House Committee Descriptions

Missouri House of Representatives
House Committees
Standing, Statutory and Special Committees
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The Speaker may appoint such special committees as he/she deems necessary. Any special committee shall have the authority and duties of a standing committee if so designated by the Speaker.

Duties of the Standing Committees.

Administration and Accounts.
(a) Duties, generally. The Committee on Administration and Accounts shall superintend and have sole and complete control of all financial obligations and business affairs of the House except those employees appointed by or assigned to the Speaker, or assigned to the Budget Committee Chair, the Speaker Pro Tem, the Majority Floor Leader, the Minority Floor Leader and the Officers of the House. The committee shall provide for the receiving and receipt of all supplies, equipment and furnishings purchased for the account of the House, and shall further provide for the use and distribution thereof.

(b) Funds for operation of members' individual offices. The committee shall also prescribe rules governing the expenditure of funds allotted to individual members for the operation of their offices. Such rules shall be applied equally to, and shall require the equal treatment of, all members with regard to the expenditure of such funds. Subject to such rules, each member shall have discretion to expend such funds, for the use of his or her office, without the approval of the committee.

(c) Allotment of offices, chamber seats, parking spaces. Each member shall be allotted his or her own office, chamber seat and parking assignment. The committee shall assign all offices, chamber seats, and parking spaces under its control and reserved for members, according to seniority within each respective party caucus, except that no member shall be forced to give up his/her offices, chamber seat or parking space that he/she currently occupies unless such office, chamber seat or parking space is re-assigned by the committee to the members of the opposite party. Notwithstanding any provision of this rule to the contrary, the committee may make assignments to House officers, the floor leaders and assistant floor leaders of each party, the Budget Committee Chairman, and the chairman and ranking minority member of the Administration and Accounts committee, without respect to the seniority of those members.

(d) Duties of Chief Clerk in Respect to Committee. The Chief Clerk of the House may be authorized to act for the committee, but only in the manner and to the extent as may have been previously authorized by the committee. Such authorization shall be entered in the minutes of the committee. The Chief Clerk shall maintain financial records for the House of Representatives in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The Chief Clerk of the House shall keep a detailed accounting of all transactions and shall furnish each member of the committee and the Speaker with a copy of such account on a quarterly basis.

Agriculture Policy. The Committee on Agriculture Policy may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to the protection, promotion and encouragement of agriculture and agri-business in this state.

Appropriations - Agriculture and Natural Resources The Committee on Appropriations - Agriculture and Natural Resources shall report to the Budget Committee upon all bills, measures,and questions referred to it by the Budget Committee pertaining to the appropriations and disbursements of public money for the funding of the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Conservation.

Appropriations - Education. The Committee on Appropriations - Education shall report to the Budget Committee upon all bills, measures, and questions referred to it by the Budget Committee pertaining to the appropriations and disbursements of public money for the funding of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Department of Higher Education.

Appropriations - General Administration. The Committee on Appropriations - General Administration shall report to the Budget Committee upon all bills, measures, and questions referred to it by the Budget Committee pertaining to the appropriations and disbursements of public money for the funding of the Public Debt, Elected Officials, Office of Administration, the General Assembly, the Department of Revenue, the Judiciary and the Public Defender.

Appropriations - Health, Mental Health, and Social Services The Committee on Appropriations - Health, Mental Health, and Social Services shall report to the Budget Committee upon all bills, measures, and questions referred to it by the Budget Committee pertaining to the appropriations and disbursements of public money for the funding of the Department of Health and Senior Services, the Department of Mental Health, and the Department of Social Services.

Appropriations - Public Safety and Corrections The Committee on Appropriations - Public Safety and Corrections shall report to the Budget Committee upon all bills, measures, and questions referred to it by the Budget Committee pertaining to the appropriations and disbursements of public money for the funding of the Departments of Public Safety and Corrections.

Appropriations - Transportation and Economic Development The Committee on Appropriations - Transportation and Economic Development shall report to the Budget Committee upon all bills, measures, and questions referred to it by the Budget Committee pertaining to the appropriations and disbursements of public money for the funding of the the Department of Transportation, the Department of Economic Development, the Department of Insurance, and the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

Budget.
(a) The Committee on Budget shall have the responsibility of filing all appropriation bills, assigning of those bills to the appropriate appropriations committees and shall report upon all bills recommended to it by the respective appropriation committee and any other bills, measures, or questions referred to it pertaining to the appropriation and disbursement of public money.

