[ applause ] [applause] [applause] if. Governor, welcome. Ladies governor, welcome. Ladies and gentlemen, help me welcome the 57th governor to the state of missouri michael parson. I thought m okay. All right. First of all, thank you Lieutenant Governor, mr. Speaker, statewide officials, members of the General Assembly , esteemed guests. It is my honor to welcome, for the first time in our states history, judges of the first ever female Majority Supreme Court of missouri. [ applause ] there is first i want to recognize im going to do it very quickly. It is a gentleman that has been doing this job for 20 years making sure these teleprompters work correctly. Todd mayfield is doing his 20th session here. Thank you. Well, to say the least, its an honor to be joined by well, to say the least it is an honor to be joined by the first lady as i welcome for the final time as the 57th governor of the great state of missouri, during our time as governor we have accomplished more than any of us probably thought was ever possible. I wouldnt be standing here today, without my support system, my family. Thats where i want to start. First and foremost, the first lady. Teresa has been by my side every step of the way and after 38 years of marriage i went the husband, father, gramps or governor i am today without her. Thank you for serving in a role you never asked for but doing it each and every day with grace, passion and commitment to best serve the people of missouri. Ladies and gentlemen, the first lady of the state of missouri. [ applause ] theres another a group of people there is another group of people with me today. My family. I am one of the most blessed people in the world to have the family i had and for all of them to be here. It really started with my son and daughter years ago. It really made me a better person. Those two are here today with us. Naturally they are the ones that had all my grandkids and i just cant say enough to how much my children meant to me in my life and my grandkids. Most are here today i have one i want to give a shout out to. It is his first public event at the right age of six months. Hes with us here today for the first time and then also i have another great grandchild on the way this year. My brothers are here. I have nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers, all my family from here. I tell you, theres two things i know in life that are important. Thats god almighty and my family. I love all you guys that are here today. Would you please recognize my family and show them your appreciation . Please rise. [ applause ] like the legislators in this like the legislators in this room and syrians across the state, my faith, family and next generations are the driving force behind the change we have made in azeri. Last year, when i stood before you i highlighted many historic achievements we accomplished together. As we laid out proposals i declared that this governor and this dad, this gramps is not done yet. I tell you, we are not done yet. While that is still true, im here to tell you we are getting close. After serving six sessions in the house, six sessions in the senate, to sessions as Lieutenant Governor and now my sixth and final session as your 57th governor i am expected to say this is a bittersweet moment. While the view facing all of you is a fine sight to see, but it is no comparison to the view of that county farm behind the windshield of my john deere tractor. [ applause ] i promise i will think of all of you occasionally. But in all seriousness, i will be leaving here with my head held high. Like many of you who came here for the right reasons we never wavered from those wise word on our capital and inscribed in our state seal. Let the good of the people be the supreme law. In every decision we make, we must look to the effects on the next generations and the ability for them to achieve their american dream. Every decision, we must put people first. Easy said but hard to do. It is a simple idea that has been our guiding principle since the beginning. That is our final commitment to you. Until our final day, we will continue to put people first. [ applause ] when i became governor, missouri was tired of the turmoil. Political infighting and self involved personalities. They were tired of quitters and when i first stepped into the Governors Office amidst the thousands of camera clips, hundreds of shouting questions and countless states, local and national media, we closed the chapter on scandal and began a new direction because there was no turning back. We declared a fresh start and return of stability. We committed to ensuring the next generations have their opportunity to do the american dream. We promised the return of integrity to State Government and above all we promised to return people first mentality. Today, i firmly believe we have done just that. [ applause ] every year we have approved conservative and balanced budgets. We have maintained our aaa Credit Rating and we have always left funds on the bottom line. Actually, with the budget we outline today we will leave office with over 1. 