Governor Kehoe's new executive orders aim for ethical and efficient governance

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Governor Mike Kehoe Thursday signed three executive orders aimed at streamlining government operations, improving stakeholder engagement, and ensuring ethical conduct within the Kehoe administration.

The orders reflect the Governor's commitment to fostering more effective, transparent, and accountable government.

"These executive orders demonstrate our administration's commitment and dedication to responsible governance and meaningful reform," Kehoe said.

The executive orders are:

Executive Order 25-11, delegates supervisory authority over specific departments, divisions, and agencies to designated members of the Governor’s staff. This measure is intended to enhance oversight and ensure that critical state functions are managed efficiently, the governor said.

Executive Order 25-12, establishes a comprehensive code of conduct for the Office of the Governor’s staff, setting clear ethical standards to ensure integrity and professionalism throughout the administration.

Executive Order 25-13, directs all executive department directors and commissioners to dedicate a minimum of eight hours per month to engaging with their agency’s stakeholders. This initiative seeks to ensure that decision-making processes are informed by input from those directly impacted by government actions. Additionally, the order prohibits the issuance of new rules without prior approval from the Governor’s office, a move designed to reduce red tape, improve government efficiency, and ensure regulatory decisions align with the needs of stakeholders and the state’s overall priorities.

To read the orders, log on to: https://www.sos.mo.gov/library/reference/orders/2025