape.
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