JEFFERSON CITY—Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Shields (R-St. Joseph) has appointed Sen. Rob Mayer (R-Dexter) to serve as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee after the announcement last week that Sen. Gary Nodler (R-Joplin) is stepping down from the chairmanship to pursue other opportunities.
Sen. Nodler will resign his position as chairman of the committee effective Monday, November 30. He has served on the committee for all seven of his years as a state senator, and chaired the committee for the past two sessions.
Sen. Mayer will assume the chairmanship on Dec. 1 following Sen. Nodler’s resignation. He began serving on the appropriations committee in 2004 and was appointed as vice chairman of the committee in 2007.
The Senate Appropriations Committee is responsible for initially drafting the state’s annual budget before it reaches the floor of the General Assembly. Lawmakers are constitutionally required to create a state budget each year.
The budget process begins with public hearings, which for the fiscal year 2011 budget will begin Dec. 7, 2009. Public hearings provide committee members the opportunity to hear testimony from state agencies and departments regarding their financial situation and outlook for the coming budget year.
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