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District 21 Column
Elected as Missouri State Senator for District 21, Denny Hoskins is a Certified Public Accountant from Warrensburg. Hoskins previously served as state representative for Johnson and Pettis counties, and also served as the Speaker Pro Tem of the Missouri House.
A graduate of University of Central Missouri with a bachelor's degree in accounting, he is the only CPA in the General Assembly.
In his both his personal and public life, Denny has worked on veteran's issues and has been awarded the 2014 Legislator of the Year by the Missouri American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Missouri Association of Veterans' Organizations. He is a veteran of the Missouri Army National Guard and serves on the Missouri Veteran's Commission.
Senate District 21 includes Caldwell, Carroll, Howard, Johnson, Lafayette, Livingston, Ray and Saline counties.
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The legislative process begins
Posted Friday, January 22, 2021, at 8:29 AMWith a delayed start due to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday, the Missouri Senate hit the ground running this week with a full slate of committee hearings. The first step in the legislative process, committee hearings allow citizens and interested groups a chance to express their views on proposed legislations before proposals move too far along. ... -
The 101st General Assembly begins
Posted Thursday, January 7, 2021, at 1:58 PM(January 7, 2021) — This week, legislators returned to the Capitol for the start of the 101st General Assembly. Activity in the Senate got underway at noon on Wednesday with 34 members taking their places in the chamber. Among my colleagues were 11 newly elected senators who took the oath of office for the first time, as well as five members returning for a second term. I was one of the senators taking the oath for the second, and final time due to term limits... -
Extra session ends, pre-filing begins
Posted Thursday, December 3, 2020, at 1:08 PMThis week, the Missouri Senate completed the task the governor put before us when he called the Legislature back to Jefferson City for the Second Extra Legislative Session of 2020. The Senate approved a supplemental budget for Fiscal Year 2021, granting the governor the authority to spend federal dollars aimed at responding to the coronavirus pandemic. The Legislature faced a “use it or lose it” deadline requiring much of the federal money to be allocated prior to Jan. 1... -
Vote ‘Yes’ on Amendment 3
Posted Thursday, October 22, 2020, at 7:25 AMAnyone who turns on the TV is well aware there’s an election on Tuesday, Nov. 3. We’re inundated with ads and, by now, I’m sure most of us have made up our minds about the various races. There may still be some confusion about the constitutional questions on the ballot, though. Missouri voters will have two opportunities to amend our state’s constitution... -
Debating solutions to crime
Posted Friday, August 7, 2020, at 12:39 PM(August 7, 2020) — After nearly 12 hours of debate, the Senate has approved a package of legislation intended to address the alarming rise of violent crime in Missouri’s largest cities. The General Assembly returned to Jefferson City on July 27 for an extra legislative session called by the governor. ... -
Moving forward from COVID-19
Posted Wednesday, April 29, 2020, at 3:14 PM(Wednesday, April 20, 2020) — This week, the governor announced the first phase of his “Show Me Strong Recovery” plan, outlining steps Missouri will take to gradually reopen economic and social activity. Beginning Monday, May 4, citizens may begin returning to economic and social activities, but must adhere to social distancing requirements. ... -
We’re making progress
Posted Thursday, April 16, 2020, at 7:51 AMAs we began our fifth week under a statewide emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic, Missourians continue to follow the governor’s guidance on social distancing. As I prepare this report, nearly 4,700 Missourians have tested positive for COVID-19, including 127 within the 21st Senatorial District. ... -
Returning to the Capitol
Posted Friday, April 10, 2020, at 2:06 PM(April 8, 2020) —The Legislature returned to the Capitol this week but it was not business as usual. On Tuesday, I joined with fellow members of the Senate Appropriations Committee to review the supplemental budget bill proposed by the House of Representatives. ... -
Slowing the spread
Posted Thursday, March 19, 2020, at 7:54 AMThe Senate has been in recess this past week as our leadership extended our previously scheduled spring hiatus out of concern for the coronavirus. That means that, like you, I’ve been at home practicing my social distancing skills and trying to learn as much as I can about this global pandemic. ... -
Defending our right to hunt
