JEFFERSON CITY—Last week marked the first day (12/1) that bills prefiled by Missouri senators for the 2010 legislative session could be assigned a bill number.
In preparation for the beginning of the legislative session in January, Missouri Senate rules allow prefiled bills to receive a number beginning Dec. 1 (senators may prefile bills as soon as July 1 each year). 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.
Lawmakers may prefile bills continuing up to, but not including, the first day of session. Bills filed during this pre-introduction period are automatically introduced and read the first time on the opening day of session. Bills may also be introduced by any senator during the session, up until a certain deadline.
So far more than 100 Senate bills have been prefiled. With the bill prefiling process well underway, it is time for lawmakers to begin determining their priorities for the 2010 legislative session. One bill that seems likely to receive attention next year is Senate Bill 577, prefiled by Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Shields (R-St. Joseph). This bill, which has the distinction of being the first prefiled measure of the year, would create the position of an independent investigator within the Ethics Commission, bar certain contributions to incumbent officials during session and expand income reporting requirements to include legislative staff.
Specifically, SB 577 would create the Office of Independent Investigation within the Ethics Commission to investigate potential ethics violations and file ethics complaints. Complaints filed by the office would continue to be handled in the same manner as they currently are handled.
The measure would also bar lobbyists from contributing to any incumbent legislator’s candidate committee, incumbent governor's candidate committee, any continuing committee, or any campaign committee during the regular session of the General Assembly that runs from January to May. The prohibition would also apply to any incumbent governor's candidate committee or any continuing or campaign committee when legislation from the regular session awaits gubernatorial action. The only exemption in the bill would be for those incumbents seeking office in a special election. The bill defines a lobbyist as someone who is employed to influence legislation on a regular basis.
The final provision would require all employees and staff of the General Assembly—including employees of the majority and minority caucuses of both chambers—to file yearly financial interest statements disclosing supplemental income received totaling $5,000 or more. The disclosure must include the source of the income and the general nature of the business conducted.
Senate Bill 596, sponsored by Sen. Victor Callahan (D-Independence), was also prefiled last week. The measure would allow the governing bodies of any city in Missouri to designate Show-Me Small Business Districts within the city for a period no longer than 23 years. During the designation period, eligible small businesses within these areas may receive tax-favored status for a term not to exceed 15 years. Tax-favored status is defined as a reduction to or elimination of the rate of tax on transactions imposed under Missouri's sales and use tax laws.
Perhaps more pressing than any other issue next year will be the fiscal year 2011 budget. To prepare for drafting the new budget, the Senate Appropriations Committee held its annual public hearings this week. The hearings, which took place on Dec. 7 and 8 at the Capitol, gave committee members an opportunity to hear from state-funded organizations and agencies regarding their financial situation and outlook for the coming budget year. The 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.
Listen to the Senate Minute’s report on the budget hearings.
In other Senate committee news, Sen. Shields recently appointed Sen. David Pearce (R-Warrensburg) to serve as chairman of the Senate Education Committee. The panel is responsible for matters affecting early childhood learning, elementary and secondary schools, and higher education in Missouri. The appointment was effective Dec. 1.
Senator Pearce is replacing Sen. Rob Mayer (R-Dexter) who was recently appointed to serve as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee after former chairman Sen. Gary Nodler (R-Joplin) resigned from the committee to pursue other opportunities.
Senator Pearce was appointed vice-chairman of the Senate Education Committee at the beginning of the 2009 legislative session after he was sworn in as a new member to the Missouri Senate.
Also appointed to a committee position recently was Sen. Kurt Schaefer (R-Columbia), who was named to serve on the Joint Committee on Capitol Improvements and Leases Oversight, which is made up of 10 members of the House and Senate.
The duties of the committee include reviewing and monitoring expenditures on all state-funded capital improvement projects, such as repairs to existing state buildings and facilities and improvements on property leased by the state.
And finally, in the Senate’s first step to prepare for its constitutionally mandated task of determining Congressional redistricting following the 2010 Decennial Census, Sen. Shields recently announced the creation of the Senate Select Committee on Redistricting. The committee is charged with performing all duties necessary for the General Assembly to prepare for its role in the census.
In Missouri, Congressional redistricting is the responsibility of the Legislature. The task of redrawing the state’s 34 Senatorial districts and 163 House districts is assigned to two bipartisan commissions appointed by the governor.
Senator Shields named Sen. Scott T. Rupp (R-Wentzville) as chairman and Sen. Brad Lager (R-Savannah) as vice-chairman. Other senators named to the committee include: Sen. Victor Callahan, Sen. Jason Crowell (R-Cape Girardeau), Sen. Pearce and Sen. Robin Wright-Jones (D-St. Louis).
The U.S. Census forms will be mailed to households beginning in March 2010. Census takers will continue to collect census data from those who do not return their census forms through July. By law, the Census Bureau must deliver population data to the President of the United States in December for reapportionment. Also by law, the Census Bureau must complete delivery of redistricting data to states by March 2011.
The Legislature must draw and approve new Congressional districts during the 2011 regular session, or face a special session, to ensure proper filing in February 2012 for Congressional District candidates.
The Second Regular Session of the 95th Missouri General Assembly begins at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2010. 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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