5 billion on the bottom line which has never been done before in our states history. [ applause ] we are also pleased to report we have paid down missouris debt by over 600 million leaving the state with 53 less debt than when we started. That is quite the contrast compared to what we are seeing happening in washington, d. C. And missouri we dont leave future generations to pay the tab, we pay our bills and put people first. [ applause ] working with all of you, balance and conservative budgets have always been the norm and never the exception. We have always been more interested in giving back missourians hard earned dollars rather than spending them. In turn, that creates jobs, Business Growth and increased revenues to the state. In fact, state revenues have increased 40 since 2018 with a Significant Growth coming from sales revenue. Not income tax, Corporate Tax or fuel taxes but from revenue created by missourians spending their own money , not government programs. [ applause ] one of the huge factors is the three separate tax cuts we approved including the largest in our states history. We have decreased missourians tax burdens by over 20 unleashing a economic powerhouse in the state of missouri. [ applause ] when i became governor, we were ranked 42nd for gdp growth and last among our midwest neighbors. Today, we are ranked 23rd in the nation and top five in the midwest for gdp growth. That is a real reckoning here. That is not all talk and all hot air. That is a true reckoning of growth, opportunity that missourians have come to expect from this administration and State Government. [ applause ] that is our leadership creating a formula for success and that is something all of us should celebrate in this chamber. Overall, missouri now has the 13th lowest tax burden of any state in the nation and under our administration, our Unemployment Rate fell to 2. 1 , the lowest rate ever recorded in our states history. Actually, it has been so low that our problem is not creating jobs but filling jobs. Since becoming governor, we have added more than 110,000 jobs to our economy and close out the year ranked 15th nationally for job creations. Today, as i stand before you for the final time as missouris 57th governor i declare that the state of our state is stronger than it has ever been. [ applause ] we have done vit all by putting people first and that started with State Government. Nothing we do in this room is possible without the dedicated Public Servants across the state to implement these ideas. When i became governor, State Government was quickly becoming underappreciated, understaffed and underpaid. Thats why we approved three historic pay increases to recruit and retain quality talent across State Government. Raising Team Member Pay by only over 20 by 2018 and the investment in our state employees have been worth every penny. [ applause ] and thats why this year we thats why this year we are proposing additional 3. 2 cost ofliving increase for all of our state employees. [ applause ] and represent representing our more than 47,000 team members here today is my cabinet. Through every crisis i turned to my cabinet and their teams. Not the federal government. I have always maintained that the answers to our problems are in this state and among our people. If we allow ourselves to put egos and selfimportance to the side and just listen, while they may have already been recognized, i want to ask my cabinet to stand with me for one last time. I always say that being a good leader is not about being the best, but it is making those around you better. Today, i think you and your team for proving that to be true. [ applause ] putting ppeople first is something we implemented across State Government because we set the example during covid19, we had 600 more regulations. We made these changes permanent. We approved a Regulatory Environment with missouri. To be honest with you, many of these lawsuits should not have been included in the first place. When i became governor, we also inherited 4000 pending applications. On a law and order governor. 4000 people in limbo, is not how we do good business. Whether we approved or denied, we shut out the provided answers. Today, im a proud announcer for us to be clear, totally clear, for the first time in decades. As a former chair, this reform doesnt mean that we are getting people out of prison, or freeing criminals. People who have truly turned their lives around. People who are joining us here today. In his youth, he was drinking, getting into fights, and found himself alongside of the law read today, kenny has turned his life completely around. He earned a bachelors and masters degree. He has been a pastor for more than 20 years. Including service as a hospice chapter. Kenny and others like him, made some mistakes. Please join me in recognizing him. [ applause ]. Either way our office has been able to capitalize, has been them appointing over 135 three support judges. More than 4 of the judiciary has been appointed by our organization. This is more in the states history. We have truly reshaped judiciary traditions to come. Guaranteed a judiciary part that opposed the politics of the moment. They are additionally doing this since the first. Lieutenant governor, r fitzpatrick, theyre not here today. Thank you for stepping up and answering the call. On trusting people within the great state of missouri. Today, i want to highlight another one of my quality apartments. This is within the city of st. Louis. We didnt pick. As a matter of fact, we never even asked. He clearly cared for the people of st. Louis. He valued strong communities. Fighting crime. Returning law and order. Putting people first. This is between profanity and Circus Office circuits office. Our office is greater than i have ever experienced. Please join me in recognizing st. Louis circuit attorney, gabe gore. [ applause ]. When the history books tell the story from her 57th governor, i hope that with our workforce development, that the accomplishments stay well. Our final priorities as governor, have no turning back. We know that they have a strong foundation. This is within our children. This year, we will once again get the k through 12 foundation. Additional 120 million from last years level. This is all across the state of missouri. [ applause ]. In total, the administration has increased funding for k12 education by 700 million. This was since 2018. We know that is state funding. At the same time, it is the General Assembly. We have more families through the education savings account. Public, private, charter, or christian. We dont care if it is quality education, as long as they get one. [ applause ]. We need to do our part on teacher pay. We are including funding to increase teacher pay, increasing teacher baseline paid to 40,000 per year. They are going to go within our administration. We are also recommending six million dollars. These have benefited tens of thousands of teachers within every corner across our state. We have also made historic investments in missouri Higher Education sector. We have increased Higher Education and poor funding by 24 . We have invested 1. 