Jefferson City — Week three of the legislative session began as lawmakers reconvened on Tuesday after honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday.
Legislators continued to work on their key legislative issues for 2008 by discussing introduced bills in committee and sending some legislation to the Senate floor.
Senators spent most of their week in committee hearings. After a bill is introduced on the Senate floor, it is then referred to the Senate committee that most closely relates to the issues addressed in the legislation. Committee members debate the legislation and decide whether to approve it for the Senate calendar and possible future debate on the Senate floor. Committees typically hold public hearings to give constituents a chance to offer their thoughts on certain legislation.
Several key pieces of legislation were discussed this week in the Senate. Senate Bill 713, a measure introduced by Senate President Pro Tem Michael Gibbons (R-Kirkwood), was presented to the Senate Education Committee. The bill would protect school district employees who report on or discuss employee performance for the purpose of making employment decisions that affect the safety of students. Employees facing the threat of a lawsuit would be granted civil immunity.
Senate Bill 718, sponsored by Sen. Harry Kennedy (D-St. Louis), was passed in the Economic Development, Tourism & Local Government Committee. The measure would extend the sunset on job retention project tax credits under the Missouri Quality Jobs Act, which provides incentives to Missouri businesses that retain a specific number of employees. Under current law, no new tax credits can be approved for job retention projects after Aug. 30, 2007. This act extends the cut-off date to Aug. 30, 2013. The measure will now be placed on the Senate calendar for possible future debate on the floor.
Sen. Jack Goodman’s (R-Mt. Vernon) village law repeal, SB 765, was passed by the Economic Development, Tourism and Local Government Committee. The controversial law passed last year makes it substantially easier for a landowner to incorporate a village and circumvent county jurisdiction. The bill will likely be debated on the Senate floor in the coming weeks.
Legislation that would limit the tuition charged to certain combat veterans by Missouri’s colleges and universities was heard by the Pensions, Veterans’ Affairs and General Laws Committee. SB 830 was introduced by Sen. Maida Coleman (D-St. Louis) and would limit the tuition charged to $50 per credit hour for Missouri veterans who served in armed combat after Sept. 11, 2001.
To follow these and other issues facing the Missouri Senate, visit www.senate.mo.gov. Visitors can track legislation as it passes through the General Assembly, learn more about their Senate district, or listen to streaming audio of legislative debate as it happens.
The Missouri Senate will reconvene at 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 28. The Second Regular Session of the 94th Missouri General Assembly will run through Friday, May 16.
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