As this interim winds quickly down, my staff and I, along with my 32 Senate colleagues, are preparing for the busy first days of the Second Regular Session of the 97th General Assembly. As this is the second session, the process will be more streamlined when elected officials return to the Capitol in January.

The first day of session will convene at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014. At that time, legislation that has been prefiled will be introduced in the chamber, recording the bills in the daily Senate journal. The next day, those same bills are “second read,” and at that point, the President Pro Tem will refer each of the measures to the appropriate Senate standing committee. In the following days and weeks, members of those committees will meet to hear testimony on legislation. After these hearings, the committee votes to pass the bill on for debate by the full Senate or to hold the measure in committee for further review.

These standing committees are the first line of review for bills that have been filed for the 2014 session. I have the honor again this year of chairing the Senate Education Committee, as well as serving as a member of the Agriculture, Food Production and Outdoor Resources Committee; Appropriations Committee; and Financial and Governmental Organizations and Elections Committee. I take the work of these committees seriously, as it is each committee’s responsibility to thoroughly review, hear testimony for and/or against, and amend each measure that moves on to be reviewed by the full Senate. This is an extremely important step in the legislative process.

So far for the 2014 session, I have prefiled three bills. Senate Bill 492 would require public four-year higher education institutions to receive institutional support based on performance funding. Senate Bill 493 would modify certain provisions relating to both school accreditation and student transfers, and create a statewide achievement school district for underachieving schools. Senate Bill 494 would require the Joint Committee on Education to conduct a study of Missouri’s scholarship programs, known as Bright Flight, Access Missouri and A+, including eligibility requirements, acceptance by eligible students, and student retention and graduation of recipients.

The 2014 legislative session will hold many informative committee meetings and debates, especially when we discuss how our state tax dollars will be spent. Drafting a fiscally responsible budget is one of the most important tasks of the General Assembly. It is also one of the most time-consuming, as we will hear testimony from every state department and program as to their financial need for FY 2015. It is not possible to fund every department to its full request. However, it is imperative that we fund the most necessary areas, such as education, to the best of our ability. Education will certainly have a distinct impact on the future of this state and its citizens.

Information on the Senate’s committees is available on the Senate home page, www.senate.mo.gov. There, under the Committees tab, is a list of standing committees, as well as the various other Senate committees. Also on the Senate home page, under the Legislation tab, is a list of all the bills that have been prefiled for the 2014 session. I certainly look forward to the upcoming session and passing important, fiscally responsible legislation for the 21st District and all Missourians.