Business Advocacy

A vote for these candidates is a vote for economic growth Electing well-rounded, thoughtful civic leaders who focus on the big picture of Springfield’s future is essential for our community to thrive and prosper. We need a City Council that is made up of individuals who see the importance of prioritizing economic development and job…

State Senate leaders discuss legislative session, time in office The kickoff of the 2017 Public Policy Speaker Series featured an impressive panel of senators representing the Springfield region. Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard and State Sens. Bob Dixon and Jay Wasson all visited the Chamber on February 24 for the first installment of the…

A success for the Chamber’s legislative agenda and the state Each year, Chamber volunteer leaders spend months deliberating and deciding what priorities to include in the annual legislative agenda. The 2017 State Legislative Agenda covers a wide range of topics, from workforce development to funding for education and transportation. But one of the first items in the…

Taking the message to the Capitol The Chamber works year-round developing, refining and sharing its list of legislative priorities – priorities based on the needs and feedback of our members. Those priorities cover a wide range of issues, and work on those issues takes place in myriad locations and takes numerous forms. As one of 10…

Making the case for Chamber legislative priorities The new year brings a wealth of possibilities in the Missouri Legislature, along with significant budgetary challenges. In an effort to address both sides of the legislative coin for 2017, Chamber volunteer leaders and staff have been advocating to state elected leaders in a variety of ways about…

The 2017 State Agenda: Reforms, Right to Work At the end of his first week as Speaker Pro Tem of the Missouri House of Representatives, Elijah Haahr (R-Springfield) visited the Chamber to speak with a packed house and offer a look at the top priorities for the 2017 legislative session. Haahr, who is beginning his…

Freshman legislators visit Springfield to kick off statewide tour Newly-elected state legislators can face an overwhelming task when entering office, especially if they are new to public service. So freshman members of the Missouri Legislature get a statewide tour before they take office, visiting areas around the state to hear from business, education, and community…

State legislative leaders preview top issues for 2017 The majority floor leader in the state Senate and the assistant majority floor leader in the state House of Representatives spoke to a packed house at the Springfield Chamber on November 30, offering a look at what the 2017 legislative session could hold, including the top priorities…

Springfield City Council meeting: a case study The Chamber is focused on improving the business climate at all levels of government. Much of this work is done for our members and the business community behind the scenes, but sometimes all the pieces come together and demonstrate the way local government can work when operating at…

DOL’s overtime rule change blocked for now As you may have heard as you were heading out for the Thanksgiving holiday, a federal judge in Texas has granted a preliminary injunction that blocks implementation of the Department of Labor’s proposed new federal overtime rule. The rule, which would have more than doubled the salary threshold…