Highlights from Hegeman: The final days

EDITORIAL MUG: Dan Hegeman

As the old saying goes, “All good things must come to an end.” In 1992, Missouri voters said “yes” to putting term limits on members of the Legislature. Since then, state lawmakers have had the opportunity to serve a maximum of eight years, or four terms, in the Missouri House of Representatives and/or eight years, or two terms, in the Missouri Senate. I was first-elected to the Missouri Senate in November 2014 and reelected four years later, which means I have reached the end of my time in the upper chamber.

My time serving the wonderful citizens of the great northwest part of our state has been among the best in my life. In my opinion, it is an honor to be chosen to serve in such a capacity. There are only 34 of us in the Missouri Senate. It has often been noted the Missouri House is among the largest elected bodies in the country, with 163 members, while the Missouri Senate is among the smallest.

I have many great memories of my time in Jefferson City. I have met so many amazing people and made friendships that will last the rest of my life. Granted, the work we put in can be grueling. It can cause us to question everything. But, in the end, we also know we are working for the people who put us here — and those who did not. We are working for Missouri. Individually, we are working for each of the 34 senatorial districts, with the goal of making our state a better place to live, work and raise a family.

There are so many people to thank, especially my family. Sometimes, the drive from northwest Missouri to the Capitol can be long, and not just because of the weather. There have been times when I would have much rather stayed home, but I knew there was work to be done for our great state. My tremendous staff has always been there for me. They always kept me in check and made sure I got to all of my appointments on time and was always prepared for every meeting.

Mainly, I want to thank the people of the 12th Senatorial District. We are blessed to live in one of the most beautiful parts of the Show-Me State. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve all of you, and I look forward to the next chapter of my life. God bless each and every one of you, and Merry Christmas.

As always, please feel free to call, email or write with your ideas or concerns. My Capitol office number is 573-751-1415, my email is [email protected] and my mailing address is Room 332, State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

Dan Hegeman is the 12th District State Senator.