(b)Other duties. The Committee may consider and report upon any bill or resolution referred to it, which in the opinion of the Speaker, merits special consideration. The Committee may also consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to the reorganization, consolidation and abolition of boards, bureaus, commissions and other offices and buildings of the state, including the Division of Design and Construction, the capitol grounds and the state and legislative library. The Committee is empowered to study and investigate the efficiency and economy of all branches of Government including the possible existence of fraud, misfeasance, malfeasance, collusion, mismanagement, incompetence, corruption, waste, conflicts of interests and the improper expenditure of Government funds in transactions, contracts and activities of Government or Government officials and employees. The Committee is authorized to hold hearings, sit and act at any time or place within the State of Missouri during the recess and adjournment periods of the House, administer oaths, and take testimony, either orally or by swearn written statement. If the Committee, after hearing, and upon findings incorporated in a report, deems that a particular activity, bureau, agency, committee, commission, department or any other entity of state government should be discontinued, it shall report such findings to the House for further action by the House. The Committee shall also consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to the efficiency of government in the state.

Children and Families The Committee on Children and Families may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to the health, well-being, and security of children and families. The Committee may also consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to social services and housing.

Conservation and Natural Resources The Committee on Conservation and Natural Resources may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to the Department of Conservation, state parks, fish and game, forestry, natural resources, environment and mining.

Corrections and Public Institutions. The Committee on Corrections and Public Institutions may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to adult and juvenile penal and correctional problems, the administration of correctional institutions, the state penitentiary, state hospitals, charitable institutions, and other state properties.

Crime Prevention and Public Safety The Committee on Crime Prevention and Public Safety may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to criminal laws, public safety, and law enforcement matters.

Elections The Committee on Elections may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to elections and election contests involving members of the House.

Elementary and Secondary Education The Committee on Elementary and Secondary Education may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to elementary and secondary education and life-long learning in this state, including teachers, financing, property, indebtedness and curriculum.

Ethics The Committee on Ethics may consider and report upon complaints referred to it relating to a member of the House involving the commission of a crime, misconduct, willful neglect of duty, corruption in office or other complaints relating to the ethical conduct of a member. The committee is authorized to sit and act at any time or place within the State of Missouri during the recess and adjournment periods of the House, administer oaths, and take testimony, either orally or by sworn written statement.

Financial Institutions The Committee on Financial Services may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to banks, banking, savings and loans, credit unions, and other financial institutions.

Fiscal Review The Committee on Fiscal Review shall consider any bill which requires net additional expenditures of state money in excess of $100,000 or which reduces net state revenue by more than $100,000 in any of the three fiscal years immediately following the effective date of the bill. Any such House bill, after having been perfected and ordered printed by the House, shall be referred to the Committee on Fiscal Review for its consideration prior to the bill's submission to the House for third reading and final passage. Any House bill with Senate amendment(s) or any House bill with a Senate substitute which requires net additional expenditure of state money in excess of $100,000 or which reduces net state revenue by more than $100,000 in any of the three fiscal years immediately following the effective date of the bill shall be referred to the Committee on Fiscal Review for its consideration prior to the bill's submission to the House. Any such Senate bill, after having been approved by the regular standing committee to which it was referred, shall be referred to the Committee on Fiscal Review for its consideration prior to its submission to the House for third reading and final passage. Any Senate or House bill amended so as to increase net expenditures or reduce net revenues shall, upon timely motion to recommit, be referred to the Committee on Fiscal Review. Such motion shall only be timely for a House bill when the sponsor or handler of the House bill moves that the bill be Third Read and passed and before the Speaker restates that motion. The primary sponsor or, in the case of a Senate bill, the floor handler of a bill referred to the Committee on Fiscal Review shall be entitled to a hearing on the bill but such hearing shall be limited to the reception of testimony by the primary sponsor or floor handler, as the case may be, in person and none other, without leave of the committee Chair. For the purposes of this rule, "net" is defined as the sum of revenues and expenditures, after reductions and increases brought about by a bill have been calculated. The Committee on Fiscal Review may, with the consent of the House sponsor or floor handler, amend an effective date onto any bill referred to the Committee..

Health Care Policy The Committee on Health Care Policy may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to the health care of the citizens of the State, including mental health, and the Departments of Health and Mental Health. The Committee may also consider and report on bills and matters referred to it relating to medicaid and related matters.

Higher Education The Committee on Higher Education may consider and report on bills and matters referred to it related to higher education, including matters relating to financing, facilities, staff, curriculum and related matters.

Insurance Policy The Committee on Insurance Policy may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to insurance, insurance companies and the Department of Insurance..

Job Creation and Economic Development The Committee on Job Creation and Economic Development may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to commerce, industrial growth, expansion, and development and the creation and retention of jobs.

Joint Advisory Committee on Tobacco Securitization The Committee operates under the authority granted it by Chapter 5, Section 597, Revised Statutes of Missouri

Joint Committee on Administrative Rules The Committee operates under the authority granted it by Chapter 536, Revised Statutes of Missouri.

Joint Committee on Capital Improvements and Leases Oversight The Committee operates under the authority granted it by Chapter 21, Sections 530 through 537, Revised Statutes of Missouri.

