Legislative Committees Begin Public Hearings
Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee, which I chair, began accepting public testimony on the state’s operating budget. This is an important part of the legislative process in general, but is particularly important when it comes to the budgetary process. By opening committees to public testimony, lawmakers can get a sense of what the people of Missouri value the most when it comes to government services in their daily lives. During hearings, citizens are allowed to advocate for or against a specific piece of legislation. This helps keep state legislators connected with the views and values of the people they serve.
I believe the government should step in to help those people who do not have the ability to help themselves. This includes some of our most vulnerable, and cherished, populations, such as veterans, children and seniors. Public testimony allows us to hear directly from advocates for these and other groups. Of course, Missourians can make themselves heard at any point in the legislative process by speaking with their elected representatives on matters important to them, but hearings provide a direct outlet for citizens to be heard.
The 2019 legislative session is still in its early weeks. Legislative committees have started holding hearings on a few assigned bills and resolutions, but there is still much more work to be done. In the coming weeks, committees will begin serious evaluation of legislative proposals, the most promising of which may be sent to the Senate or House of Representatives for further discussion and debate. This is all part of our deliberative legislative process, where bills must go through several steps of careful evaluation before they can officially become law.
As always, please feel free to call, email or write with your ideas or concerns. My Capitol office number is (573) 751-1415, my email is dan.hegeman@senate.mo.gov and my mailing address is Room 332, State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.