Delivering Results: Key Highlights from the 2025 Legislative Session

As your Missouri State Treasurer, my mission is simple: protect your hard-earned money and invest it wisely. This legislative session, that meant taking meaningful action to ensure taxpayer dollars are never used to support hostile foreign powers—and standing firm against progressive financial activism that puts your retirement savings at risk.

 

One of the most significant successes this session was advancing a policy I’ve long championed: requiring Missouri’s public retirement systems to divest from certain companies owned or controlled by foreign adversaries. This builds on the divestment standard I implemented at the Missouri State Employees’ Retirement System (MOSERS) in 2023. That includes China, whose state-run firms routinely disregard basic auditing standards, operate without transparency, and help fund the Chinese Communist Party’s militaristic ambitions. Just as important, these investments have consistently underperformed when compared to other opportunities in the global marketplace. Missourians shouldn’t have their retirement dollars tied up in companies that act in bad faith and fail to deliver  competitive returns. With the support of Representative Barry Hovis, I was proud to see this priority passed by the legislature as part of HB 147, which is now awaiting the governor’s signature.

 

Another step forward for responsible financial stewardship this session was the passage of new safeguards to ensure that investment fiduciaries prioritize financial returns when voting proxies

or managing public pension assets. This progress builds on work I began earlier this year, when I led a coalition of state financial officers raising concerns about Vanguard’s trustee election process. Vanguard manages Missouri’s MOST 529 Education Plan, and families saving for their children’s education deserve leadership focused on performance.

 

Of course, some priorities remain ahead. I remain deeply committed to expanding access to financial literacy education and strengthening Missouri’s MOST 529 College Savings Plan.

 

Every Missouri student should graduate equipped to manage their finances, avoid debt, and build a secure future—and every family saving for college should have access to strong investment options.

I will continue fighting to protect your savings, invest in your future, and uphold the values that make our state strong.