Joint Committee on Corrections The Committee operates under the authority granted it by Chapter 21, Sections 440 through 465, Revised Statutes of Missouri.

Joint Committee on Court Automation The Committee operates under the authority granted it by Chapter 476, Section 055, Revised Statutes of Missouri.

Joint Committee on Economic Development, Policy and Planning The Committee operates under the authority granted it by Chapter 620, Section 602, Revised Statutes of Missouri.

Joint Committee on Education The Committee operates under the authority granted it by Chapter 160, Section 254, Revised Statutes of Missouri.

Joint Committee on Gaming and Wagering The Committee operates under the authority granted it by Chapter 313, Section 001.

Joint Committee on Legislative Research The Committee operates under the authority granted it by Chapter 23, Revised Statutes of Missouri.

Joint Committee on Public Employee Retirement The Committee operates under the authority granted it by Chapter 21, Sections 550 through 564, Revised Statutes of Missouri.

Joint Committee on Terrorism, Bioterrorism, and Homeland Security The Committee operates under the authority granted it by Chapter 21, Section 800, Revised Statutes of Missouri.

Joint Committee on Transportation Oversight The Committee operates under the authority granted it by Chapter 21, Section 795, Revised Statutes of Missouri.

Joint Committee on Wetlands The Committee operates under the authority granted it by Section Chapter 21, Section475, Revised Statutes of Missouri.

Judiciary. The Committee on Judiciary may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to the judicial branch of the State and the practices and procedures of the courts of this State, and on matters pertaining to civil and administrative laws and procedures, and on matters relating to the ethics of public officials.

Legislative Research, Oversight Committee The Committee operates under the authority granted it by Sections 21.150 through 21.195, Revised Statutes of Missouri.

Local Government The Committee on Local Government may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to counties, cities, towns, villages, other subdivisions of the State, and local government generally.

Professional Registration and Licensing The Committee on Professional Registration and Licensing may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating the regulation of professions and occupations and relating to boards, bureaus, and commissions that examine the qualifications of persons engaged in certain professions and occupations and the duties of such agencies and the persons registered by them. The committee may also consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to consumer protection issues.

Retirement The Committee on Retirement may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to the retirement and pensions of state and local officials and employees.

Rules
(a) Duties Generally. The Committee on Rules shall formulate and present for consideration the rules of the House; shall consider and report upon all propositions to amend or change the rules, which propositions shall stand referred without reading or consideration and without discussion, explanation, or debate to the Committee on Rules, and upon any bill which merits special consideration.

(b)Duties related to printing and proofing bills. The Committee shall supervise the printing of all bills ordered perfected and printed, assuring that procedures are followed in which all amendments to every such bill are incorporated therein before the bill is printed and that the printed copies of the bill on the desks of the members are true and accurate copies of the bill as ordered perfected and printed. The Committee shall also supervise the printing of all bills which are truly agreed and finally passed, assuring that procedures are followed in which every bill is a true copy of the bill as passed with clerical errors corrected.

(c)Duties relating to the issuance of courtesy resolutions. A courtesy resolution is a non-controversial resolution in the nature of congratulations on the birth of a child, celebration of a wedding anniversary, congratulations of an outstanding citizen achievement or a similar event which is in the practice and procedure of the House to consider as a courtesy resolution. While the House is in session, the resolutions that have been issued under the supervision of the Committee shall be printed in the House Journal by number and sponsor. Any resolution that is not a courtesy resolution shall require action by the House as provided for by the House Rules.

(d)Petition to remove from perfection calendar. Upon petition of two-thirds (2/3) of the standing committee chairmen recommending a House Bill or Joint Resolution be removed from the regular perfection calendar and placed on the Rules Committee Calendar to be perfected and printed, the Committee on Rules shall have authority to consider and remove any House Bill or Joint Resolution from the regular perfection calendar and place it upon the Rules Committee Calendar, House Bills or Joint Resolutions to be perfected and printed. And any bill so placed upon said calendar shall, after being perfected and printed, be placed upon the Rules Committee Calendar, House Bills or Joint Resolutions to be agreed to and placed upon third reading and final passage.

(e)Petition to remove from third reading calendar. Upon petition of two-thirds (2/3) of the standing committee chairmen, the Committee on Rules shall have the authority to consider and remove any Senate Bill or Joint Resolution from the regular third reading calendar and place it upon the Rules Committee Calendar, Senate Bills or Joint Resolutions to be agreed to and placed upon third reading and final passage. The Committee has the privilege of reporting at any time and the consideration of its report shall have precedence over all other business. Any bill placed upon the Rules Committee Calendar, House Bills or Joint Resolutions to be perfected and printed, by the Committee on Rules may be recommitted to the same committee by a Constitutional majority of the elected members, and if this occurs the bill shall be returned to its place on the Perfection Calendar from which it had been removed.

