| Missouri Senate 97th General Assembly |
Senator
|
Moving Forward With the 2013 Session |
The 97th General Assembly is now officially underway, bringing with it new faces, new roles, and new surroundings. The past week and a half included the typical ceremonial and organizational matters, which are now completed, leaving us ready to tackle the business of the Senate. On Wednesday, January 9, 2013, newly elected senators took their oath of office, which was administered by Judge Jack Goodman, formerly the state senator from the 29th District. Following the oath-taking, the members of the Senate elected Senator Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, as the new President Pro Tem. In his opening day address, President Pro Tem Dempsey outlined priorities for the Senate this session (You can read, watch or listen to the speech on the Senate website). The following day, he announced his selections for committee chairs, as well as the committee assignments for senators for the next two years.
This session, I am honored to have been named chair of the Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, which in the past has handled a wide variety of significant bills. The duties of the committee include consideration of bills relating to Missouri's legal system, including the courts, judicial procedures, civil and criminal law, and corrections. This marks one of the few times in Missouri history - and the first time in recent memory - that a senator who is not an attorney has served in this position. I appreciate the trust expressed in me by the President Pro Tem and look forward to working with committee members to enact beneficial improvements to Missouri's legal system. A strong legal system is the foundation of a free society and economic growth. We all benefit when the legal system has the resources to handle cases quickly and when routine matters of life and work are dealt with smoothly.
I have also been re-appointed to the Jobs, Economic Development and Local Government Committee and named vice chair of the committee. This week, I was given another important responsibility as a member of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR). JCAR serves as the frontline for legislative oversight of state regulations. Senate Bill 469, which I sponsored last year to give average Missourians more power to challenge unfair regulations and increase legislative oversight, is now law, and I intend to make full use of this new position to build on last year's progress.
In addition, I have been named to the following standing committees:
- Financial and Governmental Organizations and Elections (which hears bills related to banking, state departments and boards, and election laws) and
- Transportation and Infrastructure.
These committees represent important way stations between the introduction of bills and floor debate. Public hearings are a great way for citizens to be involved, making your voice heard and learning about the lawmaking process. They provide an opportunity for senators to examine bills closely and determine whether they should move to the Senate floor for debate. For a brief summary of the committee work which has already occurred during the first full week of session, click here. To learn more about my work on these committees, or about legislation I filed for the 2013 legislative session, please visit my webpage at www.senate.mo.gov/dixon.
A number of other tools are available on the Senate website and my webpage. I would encourage you to use them to track legislation of interest to you as session moves forward. On the "Main" Senate web page, the "Session Information" tab lists the major dates for this legislative session, a glossary of legislative terms, and information about how a bill becomes a law. You can track bills by using the "Search for a Bill" search box (if you know the specific bill number) or visiting the "Legislation" tab at the top of the page. There, you can access a wide variety of additional information, including:
- A complete list of Senate bills filed for the 2013 legislation session;A list of daily Senate actions on bills;A topical index of bills organized by category; and
- An archive of recent past legislative sessions.
Your comments, opinions and concerns are always important, and I look forward to hearing what you have to say about bills being considered by the General Assembly. Please feel free to call me in the Jefferson City office at (573) 751-2583 or e-mail me at bob.dixon@senate.mo.gov or www.senate.mo.gov/dixon. Remember that my door is always open, and I'm ready to listen.
Sincerely,
