Legislative Update Week 1
Laura Kelly Inaugurated as Governor
Former state senator Laura Kelly was sworn in as Governor on Monday, January 14th. She has a full agenda ahead of her, having campaigned heavily on issues like Medicaid expansion, K-12 education funding, and mental health services - promises she echoed in her acceptance speech. The inaugural ball later that evening concluded the day’s festivities with more than 2,000 in attendance.
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n the State of the State address that heavily emphasized the need for bipartisan cooperation and compromise, Gov. Kelly reiterated her promised that K-12 education would be “properly funded” throughout her term as Governor and urged the legislature to consider her proposal carefully.
The governor also noted that Lt. Governor Rogers and newly appointed Secretary of Commerce, David Toland, will be leading efforts to help rural communities with economic development. She reiterated her promise to support Medicaid expansion, citing rural hospital closures as proof of the need for doing so.
Gov. Kelly decried the state of the foster care system, saying that she and her Secretary of the Department of Children and Families will work to address concerns regarding the agency’s management (including the number of missing foster children).
As she concluded her State of the State address, Kelly returned to her opening theme of compromise, saying that she will examine the best ideas regardless of where they come from and that her door will be open
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