Missouri’s governor is proposing a 3.2 percent pay raise for state employees. State employee pay is a top priority for State Sen. Mike Bernskoetter (R-Jefferson City), whose district includes Cole County. More than 14,000 state employees work in Cole County, making state government Jefferson City’s largest employer. Senator Bernskoetter joined us live this morning on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”, and is optimistic about the pay plan. Senator Bernskoetter also expresses frustration with the Senate Freedom Caucus and recent filibusters. He tells listeners that pretend to be more conservative than the rest of the Senate GOP members. While Republicans have a 24-10 supermajority in the Missouri Senate, GOP infighting has been causing issues since last session:
Missouri’s 2024 legislative session begins one week from today
Missouri lawmakers will return to Jefferson City one week from today for the start of Missouri’s 2024 legislative session.
Under the state Constitution, lawmakers start their session on the first Wednesday after the first Monday in January, which is January 3 this year. GOP Governor Mike Parson will deliver his final State of the State address on Wednesday January 24 at 3 pm. He’ll outline his legislative priorities and his budget recommendations. One of the governor’s top priorities in 2023 was state employee pay. Cole County’s approximately 14,000 state employees received a 8.7 percent pay raise in February, under a bipartisan plan proposed by the governor. The governor will address a joint session of the Legislature, where he’ll be flanked by Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe (R) and House Speaker Dean Plocher (R-Des Peres).
State Sen. Mike Bernskoetter (R-Jefferson City), who chairs the Missouri Senate General Laws Committee, says state lawmakers have also set aside millions of dollars to fund improvements to the Missouri Capitol’s aging interior. Senator Bernskoetter would like to see the governor address that during the State of the State.
Republicans will have supermajorities in both chambers again in 2024: they hold a 24-10 supermajority in the Missouri Senate and a 111-51 supermajority in the House.
(LISTEN): Key mid-Missouri state lawmaker focused on state employee pay for 2024
Cole County’s approximately 14,000 state employees received an 8.7 percent pay raise in February, under a bipartisan plan proposed by Missouri Governor Mike Parson. The plan received strong bipartisan support, and the governor signed it into law in February at Jefferson City’s Truman Building.
State Sen. Mike Bernskoetter (R-Jefferson City) tells 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” that he hopes the governor will highlight state employee pay again during his January State of the State address.
“We’ve been lucky in the last few years to be able to increase the salary. Hopefully we can do that again this year (2024) would be one of the main things I would think that we would do,” Senator Berskoetter tells listeners.
Missouri’s 2024 legislative session begins January 3 in Jefferson City, and the governor is expected to deliver his final state of the state address in mid-January. Senator Bernskoetter, who chairs the Missouri Senate General Laws Committee, says state lawmakers have also set aside millions of dollars to fund improvements to the Missouri Capitol’s aging interior. He’d like to see Governor Parson address that as well during State of the State.
“If you go around the (state) Capitol, you’ll see little spots with tape on them and stuff where the paint is peeling off. Right now the legislative library there’s some decorative I don’t what you’d call them medallions or something that were falling off the ceiling. Just you know, the building is 100 years old and other than a few coats of paint here and there and some new carpeting here and there, there hasn’t been much done to the inside,” says Bernskoetter.
You can listen to the full “Wake Up” interview with Senator Bernskoetter here.
(LISTEN): Key mid-Missouri state lawmaker focused on state employee pay for 2024
Cole County’s approximately 14,000 state employees received an 8.7 percent pay raise in February, under a bipartisan plan proposed by Missouri Governor Mike Parson. The plan received strong bipartisan support, and the governor signed it into law in February at Jefferson City’s Truman Building.
State Sen. Mike Bernskoetter (R-Jefferson City) tells 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” that he hopes the governor will highlight state employee pay again during his January State of the State address.
“We’ve been lucky in the last few years to be able to increase the salary. Hopefully we can do that again this year (2024) would be one of the main things I would think that we would do,” Senator Berskoetter tells listeners.
Missouri’s 2024 legislative session begins January 3 in Jefferson City, and the governor is expected to deliver his final state of the state address in mid-January. Senator Bernskoetter, who chairs the Missouri Senate General Laws Committee, says state lawmakers have also set aside millions of dollars to fund improvements to the Missouri Capitol’s aging interior. He’d like to see Governor Parson address that as well during State of the State.
“If you go around the (state) Capitol, you’ll see little spots with tape on them and stuff where the paint is peeling off. Right now the legislative library there’s some decorative I don’t what you’d call them medallions or something that were falling off the ceiling. Just you know, the building is 100 years old and other than a few coats of paint here and there and some new carpeting here and there, there hasn’t been much done to the inside,” says Bernskoetter.
You can listen to the full “Wake Up” interview with Senator Bernskoetter here.
(LISTEN): Key mid-Missouri state lawmaker focused on state employee pay for 2024
Cole County’s approximately 14,000 state employees received an 8.7 percent pay raise in February, under a bipartisan plan proposed by Missouri Governor Mike Parson. The plan received strong bipartisan support, and the governor signed it into law in February at Jefferson City’s Truman Building.
State Sen. Mike Bernskoetter (R-Jefferson City) tells 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” that he hopes the governor will highlight state employee pay again during his January State of the State address.
“We’ve been lucky in the last few years to be able to increase the salary. Hopefully we can do that again this year (2024) would be one of the main things I would think that we would do,” Senator Berskoetter tells listeners.
Missouri’s 2024 legislative session begins January 3 in Jefferson City, and the governor is expected to deliver his final state of the state address in mid-January. Senator Bernskoetter, who chairs the Missouri Senate General Laws Committee, says state lawmakers have also set aside millions of dollars to fund improvements to the Missouri Capitol’s aging interior. He’d like to see Governor Parson address that as well during State of the State.
“If you go around the (state) Capitol, you’ll see little spots with tape on them and stuff where the paint is peeling off. Right now the legislative library there’s some decorative I don’t what you’d call them medallions or something that were falling off the ceiling. Just you know, the building is 100 years old and other than a few coats of paint here and there and some new carpeting here and there, there hasn’t been much done to the inside,” says Bernskoetter.
You can listen to the full “Wake Up” interview with Senator Bernskoetter here.