General Column – Week of December 15, 2008
Senate Budget Committee Takes Funding Requests for FY 2010
More Than 120 Senate Bills Pre-filed for 2009 Legislative Session
Jefferson City — With the General Assembly gearing up for the 2009 legislative session, the Senate Appropriations Committee conducted two meetings earlier this month. The purpose of these meetings, held Dec. 9 and 10, was to gather public testimony from a broad cross-section of Missourians who use the many programs and services funded through the state budget.
This testimony will help inform the committee as it formulates a budget for fiscal year 2010, which begins July 1, 2009 and runs through June 30, 2010. The governor will soon submit recommendations for the upcoming budget year and then the Senate Appropriations committee will begin the process of determining state funding needs. With the economic downturn affecting the entire nation, and a predicted shortfall for fiscal year 2009, it seems likely that significant budget cuts will be necessary and tough choices will need to be made by lawmakers.
Listen to the Senate Minute’s report on the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Also meeting this month for the final time was the Joint Committee on Preneed Funeral Contracts. The group, charged with analyzing the preneed funeral contract industry in Missouri, will present its findings to the General Assembly in January after the legislative session begins.
Senators have taken the opportunity to pre-file their high-priority legislation over the last few weeks. More than 120 Senate bills are currently on the pre-file list. Senators may continue to pre-file legislation up until, but not including, the first day of session.
One pre-filed bill, Senate Bill 11, sponsored by Sen. Matt Bartle (R-Lee’s Summit), would repeal the Missouri Renewable Fuel Standard Act, which requires most gasoline sold in Missouri to contain 10 percent ethanol. The ethanol standard took effect in January of 2008 and was passed during the 2006 legislative session.
Another pre-filed bill, Senate Bill 23, sponsored by Sen. Victor Callahan (D-Independence), would designate the gaming revenues generated by the repeal of the casino loss limits (passed in November by voters) to a fund to be used for reducing tuition rates at Missouri’s public colleges and universities.
Senate Bill 4, sponsored by Sen. Charlie Shields (R-St. Joseph), would require that a quality rating system by developed and used for early childhood programs operating in Missouri. By January 2011, the ratings of the quality rating system would be posted online for parents and consumers to easily access the information.
Listen to the Senate Minute’s report on pre-filed bills.
To follow these and other issues facing the Missouri Senate, visit www.senate.mo.gov. Visitors can research legislation, learn more about their Senate district, or watch video or listen to audio highlights. The First Regular Session of the 95th General Assembly begins January 7, 2009.
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