Jefferson City

FEBRUARY 14, 2025

Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe ordered U.S. and Missouri flags be flown at half-staff at all government buildings in Macon County on Sunday, February 16, 2025, from sunrise to sunset in honor of U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Shelbe Faye Butner, who was tragically killed in the line of duty on January 30, 2025, while conducting a training exercise at Fort Stewart United States Army post in Georgia.

“Staff Sergeant Shelbe Faye Butner was dedicated to serving our country with honor, courage, and unwavering commitment,” said Governor Mike Kehoe. “Staff Sergeant Butner considered the welfare of others a personal responsibility and was guided by her love of country to serve our nation. Her sacrifice reminds us of the bravery and dedication of the men and women who put themselves in harm's way to protect our freedoms. Claudia and I join Shelbe's family and friends in honoring her service and mourning her loss.”

A 2015 graduate of Macon High School, Staff Sergeant Butner enlisted in the U.S. Army on June 1, 2015. She earned the Military Occupational Specialty Code 88M as an Army Motor Transport Operator and completed several advanced training courses, including the Army Basic Leader Course, Air Assault School, and Drill Sergeant School. She was assigned to the 6th Squadron - 8th Cavalry Regiment, where she was promoted to Staff Sergeant on August 1, 2022.

Staff Sergeant Butner was a proud and accomplished soldier, serving in the United States Army for nine years, including a tour in Kuwait. Throughout her career, Staff Sergeant Butner earned many commendations, including the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War Expeditionary Medal, and numerous others.

The flags will be flown at half-staff on the day of Butner's interment services. To view the governor’s proclamation, click here.

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FEBRUARY 10, 2025

Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe signed Executive Order 25-17 as a precautionary measure to prepare for hazardous winter weather expected to impact the State of Missouri starting tomorrow, Tuesday, February 11. The Order waives certain hours of service requirements for commercial vehicles transporting residential heating fuel and activates the Missouri National Guard for state and local response efforts, if needed.

"With hazardous winter weather forecasted for this week across much of the state, we want to be as prepared as possible," Governor Kehoe said. "We ask that all Missourians be proactive, stay aware, and use extreme caution during these potentially dangerous winter weather events. This Order helps ensure homes in Missouri can stay warm and that state government and our National Guard members stand ready to assist."

Executive Order 25-17 suspends hours of service regulations for motor carriers transporting residential heating fuels, including propane, natural gas, and heating oil. The Order also gives the Adjutant General of the State of Missouri the authority to call and order into active service such portions of the organized militia as he deems necessary to aid Missourians.

After a round of light snow primarily across the Ozarks Monday night into Tuesday, the National Weather Service forecasts a more significant winter storm to impact the state beginning overnight Tuesday into Wednesday. Heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain are expected to lead to widespread travel impacts. Mainly snow is expected north of the I-44 corridor with a chance of at least four inches across northern Missouri, and a wintery mix is expected along and south of the I-44 corridor.

Motorists are encouraged to postpone travel if possible. If you must travel, use extreme caution and check road conditions before driving to help determine if your trip can be completed safely. The Missouri Department of Transportation's (MoDOT) Traveler Information Map app can be accessed on desktop and mobile devices here.

Executive Order 25-17 will expire on March 10, 2025. To view the Order, please click here.

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FEBRUARY 7, 2025

Jefferson City — Governor Mike Kehoe has ordered the Missouri State Capitol dome to shine red and gold beginning Friday, February 7, 2025, in celebration of the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl LIX appearance. The dome will shine red and gold from sunset to sunrise through Sunday, February 9.

Governor and First Lady Kehoe will cheer on the Chiefs from Missouri on Sunday night as they take on the Philadelphia Eagles at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, marking the Chiefs' third straight Super Bowl appearance.

"Missourians and fans across Chiefs Kingdom are once again celebrating the Kansas City Chiefs making it to the Super Bowl on this Red Friday," Governor Kehoe said. "We're proud to call the Kansas City Chiefs Missouri's team, and light our state's Capitol red and gold as the Chiefs seek a Super Bowl three-peat this Sunday."

Today, Governor Kehoe also announced a friendly bet with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro via social media, @GovMikeKehoe. As part of the wager with Governor Shapiro, Governor Kehoe has bet Missouri-grown beef and an assortment of Kansas City favorites, including Gates Bar-B-Q Sauce, Scott's Kitchen BBQ Sauce and Rub, and Chase Candy Company Cherry Mash.

"I'm predicting a 31-17 Chiefs Super Bowl victory," Governor Kehoe said. "I look forward to enjoying some Philly cheesesteaks from Governor Shapiro after the Chiefs bring home the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday."
 

