Perspective

Child care gaps cost Missouri $869 million annually, MU Extension research finds

ST. LOUIS — Analysis from University of Missouri Extension reveals that Missouri loses an estimated $869 million annually due to child care shortages. This includes $723 million in employer costs from absentee workers and turnover along with $146 million in tax revenue that would otherwise be collected to support state and local economies.

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Addressing public safety concerns

I’m happy to speak with you again and discuss a bill currently working its way through the Senate - House Bill 495. This public safety bill is making it through the Senate, having already received its public hearing and been voted out of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee and is now being reviewed by Fiscal Oversight Committee. It has various provisions to help curb illegal immigration, allow for police assistance from neighboring states and prevent stunt driving, among other provisions.

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OPINION | Securing Our Elections: The Imperative for SAVE Act Reforms

(February 27, 2025) — In our great nation, the integrity of our electoral process stands as a pillar of democracy. As Missouri’s Secretary of State, I have witnessed firsthand the challenges that outdated systems impose on election officials—challenges that can compromise our most sacred democratic practices. It is time to modernize the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program to ensure that only eligible citizens participate in our elections.

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