On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, state Rep. Melanie Stinnett discusses her entry into the Missouri General Assembly.
The Springfield Republican represents Missouri’s 133rd District, which takes in portions of Greene County. She was elected in 2022 to succeed Curtis Trent, who vacated the seat to run for the state Senate.
Here’s what Stinnett talked about on the program:
- Handling legislation that expanded Medicaid benefits for postpartum mothers. While the legislation had bipartisan support, it needed to get past lawmakers who wanted to add language prohibiting the benefit for people who received abortions.
- A bill she sponsored that expands the Ticket to Work program, which assists in providing health care benefits to people with disabilities.
- Her expectations for the 2024 session, including whether lawmakers will revisit plans to make amending the constitution more difficult.
- Whether a proliferation of Republican primary contests could harm the party’s chances at winning in the general election next year.
Stinnett is a speech pathologist who made her first bid for political office last year. The race to succeed Trent was a competitive one, with Stinnett emerging victorious by a little more than 400 votes.
While Springfield has historically leaned Republican, Democrats have found more success there in recent years — most notably in winning three seats in the House.
In addition to serving on a House committee overhauling health care, Stinnett is also a member of a committee that deals with professional licensing and registration.