Photos of the Capitol lighted red and gold will be available on Governor Kehoe's Flickr Page. 

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FEBRUARY 3, 2025

Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe ordered U.S. and Missouri flags be flown at half-staff at government buildings in Pettis and Saline counties, the Fire Fighters Memorial of Missouri in Kingdom City, and firehouses statewide on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, from sunrise to sunset in honor of West Central Missouri Fire Protection District of Saline and Pettis Counties Captain Christopher Mykel Clevenger.

“Christopher Clevenger felt a calling to public service early in life, joining the West Central Missouri Fire Protection District of Saline and Pettis Counties as a volunteer firefighter when he was just 18 years old,” Governor Mike Kehoe said. “As he established a career, raised a family, and coached youth sports, volunteering in the fire service and protecting the public remained an essential part of his life. Claudia and I are deeply saddened by his passing at just 33 years of age. Captain Clevenger’s commitment to serving others will be a lasting part of his legacy."

Captain Clevenger died of a medical emergency on January 26, 2025, after responding to an emergency call as a member of the West Central Missouri Fire Protection District of Saline and Pettis Counties the previous afternoon.

The flags will be held at half-staff on the day of Clevenger’s interment. To view the Governor’s proclamation, click here.
 

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JANUARY 31, 2025

Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe announced the appointment of Megan Page, of Sedalia, as Pettis County Clerk.

Ms. Page is the owner of Heckart, Meisenheimer, and Scrivner Morrow Funeral Homes as well as Memorial Park and Highland Sacred Gardens Cemeteries. She has considerable experience in finance and business management, having previously served as a bank manager, personal banker, teller, and mortgage loan officer. Beyond her professional expertise, Page has demonstrated a strong commitment to community involvement. From 2017 to 2020, she served as the 4th Ward Councilwoman for the City of Sedalia. She currently serves on several boards, including the Sedalia Area Chamber of Commerce, Business Network International, State Fair Community College Foundation Board, and the Boys & Girls Club of West Central Missouri Board.

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JANUARY 28, 2025

Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe delivered his first State of the State Address to the Missouri General Assembly, outlining his legislative and budget priorities for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26).

Governor Kehoe opened his first address to the 103rd General Assembly by reflecting on lessons learned to stay humble from his mentor, Dave Sinclair, with a commitment to working with the members of the legislature during his time as governor.

"I said earlier that I will never forget my roots. Well, I’ve sat where you sit. I understand the pressures you face. And I want to work with you—not against you—because I believe we can only secure Missouri’s future if we work together," said Governor Kehoe.

Governor Kehoe's speech focused on the policy priorities that have remained a central focus at the start of his administration, beginning with public safety.

"Any efforts we may make to improve the lives of Missourians–whether it be education opportunities, cutting taxes, or expanding childcare–none of it matters if Missourians aren’t safe," Governor Kehoe said. "Securing Missouri’s future begins with public safety."

Public Safety

During his speech, Governor Kehoe discussed the actions his administration took on Inauguration Day, signing six executive orders developed based on input from law enforcement to launch the Safer Missouri initiative.

To support law enforcement recruitment and retention efforts, Governor Kehoe's budget recommends funding to bolster the existing Missouri Blue Scholarship Program for law enforcement basic training and $10 million in new funding to assist local communities who prioritize public safety with equipment and training needs through the Blue Shield Program.

The budget also includes $2.5 million to support the sheriff’s retirement system for another year, and funding for a new crime lab in Cape Girardeau, serving the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop E region.

As part of the Safer Missouri initiative, Governor Kehoe urged the General Assembly to pass a comprehensive crime bill that includes increasing penalties for crimes like violent rioting and fleeing from law enforcement in a vehicle, cracking down on criminals who participate in reckless stunt driving and street racing, and efforts to increase oversight and accountability of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

To combat the fentanyl crisis and identify areas of high fentanyl use in schools across the state, Governor Kehoe's budget includes a $4 million investment for fentanyl testing in wastewater systems at schools. Governor Kehoe also encouraged the legislature to take action on increasing penalties for fentanyl trafficking.

Economic Development

Governor Kehoe emphasized his efforts to make Missouri a welcoming state for business investment. From manufacturers, to retail, to Missouri’s sports teams: businesses who provide jobs and opportunities to Missourians are an important part the state's economic success.

In order to compete with other states, the Kehoe Administration will focus on reducing taxes and cutting regulations, so families keep more of their own money, and so job creators look at our state to expand and hire more hard-working Missourians.

Governor Kehoe announced that he has directed the Missouri Department of Revenue to work with his staff on a sustainable and comprehensive plan to eliminate the individual income tax once and for all.

