Governor Mike Parson delivered the 2023 State of the State Address to the Missouri General Assembly.
Parson expressed to the General Assembly and state officials that Missouri is stronger today and committed to continuing what his administration has started.
After recalling the last year and a special session that saw the passage of the State’s largest income tax cut and extraordinary support for agriculture, his speech centered on the progress state government has made in infrastructure, workforce and education, mental health and health, government reform, and public safety and where more is needed.
To build on the state’s past successes, Parson prioritized major investments in infrastructure, including $250 million to continue broadband expansion efforts and $35 million to update railway crossings all across the state to modern day safety standards.
Parson also called on the General Assembly to make a generational investment to widen and rebuild the I-70 corridor. His plan invests $859 million and expands six lanes from St. Louis to Warrenton, Kansas City to Odessa, and extending both East and West from Columbia. I-70 is one of the most traveled stretch of highway in Missouri, and Governor Parson’s plan would improve inter and intrastate travel for Missourians, visitors, and goods and services as well as reduce traffic injuries and deaths.
During his speech, Parson detailed the progress his administration has made in education funding, teacher pay, and workforce development. This year, his budget proposal adds $117 million to fully fund the foundation formula, $233 million for school transportation needs, $32 million to expand the Career Ladder Program, and continues the Teacher Baseline Salary Program that raised teacher pay from $25,000 to $38,000 per year.
Parson re-emphasized the need for the General Assembly to act to raise state team member pay. He asked legislators to immediately act on his plan to provide an 8.7 percent cost of living adjustment for all state workers and increase the shift differential to $2 per hour pay for team members working in congregate care facilities during high-demand evening and overnight shifts.
Parson included $22 million for the Missouri Department of Social Services’ Children’s Division. The Division remains critically understaffed and under-resourced. Parson’s plan makes strategic investments to hire more support staff and extend critical support to struggling families and children.
Parson also requested $3.5 million to expand the state’s successful youth behavioral health liaison program and add 27 additional liaisons across the state. Additionally, Parson’s budget includes $4 million for Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training programs to increase the number of individuals receiving CNA training.
Missouri currently ranks 44th in the United States maternal mortality. Parson asked the General Assembly to allocate $4.3 million to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to implement its new maternal mortality plan.
During his speech, Parson expressed his continued support for Missouri’s law enforcement officers. He also highlighted the success of the Missouri Blue Scholarship, which, so far, has awarded scholarships to 147 individuals to attend law enforcement training academies in Missouri.
This year, Parson also proposed $50 million for school safety grants for Missouri schools to make physical security investments on their campuses, develop safety plans, establish school resource officer programs, and increase active threat trainings.
Parson concluded the State of the State Address by inviting students from Missouri’s seven public Blue Ribbon Schools on to the House Floor, where he introduced them and highlighted their American Dream.
To view the full transcript of Governor Parson’s speech, click here.
Photo courtesy of Governor Mike Parson