The Grandview Chamber of Commerce is active in government at the local, state, and federal levels. In times of tough budgets, the Chamber has been able to get funding to help our members conduct their businesses. The Chamber is dedicated to making sure laws passed do not negatively affect our members or the business community. Our mission is to make Grandview an even better place to live, learn, work and play.

The Legislative Committee is comprised of members from the Grandview Chamber of Commerce and the South Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.  This joint committee meets three times a year around the Legislative Session. We meet in October, November, and January. If you’re interested in serving on the committee, please contact Liz Ogle.

Purpose:  To Provide leadership, information, and advocacy that enhances the economic environment and represents the political interests of the Grandview and South Kansas City business communities.

Goals: 

  • Research, develop, educate, and recommend issue positions to the Chamber Board of Directors

  • Poll members to establish the legislative concerns and opinions of the Chamber membership

  • Annually develop a Legislative Priorities list to reflect the concerns and opinions of the membership

  • Sponsor monthly breakfast meetings with local, state, and federal government officials to explore critical issues

  • Fully educate members about critical issues and inform members, the general public, and appropriate officials of Chamber positions adopted by the Board of Directors

  • Sponsor public forums on issues for candidates

  • Establish positive, interactive relationships with organizations and elected officials

The Legislative Priorities for the Grandview and South KC Chambers for 2025 are available below.

  • Workforce Development
    The Chambers support initiatives aimed at attracting, retaining, and training a strong workforce.

    Childcare
    The Chambers support affordable and accessible childcare for workers in Missouri.

    Public Safety
    The Chambers support legislation to address public safety issues throughout the state. text goes here

  • The Chambers support initiatives aimed at attracting, retaining, and training a strong workforce as well as fair and equitable taxation systems, tax incentives, and tax credits used to foster an environment conducive to business and economic growth. We also support efforts that enhance public safety, provide affordable access to childcare and create housing that is affordable and safe, all of which create an environment of business retention and growth.

    Workforce Development

    • Support adequate funding for programs and initiatives to help train critical employees in high-demand career and technical education fields.

    • Support affordable and accessible childcare for workers in Missouri.

    • Support addressing the attainability of early childhood education, addressing barriers to entry for individuals to enter/re-enter the workplace, training dollars, supporting apprenticeships, re-skilling, incentives for retirees to return to work, Missouri One Start, A+ scholarships, second chance hiring, training for transitioning inmates, measures to enable Missourians with disabilities to better access the workforce, and reliable transit to work centers.

    • Support initiatives to provide tax credits for donations to support Workforce Development Programs.

     Economic Development

    • Support enhancing initiatives to improve the climate for small business growth and development including seed capital funds and programs, additional funding for state innovation centers and small business and technology development centers, and funding for the Missouri Technology Corporation.

    • Oppose discriminatory legislation, which would detrimentally impact economic development and Missouri’s ability to attract businesses, sporting events, tourism, & conventions.

    • Support the 2025 Kansas City Consensus Agenda for Economic Development.

    General Business

    • Support legislation to allow businesses to add their phone numbers to the state “no call” list.

  • The Chambers encourage investments in energy, including reliability and efficiency, and support policies that provide balance between public health and environmental protections without unreasonable economic burdens on industry, business, and Missouri residents. We support legislation to increase responsible energy capacity and decrease service timelines in a cost-effective manner that preserves rates for consumers.

    • Support policies that encourage investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency and reliability, and enable balanced energy solutions that do not eliminate energy options or place unreasonable economic burdens on industry, businesses, and residents.

  • The Chambers support initiatives that promote improved health and wellness of community members including legislation that helps to effectively expand the labor pool for independent prescribers, which assists healthcare providers to better meet the needs of the communities they serve.

    • Support a comprehensive statewide response to the substance use disorder epidemic with additional resources, to include prevention, Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), recovery support, and recovery housing components. Include effective use of Opioid settlement funds as a component of the response.

    • Support recommendations/efforts to match MO Healthnet reimbursement increases with inflation to sustain Safety Net providers providing healthcare services to the highest need, most at-risk populations in Missouri.

    • Support legislation to change state regulations that currently prevent St. Joseph Medical Center from becoming a Level 3 Trauma Center.

  • The Chambers support all levels of education and special education funding to strengthen the quality of education in the area, thus improving the business viability and workforce development of the region.

    Pre-K through12 Education

    • Support legislation to provide sufficient funding for universal, high quality pre-k education for all Kansas City Metropolitan area residents and promote equitable and inclusive educational opportunities for our diverse learners, with the inclusion of the public-school districts as key players in providing those services.

    • Support overall state funding, per pupil, in an effort to make Missouri rank in the top one-half (currently ranked 47th) of all states in the country, including fully funding transportation. The funding formula should also reflect the higher costs of providing public education in urban and suburban areas.

    • Oppose efforts to divert state or federal funds meant for public schools.

    • Oppose legislation that would expand charter schools statewide unless a neutral party conducts a feasibility/sustainability study, and the locally elected school board is the sole sponsor.

    • Support expansion of statewide broadband to ensure all students have affordable access to high-speed internet services.

    Higher Education

    • Support the Missouri Community College Association’s request for $10 million to increase the core funding to support Missouri community colleges, moving them closer to funding provided to state universities.

    • Support continued support for workforce development projects through MoExcels funding.

    • Support a full transfer degree, guaranteeing transfer of a 60-credit hour associates degree from community colleges to the public universities.

  • The Chambers support a long term, sustainable transportation funding plan that delivers a sound asset management-based approach to maintaining existing roads and bridges, improving safety, and providing for economic development. We also encourage equitable funding in all modes of transportation including roads and bridges, rail, public transit, bicycle/pedestrian facilities, and Missouri’s waterways.

    • Support and monitor the development and implementation of a comprehensive multimodal transit strategy for the Kansas City area.

    • Support legislation that would enable MoDOT to reimburse local municipalities for providing trash and mowing services that are currently the responsibility of MoDOT.

    • Support initiatives to increase traffic capacity in areas of frequent congestion, such as expanding I-49.

    • Support the development of more transit options to help employers get employees to and from their jobs and training opportunities.

    • Support accessible bus service and transportation options in the Kansas City metro area.

    • Support city and regional initiatives for increased capacity of shelters for individuals who are experiencing houselessness, including zero-barrier facilities.

  • The following issues are important to the Chambers and legislation will be monitored as it is introduced.

    • Monitor ethics reform

    • Monitor unemployment compensation reform

    • Monitor efforts to create legislation to regulate short-term rentals.

    • Monitor implementation and funding of the Employment First legislation passed in 2023.

    • Monitor time of use legislation for utilities.