Jefferson County Lawmakers Recap Session as Budget, Income Tax and HB 2818 Concerns Take Center Stage

Legislative breakfast highlights state budget pressures, local priorities, workforce needs, public safety bills and growing frustration over annexation legislation.

By The Jefferson Review

Jefferson County residents, business leaders and local officials received a wide-ranging update on the 2026 legislative session during a legislative breakfast that brought together state lawmakers and representatives from Missouri’s federal delegation.

The event, which was carried by Livestream STL and KJEF, opened with a recap of the recently completed 103rd Missouri General Assembly. The regular session adjourned in May after lawmakers approved the state operating budget and sent dozens of pieces of legislation to the governor.

Much of the discussion centered on what the session means for Jefferson County, including the state budget, a proposed elimination of Missouri’s income tax, education and workforce funding, public safety measures, infrastructure, emissions testing and several bills with direct local ties.

A Productive Session, But Leaner Budgets Ahead

The opening remarks framed the session as one of the more productive Missouri has seen in recent years, with lawmakers moving legislation through the process without the kind of breakdowns that have marked some past sessions.

Sen. Mike Henderson, who represents Missouri’s 3rd Senate District, said the Senate managed to “keep the train on the tracks” and work through the final day of session.

While Henderson said the year did not produce a long list of “earth-shattering” laws, he said many of the bills that passed were practical fixes to problems affecting communities and businesses.

One example he highlighted was legislation dealing with critical infrastructure. Henderson said copper theft and related damage to fiber optic lines can interrupt essential services, including 911 systems.

The state budget was another major focus. Speakers noted that Missouri’s next fiscal year budget totals about $50.7 billion and that the end of federal pandemic-era relief dollars, combined with weakening revenue growth, could make future budget years more difficult.

Jefferson College was mentioned several times during the breakfast, with speakers urging local leaders to keep an eye on higher education funding and the impact any future cuts could have on local students, workforce programs and dual-credit opportunities.

Income Tax Debate Could Shape Next Session

The proposed elimination of Missouri’s income tax drew some of the morning’s most direct questions.

Henderson said lawmakers voted to put the issue before voters, but he acknowledged that implementation would be complicated if the measure passes. He said the legislature would have to determine how to replace revenue and whether to revisit the hundreds of sales tax exemptions already in state law.

During the question-and-answer portion, one attendee asked whether eliminating the state income tax could lead to a much higher sales tax rate, citing an analysis suggesting a possible statewide average of more than 19 percent.

Henderson said he did not believe anyone could give a definitive number at this point. He said the final impact would depend heavily on whether the state expands the sales tax base, eliminates some exemptions, or takes another approach.

Rep. David Casteel, who represents District 97 and chairs the House Commerce Committee, also addressed the issue. Casteel said there are too many unanswered questions to make hard predictions, especially with thousands of local taxing bodies across the state and wide differences in total sales tax rates from one area to another.

Casteel said he voted to put the question before voters, but emphasized that he would not support an implementation plan that makes life harder for lower-income residents or people on fixed incomes.

The message from both lawmakers was clear: if voters approve the concept, the next legislative session could become one of the most consequential in years.

Local Delegation Emphasizes Teamwork

Several speakers pointed to the Jefferson County delegation’s working relationship as one of the county’s strengths in Jefferson City.

Rep. Phil Amato, who represents District 113, joked that the group has been referred to around the Capitol as the “Jeffco Mafia” because of how often they work together on issues that affect the county.

Amato said large issues, especially economic development packages, education funding and matters affecting Jefferson College, often bring the delegation together to discuss what is best for Jefferson County.

Amato also reflected on the pace of the legislative process. He said several of his bills moved out of committee but did not reach final passage, adding that it often takes multiple years to move legislation through both chambers.

Public Safety and Family-Focused Bills

Rep. Cecelie Williams, who represents District 111, gave one of the most personal updates of the morning, discussing legislation tied to domestic abuse, family law, unlawful tracking and drunk-driving tragedies.

Williams spoke about her successful effort to change Missouri law so a court can enter a judgment of dissolution of marriage or legal separation when a person is pregnant. She said the issue was personal to her and described the law as a way to protect people who may be trapped in dangerous or difficult situations.

She also discussed legislation creating penalties for unlawful tracking of a motor vehicle. Williams said current law left a gap for victims whose vehicles were tracked without their knowledge.

Another issue Williams highlighted was legislation dealing with AI-generated sexual depictions. She said the law creates criminal consequences for malicious or pornographic digital depictions, including cases where someone’s face is placed onto an explicit image.

Williams also spent time discussing Bentley and Mason’s Law, a Jefferson County-related measure named after two boys who lost family members in a fatal drunk-driving crash on Highway 30. Under the measure, a judge could order a person responsible for the death of a parent or guardian in a drunk-driving crash to pay support for the surviving children.

