JANUARY 24, 2024

Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Parson delivered his sixth and final State of the State Address to the Missouri General Assembly, outlining his legislative and budget priorities for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25).

Governor Parson opened his final address expressing appreciation to First Lady Teresa Parson and their family for always standing by his side during his time as Governor and throughout his political career. He then continued with a commitment to Missourians that he will continue what he's done since the very beginning: putting people first. 

"When I became Governor, we declared a fresh start and the return of stability. We committed to ensuring the next generations have their opportunity at the American Dream. We promised the return of integrity," Governor Parson said. "Above all, we promised to return a people first mentality to state government, and that's our final commitment to Missourians. Until our final day, we'll continue putting people first."

Governor Parson's speech focused largely on the legacy of achievements his administration, the General Assembly, and state government have accomplished together. A summarized list can be found below:

• Reshaped the Supreme Court of Missouri and judiciary as a whole – with 40 percent of the judiciary being appointed by Governor Parson; 
• Protected second amendment rights, focused on law and order, and safeguarded Missouri’s landmark castle doctrine;
• Fought the fight for life – reducing the number of elective abortions in Missouri to zero annually;
• Streamlined state agencies and reduced the size of state government;
• Supported state team members with a more than 20 percent increase in pay, professional development opportunities, and better retirement savings plans;
• Cleared the 3,700 pending clemency applications inherited by his administration; 
• Built over 1,000 bridges and repaired 50 percent of Missouri's entire highway system;
• Boosted higher education funding by 24 percent;
• Increased state funding for K-12 education by $700 million and increased baseline teacher pay by $15,000 (with FY25 recommendations); 
• Secured investments to close Missouri's broadband digital divide once and for all; 
• Cut nearly 20 percent of regulations on the books and made state government more efficient and effective while unleashing economic development;
• Maintained Missouri's AAA credit rating and achieved the lowest unemployment ever recorded in state history at 2.1 percent;  
• Improved Missouri's GDP growth rate ranking from 42nd in the United States and last among Midwest neighbors to 23rd in the nation and Top 5 among thirteen neighboring states; 
• Grew state revenues by 40 percent since 2018;
• Paid the state's bills and left the State of Missouri with $600 million – 53 percent – less debt than when his administration began;
• Left $1.5 billion on the bottom line for the next administration;
• Created over 110,000 jobs and brought $14.5 billion in new business investment through nearly 685 new business projects; and 
• Reduced Missourians' state income tax burdens by over 20 percent with three separate tax cuts, including the largest tax cut in state history.

Workforce Development & Education

Governor Parson again called for fully funding the K-12 foundation formula for the 6th year in a row and for funding to increase baseline teacher pay to $40,000 for teachers across the state through his Teacher Baseline Salary Grant program.

Governor Parson's FY25 budget also includes a three percent core increase for both public four-year institutions and community colleges and $54 million to support MoExcels workforce training programs on college campuses. He also continues his support for youth apprenticeships with $3 million and JAG-Missouri with a $3.8 million investment. 

To build on Missouri's status as a top manufacturing state, Governor Parson includes $10 million for advanced semiconductor research, development, and skills training and nearly $7 million to support critical mineral development.

Governor Parson's budget continues investments in the expansion of pre-kindergarten programs and invests $52 million to boost child care subsidy rates, all to help address the child care crisis Missouri families face and improve outcomes for Missouri children. 

Infrastructure

During his speech, Governor Parson announced that, with the help of Congressman Sam Graves, Missouri will receive a more than $90 million Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant, the largest federal transportation grant Missouri has ever received, to support the Improve I-70 project. More information can be found on the Missouri Department of Transportation's website. [Link]

Thanks to the help of this grant and savings and interested accrued on the $2.8 billion set aside for Improve I-70, Governor Parson announced his recommendation to establish the I-44 Improvement Fund. This fund will supplement the nearly $150 million already budgeted for expansion studies and congestion and safety improvements on I-44. 

