Advancing Legislation

Six weeks into the 2013 legislative session, the Senate has reached the point when we’re passing bills and sending them onto the House of Representatives for its consideration. This week, two bills I sponsored cleared the Senate.

Senate Bill 111 would allow state employees to get paid every two weeks, much like the vast majority of Americans. Currently, state employees have the option of receiving a monthly paycheck or getting paid twice each month. Allowing a bi-weekly paycheck won’t change the amount of money state employees get paid, but it could make family budgeting more predictable. Also included in the bill is the elimination of the state’s essentially defunct Personnel Advisory Board and the transfer of its responsibilities. Four of seven seats on the board are currently vacant and two positions are filled by individuals serving long-expired terms. Both provisions of SB 111 previously passed the Legislature in 2022 as part of a larger bill that was eventually vetoed by the governor over objections unrelated to these personnel issues.

Senate Bill 109, which the Senate passed this week, relates to mining industries in Missouri. The bill extends the sunset on fees paid by mining companies and makes changes to the make-up of the Industrial Minerals Advisory Council. This is one of those bills that affects few citizens, but matters to an important industry in Missouri.

While these two bills advanced through the legislative process, another bill I sponsored got hung up in floor debate. Senate Bill 21 came up for perfection in the chamber but was soon sidetracked by members of the minority party who opposed the bill. This legislation would link the length of time unemployed Missourians receive benefits to the state’s unemployment rate. When unemployment is high, benefits would be available for up to 20 weeks. When jobs are plentiful, unemployment benefits would end sooner. At a time when both our state and the nation are enjoying record low unemployment rates, I don’t believe we need to be paying people to stay home. It’s time for Missourians to go back to work. With no immediate progress in sight, I tabled the bill for the time being, but I hope to bring it up again and get it passed before the 2023 session ends in May.

In other activity, the Senate met in joint session with the House of Representatives to hear Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Wilson deliver the annual State of the Judiciary Address. The judge spoke eloquently about the rule of law and its importance to society and encouraged the Legislature to continue to support programs that make our state’s courts more responsive to the needs of citizens.

As always, it is an honor to serve the 6th Senatorial District. If my office can be service to you, please feel free to contact us at 573-751-2076. For information about my committee assignments or sponsored legislation, please visit my official Missouri Senate website at senate.mo.gov/Bernskoetter.