State Representative Matthew Overcast Capitol Report

Greetings Friends of the 155th District!

 

This week in Jefferson City, we kicked off the legislative session on a strong note as committees convened and hearings officially began. I am grateful to Speaker Patterson for referring several of my bills, including HB 1641, which addresses provisions related to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, and HB 2194, which concerns epinephrine delivery devices.

 

Additionally, HB 1644, my joint-employer legislation, was referred to the Economic Development Committee. I was pleased to present this bill at its first hearing this week, and I am encouraged by the positive reception it received. Pending no issues, I anticipate the bill will be executed out of committee this week.

 

I am also honored to be appointed to the Veterans and Armed Forces Committee, bringing my total committee assignments this session to eight. It is a privilege to serve in this role and to advocate for Missouri’s veterans, service members, and military families.

 

I would also like to welcome Julia Martin, who is one of two interns serving in our office this year to support our commitment to strong constituent service. Julia is from St. Louis, Missouri and is interning through the University of Missouri’s Civic Leaders Internship Program. She is a pre-law student expecting to graduate next year and is eager to learn more about Missouri’s legislative process. Having additional support in our office allows us to be more responsive to constituents while also training the next generation of public servants.

 

Looking ahead, my office will host two advocacy days at the Capitol. On January 20, 2026, we will welcome individuals affected by Alpha-Gal Syndrome from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. for a morning focused on awareness and education. Anyone interested in learning more about AGS is invited to attend.

 

On January 21, 2026, my office will host a second advocacy day from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. focused on Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs). During this event, I will discuss House Bills 1635 and 1636 and what these proposals mean for APRNs across Missouri.

 

I look forward to welcoming constituents from the 155th District and surrounding counties to the Capitol for both events. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please do not hesitate to contact my office.

 

Governor Kehoe Outlines Budget Plans in Annual State of the State Address

 

Governor Mike Kehoe delivered his State of the State address this week, outlining his administration’s priorities for the coming year and emphasizing economic growth, workforce development, public safety, and continued investment in core state services. Speaking before a joint session of the General Assembly, the Governor highlighted a conservative, growth-oriented agenda and unveiling his FY 2027 budget, marking one year since taking office as Missouri’s 58th governor. Kehoe emphasized restoring long-term fiscal sustainability as state revenues normalize following years of elevated spending fueled by one-time federal funds.

 

The governor’s budget reduces more than $600 million from the core general revenue budget to begin addressing a projected $2 billion structural imbalance, while continuing to fund mandatory obligations and preserving core support for K-12 education and higher education. Kehoe described the proposal as a return to pre-pandemic budgeting focused on core government functions and fiscal discipline.

 

Public safety remains the administration’s top priority, with $2.3 billion allocated for law enforcement, disaster response, and veterans’ homes, including staffing, equipment, and facility upgrades. Economic development funding totals $2.1 billion, supporting job creation, workforce training, childcare, major capital investment, and preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Education funding reaches $10 billion, maintaining the foundation formula while expanding childcare, career training, accountability measures, and school choice initiatives. Healthcare spending totals $25.2 billion, largely driven by Medicaid and focused on rural healthcare access, mental health services, and substance use treatment.

 

During his State of the State address, Governor Kehoe specifically called on the General Assembly to advance several priority policy areas. Those include placing the elimination of the state income tax before voters through proposed constitutional amendments (HJR 165 and SJR 83), updating Missouri’s Renewable Energy Standard (HB 2807 and SB 383), and enhancing the Missouri Works program to better incentivize capital investments exceeding $50 million (SB 1443).

 

The Governor also urged action on reforms to the juvenile justice system (HB 2498 and SB 888), comprehensive sentencing reform (HB 2637, HB 2880, SB 882, SB 1294, SB 894, with another proposal forthcoming), and allowing pregnant women facing abuse to finalize divorce proceedings (HB 1908).

 

Additional priorities highlighted in the speech include increasing regulations on industrial solar developments (SB 849), establishing public school open enrollment (HB 2604 and SB 971), implementing A–F public school report cards (HB 2539 and SB 1194), and transferring oversight of the Missouri State High School Activities Association to the state (HB 2278 and SB 863).

 

He concluded by positioning fiscal discipline, tax reform, and targeted investment as the foundation for Missouri’s next phase of growth.

 

Missouri Receives $814 Million Investment to Expand Broadband Access Across the State

 

Governor Mike Kehoe announced this week that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration has approved Missouri’s plan to invest more than $814 million to expand high-speed broadband access statewide. The funding, administered through the Department of Economic Development’s Office of Broadband Development, will bring reliable internet service to more than 200,000 unserved and underserved locations, many in rural and hard-to-reach areas. Approval of Missouri’s final proposal under the federal Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program allows the state to move forward with agreements with internet service providers, which will have up to four years to complete network buildouts. State officials emphasized that broadband access is now essential infrastructure, supporting economic growth, education, healthcare, and workforce development. The approved plan relies primarily on end-to-end fiber service, supplemented by satellite and fixed wireless technologies, and preserves significant remaining funds from Missouri’s total BEAD allocation for competitive future economic investments.

 

Missouri Submits Documentation to Release Delayed Federal Child Care Payments

 

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Childhood submitted required documentation this week to the federal government in an effort to release delayed childcare payments to providers across the state. Federal officials requested additional justification for pending Child Care and Development Fund payments, temporarily preventing Missouri from drawing down funds. As of Friday, more than 1,700 childcare providers—representing just over half of all providers statewide—were impacted by the delay. State education officials said they are working closely with federal partners to resolve the issue as quickly as possible and emphasized the importance of maintaining access to safe, reliable childcare for Missouri families. Providers have been encouraged to continue submitting invoices to avoid further delays once federal funds are released. 

 

Missouri Education Shows Strong Gains as DESE Outlines 2026 Priorities

 

State education officials highlighted significant progress in Missouri public education in 2025, pointing to improvements in school performance, student outcomes, and major investments heading into 2026. According to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, more than 91 percent of Missouri public schools now meet or exceed statewide standards, with over 310 schools improving their Annual Performance Report scores year over year. Attendance, graduation rates, and statewide assessment scores also continued to trend upward, and more than 92 percent of students attend fully accredited schools.

 

DESE also received federal approval to pilot an innovative statewide assessment model that moves away from traditional end-of-year testing in favor of modular assessments throughout the school year, providing more timely feedback for students and educators. On the funding side, Governor Mike Kehoe signed a Fiscal Year 2026 budget that fully funds the foundation formula and student transportation, while making historic investments in teacher salaries and small school grants. Work is also ongoing through the Governor-appointed School Funding Modernization Task Force to develop long-term recommendations for updating Missouri’s K–12 funding structure.

 

Additional accomplishments cited include the launch of the nation’s first statewide educator job board, improvements to education data infrastructure, the release of Missouri’s first Teacher Recruitment and Retention Playbook, and progress in reducing childcare regulatory burdens. DESE also delivered executive recommendations on career and technical education to the Governor’s Office and reported strong national performance rankings for Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation programs. Looking ahead, department priorities for 2026 include improving literacy and academic achievement, strengthening support for low-performing schools, expanding access to childcare and early learning, enhancing data quality, and continuing investments in educators and classroom innovation.

 

If you ever have, any questions or concerns feel free to call me at 573-751-2042 or email me at Matthew.Overcast@house.mo.gov. Our office is always here for you.