HB0127 Thomason, Larry

C O M M I T T E E

HB 127 -- SESSION LAWS

SPONSOR: Thomason

COMMITTEE ACTION: Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Miscellaneous Bills by a vote of 5 to 1.

This bill changes who is responsible for publication of session laws from the Secretary of State to the Committee on Legislative Research. Any copies of the laws not required to be distributed without charge can be sold by the Revisor of Statutes in the same manner as the Revised Statutes.

FISCAL NOTE: Estimated Net Effect on General Revenue Fund of $0 in FY 96, $0 in FY 97, and $0 in FY 98.

PROPONENTS: Supporters say that this bill consolidates the printing of the Session Laws with the printing of the Revised Statutes of Missouri under the Committee on Legislative Research and covers some of the cost of printing by selling those that the committee are not required to give away.

Testifying for the bill was Representative Thomason.

OPPONENTS: Those who oppose the bill say that this bill would allow the revisor to sell session laws at any charge. This could allow government to charge different rates to different individuals for access to public records. This bill gives authority to set unlimited fees.

Testifying against the bill were: Missouri Press Association; and American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri.

Anne Walker, Research Analyst