JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.  – Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon on Wednesday called for municipal court reform, changes to the state’s deadly force law and efforts to add new economic opportunities in Ferguson following months of racial unrest after the shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black man who was killed by a white police officer.

“We’ve already taken some meaningful steps forward in Ferguson,” Nixon told lawmakers, noting his Ferguson commission and expansion of a summer jobs program. “But make no mistake: The legacy of Ferguson will be determined by what we do next to foster healing and hope and the changes we make to strengthen all of our communities.”

Nixon praised religious leaders and teachers who worked in the St. Louis-region during the unrest and gave a nod to police officers who worked to repair a damaged basketball hoop in the community.

“It was an opportunity to ease tensions to foster trust and to bring about the kind of change that is needed in communities all across America,” he said.

Nixon used Ferguson to transition into his message about education, calling for lawmakers to expand funding for the state’s school funding formula using money replied from expanding Medicaid.

Nixon’s choice to directly address Ferguson stood in contrast to a passing reference by President Obama during his state of the union address last night.

“We may have different takes on the events of Ferguson and New York. But surely we can understand a father who fears his son can’t walk home without being harassed. Surely we can understand the wife who won’t rest until the police officer she married walks through the front door at the end of his shift,” Obama said.