Dinkins: Greetings friends!

This week has been quite busy in the district. I was appointed to the Transportation and Accountability Committee. I think all government agencies, departments and commissions need accountability. Normally, all our hearings are at the capitol, however, this week we had a hearing in Eminence. This hearing was to address issues that constituents are having with overreach from the National Parks Service. The meeting lasted for 4 hours while person after person told story after story of issues with park rangers. As with any story, there are always 2 sides, so I was disappointed when the superintendent had an opportunity to address the committee and audience and give “their side” of the story but refused to do so. My note pad was full of questions, questions I would like to hear answers to. Though the meeting ended with a lot of unanswered questions, I don’t believe this is the end of the story. I look forward to hearing what the attorney general’s office has to say about some of these things.

I was honored to be asked to be a guest speaker for the Pearl Harbor Day Remembrance Ceremony held at the Reynolds County Courthouse. I always consider it a great privilege to be asked to address our veterans. Veterans have a special place in my heart and I do not feel like we do enough to honor and thank them for their service.

We are a great nation and a great people and that greatness stems from our devotion to the ideals that have made our nation what it is today. That devotion leads to selfless men and women sacrificing their lives to keep our freedoms intact. That devotion also means those who do not serve should support and honor those who do.

So remember not just on Pearl Harbor Day, Veterans Day, and Memorial Day but on each and every day of the year, to support our troops and our veterans in any way you can. And to those who have served our county ... Thank You! I can not tell you how much we value your courageous sacrifice for our country. We are all truly blessed to live in the greatest country in the world.

Bill Pre-Filing for the 2025 Legislative Session Begins

As the Missouri General Assembly gears up for the 2025 legislative session, House members are set to begin unveiling their legislative agendas for the coming year. The legislative session officially begins Wednesday, January 8 but lawmakers can pre-file legislation beginning Monday, Dec. 2.

The first day of pre-filing typically sees hundreds of bills introduced. Last year, a total of 787 legislative proposals were pre-filed, breaking the previous pre-filing record of 776, which was set in 2020. In 2023, members of the House submitted 336 bills on the inaugural day, contributing to a cumulative total of 578 bills filed during the entire pre-filing period. For the 2022 session, legislators initiated the pre-filing process by introducing 372 bills on the first day and a total of 770 bills, contrasting with the 688 bills filed for the 2021 legislative session and the record-breaking 776 bills for the 2020 session.

For the 2025 session, legislators will file bills addressing a wide variety of topics. To keep informed on the bills that are pre-filed in the House, please visit the official website of the Missouri House of Representatives at www.house.mo.gov and click on the “Pre-filed Bills” link.

Minimum Wage Set to Increase on January 1

On November 5, Missouri voters passed Proposition A, amending state law to raise the minimum wage. This was placed on the ballot through the initiative petition process, not by the general assembly. Once the election results are certified, the state’s minimum wage will increase to $13.75 per hour on January 1, 2025, and to $15.00 per hour on January 1, 2026. Future adjustments will align with changes in the Consumer Price Index.

Currently, Missouri’s minimum wage is $12.30 per hour, up from $7.65 in 2015. Previous increases resulted from Proposition B, approved in 2018, which tied adjustments to the Consumer Price Index. Without Proposition A, the minimum wage was set to rise to $12.65 in 2025.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions, concerns, or suggestions you might have. As your Representative, I am here to assist you however I can. I can be reached by email at Chris.Dinkins@house.mo.gov or by phone at (573) 751-2112. Please do not contact me via social media. These messages are easy to overlook and may not be responded to in a timely manner.

CHRIS DINKINS serves the 144th District of Missouri. She can be reached by email at Chris.Dinkins@house.mo.gov or by phone at (573) 751-2112.