Missouri’s House Speaker expects bipartisan foster care legislation he’s championed to be the first House bill sent to the Senate next week in Jefferson City.
The bill requires the state to apply for benefits for foster children with deceased parents. House Speaker Dr. Jonathan Patterson (R-Lee’s Summit) joined us live on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Missouri”:
“After taking Wednesday off for the Chiefs parade after they win (Sunday’s Super Bowl), we can actually finally pass it in the House and send it over to the Senate on Thursday,” Speaker Patterson tells listeners.
The bipartisan bill was approved in committee yesterday (Thursday). Speaker Patterson says the bill died last year due to inaction and politics.
Meantime, while he’s hopeful that the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals remain in the Show-Me State, Speaker Patterson says the stadium issue needs to be handled by Kansas City and Jackson County officials first. Speaker Patterson is a lifelong Chiefs fan:
“Ultimately it will be something that we have to get done at the city (Kansas City) and county (Jackson) County level first. I think statewide support for funding stadiums, that would be a tough sell,” says Speaker Patterson.
Kansas lawmakers in both parties have been trying to lure the Chiefs to the Sunflower state. You can listen to the full “Wake Up” interview with Speaker Patterson here.
