Tony Luetkemeyer

The 2022 legislative session ended on May 13. During the final hours, I was able to get one of my top legislative priorities across the finish line. Legislation sent to the governor’s desk last week will thwart future efforts to defund the police in Kansas City and increase the minimum funding requirement for the Kansas City Police Department, subject to voter approval. Senate Bill 678 increases the budget allocation for the KCPD for the first time in nearly seven decades. A companion measure, Senate Joint Resolution 38, will put the issue before voters.

As I prepare this report, we are just a few hours away from the deadline for approving the 2023 fiscal year operating budget. The appropriations bills we are set to pass will fully fund Missouri’s K-12 classrooms, increase starting pay for teachers and provide additional resources for our schools’ transportation costs. There’s also increased funding for highways and bridges, rural broadband expansion and a long-overdue effort to address aging infrastructure throughout the state.

This week in the Missouri Senate, we passed 14 appropriations bills for the various departments of state government. Thirteen of the spending bills passed by the Senate differ from the original proposals drafted by the House of Representatives, so those differences will need to be resolved and approved by the entire General Assembly by 6 p.m. on May 6. As it stands now, the 2023 budget will fully fund K-12 education programs in Missouri, provide nearly $150 million for road and bridge improvements and retire roughly $100 million of public debt. Among the changes recommended by the Senate is more than $200 million for school transportation expenses, freeing local resources to benefit classrooms, rather than going toward fuel and school bus maintenance.

JEFFERSON CITY — State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville, congratulates Sara Montalbano of Parkville for her selection as a 2022 Women Legislators of Missouri Scholarship recipient. A senior at Park Hill South High School, Montalbano is one of eight Missouri students to receive the $1,000 scholarship. “I was thrilled a...

JEFFERSON CITY — State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville, welcomed representatives of the Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce to the Missouri State Capitol. The group travels to the Capitol every year to advocate for the region and learn about issues before the Legislature. “It was my honor to meet with...

JEFFERSON CITY — State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville, congratulates three area teens for their accomplishment of becoming Eagle Scouts, the highest achievement in the Scouts BSA program. Senator Luetkemeyer presented Senate resolutions to each of the scouts following an honor ceremony at Platte Woods United Methodist Church. The three...

JEFFERSON CITY — State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville, was pleased to welcome members of Lafayette High School’s “Dead Patriots Society” to the Missouri State Capitol. The after-school club focused on history and government travels to Jefferson City each year to witness the Legislature in session. “As...

JEFFERSON CITY — Legislation sponsored by State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville, to increase funding for the Kansas City Police Department moved one step closer to becoming law as the House of Representatives Public Safety Committee took testimony on the two bills that make up the proposal. Senate Bill 678 increases the minimum budget threshold for the KCPD for the first time since the 1950s, while Senate Joint Resolution 38 puts a related question before voters.

JEFFERSON CITY — State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville, congratulates Kathy Nelson for her recognition as a recipient of a 2022 Lieutenant Governor’s Women of Achievement Award. An influential leader of Kansas City’s sports, tourism and economic development community, Nelson was one of ten women selected in the inaugural class of award recipients.

JEFFERSON CITY — State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville, discusses Senate Bill 678, legislation that seeks to modify provisions relating to funding for the Kansas City Police Department; Senate Bill 680, which is now included on Senate Bill 649, and would place a limit on the growth in assessments of residential real property; and Senate Bill 1061, a measure that would authorize sports wagering.

JEFFERSON CITY — Legislation sponsored by State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville, to increase election integrity in Missouri was heard by the Senate Local Government and Elections Committee. Senate Bill 679 requires voters to present a photo ID, outlaws electronic voting and restores eligibility for absentee ballots to more secure pre-pandemic standards.

JEFFERSON CITY — State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville, was pleased to welcome two groups of career and technical education students from the 34th Senatorial District to the Missouri Senate this week. Visiting the State Capitol as part of Career and Technical Education Month activities were technical education students from Northland Career Center of Platte City and members of the FBLA chapter of West Platte High School.

JEFFERSON CITY — Fully disabled military veterans would owe no Missouri property tax on their home if legislation sponsored by Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville, is approved by the General Assembly and passed by voters. Senate Joint Resolution 40 would place a constitutional amendment on an upcoming ballot, asking voters to expand a current property tax exemption for disabled former prisoners of war to include all U.S. armed forces veterans with a total service-connected disability. Senator Luetkemeyer presented his legislation to the Seniors, Families, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee during a hearing this week.

JEFFERSON CITY — Public safety provisions sponsored by State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville, have now become state law. Senate Bill 53, which took effect Aug. 28., encourages recruitment of Kansas City police officers by relaxing residency requirements, increases penalties for internet harassment of police officers and confiscates prisoner COVID-19 stimulus checks to pay victims.