Senate back for ‘second session’

Dan Hegeman

Legislators returned to Jefferson City on Tuesday after the end of the annual spring break.

The break certainly appeared to help ease the tension that had slowed things down in the Senate over the last few weeks. Accordingly, the Senate is again working at its normal, deliberative pace.

The Senate took up several bills on the floor this week, including Senate Bill 698, legislation I’ve sponsored relating to estates and proof of bonding for candidates who file for public administrator. This was just one of several bills, including a number of non-controversial “consent” bills, that the Senate sent to the House for further consideration.

Now that we’ve crossed the halfway point, Senate committees are beginning to hold public hearings on House bills.

Meanwhile, the House is beginning to take up Senate bills.

As we are heading into the final weeks, bills will move back and forth between the two bodies as we try to get measures to the governor’s desk for approval.

Additionally, the Senate Appropriations Committee met extensively this week to work on its version of the Fiscal Year 2017 state budget.

We are expecting to debate the 13 bills that make up the budget on the Senate floor very soon. We’re working hard this year to pass a budget well ahead of the constitutional deadline so that we can consider overriding any of the governor’s line-item vetoes or withholdings before the end of the regular session.

After this week, there are only six weeks remaining in the 2016 regular legislative session.

These final weeks and days will go by fast and there is certainly a greater sense of focus and intensity as we rapidly approach May 13th.