Missouri Senate Bill SR469

Missouri 2022 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/18/22

Caption

Amends Senate Rule 50

Impact

If approved, the amendment to Senate Rule 50 could have significant implications on the legislative workflow. By requiring that similar bills are directed to the same committee, it could promote efficiency by reducing redundancy in committee evaluations and discussions. This change may enhance the ability of committees to focus on related legislation in a more cohesive manner, thus potentially speeding up the legislative process.

Summary

Senate Resolution No. 469 intends to amend Senate Rule 50, which governs the referrals of bills and appointments to committees within the legislative process. The main point of the amendment is to ensure that during the second regular session of a general assembly, any bill that is identical or substantially similar to a bill introduced during the first regular session should be referred to the same committee. This change aims to streamline the legislative process and maintain consistency in how similar bills are handled across sessions.

Contention

While the amendment appears to be beneficial in creating a more structured approach to bill referrals, there may be points of contention. Critics might argue that this rule change could limit the flexibility of committees to adapt to new circumstances or developments related to specific bills that arise between sessions. Furthermore, it could impact the committee's ability to respond to unique aspects of each legislative cycle, particularly if the context surrounding similar bills changes significantly from one session to another.