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CHAPTER 4 Legislative Branch “Men and Steel” (Missouri State Archives, Putman Collection) 128 OFFICIAL MANUAL second Monday in September for a period not to exceed 10 calendar days to consider vetoed bills. A special session of the General Assembly The Missouri may be called by petition of the General Assembly. If three-fourths of the members of the Senate and three-fourths of the members of the House sign the petition calling for a special ses- General sion, the president pro tem of the Senate and the speaker of the House shall, by joint proclama- tion, convene the General Assembly in special session. The petition and proclamation must Assembly specifically state the subjects to be considered during the special session, and the signed peti- Legislative power in Missouri is vested by tion must be filed with the secretary of state. Section 1, Article III of the 1945 Constitution in The General Assembly shall automatically the General Assembly, composed of the Senate stand adjourned sine die at 6 p.m. on the 30th and the House of Representatives. Their website calendar day after the convening of the special is www.moga.mo.gov. session unless it has adjourned sine die before The Senate consists of 34 members, elected for the 30th day. No appropriation bill shall be con- four-year terms. Senators from odd-numbered dis- sidered in the special session if the General tricts are elected in presidential election years. Assembly has not passed the operating budget in Senators from even-numbered districts are chosen compliance with Article III, Section 25 of the in the ”off year” elections. Each senator must be at Missouri Constitution. least 30 years of age, a qualified voter of the state The governor may convene the General As- for three years and of the district he or she repre- sembly in extraordinary session for a maximum sents for one year. The lieutenant governor is pres- of 60 calendar days at any time. Only subjects ident and presiding officer of the Senate. In the recommended by the governor in his or her call absence of the lieutenant governor, the president or a special message may be considered. pro tem, elected by the Senate members, presides. Organization of the General Assembly The House of Representatives consists of 163 members, elected at each general election for a Following the general election in November of two-year term. A representative must be at least 24 even-numbered years, the majority and minority years of age, a qualified voter of the state for two members of each house caucus, separately nomi- years and of the district he or she represents for one nate candidates for the offices to be elected by year. The House is presided over by the speaker, each body and organize their parties for the com- chosen by the members, and in the absence of the ing session. Nominees of the majority party are, in speaker by the speaker pro tem. effect, elected. Each party names its floor leader, assistant floor leader, caucus chair and secretary. Reapportionment of both houses of the Both houses of the General Assembly con- Missouri General Assembly following each vene at noon on the opening day of the session. decennial U.S. census is provided for by the The Senate is called to order by the lieutenant Missouri Constitution. governor. Temporary officers are named and the Senators and Representatives receive a salary roll of new and carryover senators is read. of $31,351 per year, a weekly allowance for Newly elected senators are then sworn in, usual- miles traveled going to and returning from their ly by a judge of the Supreme Court. The presi- place of meeting and expenses for each day the dent pro tem and other permanent officers are General Assembly is in session. then elected and take an oath of office adminis- tered by the president of the Senate. Time of Meeting The House of Representatives is called to The General Assembly convenes annually on order by the secretary of state, and the oath is the first Wednesday after the first Monday of administered to all members. After the swear- January. Adjournment is midnight on May 30, ing-in ceremony, a roll call is taken and a tem- with no consideration of bills after 6 p.m. on the porary speaker is named. He or she presides for first Friday after the second Monday in May. If the nomination and election of permanent officers. governor returns a bill with his objections on or Temporary rules, usually the rules in force for the after the fifth day before the last day upon which preceding session, are adopted. a session of the General Assembly may consider After each house notifies the other that it is bills, the General Assembly is automatically duly organized, a House Resolution is adopted reconvened on the first Wednesday following the inviting the Senate to a joint meeting to receive LEGISLATIVE BRANCH — MISSOURI GENERAL ASSEMBLY 129 the governor’s message. Under the Constitution, Legislative Research at the request of a senator or the governor, at the beginning of each session, representative. When introduced, a bill is assigned delivers a message concerning state government a number and read for the first time by its title. It with any recommendations he or she wishes to then goes on the calendar for second reading and make for the enactment of legislation. This mes- assignment to committee by the speaker of the sage is commonly referred to as the State of the House or the president pro tem of the Senate. State Address. A public hearing before the committee to Each house determines its own rules, and which a bill is assigned is the next step in the leg- procedures and rules may not be dispensed with islative process. Except in the case of unusually except by unanimous consent or concurrence by controversial, complex or lengthy bills, the bill is a constitutional majority. Both the Senate and presented by its sponsor, and both proponents and House are required to keep a daily journal of opponents are heard in a single hearing. When their proceedings. At the end of the session, the hearings are concluded, the committee meets to journals are bound by the House and Senate. vote and makes its recommendations. The com- The secretary of state’s office provides microform mittee may (1) report the bill with the recommen- copies of the journals. dation that it “do pass;” (2) recommend passage with committee amendments, which are attached Term Limits to the bill; (3) return the bill without recommenda- In November 1992 the voters approved an tion; (4) substitute in lieu of the original bill a new amendment to the Missouri Constitution to limit bill to be known as a committee substitute; (5) for the first time the amount of total service in report the bill with a recommendation that it “do the House and Senate to eight years in each. not pass;” or (6) make no report at all. Total legislative service was limited to sixteen years. In November of 2002 voters approved an Perfection of a Bill additional amendment to allow members elect- If a bill is reported favorably out of commit- ed through a special election, after the effective tee or a substitute is recommended, it is placed date, to serve the partial term and two full terms on the “perfection calendar.” When its term for the Senate and four full terms for the House, comes up for consideration, it is debated on the through a general election. floor of the originating house. If a substitute is recommended by the committee or if committee How Bills Become Laws amendments are attached to the bill, they are first presented, debated and voted upon. Further General Provisions amendments can then be proposed by other No law is passed except by bill. Bills may orig- members with their changes designated as inate in either house and are designated as Senate House or Senate amendments to differentiate Bills or House Bills, depending on the house in from the committee amendments. A House or which they originate. No bill (except general Senate substitute bill can also be offered at this appropriations bills) may contain more than one time. When all amendments and substitutes subject, which is to be expressed clearly in its title. have been considered, a motion is made to No bill can be amended in its passage through declare the bill perfected. Perfection is voted on either house so as to change its original purpose. by a voice vote or, on the request of five mem- No bill can be introduced in either house after the bers, by roll call. If a majority of members vote 60th legislative day of a session unless consented to perfect, the bill is reprinted in its original or to by a majority of the elected members of each amended form. house. No appropriation bill shall be taken up for consideration after 6 p.m. on the first Friday fol- Final Passage of a Bill lowing the first Monday in May of each year. After perfection and reprinting, the bill goes on the calendar for third reading and final pas- Introduction of a Bill sage. When the bill is reached in the order of Legislation approved by the 1971 General business, any member may speak for or against Assembly (HB 156) provides for preintroduction its passage but no further amendments of a sub- of bills beginning December 1 preceding the stantive nature can be offered. At the conclusion opening of the assembly session and continuing of debate, a recorded vote is taken.

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