JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Day one of the General Assembly is always full of pomp and circumstance, but lawmakers did offer a preview of what is to come over the next few months of session.

(1) Right-to-work could happen in House, but is not as much of a priority in the Senate:

Supporters of ‘right-to-work’ held a big rally Wednesday morning where they called on lawmakers to pass a ‘right-to-work’ bill. House leadership, including Speaker Tim Jones, R-Eureka, and speaker-elect John Diehl, R-St. Louis, were present supportive of the event.

In his remarks to the full House, Jones made his intention (which he revealed on his southwest Missouri campaign-style swing last week) crystal clear: “As 24 states have now empowered their workers over entrenched union bosses and given their workers the ultimate freedom to make their own choices, we owe it to all Missouri workers to give them the same freedom. For true growth and opportunity Missouri should be come the 25th state for worker freedom and choice.”

(2) Energy issues were highlighted by Jones, signaling another possible utilities fight this year:

Jones went out of his way in his remarks to devote a big paragraph slot to energy issues, which have been at a stalemate in recent years. Ameren Energy and its allies have signaled they may be looking to the state for some help on their small modular reactor project with Westinghouse after failing to receive funding from the federal government. From Jones’ remarks: “We must also work to ensure Missouri embraces responsible energy policies that will encourage affordable energy prices and technical development. We must ensure our regulatory framework is not impending Missourians from using existing energy sources or pursuing new developments using sources like coal and natural gas. Only by using an ‘all of the above’ energy framework can we hope to achieve energy independence… We owe it to our future growth and prosperity to make sure that we can meet the ever-escalating energy demands of tomorrow.”

(3) Real policy movement this year may be limited to education:

Actual policy movement may be limited to educational issues. Republicans (and even Democrats) want policy change, and Gov. Jay Nixon wants a funding increase. Both have reason to give. In his remarks, Jones made news that he was opposed to changing open-enrollment rules: “We must continue to work toward a public education system that provides a truly excellent education to every young person regardless of their zip code or place of birth.”

Jones also renewed his push for ‘teacher accountability’ measures: “All individuals in our education system should be held accountable to our most important treasure: our children, who are our future.”

(4) Tax cuts, in. Additional tax credits, out.

Leadership in both chambers of the General Assembly made clear their support of “broad-based” tax relief for all Missourians, hoping to use some of the political momentum surrounding the failed House Bill 253 effort last fall. If not that bill, Republicans ask Nixon, what will he support? Lawmakers believe they could send him a package early in session to procedurally force him to act and join the negotiating table. Jones, in his remarks: “Missourians want us to pass the first significant tax reform our state has seen in nearly 100 years. Missourians need and want lower taxes.”

Jones was also critical of more tax credits, despite his support in December of a package to expand tax credits for the Boeing Company as part of the state’s failed attempt to attempt to lure the new 777x commercial airliner production line: “Missourians also want us to engage in significant reforms to our tax credit system and end our governor’s practice of picking winners and losers via some centralized planning authority. Missourians want tax breaks for all, not just the chosen few.”

(5) Medicaid off the radar, so far:

The issue – which was the focus of summer-long roving committees from the House and Senate – was hardly mentioned on Day 1. The issue did not come up in Jones’s speech to fellow members, and Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, kept similar distance from the subject, saying only that the Senate would take the committee’s recommendations under review.