You’ll see a lot of flowers and corsages in Jefferson City for today’s opening of Missouri’s 2025 legislative session.
Both chambers will gavel-in at noon under the state Constitution. 163 newly-elected state representatives will be sworn-in at noon, along with 17 state senators. Republicans will once again have supermajorities in both legislative chambers, 111-53 in the Missouri House and 24-10 in the Senate. In addition to the oath of office, outgoing Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft will preside over the Missouri House today, until the House elects a new Speaker.
Outgoing House Speaker Dean Plocher (R-Des Peres) was forced out by term limits. Numerous bills have been filed by mid-Missouri lawmakers in both parties, including a bill from State Rep. Adrian Plank (D-Columbia). His one-page House Bill 659 says November 11 of each year shall be a public holiday for all UM System employees, in observance of Veterans Day.
