JEFFERSON CITY — The Missouri Senate welcomed 12 new members to the upper chamber this week, swearing in a total of 17 newly elected and re-elected senators on Wednesday, Jan. 9.  Shortly after the swearing in ceremony, members of the Missouri Senate unanimously elected Sen. Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, to serve as Senate President Pro Tem — the highest-ranking member of the upper chamber.

The Senate Leader outlined the chamber’s top priorities this legislative session during his opening day address: building infrastructure, investing in education and growing the state’s economy.  Build, Invest and Grow represent this year’s legislative agenda for B-I-G solutions.

More than 140 measures were filed in the first week of the 2013 legislative session, many of which were prefiled in the months and weeks before opening day.  Some of the legislation filed this session would address the state’s workers’ compensation law (SB 1), modify provisions regarding certain tax credits (SB 5), change state law relating to school accreditation for failing school districts (SB 7), institute a lobbyist gift ban for members of the General Assembly and their candidate committees (SB 38), and limit the total service in the General Assembly to 16 years in any proportion between the Senate and the House of Representatives.  To see a complete list of bills filed for the 2013 session, visit www.senate.mo.gov and click on the “List of 2013 Senate Bills” under the “Legislation” tab.

Click here to hear all of this week’s Senate Minutes (Jan. 7-Jan. 10), which detail lawmakers’ thoughts on the 2013 legislative session, along with their top priorities this year.  This Week in the Missouri Senate for Jan. 11 also highlights the opening day of the 97th General Assembly, First Regular Session.

Before conclusion of this legislative week, members and chairmen of this session’s Senate committees were announced.  There are 18 standing committees in the Senate; standing committees are continuous in their existence in which bills are referred for consideration by subject matter pursuant to chamber rules.

The Senate President Pro Tem is responsible for assigning senators to their respective committees, in addition to referring legislation to committees for members’ consideration.

Administration: Controls all financial obligations and business affairs of the Senate, as well as its offices and seats and the supervision of certain designated employees, among other duties.  Members include Sen. Dempsey (chair) ; Minority Floor Leader Jolie Justus, D-Kansas City;  Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City;  Sen. Ryan McKenna, D-Crystal City; and Majority Floor Leader Ron Richard, R-Joplin (vice chair).

Agriculture, Food Production & Outdoor Resources: Considers legislation regarding food production, the state park system, and conservation of Missouri’s natural resources, as well as other agriculture-related issues.  Sen. Dan Brown, R-Rolla; Sen. Shalonn “Kiki” Curls, D-Kansas City; Sen. Doug Libla, Poplar Bluff (vice chair); Sen. McKenna; Sen. Brian Munzlinger, R-Williamstown (chair); Sen. Mike Parson, R-Bolivar; and Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg all serve on this committee.

Appropriations: Examines measures pertaining to general appropriations and disbursement of public money in the state.  Senators serving on this panel include Sen. Brown; Sen. Curls; Sen. Kehoe; Sen. Pearce; Sen. Scott T. Rupp, R-Wentzville (vice chair); Sen. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph; Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia (chair); Sen. Scott Sifton, D-St. Louis; Sen. Ryan Silvey, R-Kansas City; and Sen. Gina Walsh, D-Bellefontaine Neighbors.

Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy & the Environment: Reports on bills relating to the development of state commerce, protecting Missouri consumers, the development and conservation of energy resources, and other matters relating to environmental preservation.  Sen. Mike Cunningham, R-Rogersville; Sen. Ed Emery, R-Lamar; Sen. Jason Holsman, D-Kansas City; Sen. Joseph Keaveny, D-St. Louis; Sen. Kehoe (vice chair); Sen. Will Kraus, R-Lee’s Summit, Sen. Brad Lager, R-Savannah (chair); Sen. Schaefer; Sen. Wayne Wallingford, R-Cape Girardeau; and Sen. Walsh are all members of this panel.

Education: Considers all state education-related measures, including public schools, libraries, programs and higher education institutions.  Senators sitting on this committee include Sen. Brown; Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City; Sen. Curls; Sen. Emery; Sen. Holsman; Sen. Libla; Sen. Brian Nieves, R-Washington; Sen. Pearce (chair); Sen. Gary Romine, R-Farmington (vice chair); and Sen. Rupp.

Financial & Governmental Organizations & Elections: Takes up legislation relating to financial institutions in the Show-Me State; certain conditions of departments, boards, bureaus and commissions within state government; and matters regarding election law, among other pertinent issues.  Those serving on this panel include Sen. Cunningham (vice chair); Sen. Bob Dixon, R-Springfield; Sen. Keaveny; Sen. Kraus; Sen. Paul LeVota, D-Independence; Sen. Pearce; Sen. David Sater, R-Cassville; Sen. Sifton; Sen. Wallingford; and Sen. Jay Wasson, R-Nixa (chair).

General Laws: Reports on all bills related to a general topic.  Sen. Holsman; Sen. Libla; Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis; Sen. Nieves (chair); Sen. Romine; Sen. Schaaf; and Sen. Silvey serve on this committee.

Governmental Accountability and Fiscal Oversight: Reviews bills relating to the improvement of governmental efficiency and management.  The panel also considers all legislation, except regular appropriation bills, that require new appropriations or expenditures of appropriated funds in excess of $100,000, or other circumstances.  Committee members include Sen. Cunningham; Sen. Kehoe; Sen. LeVota; Sen. Nasheed; Sen. Parson (chair); Sen. Silvey (vice chair); and Sen. Wasson.