Additionally, with nearly $1.7 billion former U.S. Senator Roy Blunt help secure before his retirement and past state efforts, Governor Parson announced Missouri's plan over the next five years is to close the broadband digital divide once and for all. 

Government Reform

To continue efforts to recruit and retain quality state team members, Governor Parson's FY25 budget calls for a 3.2 percent cost of living increase for all state employees and an additional one percent pay increase for every two years of continuous employment for eligible state employees working in certain congregate care facilities, capped at 10 percent. 

Legislative Proposals

This year, Governor Parson announced two legislative priorities: child care tax credits and stricter punishments for fentanyl. 

Working alongside Senator Lauren Arthur and Representative Brenda Shields, Governor Parson announced his support to establish new child care tax credits programs included in Senate Bill 742 and House Bill 1488 to improve access and affordability for Missouri families.

To address the fentanyl crisis in Missouri, Governor Parson announced his office will partner with Senator Holly Thompson-Rehder and Representative Cameron Parker to pass legislation that guarantees stricter punishments for exposing children and minors to fentanyl. 

Governor Parson also recommended $900,000 to support Attorney General Andrew Bailey's efforts to find, prosecute, and punish human traffickers and sexual predators in the State of Missouri. 

2024 State of the State Special Guests

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

• JAG-Missouri
  • Dominik Burns – JAG-Neelyville student
  • Dylan Reed – JAG-Van Buren graduate
  • Mitchell Gant – JAG-Stockton graduate
  • Yajaris Guzman – JAG-Aurora graduate
  • “Mama Joan” Priggel Dietrich – JAG-West Plains Specialist
  • Shannon Davis – JAG-Neelyville Specialist
• Child Care
  • Jennifer Sikes – Mineral Area College Early Learning Academy Program Director
  • Katherine Godier – Mineral Area College nursing student/parent
  • Theodore (Theo) Godier – Mineral Area College Early Learning Academy student
• Apprenticeships
  • Philip King – Four Rivers Career Center Director
  • Isaac Lough – Four Rivers Career Center student
  • Jeff Fields – Wilson Logistics Director of Safety and Apprenticeship Director
  • Kayla Putnam – Wilson Logistics trucking apprentice
  • James (Ricky) Schmoll – Wilson Logistics trucking apprentice
• Clemency
  • Reverend Kenny Batson – Pastor of Grace Fellowship Interdenominational in El Dorado
• Appointments
  • Gabe Gore – City of St. Louis Circuit Attorney
• MoDOT Team Members
  • Doug Hood – Assistant Financial Services Director, Central Office
  • Nicolette Comstock – Senior Maintenance Worker, Northwest
  • Rhonda Marsden – Maintenance Crew Leader, Northeast
  • Ron Clark – Buck O’Neil Project Senior Construction Inspector, Kansas City
  • Mike Schupp – District Construction and Materials Engineer, Central
  • Sheron Thomas – I-270 North Senior Highway Designer, St. Louis
  • Wyatt Schubert – Motorist Assistance Operator, Southwest
  • Nikki Knight – Construction Inspector, Southeast

Governor Parson wrapped up today’s State of the State Address with a heartfelt message to his team in the Governor's Office – Team 57 as he commonly refers to them – and a reminder for state leaders to always put the people of Missouri first. 

"The First Lady and I may never be able to fully realize the work we’ve done here alongside all of you. But that was never the purpose in the first place. The point is that all of our kids and grandkids across this state, they will," Governor Parson said. "In Missouri, our economy is strong, our democracy is strong, our people are strong, and we can keep it that way if we continue to PUT PEOPLE FIRST."

With his final words, Governor Parson expressed appreciation to Missourians and foreshadowed his and the First Lady's retirement from public office. 

"The First Lady and I will be returning to the farm with our heads held high, and if I'm honored enough to be considered by Missourians as a “pretty good Governor” “decent guy” or “someone who never forgot where he came from," then it will all be worth it," Governor Parson concluded. "Words cannot express the sincere appreciation I have for this state and our people. So for one final time before this chamber today, I simply say to the more than six million Missourians who I have had the absolute privilege of serving, it has truly been the honor of my life to be your 57th Governor of the great State of Missouri."

