Burlison served in the Missouri House from 2009 to 2016.[7] During that time, he chaired the House Committee on Professional Registration and Licensing and was vice chair of the House Special Committee on Health Insurance.[8]
In 2011, Burlison sponsored a bill that made Missouri join the Health Care Compact.[9] The compact became law in Missouri and seven other states.[10]
In 2014, Burlison passed a bill to provide children with dyslexia better access to educational services. The legislation added dyslexia to a state grant program to help the families of children with disabilities pay for special education programs.[11]
In 2016, Burlison sponsored and passed a bill to eliminate conceal and carry requirements in Missouri.[12]
Missouri Senate
In 2018, Burlison was elected to the Missouri Senate, representing the 20th District, which comprises Christian County and part of Greene County.[13] Burlison's committee assignments included:
Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy and the Environment
General Laws
Insurance and Banking
Professional Registration (vice chair)
Small Business and Industry (chair)
Joint Committee on Government Accountability
Cyber Crime Investigation Fund Panel
Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan Board of Trustees
In a speech on the House floor at the start of his term, Burlison criticized DirectTV for removing Newsmax TV from its listings, despite Newsmax being caught spreading misinformation about alleged election rigging and widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election, stories consistently proven false. Newsmax later retracted and apologized for spreading this misinformation. Regardless, Burlison invoked the Holocaust while condemning DirectTV's actions, alluding to, and misquoting, the poem "First they came ..." by Martin Niemoller and suggesting that cable companies were censoring conservatives.[16]
Russia
On March 19, 2024, Burlison voted NAY to House Resolution 149 Condemning the illegal abduction and forcible transfer of children from Ukraine to the Russian Federation. He was one of nine Republicans to do so.[17]
Syria
In 2023, Burlison was among 47 Republicans to vote in favor of H.Con.Res. 21, which directed President Joe Biden to remove U.S. troops from Syria within 180 days.[18][19]
Burlison lives outside of Springfield with his wife Angie and two daughters.[2][4][25] He attends Destiny Church in Republic, Missouri, and is active in supporting campus ministries such as The Potter's House and Campus Crusade for Christ. Burlison is involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks and was named the Big Brother of the Year in 2005. He serves on the board of D.R.E.A.M and the Harmony House for battered and abused women.[2][4][25]
