JEFFERSON CITY—Missouri senators will begin pre-filing their high-priority legislation on Tuesday, Dec. 1, and will continue to pre-file bills up until the first day the 95th General Assembly convenes for its Second Regular Session on January 6, 2010. Bills filed during the pre-filing period will be automatically introduced and read for the first time on the opening day of the session. It is customary that each member of the Senate, beginning with the most senior member, picks his or her top three priority bills, which are then each assigned a number.
In other Senate news, Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Shields (R-St. Joseph) recently appointed Sen. Rob Mayer (R-Dexter) to serve as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee after the announcement that Sen. Gary Nodler (R-Joplin) will be stepping down from the chairmanship to pursue other opportunities.
Sen. Nodler will resign his position as chairman of the committee effective Monday, November 30. He has served on the committee for all seven of his years as a state senator, and chaired the committee for the past two sessions.
Sen. Mayer will assume the chairmanship on Dec. 1 following Sen. Nodler’s resignation. He began serving on the appropriations committee in 2004 and was appointed as vice chairman of the committee in 2007.
The Senate Appropriations Committee is responsible for initially drafting the state’s annual budget before it reaches the floor of the General Assembly. Lawmakers are constitutionally required to create a state budget each year. The budget process begins with public hearings, which for the fiscal year 2011 budget will begin Dec. 7, 2009. Public hearings provide committee members the opportunity to hear testimony from state agencies and departments regarding their financial situation and outlook for the coming budget year.
Also this month, Sen. Joe Keaveny (D-St. Louis) was sworn in as state senator for the 4th Senatorial District—which includes the City of St. Louis—during a ceremony at the Capitol on Nov. 18. A Missouri Supreme Court judge administered the oath of office to Sen. Keaveny, who was elected during a special election on November 3 to fill an unexpired term.
A longtime banking industry professional and a ward committeeman for the 28th Ward, Sen. Keaveny earned an undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and also holds a master’s degree in finance and a juris doctorate, both from St. Louis University. Senator Keaveny will serve a term ending Jan. 5, 2011.
Committee meetings continued this month as many committees must prepare recommendations for legislative action to the General Assembly when it convenes in January. One such committee, the Joint Committee on Missouri’s Energy Future , recently met to gather public input on a long-range energy plan for the Show-Me State. Serving on the committee are co-chairman Sen. Kurt Schaefer (R-Columbia), Sen. Brad Lager (R-Savannah), Sen. Rob Mayer, Sen. Tim Green (D-St. Louis) and Sen. Jolie Justus (D-Kansas City). The committee, which is charged with examining Missouri’s present and future energy needs and determining a long-term strategy to ensure an affordable and sustainable energy supply for the state, was established during the 2009 legislative session through HB 734.
The Joint Committee on Missouri’s Energy Future must present its findings and recommendations to the Legislature by the end of the year.
Listen to the Senate Minute’s report on the committee . Or for an extended report, click here to listen to This Week in the Missouri Senate.
And finally, the Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight met Nov. 23 to discuss the Missouri Department of Transportation’s annual report to the Legislature. Co-chair Sen. Bill Stouffer (R-Napton), Sen. John Griesheimer (R-Washington), Sen. Delbert Scott (R-Lowry City), Sen. Dan Clemens (R-Marshfield), Sen. Joan Bray (D-St. Louis), Sen. Rita Heard Days (D-St. Louis) and Sen. Wes Shoemyer (D-Clarence) all serve on the joint committee.
The Missouri Senate Capitol Briefing is written on a regular basis. To follow these and other issues being addressed by the Missouri Senate, visit www.senate.mo.gov. Visitors can research legislation and learn more about their Senate district and the legislative process. For more legislative news, please visit the Senate Newsroom. There you will find various audio and video programs and other services, such as:
- Missouri Legislative Update (MLU) A video program produced periodically throughout the year that provides an overview of the news in the Missouri Senate and House of Representatives. The program features news interviews with lawmakers and stories on issues concerning Missourians.
- Capital Dialogue Missourinet's Bob Priddy hosts this monthly half-hour roundtable program bringing legislators together from the Missouri Senate and House of Representatives from different political parties to discuss their positions on specific issues and legislation.
- This Week in the Missouri Senate A weekly five-minute audio program that wraps up the week’s news in the Missouri Senate. Programs are posted online every Friday in .mp3 format. Listeners have the option of subscribing to the program via podcast.
- Senate Minute A condensed, one-minute audio report of current Senate news. Programs are posted in .mp3 format and available through podcast.
- Daily Audio / Video Clips Throughout the year, the Senate Newsroom posts audio and video highlights from Senate committee hearings, floor debate, press conferences and other legislative events.
- Daily News Clips The Senate Newsroom compiles daily news clips on issues relating to the Legislature and state government. An archive of past clips is maintained online.
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