To view a full transcript of Governor Parson’s speech and special guest bios, please see attachments. To view the FY2025 Budget in Brief, please click here. The FY25 Executive Budget will be available here at 3 p.m. Pictures from today's events, including special guests, will be available on Flickr. 

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• 2024 State of the State Address - Media Copy.pdf
• 2024 State of the State Special Guests.pdf

DECEMBER 19, 2023

Jefferson City — Today, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Jackson County, Governor Mike Parson celebrated the completion of his Focus on Bridges program that repaired or replaced 250 of the state's poorest bridges. Established in 2019, the Focus on Bridges program was one of Governor Parson's first major investments in transportation infrastructure. 

The final project replaced the Blue Ridge Boulevard bridge over Interstate 70 in Independence and made interchange improvements to the ramps and approaches. The bridge will officially reopen to motorists on December 22, just four years after the first bridge under the program opened on December 20, 2019, in Iron County.

"Infrastructure has been a top priority since day one, and four years ago, we set out to replace 250 of our poorest bridges through the Focus on Bridges program,” Governor Parson said. “Today, we are proud to celebrate the 250th bridge completed as promised. From St. Louis to Springfield, from the Bootheel to the great Northwest, this program benefited Missourians everywhere. Focus on Bridges is a bold, one-of-a-kind program that leveraged general revenue to make far reaching improvements to our infrastructure for the first time in generations. While there is more to do, we know we have made a real difference and created a lasting model that will continue to serve Missourians now and into the future." 

The Missouri Department of Transportation is responsible for maintaining 10,424 bridges across the state, the sixth most in the nation. On average, these bridges are approximately 49 years old, and most of them were designed to last 50 years. Prior to Governor Parson’s focus on infrastructure, the number of bridges rated as “poor” using Federal Highway Administration criteria, were increasing year over year rather than declining as now seen in Missouri.

“The completion of the Focus on Bridges program is an example of the progress being made to Missouri’s bridges and Governor Parson’s commitment to moving Missouri forward,” MoDOT Director Patrick McKenna said. “I applaud the governor for his leadership and commitment to improving Missouri’s bridges and roadways. We will continue to work towards reducing the number of poor bridges in Missouri as additional federal and state revenue becomes available.”

Governor Parson's Focus on Bridges program was truly innovative and was made possible through a $50 million appropriation from General Revenue as well as $301 million in bond revenue approved by the Missouri General Assembly in 2019.  Maintaining the state’s bridges helps provide a world-class transportation system that is safe, innovative, and reliable.

For a list of the projects completed under the Focus on Bridges program, click here.

OCTOBER 5, 2022

Jefferson City — Today, during a press conference and ceremony at the State Capitol, Governor Mike Parson signed SBs 3 & 5 and HB 3 into law. Both pieces of legislation are a result of the special session Governor Parson called to pass historic income tax cuts and extend key agriculture tax credits for a minimum of six years.

"Missouri's elected officials have been hard at work at the State Capitol to pass critical support for farmers and ranchers and the largest income tax cut in state history for all taxpaying Missourians," Governor Parson said. "This summer, we engaged stakeholders, representatives, and senators. We went to them, met them where they were, and formulated a concrete path ahead. Today, on the successful conclusion of our special session, we are proud to sign two historical pieces of legislation into law."

SBs 3 & 5 reduces Missourians' income tax liability by making several changes to income tax laws in the state of Missouri, including:

• Reducing the top individual income tax rate from 5.2 to 4.95 percent, resulting in the majority of taxpaying Missourians seeing an approximately five percent decrease in their tax liability; 
• Eliminating the bottom income tax bracket, allowing Missourians to earn their first $1000 tax free;
• Allowing an additional .15 percent top income tax rate reduction to 4.8 percent when net general revenues increase by $175 million;
• Eliminating income taxes for individuals making less than $13,000 a year and couples making less than $26,000; and
• Allowing three additional .1 percent top income tax rate reductions in future years when net general revenue increases by $200 million, adjusted for inflation.