2 billion in stateoftheart capital improvements. This includes upgrades on the college campuses. Within this years budget, we included another. 3 for increased institutions and colleges. 54 million from the Workforce Training Program on college campuses. [ applause ]. When i graduated high school, i joined the United States army. For me, there was no turning back. My path was similar. Nearly 60 of the workforce, dont have college degrees. That is okay. We all know that it doesnt take a College Education to be successful. Since 2018, we have helped establish, upgrade, and transformed 57 career and Technical Education institutions across our state. More of our young people are earning a quality skill, certificate, or credential that will help secure them a good paying job, without a college degree. We are also of scaling the current workforce, helping them secure the skills that they need to succeed worried since the upgrade in 2019, missouri one star has helped trained trained more than 170,000 workers. Since its creation, the Fast Track Program has benefited over 1700 students. This is with more than 55 going into healthcare. Ladies, more than two thirds of that or women. We are prioritizing friendships within this state. They have benefited from historic support. We are looking at the career centers. We are going to look at the reserves from springfield. Trying to finish presently. I firmly believe that with hard work, determination, and a skill of some kind, these individuals are proving it. Please join me recognizing everything across the state. This group, represents a sample of more than 57,000, since we have become governor. This is another investment. As you can see, this target investment truly makes a difference in the lives of these missouri civilians. Missouri is going to be looking at the united face of america. This is something to be proud of. [ applause ]. Like any challenge in this state, we dont hide from it. They are investing in 10 million. We are looking at advanced semiconductor search. This is 7 million, to support Critical Mineral Development in missouri. Missouri ranked fourth in the nation for manufacturing. We are making sure that we never have to rely on china again. Another focus, and workforce development, is that the first lady and i are specially proud of. This includes students that could be struggling. They have found themselves in some trouble. They are high risk. This is when we first began back in Lieutenant Governor days. We have six programs, 225 students. Today, they support more than 4000 reserves. This was just 90 . That is thanks in large part for taking this program under your wing. We are looking at former students joining us today. The students are on the way did this is with your help. You can choose not to stand behind the students, the thousands like them are across the state. It wont be me you have to answer to. First lady herself, would you please join me in giving these students joining us today a round of applause . When it comes to the workforce, we know we are on solid ground. This is going to be a quality Early Learning program. Business leaders estimate the collapse of earlymorning programs. They are costing our state 1 billion annually. Over 85 believe that Early Childhood learning, supports the childs success, parents success, and a business success. Today, we only have the capacity to serve just 39 of missouris children, and licensed facilities. It is time for change. This year, along representative arthur, and percentage of shields, these programs are helping improve access and affordability for families seeking childcare across the state of missouri. Additionally, we are continuing funding for the expansion of these programs. These are common sense majors that are good for business. They are great for families. They are best for missouris children. Join us today. They are finding it to to find quality childcare. Fulltime nursing student, that uses these colleges recorded on your program. This is something that we can all agree on. That should be the minimum for every child in missouri. This year, we are proposing a 52 Million Investment in the missouris childcare substance program. They can receive the care that they need and deserve. Please join me in welcoming catherine, feel, and program director, from the middle area college. Another issue affecting missouri children. Fentanyl crisis. Drugs, pouring into our country from the open border. This is devastating missouri families buried last year, dozens of missouri children, were lost due to fentanyl exposure. Im going to say that one more time. They were lost to fentanyl exposure. They didnt use it or do anything. They were just exposed. This year, alongside representatives, we are proposing legislation. We are guaranteeing strict punishments for exposing children and wonders to fennel. He then failed to do your job by securing the missouri will act. This is the most vulnerable. Supporting the attorney generals plan. This is together. We are looking at prolife as well. Speaking of prolife, we are looking at historic success. 8000 elective abortions were performed annually in missouri. I stand before you today. That number is zero. Im proud to report. [ applause ]. The priority of this administration, roads, bridges, missouris infrastructure. Roads and bridges might not be the most exciting topic. This is the one that impacts all missouri civilians the most. Infrastructure was one of the first major initiatives that we took home. 5. 5 years ago, working with all of you, we set out to repair and replace missouri roads and bridges. For the first time in the states history, we have represented a