Kansas City-area legislators will have some big leadership roles when Missouri General Assembly convenes this week. So does that mean city leaders will finally realize their hopes of reducing gun violence or regaining local control of the city’s police department? (Probably not.)
Lee’s Summit Republican Jon Patterson is set to become Speaker of the Missouri House. And other local legislators of both parties will be in roles that shape the agenda and the conversation in Jefferson City.
One of those is Republican state Sen. Tony Leutkemeyer of Parkville, the new Senate Majority Leader. He’ll get to decide what items of business come up for votes, when, and he told KCUR's Steve Kraske on Up To Date that confronting violent crime will be one of his party’s top priorities this year.
Kraske also spoke with state Rep. Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat who becomes House Minority Leader this week. He asked her why she doubts how much the General Assembly can accomplish this year.
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Kansas City Today is hosted by Brian Ellison. It is produced by Suzanne Hogan, and KCUR Studios. It is edited by Gabe Rosenberg.
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