Navigating a complicated voting process

By State Rep. Bruce Sassmann, Missouri’s 61st District
Posted 5/10/23

The frustration grows.

You can hear it in their voices and see it in their faces. From Speaker’s office to the assistant to the clerk, everyone feels it. We have worked so hard for the …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Navigating a complicated voting process

Posted

The frustration grows.

You can hear it in their voices and see it in their faces. From Speaker’s office to the assistant to the clerk, everyone feels it. We have worked so hard for the last four months, trying to do good work, listening to our constituents, standing strong on Republican issues, and navigating a complicated voting strategy. And it all comes down to these last few days before the paper toss.

Truth is, I don’t think anyone knows how this half of the 102nd legislative session will end. Will we look back and consider this session a success or just the status quo?

I think Speaker Plocher has done a good job. Floor Leader Patterson has surrounded himself by very capable staff. We have talented and intelligent representatives on the floor. If we only had someone or something to blame, we could go home feeling good.

The Senate continues to be a scape goat for the House.

I’d bet the Senate feels the same way about us.

At times it seems that nether half knows what the other half is doing.

As I begin this report at noon on Friday, the Senate and the House have only agreed to four bills. There are several in the pipeline, some in conference committees, but in the past four months, I thought we would have accomplished more.

In this session, conversations about transgender issues, men in women’s sports, diversity, equity, and inclusion, initiative petition reform, rank choice voting, foreign ownership of land, libraries, and tax cuts have taken a lot of time away from the meat and potatoes issues.

With one week to go, a lot of legislation will be crammed into the last week.

Not including the budget bills, in the last four months the House has sent 147 bills to the Senate. The Senate has passed and sent to the House 81 bills. Most are waiting for the other legislative body to truly agree and finally pass.

We have fulfilled our constitutional obligation by passing the budget.

On Friday, about 5 p.m., we passed the last of $50 billion in budget bills.

Our anticipated revenue will surpass the budgeted expenses by several hundred million. There will be about $3 billion in reserve in the General Fund.

Next week I’ll serve on the conference committee reviewing bills about Professional Registration. I have one more bill to be heard in rules but it will have little chance of making it across the third-floor rotunda. I anticipate an emotional last week of session.

Jill will be keeping the phones lines open, 573-751-6668, and I will be watching my email bruce.sassmann@house.mo.gov.