Many of you might remember the old Schoolhouse Rock segment, “How a Bill Becomes a Law.” Younger readers of this report are probably asking themselves “what is Schoolhouse Rock”? Just Google it. That animated segment features the fictional “Bill” as he makes his way through Capitol Hill in the hopes of becoming a law. “Bill” must be introduced, be assigned to a committee, be voted out of committee, debated on the floor and then voted on. These aren’t all the steps in the process, but you get the picture.
I’m not here to tell you Schoolhouse Rock gets everything right. Sometimes the legislative process a little more complicated and, perhaps, a little more interesting than that segment lets on. But, it does give a decent overview. The committee step in that process is what I want to focus on. Committees are one of the most important parts in “Bill’s” journey to become a law. This is where a lawmaker presents his or her bill in front of a committee, tries to convince the committee of its worth, and, most importantly, where citizens can speak directly to their elected officials about a proposed law.
To me, this is the most interesting and beneficial step. Debating a bill on the Senate floor is important, but it is often done in theory without practical knowledge or understanding of how it impacts real people or our communities. Hearing from people who live and experience the consequences of the laws we pass is far more valuable to grasping it and the best way to get this perspective is for folks to come up to Jefferson City and make their voices heard.
With that in mind, I encourage anyone with an opinion or thought on a bill to get in contact with my office. We would be happy to give you any information you need, send a copy of the bill to you or let you know when a committee hearing is happening so you can make plans to be there. Who knows, you might even testify before one of the committees I serve on.
Again, I will serve as chairman of the Senate Seniors, Families and Children Committee. This committee’s job is to consider bills that affect some of the most vulnerable members of our communities, including seniors and children. Anyone who has read or followed my reports in the Senate knows I believe in personal responsibility and hard work and that every member of society has worth and can contribute. Some, like our seniors, who worked hard their entire lives and were good citizens who paid their taxes, and children who often face circumstances far outside their control, need our attention. Our seniors and children deserve compassion, and we should always be attentive to their challenges.
I will also continue to work on the Senate Appropriations Committee, where our state budget is shaped. Missourians have a pretty simple requirement for how their money is spent: spend as little as necessary and make sure what you do spend is worth it. This has been my philosophy on government spending since I was first elected and it won’t change anytime soon. I will also serve as vice-chairman of the Local Government and Elections Committee, where any bills that affect city and county government and any legislation related to state and local elections is heard. I will also serve as vice-chairman of the Fiscal Oversight committee. Any bill that has a cost of over $100,000 must go through this committee. We take a hard look at these bills and decide if the state can afford it or not. More than a few bills over the years have stalled in this committee because myself and the other members of the committee decided it wasn’t worth the taxpayers’ money.
In keeping with the purpose of this report, I want to encourage you to engage in the legislative process. This shouldn’t surprise anyone, but lawmakers don’t have all the answers. I will not always agree with everyone’s opinion and may not always be able to fix someone’s problem, but I will always listen. We are a Constitutional Republic, which means we elect people to represent us and craft and vote on laws for us, but everyone has a role to play in helping “Bill” become a law.
As always, I welcome your ideas, questions and concerns. You may contact me at the State Capitol as follows: (573) 751-1480, david.sater@senate.mo.gov or by writing to Sen. David Sater, Missouri State Capitol, Room 416, Jefferson City, MO 65101.
God bless and thank you for the opportunity to work for you in the Missouri Senate.