Due to additional rate reductions and revenue triggers, once fully realized, SBs 3 & 5 will reduce the top income tax rate in Missouri to 4.5 percent. For more information on SBs 3 & 5, click here. 

"Every Missourian can support sending less of their money to the government, and we trust Missourians to make decisions with their own money," Governor Parson said. "Throughout my career, I've committed to exploring every opportunity to reduce Missourians' tax burden, and thanks to our strong financial position and balanced approach, the time is now. This historic tax cut means more money for Missourians to spend, invest, and save. It means economic growth, business expansions, and good-paying jobs for Missourians both today and tomorrow."

Governor Parson also signed HB 3 into law, which includes the extension and creation of several agriculture tax credit programs intended to help develop key areas of Missouri's agricultural industry, the state's top economic driver. The sunset for each program is for a minimum of six years. HB 3 includes:

• Extending the expiration of the meat processing facility investment tax credit;
• Creating a tax credit program for Missouri retail dealers of higher ethanol blend fuels;
• Creating a tax credit program for Missouri retail dealers of biodiesel;
• Creating a tax credit program for Missouri biodiesel producers;
• Creating a tax credit program for establishing or improving urban farming operations;
• Extending the expiration of the Rolling Stock Tax Credit program;
• Extending the expiration of the Agricultural Product Utilization Contributor Tax Credit;
• Extending the expiration of the New Generation Cooperative Incentive Tax Credit;
• Extending the Wood Energy Tax Credit program;
• Exempting utility vehicles for agriculture use from state and local sales and use taxes;
• Creating the Specialty Agricultural Crops Act; and
• Amending the Family Farms Act to modify the definition of small farmer.

"These wins will help further develop Missouri’s agriculture industry, create opportunities for farmers, ranchers, and ag-businesses, and help ensure Missouri agriculture remains not only our state’s top economic driver but that its spirit and tradition continues to live on in the next generations," Governor Parson said. "We thank all of Missouri's agriculture groups for their trust in us to get this done. We appreciate their leadership and commitment in securing a better deal for Missouri's farm and ranch families."

For more information on HB 3, click here. 

JUNE 24, 2022

Jefferson City — Today, in response to the United States Supreme Court's ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, Governor Mike Parson signed a proclamation giving legal effect to Section 188.017 RSMo and activating the "Right to Life of the Unborn Child Act."

"Nothing in the text, history, or tradition of the United States Constitution gave un-elected federal judges authority to regulate abortion. We are happy that the U.S. Supreme Court has corrected this error and returned power to the people and the states to make these decisions," Governor Parson said.

"With Roe v. Wade overturned and statutory triggers provided in HB 126, we are issuing this proclamation to restore our state authority to regulate abortion and protect life. Thanks to decades of conservative leaders, Missouri has become one of the most pro-life states in the nation, and our Administration has always fought for the life of every unborn child. Today, our efforts have produced what generations of Missourians have worked and prayed for: Today, we have won our fight to protect innocent life," Governor Parson continued.

Governor Parson's proclamation notifies the Missouri Revisor of Statutes of the effective date of Section 188.017 RSMo.

Section 188.017, or the "Right to Life of the Unborn Child Act," includes several provisions:

• Prohibits doctors from performing abortions unless there is a medical emergency;
• Creates criminal liability for any person who knowingly performs or induces a non-medical emergency abortion and subjects his or her professional license to suspension; and
• Protects any woman who receives an illegal abortion from being prosecuted in violation of the Act. 

The "Right to Life of the Unborn Child Act" was included in HB 126 and contingent upon the U.S. Supreme Court overruling Roe v. Wade in whole or in part. Governor Parson signed HB 126 in 2019. 

Governor Parson's Administration is coordinating with the Missouri Attorney General to quickly resolve any litigation against HB 126 before the Courts that is currently preventing implementation of the law.

To view the proclamation, click here. 

NOVEMBER 16, 2021

Jefferson City — Warren County has been selected by American Foods Group (AFG) as the planned location for a new state-of-the-art beef processing facility, pending final approval. Once established, the facility would create more than 1,300 new jobs and generate $1 billion in economic impact in the state of Missouri. 

