How a Bill Becomes A Law In Missouri

THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IN MISSOURI

The Senate consists of thirty-four members, who are elected for four-year terms.  Each senator must be at least 30 years of age; a qualified voter of the state for three years; and of the district he represents for one year.  The Lieutenant Governor is president and presiding officer of the Senate. In his absence, the President Pro Tem, who is elected by the Senate members, presides.  

The House of Representatives consists of 163 members.  A representative must be at least 24 years of age; a qualified voter of the state for two years; and of the district he represents for one year. The House of Representatives is presided over by the Speaker, who is chosen by the members, and in his absence by the Speaker Pro Tem.  

Time of Meeting

The General Assembly convenes at the State Capitol in Jefferson City annually on the first Wednesday after the first Monday of January. It adjourns on May 30, with no consideration of bills after 6:00 p.m. on the first Friday following the second Monday in May.  

How Bills Become Laws

No law is passed except by bill. Bills may be introduced in the House or Senate, except appropriations bills, which by tradition originate in the House. No bill (except general appropriations bills) may contain more than one subject, which is to be expressed clearly in its title. No bill can be amended in its passage through either house so as to change its original purpose. No bill other than an appropriation bill can be introduced in either house after the 60th legislative day of a session, unless consented to by a majority of the elected members of each house or requested by the Governor in a special message.  

The legislative procedure is virtually the same in both houses. The following is the path a bill follows when introduced in the House.  

     INTRODUCTION OF A BILL

Members may prefile bills beginning December 1 preceding the opening of the General Assembly session. Bills prefiled are actually introduced on the first day of the session. Members may introduce bills through the 60th legislative day of the session.  

     FIRST AND SECOND READINGS

When introduced a bill is assigned a number and read the first time by its number and title only by the House reading clerk. It then goes on the calendar for second reading; following second reading it is assigned to committee by the Speaker of the House.  

     PUBLIC HEARING

A public hearing before the committee to which a bill is assigned is the next step in the legislative process. The bill is presented to the committee by its sponsor, and both proponents and opponents are generally heard in a single hearing. In the case of unusually controversial, complex or lengthy bills, several hearings may be held.  

     COMMITTEE EXECUTIVE SESSION

When hearings are concluded, the committee meets to vote and makes its recommendations. The committee may: (1) Report the bill with the recommendation that it "do pass"; (2) Recommend passage with committee amendments, which are attached to the bill; (3) Return the bill without recommendation; (4) Substitute in lieu of the original bill a new bill to be known as a committee substitute; (5) Report the bill with a recommendation that it "do not pass" or (6) Make no report at all. 

     PERFECTION OF A BILL

If a bill is reported favorably out of committee or a substitute is recommended, it is placed on the "perfection calendar" and when its turn comes up for consideration it is debated on the floor of the originating house. If a substitute is recommended by the committee or if committee amendments are attached to the bill, they are first presented, debated and voted upon. Further amendments can then be proposed by other members with their changes designated as House or Senate amendments to differentiate from the committee amendments. When all amendments have been considered, a motion is made to declare the bill perfected. Perfection is usually voted on a voice vote but on the request of five members, a roll call shall be taken. If a majority of members vote to perfect, the bill is reprinted in its original or amended form. 

    THIRD READING AND FINAL PASSAGE

After perfection and reprinting, the bill goes on the calendar for third reading and final passage. When the bill is reached in the order of business any member may speak for or against its passage but no further amendments of a substantive nature can be offered. At the conclusion of debate, a recorded vote is taken. Approval of a constitutional majority of the elected members (18 in the Senate and 82 in the House) is required for final passage.  

Passage of the bill is then reported to the other house where it is again read a second time; referred to committee for hearing; reported by committee; and third read and offered for final approval. If further amendments are approved, these are reported to the originating house with a request that the changes be approved. If the originating house does not approve, a conference may be requested and members from each house are designated as a conference committee. Upon agreement by the conference committee (usually a compromise of differences), each reports to its own house on the committee's recommendation. The originating house acts first on the conference committee version of the bill. If it is approved it goes to the other house and upon approval there, the bill is declared "truly agreed to and finally passed." If either house rejects the conference committee report, it may be returned to the same or a newly appointed committee for further conferences.

Upon final passage, a bill is ordered enrolled. It is typed in its finally approved form, printed and the bills are closely compared and proofed for errors.  

     SIGNING BY THE GOVERNOR

Bills Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed are signed in open session by the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tem of the Senate. At the time of signing, any members may file written objections which are sent with the bill to the Governor. The Governor has fifteen days to act on a bill if it is sent to him during the legislative session; and forty-five days if the legislature has adjourned or has recessed for a thirty day period. The Governor has four options:

1. Sign the bill, making it become part of Missouri law.

2. Veto the bill. In this case, the bill is returned to the General Assembly where a two-thirds vote of both houses is required to override the veto.

3. Not sign the bill. Should the Governor take no action within the prescribed time, the bill goes to the Secretary of State, who then enrolls the bill as an authentic act. It then becomes law.

4. Veto line-items in an appropriation bill. On appropriation bills only, the Governor may choose to veto selected items within the bill. The General Assembly may override this veto by a two-thirds majority of both houses.  

     EFFECTIVE DATE OF LAWS

No law passed by the General Assembly can take effect until ninety days after the end of the session at which it was enacted (August 28 for regular sessions).  

     PUBLICATION OF LAWS

The secretary of state preserves the finally typed copy of the law. All the laws are bound together in one volume at the close of each session and seldom are seen unless some question arises. Prior to binding of the laws, the secretary of state publishes annually a volume of "Laws of Missouri", which is distributed to members of the General Assembly, state officials and other interested persons.   The general statute laws are revised by the revisor of statutes in the Office of the Committee on Legislative Research, digested and promulgated. These are known as the Revised Statutes of Missouri. Under legislation, the Committee on Legislative Research also publishes annual supplements to the statutes to include changes in laws since the last revision.

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