And, knowing that infrastructure and economic development go hand in hand, Governor Kehoe's budget includes a reappropriation of last year’s 100 million dollars for rural road improvements to ensure all of those funds are invested in rural infrastructure.

Governor Kehoe's speech focused largely on solving the biggest challenge to the child care crisis: addressing the current regulatory environment.

In an effort to make the child care regulations easier to understand and navigate, Governor Kehoe issued Executive Order 25-15, charging the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education-Office of Childhood with a complete re-write of the child care regulations.

The budget also includes $10 million to offer grant funding opportunities to support partnerships between employers, community partners, and the child care industry to make more child care slots available for Missouri families.

In an effort to provide timely payments for the child care providers who partner with the state to provide care, providers will receive payments from the state at the beginning of the month on enrollment, starting in fiscal year 2026.

To build on Missouri's career and technical education opportunities, Governor Kehoe's budget includes $15 million in new funding to address equipment, space, and operational needs of career and technical centers across the state, as well as an increase of $5 million on an annual basis to support increased operational costs.

The budget includes increased funding to expand career counseling to more high schools across the state, so that students can talk to school counselors about their future career path, whether that includes college or not.

Governor Kehoe also signed Executive Order 25-16 establishing the Governor’s Workforce of the Future Challenge, instructing DESE to put a plan in place for better coordination among key stakeholders, including K-12 schools, local business and industry, and higher education to improve the state’s career and technical education programs and infrastructure.

Agriculture

Securing the future of agriculture also means investing in the next generation. Governor Kehoe's budget includes $800,000 in permanent funding for Missouri FFA.

Additionally, the budget includes $55 million in new bonding to support the construction of a 40,000 square foot covered multi-use livestock barn and 80,000 square foot stalling barn to house equine and other livestock at the Missouri State Fair’s new arena, which was previously supported by the legislature and is now under construction.

Education

Governor Kehoe is a proud supporter of education in all of its forms–public schools, private schools, charter schools–as long Missouri’s children are getting a quality education that best meets their needs.

To expand school choice, Governor Kehoe urged the General Assembly to pass voluntary open enrollment in public schools.

Governor Kehoe's budget also includes $50 million in general revenue funding to bolster the ESA program.

This year, Governor Kehoe's budget recommends a $200 million increase for the Foundation Formula, the largest increase since the current Formula was created. And, over $370 million to fully fund the state’s commitment for school transportation needs. For teachers, the budget includes $33 million to fund teacher salaries. Additionally, the budget includes $30 million for Small School Grants to support the continued success of our small rural school districts, the heartbeat of their communities.

Governor Kehoe also signed Executive Order 25-14 establishing the School Funding Modernization Task Force to recommend changes to the Foundation Formula to better serve students and families.

Government Improvements 
To continue to recruit and retain quality state team members, Governor Kehoe announced a statewide time of service pay plan increase for state employees.

Governor Kehoe also previewed action on DEI programs in state government and support for creating Missouri's own version of a DOGE initiative. He committed to working with the General Assembly on these efforts in the coming weeks.

During his speech, Governor Kehoe recognized special guests for their achievements and commitment to the people of Missouri:

Special Guests of the Governor

• Lizzy Schott
• Safer Missouri Initiative Group
• Alena Malone
• Adeline Thessen
• USS Missouri Crew Members  

Governor Kehoe emphasized there are safer choices than abortion in Missouri and committed to helping pregnant women know these exist, including the Pregnancy Resource Centers across the state. The budget includes support for alternatives to abortion with $4 million  in additional funding to benefit expecting and new mothers, a more than 50% increase to existing services.

Governor Kehoe closed the speech thanking veterans and service members, adding that his proposed budget includes an additional $10 million of general revenue funding to our Missouri Veterans Homes.

"Our work in this building is only possible because of those who came before us: the sacrifices of our brave service men and women," said Governor Kehoe. "Under the Kehoe Administration, NO veterans home will close due to a lack of state funding."

To view a full transcript of Governor Kehoe’s speech and special guest bios, please see attachments. To view the FY2026 Budget in Brief, please see attachment.

The FY26 Executive Budget will be available here at 3:00 p.m. To view the executive orders signed by Governor Kehoe, visit this link.

Pictures from today's events, including special guests, will be available on Flickr. An archived video of the 2025 State of the State is available at mo.gov/live.

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• 2025 State of the State Address Media Copy.pdf
• 2025 State of the State Special Guests.pdf
• Budget In Brief FY2026.pdf

JANUARY 24, 2025

Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe ordered U.S. and Missouri flags be flown at half-staff at government buildings in Howard County, the Fire Fighters Memorial of Missouri in Kingdom City, and firehouses statewide on Sunday, January 26, 2025, from sunrise to sunset in honor of Howard County Firefighter Larry Roland Duncan.