“Missouri is able to compete for projects of this magnitude because of our strong agriculture community and business-friendly economy,” said Governor Mike Parson. “As a third-generation farmer and cattleman myself, I know how beneficial having a company like American Foods Group in Warren County will be for Missouri's farmers and consumers. We are excited that Missouri is the planned location and remain committed to supporting the company as this project continues to develop in our state.”

AFG would potentially invest $450 million in the Warren County region, generating increased tax revenues for Missouri schools and other tax-supported services in the region. With an expected annual payroll of more than $80 million, at a wage above the Warren County average, this project would support quality livelihoods and boost consumer spending at Missouri businesses. 

The Greater Warren County Economic Development Council (GWCEDC), Missouri Partnership, Greater St. Louis, Inc., and Warren County began working with AFG in Spring 2021 as the company evaluated locations in multiple states. Warren County and the state of Missouri will consider potential partnership strategies that will help facilitate AFG's investment in Missouri. That process is expected to be complete in Spring 2022.

“We are looking forward to welcoming American Foods Group to Missouri,” said Missouri Department of Agriculture Director Chris Chinn. “We appreciate their commitment to agriculture and their interest in Warren County. This project would offer an important additional market for our producers and add value to Missouri farms and ranches. All sectors of agriculture will benefit from this important addition to our state.”

“We have been impressed by Warren County and the potential opportunity to become a part of that community,” said AFG Executive Vice President Jim Rathke. “The process will take some time, but we feel very good about what we have seen in Warren County, Missouri.”

“This is an extremely exciting and impactful project for Warren County and the entire state,” said Subash Alias, Chief Executive Officer of Missouri Partnership. “Warren County and our partners in Missouri worked hard to compete with other states for this signature project. Missouri is known for its strengths in agtech and food solutions, and when you combine that with our central location and competitive edge, it makes our state very appealing to leading companies like American Foods Group.”

“American Foods Group is a phenomenal, family-owned, U.S.-based company that is highly respected throughout the animal industry and in the communities where they live and work,” said Warren County Presiding Commissioner Joe Gildehaus. “The company is committed to being a good neighbor. We want to thank the Greater Warren County Economic Development Council for leading this exciting project on our behalf. We will also continue working with Greater St. Louis, Inc., Missouri Partnership, and the Missouri Department of Economic Development as this project moves forward.”

“Warren County is excited about the potential for American Foods Group to expand into our area,” said GWCEDC Chairman Gregg Klinginsmith. “Economic development is a priority for our community, and it is exciting to see what we can achieve when we work collaboratively for that purpose. Attracting food production and value-added agriculture companies supports and bolsters our local farmers. Our area’s strong agricultural heritage has been a priority for GWCEDC.”

“This is a great, community-focused company that would create more than 1,300 new jobs for our region at a wage above the Warren County average,” said Steve Etcher, Business Development Director for GWCEDC. “The company would potentially invest $450 million in our region, increasing our county’s property tax revenue, which will provide significant funding for our school district and other tax-supported entities. We expect a total positive economic impact of approximately $1 billion for our region, and an annual payroll of more than $80 million to support our local businesses.”

”The beef industry is a huge part of Missouri’s economy and locating a processing facility in Warren County makes perfect sense,” said Mike Deering, Executive Vice President of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association. “Bringing processing this close to cattle production reduces the costs and energy needed, and it is good for Missouri cattle producers and consumers.”

“The STL 2030 Jobs Plan specifically highlights the critical role the region plays in global agriculture, noting that 50% of U.S. crops and livestock are produced within 500 miles of the greater metropolitan St. Louis area. This investment in good-paying jobs in Warren County directly advances priorities outlined in the plan and further demonstrates our global agricultural leadership,” said Jason Hall, Chief Executive Officer of Greater St. Louis, Inc. “We will continue to work with partners in Warren County, Governor Parson and his team, and everyone involved to support the company and make this opportunity a success.”