State Sen. Lauren Arthur returns to Politically Speaking to talk with St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum about the final week of the 2021 legislative session.
Arthur is a Democrat who represents a portion of Clay County. She won a special election in 2018, bringing a historically Republican seat into the Democratic column. Arthur won election to a full term in 2020 and will get to serve through the end of 2024, when term limits will prevent her from running again.
Here’s what Arthur talked about on the program:
- Why Senate Democrats did not end up filibustering legislation establishing a tax credit program for contributors to nonprofits that provide educational assistance. The bill has been a longstanding priority of some Republicans who want to provide a pathway for students to go to either better public schools or private schools.
- How Democrats may fight election legislation that includes a government-issued photo identification requirement to vote.
- Whether lawmakers will be back in Jefferson City for Medicaid expansion. One possible scenario is that if Gov. Mike Parson allows people in the expansion population to apply and receive services, Medicaid could run out of money — and require the legislature to pass a supplemental appropriations bill to keep the program afloat.
- A special session that will take place later this year in which Missouri lawmakers will consider and pass a congressional redistricting map.
Arthur is a native of the so-called “Northland,” the part of Kansas City that’s north of downtown. She graduated from Smith College with a degree in history and worked as a teacher and in the advertising industry.
In 2014, Arthur won election to the Missouri House representing a portion of Clay County. After Sen. Ryan Silvey was appointed to the Missouri Public Service Commission in 2018, Arthur won the special election to replace him.
Many see Arthur as a potential candidate for statewide office once she leaves the Senate after 2024.
Follow Jason Rosenbaum on Twitter: @jrosenbaum
Follow Lauren Arthur on Twitter: @LaurenArthurMO
