Will Marrs is one of two lobbyists registered on behalf of the city of Springfield with the Missouri Ethics Commission. He’s tasked with advancing City Council’s selected priorities among Jefferson City lawmakers.
On Tuesday, Marrs told City Council that under this year’s Republican supermajority, some 3,000 bills were introduced, with just 43 non-budget bills making it to Gov. Mike Parson’s desk to become law.
Marrs described this year as one of the “least successful” recent lawmaking sessions under Missouri’s Republican supermajority. That’s due to what he called “infighting” between so-called Conservative Caucus Republicans and other Republicans in the majority, versus the minority Democratic Party.
But Marrs said that a new law extending Medicaid health insurance for new mothers from 60 days to a full year past pregnancy was a win that most people could support.
Marrs said, “You’re seeing little elements of bipartisan cooperation, but for the most part, that is amidst the chaos of some infighting. You’ve essentially got three political parties operating in the state of Missouri, which is, that’s a bit new.”
The city lobbyist also described Springfield’s delegation of state lawmakers as a “fantastic” group.
On October 17, City Council is expected to pick its priorities for next year’s lawmaking session, which begins in Jefferson City in January.