Williams said the legislation was a team effort between the House and Senate and passed after years of work.

Education, Emissions Testing and Online Protection

Rep. Renee Reuter, who represents District 112, discussed several issues she worked on during her time in the House, including cursive instruction, age verification for pornography websites, human trafficking legislation and emissions testing.

Reuter said cursive instruction matters because citizens should be able to read original historic documents and understand their rights. She argued that literacy and civic understanding are connected.

She also highlighted age verification requirements for pornography websites and human trafficking legislation aimed at giving law enforcement more tools, including provisions related to online grooming of minors.

One of the most locally relevant issues Reuter discussed was vehicle emissions testing. She said only a small number of Missouri counties are subject to the requirement and argued that Jefferson County should be treated fairly. Reuter said she has been working with Congressman Jason Smith’s office and others to pursue the issue through the EPA and Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

Reuter also reflected on her time in the House as she prepares to leave the legislature and seek a judgeship. She said one thing she hopes to be remembered for is enforcing debate rules on the House floor and helping young people from Jefferson County start careers in public service.

Workforce, Roads and Economic Development

Casteel focused much of his update on business, workforce and infrastructure issues.

He discussed legislation related to road and bridge builders, saying the goal was to help control project costs by providing limited protections for contractors during a narrow period before work begins on a project.

He also highlighted incentives for critical minerals, saying Missouri has resources that could be important for industries such as rocket fuel manufacturing and pharmaceuticals.

Workforce development was another major theme. Casteel said he and Henderson worked on efforts related to Pell Grants for trade schools and technical certification programs. He said shorter-term training programs can help students enter high-demand jobs more quickly, especially in industries where technology changes faster than a traditional four-year degree path.

Casteel said Jefferson County’s future depends on responsible growth, good roads, workforce opportunities and continued communication between residents and their elected officials.

Coleman’s Absence Adds to HB 2818 Frustration

One absence stood out during the legislative breakfast: State Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman.

Coleman, whose Senate district includes a large portion of Jefferson County, did not provide an update at the forum, even as lawmakers discussed the county’s budget priorities, Jefferson College funding, economic development, roads and the importance of communication between local officials and the state delegation.

Her absence felt especially pointed because of the controversy surrounding House Bill 2818, the annexation bill that has drawn strong opposition from municipal leaders across Jefferson County.

The bill began as a narrower annexation measure, but language was later added affecting Jefferson and St. Charles counties. For Jefferson County cities, the change would place new limits on annexation, including a 25 percent contiguity requirement and a restriction limiting municipalities to one annexation every two years.

Local officials have said they were not consulted before the Jefferson County language was added. Coleman has since said publicly that she worked with Sen. Nick Schroer’s office to move the language forward, raising questions among local leaders about why the cities and county officials most affected were not brought into the conversation earlier.

Coleman’s absence also comes as local rumors continue to circulate about whether she still lives in the Senate district she was elected to represent. No evidence on that question was presented at the breakfast, and The Jefferson Review is not stating that Coleman lives outside the district. Still, in a Senate seat covering much of Jefferson County, the rumors add weight to her absence.

Federal Updates from Hawley and Smith Offices

The breakfast also included updates from the offices of U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley and Congressman Jason Smith.

Jeremy Lloyd, director of community initiatives for Hawley’s office, said Hawley is working on legislation dealing with health care consolidation, online AI chatbots used by minors, child exploitation investigations and a temporary suspension of the federal gas tax.

Lloyd said Hawley’s office also has a casework team available to help residents dealing with federal agencies, including veterans seeking help with VA benefits and residents having trouble with Social Security.

Madison Baker, district director for Congressman Jason Smith, discussed Smith’s work as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. She highlighted tax policy, child tax credits, deductions for tips and overtime, immediate expensing for business investments, agriculture, workforce development, rural health care and transportation infrastructure.

Baker also discussed a federal transportation bill that would increase investment in roads, bridges, freight corridors, rail infrastructure and highway safety programs.

A Message to Stay Engaged

By the end of the breakfast, the common theme was engagement.

Lawmakers repeatedly encouraged residents, business owners, educators and local officials to contact them directly, follow legislation from more than one source and speak up when a bill could affect Jefferson County.

The event closed with reminders that the breakfast was recorded for the JCGA Facebook page and that KJEF AM 1400 would air the program on June 15 at 9 a.m.

Organizers also announced that a JCGA candidate forum is scheduled for July 22 at Jefferson College ahead of the August primaries.

For Jefferson County, the breakfast offered more than a review of what happened in Jefferson City. It gave residents a preview of the debates still ahead — from taxes and budgets to infrastructure, education, public safety and the county’s place in Missouri’s future growth.