Gubernatorial Appointments: Considers all gubernatorial appointments referred to the panel.  Sen. Dempsey (chair); Sen. Lager; Sen. John Lamping, R-Ladue; Sen. LeVota; Sen. McKenna; Sen. Munzlinger; Sen. Nasheed; Sen. Richard (vice chair); Sen. Schaaf; and Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale make up this legislative committee.

Jobs, Economic Development & Local Government: Reviews legislation relating to the promotion of economic development, the creation and retention of jobs, tourism and the promotion of tourism as a state industry, as well as other related issues.  Committee members include Sen. Dixon (vice chair); Sen. Justus; Sen. Kraus; Sen. Lamping; Sen. McKenna; Sen. Nasheed; Sen. Romine; Sen. Sater; Sen. Schmitt (chair); and Sen. Wasson.

Judiciary and Civil & Criminal Jurisprudence: Examines bills relating to the judicial department of the state, including the practice of Missouri courts, civil procedure and criminal laws, criminal costs, probation or parole of individuals sentenced under the criminals laws of the state, and other related matters.  Sen. Dixon (chair); Sen. Emery (vice chair); Sen. Justus; Sen. Keaveny; Sen. Schaaf; Sen. Schaefer; and Sen. Schmitt all sit on this panel.

Progress and Development:  Takes up all bills and matters concerning the changing or maintenance of issues relating to human welfare.  Members of the upper chamber serving on this committee include Sen. Curls (vice chair); Sen. Justus (chair); Sen. Silvey; Sen. Wallingford; and Sen. Walsh.

Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions & Ethics: Considers rules for the government of the Senate, reviews matters relating to ethics and the conduct of public officials and employees, and examines all bills passed by the General Assembly, among other related items.  Sen. Dempsey (vice chair); Sen. Lager, Sen. LeVota; Sen. Libla; Sen. Nieves; Sen. Richard (chair); and Sen. Walsh make up this legislative panel.

Seniors, Families and Pensions: Reviews bills regarding the preservation of the quality of life for senior citizens, as well as family and children’s issues.  The committee examines legislation relating to retirement, pensions and pension plans, among other pertinent issues.  Panel members include Sen. Chappellen-Nadal; Sen. Keaveny; Sen. Kraus; Sen. Lamping (chair); Sen. Libla; Sen. Romine; and Sen. Sater.

Small Business, Insurance & Industry: Examines legislation relating to the ownership and operation of small businesses; different forms of insurance; labor management, fair employment standards, workers’ compensation, and employment security within the Show-Me State; and industrial development. Sen. Curls; Sen. Munzlinger; Sen. Parson (vice chair); Sen. Rupp (chair); Sen. Wallingford; Sen. Walsh; and Sen. Wasson all serve on this committee.

Transportation and Infrastructure: Takes up all legislation concerning roads, highways, bridges, airports and aviation, railroads, port authorities and all other means of transportation; motor vehicles, motor vehicle registration and drivers’ licenses; and infrastructure across the state of Missouri.  Those assigned to sit on this committee include Sen. Dixon; Sen. Holsman; Sen. Kehoe (chair); Sen. Lamping (vice chair); Sen. McKenna; Sen. Munzlinger; and Sen. Wasson.

Veterans’ Affairs and Health:  Considers measures pertaining to Missouri’s veterans.  It also considers the state’s MO HealthNet medical services plan for certain eligible citizens, as well as other health-related issues.  Sen. Brown (chair); Sen. Chappelle-Nadal; Sen. Cunningham; Sen. Holsman; Sen. Nieves; Sen. Sater; Sen. Schaaf (vice chair); Sen. Schmitt; Sen. Sifton; and Sen. Silvey make up this legislative panel.

Ways & Means: Reviews bills concerning the revenue and public debt of Missouri, the assessment of real and personal property, the classification of property for taxation purposes, and gambling.  Legislators serving on this committee include Sen. Chappelle-Nadal; Sen. Emery; Sen. Kraus (chair); Sen. Lager; Sen. Lamping; Sen. LeVota; Sen. Parson; Sen. Schmitt; Sen. Sifton; and Sen. Wallingford (vice chair).

The 2013 legislative session runs until May 17.  To follow these and other issues before the Missouri Senate, visit www.senate.mo.gov.  Visitors can track legislation considered by the General Assembly during the 2013 session, learn more about their legislative district, and listen to streaming audio of legislative debate as it happens on the Senate floor.

For more legislative news, please visit the Senate newsroom at www.senate.mo.gov/newsroom, where you will find various audio and video program and other informational services, such as:

• Missouri Legislative Update – A video program produced throughout the legislative session and interim that provides an overview of news in the Missouri Senate and House of Representatives.  The program features news interviews with lawmakers conducted by Missourinet’s Bob Priddy and stories on issues concerning Missourians.
• This Week in the Missouri Senate – A weekly, five-minute audio program that wraps up the week’s news in the Missouri Senate.  Programs are posted online ever Friday in .mp3 format.
• The Senate Minute – A condensed, one-minute audio report of current Senate news.  Programs are posted in .mp3 format and are available through podcast.
• Daily Audio/Video Clips – Throughout the year, the Senate Newsroom posts broadcast-quality audio and video highlights from Senate committee hearings, floor debate, press conferences and other legislative events.  Please note: Clips linked to this Capitol Briefing are only available for the legislative week referenced in the publication.