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This Week in the Governor’s Office: Week of September 9, 2019

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — On the heels of his announcement that he will seek a full term as Missouri’s chief executive, Gov. Mike Parson hit the road.

In St. Louis at the beginning of the week, Parson met with officials to discuss what immediate actions the state could take to face urban violence in communities.

“If we are to change violent criminal acts in Missouri, it will take all of us at the federal, state, local, and community levels working together toward that common goal,” Parson said in a statement.

In a meeting with the Missouri Fraternal Order of Police, the St. Louis Metro Police Department, and the Kansas City Police Department, the group talked about possible solutions to violent crime in our cities and the ongoing difficulty in the recruitment of new officers.

This week, Parson also signed Executive Order 19-16, announcing the commencement of the Missouri as a Model Employer initiative.

The Model Employer classification is an emerging trend supported by the federal Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy to help more people with disabilities obtain competitive and integrated employment.

“Being a Model Employer is critical to developing and maintaining a talented state workforce that reflects the rich diversity of Missourians,” Parson said. “We are committed to doing everything we can, both through this initiative and other efforts, to eliminate barriers to employment and expand job offers to individuals of all abilities.”

The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry recognized Parson with the first 2019 Business Champion Award.

The Missouri General Assembly was in session this week, completing the task set forth for the special session and declining to override any votes. Parson held a press conference Friday afternoon, praising the lawmakers for swiftly fixing the vehicle sales issue.

“This is the right thing to do by passing this law to help everyday citizens out there so they keep their money in their pockets,” Parson told reporters Friday afternoon. “So when people say ‘it’s no big deal,’ it is a big deal. It’s a big deal if you’re the average person out there who the government wants to keep $500 or $1,000 of your money.”

Parson said if he hadn’t have called lawmakers back to Jefferson City this week during the veto session, “thousands upon thousands of people would have lost their hard-earned money.”

In his 2020 gubernatorial bid, Parson received widespread support this week including from President Donald Trump, agricultural groups, and elected officials.