Posted Friday, February 28, 2020, at 2:38 PMThis week, I presented legislation that asks Missouri voters to enshrine the right to hunt and fish in Missouri’s Constitution. Senate Joint Resolution 62 simply states that “the citizens of this state have a right to hunt, fish and harvest wildlife.” The measure, which requires a vote of the people, says that no rule or regulation shall unreasonably restrict traditional methods and devices of harvesting fish and game... -
Another busy week
Posted Friday, February 14, 2020, at 2:07 PMLegislative activity continued at the State Capitol this week with a full schedule of committee hearings and a number of bills being debated in the Senate Chamber. The Agriculture Committee approved two of the bills I presented last week and sent them on to the full Senate for its consideration. ... -
Welcoming constituents
Posted Friday, February 7, 2020, at 11:07 AMYou might imagine, there was plenty of red on display at the Capitol this week. How about those Chiefs? Congratulations to Missouri’s NFL team for a much-deserved victory. The Chiefs did Missouri proud! We had an abbreviated week at the State Capitol as a forecast of severe weather raised concerns that lawmakers could get stranded in Jefferson City. The decision was made to adjourn legislative activity mid-day Wednesday and send folks home... -
Happy Holidays
Posted Monday, December 16, 2019, at 2:58 PMAs we approach the holiday season, I would like to wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. From my family to yours, I hope you have a joyous holiday surrounded by friends and loved ones. If you are on the road this holiday season, I wish you safe travels. Please keep those less fortunate or alone in mind and let’s all share the holiday spirit... -
A day to honor all veterans
Posted Wednesday, October 30, 2019, at 3:30 PMMonday, Nov. 11, is Veterans Day. One of three federal holidays that honor military service, Veterans Day recognizes all men and women who have served honorably in the Armed Forces of the United States. The two other holidays, Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day, are reserved for active duty military and those who have lost their lives in service to our nation... -
An Extraordinary Week at the Capitol
Posted Thursday, September 19, 2019, at 8:30 AMLast week, lawmakers were in Jefferson City for the annual veto session, as well as an extraordinary session called by the governor. The veto session was brief, since none of the six bills rejected by the governor were overridden. Legislators seemed content to revisit the provisions of the vetoed bills again in the spring, if necessary... -
Taking a stand for good government
Posted Friday, May 10, 2019, at 3:29 PMThis week, with just days remaining in the 2019 session – and only hours left to pass the state budget – I stood in the Senate chamber and brought legislative proceedings to a standstill. Typically, I’m not prone to rash behavior or sensational acts, but I had reached my limit with the inaction of some of my legislative colleagues in the House of Representatives and believed it was necessary to take a stand... -
Crunching numbers and serving pie
Posted Friday, April 26, 2019, at 10:46 AMThe Missouri Constitution requires the General Assembly to balance the state budget every year. The process begins in the House of Representatives, where lawmakers draft 13 budget bills that outline revenue and expenses for the various state government agencies. The Senate Appropriations Committee completed its review of the House budget proposals last week and the full Senate reviewed and passed the Senate’s substitute bills this week... -
Watching the numbers
Posted Friday, April 12, 2019, at 12:36 PMThe Senate Appropriations Committee has met almost every day this week to pour over the budget recommendations sent over from the House of Representatives. According to the Missouri Constitution, budget legislation originates in the House. The Senate reviews the House’s budget and offers changes. The two versions are eventually reconciled by a conference committee before final numbers are presented to both chambers for approval... -
Cultivating Agricultural Knowledge
Posted Monday, April 8, 2019, at 9:09 AMWhere does milk come from? The answer to that question will vary, depending on a person’s age and where they were raised. Increasingly, Missourians are disconnected from the farm and many young people today have no understanding of how a gallon of milk ends up in their grocer’s dairy case... -
REAL ID available March 25
Posted Monday, March 18, 2019, at 3:02 PMImagine stepping up to TSA security check-in at the airport and being told your Missouri driver’s license is not an acceptable form of identification for boarding your flight. That could actually happen beginning Oct. 1, 2020. On that date, TSA and other federal authorities will only accept identification that complies with the REAL ID Act of 2005...
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