Lieutenant governor asks for senior advocate position, drawing committee scrutiny over staffing and costs

Missouri Lieutenant Governor David Wiesinger told the House Budget Committee he is seeking authorization for a dedicated senior citizen advocate position and additional staff as part of his office's FY2027 budget request under House Bill 12.

Wiesinger said the senior advocate role is mandated by state statute and that the office's general counsel has been performing the duties on a part‑time basis. "When somebody showed me the statute, I had the exact same response you did," Wiesinger said, adding that the counsel "was ordained in about 30 seconds" to be the official advocate but works part time.

Committee members pressed the office for evidence to justify added positions. Representative Chappell noted a lapse between FY25 appropriation and spending and asked what justified expanding the staff. Chief of staff Katie Ashcroft said the lieutenant governor's office was set up mid‑year in FY25 and has been conservative in hiring; it currently has five full‑time employees and one part‑time general counsel. "We have employees that are doubling up on duties," Ashcroft said, and the office plans to request additional staff to handle constituent services related to seniors, veterans and other recurring inquiries.

Lawmakers sought data showing demand for a dedicated advocate: Representative Steinmeier asked for call logs and day‑to‑day job descriptions to assess whether added FTEs were warranted. Ashcroft said the office does not keep a call log but tracks emails and offered to provide job descriptions and other supporting documentation.

Several members, including Representative Hine, voiced support for the statutory role but cautioned about growing the office's headcount during a period of tight state resources. "I fully support that senior advocate position," Hine said, while also asking how the advocate would coordinate with Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) ombudsmen and nonprofit partners. Ashcroft said the position would act as a clearinghouse, partnering with DHSS and existing nonprofit councils on aging.

Wiesinger and staff declined to say the office had authority to redirect non‑general revenue sources to cover administrative costs; Ashcroft said the core budget is "almost entirely general revenue" and pledged to explore other possible funds.

The committee did not vote on the request during the hearing. Members asked the lieutenant governor's office to provide workload metrics and job descriptions to support the proposed FTEs before any final appropriation decisions.