“Larry Roland Duncan dedicated 23 years of his life to the fire service and answering the call no matter the emergency, including responding to Ground Zero as a member of Missouri Task Force 1,” Governor Mike Kehoe said. “At the New York City site where the Twin Towers once stood, Firefighter Duncan and his Task Force 1 colleagues spent days exposed to toxic contaminants as they scoured the rubble looking for survivors of the terrorist attack. We honor his relentless commitment to serving others, regardless of the risk to himself.”

Duncan was a Heavy Rigging Specialist with Task Force 1 from 1998 to 2003. Beginning in 1984, he also served as a member of the Cooper County Fire Protect District, Boone County Fire Protection District, and the Howard County Fire Protection District. He died on January 15, 2025, after a long and courageous battle against 9/11-related cancer.

The flags will be held at half-staff on the day Duncan is laid to rest. To view the proclamation, click here.

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JANUARY 23, 2025

Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe signed three executive orders aimed at streamlining government operations, improving stakeholder engagement, and ensuring ethical conduct within the Kehoe administration. The orders reflect the Governor's commitment to fostering more effective, transparent, and accountable government.

"These executive orders demonstrate our administration's commitment and dedication to responsible governance and meaningful reform," said Governor Kehoe.

The executive orders are as follows:

Executive Order 25-11 delegates supervisory authority over specific departments, divisions, and agencies to designated members of the Governor’s staff. This measure is intended to enhance oversight and ensure that critical state functions are managed efficiently.

Executive Order 25-12 establishes a comprehensive code of conduct for the Office of the Governor’s staff, setting clear ethical standards to ensure integrity and professionalism throughout the administration.

Executive Order 25-13 directs all executive department directors and commissioners to dedicate a minimum of eight hours per month to engaging with their agency’s stakeholders. This initiative seeks to ensure that decision-making processes are informed by input from those directly impacted by government actions. Additionally, the order prohibits the issuance of new rules without prior approval from the Governor’s office, a move designed to reduce red tape, improve government efficiency, and ensure regulatory decisions align with the needs of stakeholders and the state’s overall priorities.

To view the executive orders,  visit this link.

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JANUARY 15, 2025

Jefferson City — Today, in an act of respect and patriotism, Governor Mike Kehoe signed Executive Order 25-09, ordering U.S. and Missouri flags to be flown at full-staff on Monday, January 20, 2025, at all state buildings and grounds in honor of Inauguration Day.

This directive aligns with federal statute, which states that flags should be prominently displayed during specific occasions, especially for the inauguration of a U.S. President.

“While Missouri continues to mourn the passing of former President Jimmy Carter and remembers his remarkable legacy of service to our nation by displaying our flags at half-staff, we will also celebrate the promise of a new chapter for our country and the opportunities that lie ahead,” said Governor Kehoe. “To commemorate the democratic transition of power, I have directed all flags to be raised to full-staff for the inauguration of the 47^th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.”

To view Executive Order 25-09,  visit this link.

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JANUARY 14, 2025

Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe announced the appointment of Sarah Willson as Director of Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS).Willson will assume the role of DHSS Director effective February 14, 2025, and awaits Missouri Senate confirmation.

“I am proud to have Sarah join my Cabinet as a key leader in our efforts to improve the health of Missourians across the state,” said Governor Kehoe. “Sarah’s background as a healthcare professional brings a deep understanding of the critical issues facing our healthcare systems today. I look forward to working together to strengthen the systems that support public health and well-being of all Missourians.”

Willson has served as Vice President of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs for the Missouri Hospital Association (MHA) since 2016. In that role, she provided clinical and regulatory guidance to over 140 hospitals across the state, serving as a key expert on licensing, survey processes and compliance for acute care, critical access, long-term care, rehabilitation, and psychiatric facilities. She also collaborated with lawmakers to develop healthcare legislation at both the state and federal levels.

“I am truly humbled at the opportunity to serve the people of Missouri in the Kehoe Administration,” said Willson. “As a nurse and a small business owner, I understand the impact of health and regulation from a personal and public perspective. I look forward to collaborating with stakeholders to ensure the departments programs and services help all Missourians live healthy and safe lives.”

Prior to MHA, Willson held leadership roles with Compassus Hospice and Palliative Care, where she oversaw operations in multiple states, and at Capital Region Medical Center, directing patient care services across several departments. Her work has focused on advancing quality care, developing efficiencies, and improving outcomes for patients.

Willson earned her Master of Business Administration in health management from William Woods University and a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and has been recognized with several awards throughout her career. A headshot of Willson is attached.

Willson.jpg

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