PERSPECTIVE: The 2023 Legislative Session Begins

Every two years, a new General Assembly of the State of Missouri gets underway at the Capitol

in Jefferson City. On Jan. 4, I took the oath of office as your new state senator, having been

elected in November to a four-year term representing Missouri's 10th Senatorial District. For

those of you who don't know me, I am a small business owner, husband and father. For the

past eight years, I've represented portions of Callaway and Cole counties in the House of

Representatives. Elected to the state Senate, I now serve residents of Callaway, Lincoln,

Montgomery and Pike counties, as well as the northwest portion of St. Charles County.

During the second week of the 2023 legislative session, senators received committee

assignments. I am proud to announce I was named chairman of the Senate Transportation,

Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee. Our governor has made infrastructure

development one of his highest priorities and many of the ideas for improving Missouri's roads

and bridges will pass through the Senate Transportation Committee. New this year, the

Transportation Committee also has responsibility for legislation impacting law enforcement

and public safety. I'm excited about helping to guide public safety legislation, and I'll work

tirelessly to support our brave first responders and protect our communities.

In addition to chairing the Transportation Committee, I was named vice chair of the Consumer

Protection, Energy and the Environment Committee. I will also serve on the Senate's Economic

Development and Tax Policy Committee and the Fiscal Oversight Committee.

Much of the first two weeks of session was devoted to getting settled in our offices and other

routine tasks, but some work has already begun. This week, the Gubernatorial Appointments

Committee began considering nominees for various state boards and commissions. I was

honored to present a resident of the 10th Senatorial District for confirmation. The governor

appointed former State Rep. Kathie Conway of Wentzville to serve on the Missouri Ethics

Commission in May 2022 and she's been serving since October. Her confirmation by the Senate

this week makes her appointment official. I look forward to opportunities to present more

constituents to important state leadership positions in the future.

This is the first of what I expect will be many regular updates from my office during the

legislative session. You can also read the full text of bills and track the progress of pending

legislation at senate.mo.gov. If you live in the 10th Senatorial District, my staff and I are eager

to assist you with any concerns you have about state government. Please don't hesitate to

email or call. If you're ever in the Capital City, come by and say hello. My office is located in

room 417 of the Capitol building. We would love to hear what's on your mind and show you

around the building.

Senator Travis Fitzwater serves residents of Callaway, Lincoln, Montgomery, Pike and a portion of St. Charles counties in the Missouri State Senate. For more information about Sen. Fitzwater, visit senate.mo.gov/Fitzwater.