JEFFERSON CITY — The 103rd Missouri General Assembly gathered at the Capitol in Jefferson City on Wednesday to kick off the 2025 legislative session.

Both Democrat and Republican lawmakers highlighted similar needs in the House of Representatives: a focus on taxation in a year with decreasing revenues, enhancing statewide public safety and the issue of abortion, but party leaders have different visions for how to tackle each issue.

Newly-elected House Speaker Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee's Summit, said he would follow Governor-elect Mike Kehoe's lead in cutting taxes for Missourians. Kehoe has proposed phasing out the state income tax, but Democrats see this as problematic as both parties seek to enhance support for education and child care programs this year.

Both parties agree a crime bill needs to come forward from the legislature, as well.

Both parties also discussed Amendment 3, which voters passed in November to restore the right to abortion in Missouri. However, lawmakers do not agree on how the amendment should be implemented. Republicans want legislative interpretation.

"I think that's one of the questions that we have to ask," Patterson said. "What I'll tell you is, if you took 10 doctors and lined them up and said, 'What is the definition of fetal viability?' I think you'd get 10 different answers. I think our citizens to deserve to know what these are, and I think that's a debate worth having."

Amendment 3 defines fetal viability as the point that a treating health care professional determines a fetus could survive outside the womb on its own.

Patterson said he doesn't think Republican lawmakers have an answer yet as to whether they will define fetal viability as a blanket period of time across all pregnancies or on a case-by-case basis.

"I've had discussions with the Senate and the House, and I don't think anybody has the answer yet," Patterson said. "So, what I've suggested is that we, in the House, are going to get together and discuss this and have people from different parts of the state weigh in and get those answers and move forward."

Rep. Ashley Aune, D-Kansas City, is the new House Minority Floor Leader. She said Democrats want Amendment 3 left alone.

"I believe that Missouri voters spoke in November, and I believe it is incumbent upon us, as the people who are sent down here and entrusted to represent them in the legislature to ... uphold the will of the voters," Aune said. "It was clear in the language what they were voting on, and I think it is insulting to voters to come down here and for the majority party to say, 'No, we know better than you, we're going to add to this,'" Aune said.

She continued: "Frankly, I'm not certain that the majority party is going to be able to get their ducks in a row and be on the same page about it."

After an election year, it will be pivotal how lawmakers interpret several new laws, including Proposition A , which raised the minimum wage, to ultimately determine the effects of the new laws.