KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Republican leadership in the Missouri House of Representatives and the Missouri Senate said Wednesday they plan to resume the 2020 legislative session on April 27.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson had ordered the legislature closed in March, but house and senate leaders say it’s “critical” they return to session.
“During this unprecedented time, our legislative body has worked to balance the health and safety of members, staff and visitors with our constitutional obligation to pass a budget,” a joint statement from House Speaker Elijah Haahr, House Majority Floor Leader Rob Vescovo, Senate Pro-Team Dave Schatz and Senate Majority Floor Leader Caleb Rowden said. “The decision to move forward on April 27 was not an easy one."
House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, said the legislature should be laser-focused when it does resume.
“If the legislative session is to resume then it must be limited to enacting the state budget and passing laws necessary to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and rebuild Missouri’s economy," she said in a statement. "As Governor Parson said yesterday, those are the only priorities that matter. Under no circumstances should the safety of the public, legislative staff and lawmakers be jeopardized to advance a partisan political agenda or grant special interest favors.”
Parson issued a stay-at-home order for the state April 3. That order is scheduled to run through Friday, April 24.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Parson said he would address whether he would extend the order during his remarks on Thursday.
His Wednesday remarks came less than an hour after his counterpart in Kansas, Gov. Laura Kelly, announced she was extending that state’s stay-at-home order through May 3. The Kansas stay-at-home order was originally set to expire on April 19.
Several jurisdictions on the Missouri-side of the Kansas City area remain part of a Core4 Stay-at-Home order through April 24.
