Dinkins: Greetings Friends of the 144th Legislative District!

As some of you may recall, back at the beginning of October, I took a trailer load of supplies to Tennessee for those impacted by the hurricane. Little did I know that a month later I would be impacted by flooding. This week after 10 days at the motel, the water finally receded enough to get a temporary road in so that the electric company could come in and restore our electric. Although we have a lot of damage and cleanup, I am thankful that I still have a place to go home too, unlike a lot of those impacted by the hurricane. When you find yourself in an unfortunate situation, you can almost always look around and find others who have it worse. So look around and find things to be Thankful for every day!

Missouri conducts secure election

While some other states have seen numerous issues plague their election process, Missouri once again conducted a successful and secure general election. When Missourians went to the polls on Nov. 5, they made their voices heard in a fair and safe process that provides timely, accurate results. With just over 4.4 million registered Missouri voters, totals show approximately 67% cast a ballot in this election.

It’s been two years since Missouri had its first statewide election take place under new election integrity measures, following the passage of HB 1878 in 2022. Some of the improvements to our electoral processes from that legislation was two weeks of no-excuse in-person absentee voting and the requirement of showing a valid photo ID or casting a provisional ballot.

In addition to selecting their elected officials, Missourians also passed four statewide ballot measures:

• Amendment 2 – Sports Wagering: Legalizes sports betting for individuals 21+ in Missouri, with a 10% tax on revenues for education and gambling prevention.

• Amendment 3 – Reproductive Health: Creates constitutional rights for reproductive health choices, lifts Missouri's abortion ban but allows for certain restrictions after fetal viability.

• Amendment 7 – Voting and Candidate Election Rules: Limits voting to U.S. citizens, restricts ranked-choice voting, and clarifies primary election rules.

• Proposition A – Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave: Increases minimum wage to $15 by 2026 and introduces paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked.

Reimbursement available to promote specialty crops in Missouri schools

The Missouri Department of Agriculture's Missouri Grown Program is offering a reimbursement opportunity to Missouri school districts and Early Care & Education Centers (ECEs) through the 2024-2026 Promoting Specialty Crops in Missouri Schools Reimbursement Program. This initiative encourages the purchase and educational use of Missouri-grown specialty crops, such as fruits, vegetables, herbs, honey, and syrup, directly from local farmers.

Eligible school districts can receive up to $4,000, while ECEs can apply for up to $2,000. Applications are open until November 22, 2024, with awards announced in December 2024. Approved purchases and related educational activities must be completed by December 31, 2026, with all documentation submitted by January 15, 2027. More information, including application details, is available at agriculture.mo.gov

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.