2023 Legislative Update – Jan. 13

House Rules for the 2023 and 2024 regular session were approved on Wednesday after lengthy discussion about an amendment regarding female legislators’ attire when they are in the House chamber.

Legislative committees of both chambers were announced this week by leaders of the House and Senate. President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden (R-Columbia) on Thursday referred the first 91 Senate bills and eight Senate joint resolutions to committees in advance of the next step of conducting hearings. Committee assignments are listed below.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day will be commemorated on Monday, so both chambers are next scheduled to convene at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

GOVERNOR’S STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS NEXT WEEK

Gov. Mike Parson (R) will present his annual State of the State Address at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, during a joint session of the House and Senate. Included in his speech will be budget proposals and his other priorities for the legislative session.

On Wednesday, Gov. Parson released the FY2023 Early Supplemental Budget. There were only two items within the early supplemental and include an 8.7% COLA increase for all state team members and an increase in shift differential to $2 per hour for congregate care staff working within the Departments of Social Services, Corrections, Mental Health and Missouri Veterans Commission. These congregate staff must be working high-need and overnight shifts to be eligible for the $2 per hour shift differential. The 8.7% COLA increase is based on the increase given to Social Security recipients this year and the Consumer Price Index determined by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. This early supplemental budget pay plan proposal would invest $151.2 million, including $82.4 million in general revenue in the state workforce. Finally, Gov. Parson has called on the General Assembly to take up and pass the early supplemental so it may be implemented by March 1, 2023.

FITZPATRICK SWORN INTO OFFICE AS MISSOURI STATE AUDITOR

On Monday, Jan. 9, Republican Scott Fitzpatrick was sworn in as Missouri’s 39th State Auditor. He previously served as Missouri’s State Treasurer and the Missouri House Budget Chairman. He replaces Democrat Nicole Galloway, who chose not to seek re-election. Fitzpatrick has stated auditing Missouri’s K-12 public schools will be one of his top priorities. According to Fitzpatrick, he is the youngest statewide officeholder in America. Fitzpatrick elected to resign as State Treasurer mid-term to run and win his position as State Auditor.

SECRETARY OF STATE PROPOSAL ON BROKER/INVESTOR DISCLOSURES

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft (R) has submitted language to the Administrative Rules Division within his office that would implement disclosure standards pertaining to security investment strategies that propagate values-based agendas that are not purely focused on generating profit for their clients. The purpose of the proposed rule is to ensure financial transparency and require investment advisors to fully disclose and advise their clients of any investment strategy that is not purely financial based. This proposed regulation will be printed in the Jan. 17 Missouri Register.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY COMMITTEES

Click the buttons below for the list of House and Senate Committees along with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of each committee.

KEY UPCOMING DATES

January 16, 2023 – Martin Luther King, Jr Day Observed – No Session

January 18, 2023 – State of the State Address

February 8, 2023 – State of the Judiciary

February 20, 2023 – Presidents Day Observed – No Session

March 1, 2023 – Last Day to File Bills

March 9 – 20, 2023 – Legislative Spring Break

April 10, 2023 – Easter Break – No Session

May 5, 2023 – Constitutional Deadline to pass the FY2024 state budget

May 12, 2023 – Last day of Legislative Session

July 1, 2023 – First day of the new fiscal year

July 14, 2023 – Last day for Governor Parson to sign or veto legislation

September 13, 2023 – Veto Session

Ms. Conway, a Republican, was introduced during a Jan. 11 Senate committee hearing by Sen. Travis Fitzwater (R-Holts Summit). She served in the Missouri House of Representatives for eight years until being term-limited in 2018. During questions by the committee, Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer (R-Parkville) asked Ms. Conway if the Ethics Commission should be “an attack dog or a watchdog.” There have been commissions in other states that have gone in the direction of “nitpicking” and fining candidates and elected officials, he said. Ms. Conway answered that her purpose on the commission is to make sure election laws are followed and upheld. “I don’t think nitpicking at all,” she said, “but upholding the standards we have for our candidates and any ballot issues.”

Prior to her election as state representative, Ms. Conway was an investigator for Sedgwick Claims Management Services in the St. Louis area. She was also an investigator for the Missouri Real Estate Commission in addition to other independent investigation work throughout her career. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in law enforcement administration from Western Illinois University.

Villapiano, a Republican, was introduced during the Jan. 11 hearing by Sen. Karla Eslinger (R-Wasola). Villapiano has been a minister with Faith Fellowship since 1984. He was also the president of Houston Ministerial Alliance for 19 years. He is an ordained minister through the Association of Faith Churches and Ministers International (AFCM). Villapiano serves as the chair of AFCM’s Executive Committee, leading a team that oversees regional directors and ministers from across the U.S., Canada, and international missionaries.

SB4 Koenig – Modifies provisions regarding transparency in public schools and creates the Parents’ Bill of Rights Act of 2023

SB89 Brown – Creates the Missouri Education Transparency and Accountability Portal and the Parents’ Bill of Rights Act of 2023