(f)Review of Bills Reported from Standing Committees.
1. Whenever a standing committee reports a bill with a recommendation that it "Do Pass" or "Without Recommendation" , the bill shall stand automatically referred to the Committee on Rules. The Committee on Rules is hereby authorized to:
a. Report the bill "Do Pass" to the House without a limitation on time of debate on the bill or amendments.
b. Report the bill "Do Pass" to the House with a limitation on the time of debate.
c. Send the bill back to the originating committee.
When the Committee on Rules sends the bill back to the originating committee, that committee may amend the bill and report the bill again without the need to reconsider the initial vote by which the committee voted the bill "Do Pass".

2. When a bill is automatically referred to the Committee on Rules with a recommendation that it "Do Pass - Consent", the Rules Committee shall review the bill for the purpose of determining whether or not it should have "consent" status. The Committee on Rules may decide, by a majority of those present, whether or not to place the bill on the appropriate "Consent" calendar. When the Committee on Rules declines to place the bill on the appropriate "Consent" calendar, it may consider whether or not to report the bill to the House with a "Do Pass" recommendation, without "consent" status. The authority of the Committee on Rules with respect to limiting debate shall apply to bills reported by it as "Do Pass - Consent".

3. When a bill is automatically referred to the Committee on Rules with a recommendation that it "Do Pass - Federal Mandate", the Committee on Rules shall review the bill for the purpose of determining whether or not it should have "federal mandate" status. The Committee on Rules may decide, by a majority of those present, whether or not to place the bill on the appropriate "Federal Mandate" calendar. When the Committee on Rules declines to place the bill on the appropriate "Federal Mandate" calendar, it may consider whether or not to report the bill to the House with a "Do Pass" recommendation, without "federal mandate" status. The authority of the Committee on Rules with respect to limiting debate shall apply to bills reported by it as "Do Pass - Federal Mandate".

4. When the Rules Committee shall place a limitation on the time of floor debate on a bill, or on amendments, such time shall be divided equally between, and controlled by, the floor handler of the bill and the floor leader of the political party other than that of the floor handler, or their respective designee(s). The floor handler shall always have the right to have the final one minute of designated time. If time has been allocated and unused by either side and no member from that side is seeking recognition, the Speaker may declare additional time waived and recognize the members of the other side to complete use of their time. Nothing in this rule shall entitle any member to speak longer than the House Rules otherwise allow.

5. In reviewing bills automatically referred to it from another committee, the Committee on Rules may, but is not required to, take such testimony as it deems appropriate to make its decisions. The committee shall not amend any bill that was not initially referred to the Committee on Rules.

(g) When a standing committee has reported a bill "Do Pass" with committee amendment(s), the Committee on Rules shall take such action as it deems proper on the entire package of the bill with committee amendment(s) as though the committee amendment(s) were already incorporated into the bill.

Senior Citizen Advocacy The Committee on Senior Security may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to the security a health of the senior citizens of the State, including matters relating to their care and housing, and the providers of those services.

Small Business The Committee on Small Business may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to the establishment, growth, development, expansion, retention, and operations of small businesses in the State.

Special Committee on Parliamentary Procedure The Special Committee on Parliamentary Procedure was set up to consider and report upon the resolution (HR 115) authorizing the rules of the Missouri House of Representatives.

Tourism The Committee on Tourism and Cultural Affairs may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to the development and promotion of travel, tourism, recreation, the arts, and cultural affairs.

Transportation The Committee on Transportation and Motor Vehicles may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to the Department of Transportation; all means of transportation, including roads, highways, bridges, ferries, airports, railroads, and other means of transportation. The Committee may also consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to motor vehicles and traffic regulations.

UtilitiesThe Committee on Utilities may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to the development, uses and regulation of utilities, communications and technology and the development, use and conservation of energy and other energy-related concerns, environmental impact and pollution and public health and safety as it relates to the issue of energy.

VeteransThe Committee on Veterans may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to terrorism and security against terrorism; veterans affairs and the promotion and strengthening of states rights and military and naval affairs of the State.

Ways and MeansThe Committee on Ways and Means may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to the taxes of the State, tax credits, revenue and public debt of the State, and the interest thereon, and the administration of taxation and revenue laws. The Committee may also inquire into and suggest to the House such changes, if any, that should be made in respect to existing sources of revenue and such new sources of revenue, if any, that in the judgment of the Committee should be considered by the House. The Committee may also inquire into and suggest to the House such changes, if any, that should be made in respect to eliminating any existing sources of revenue, if any, that in the judgment of the Committee should be considered by the House.

Workforce Development and Workplace Safety The Committee on Workforce Development and Workplace Safety may consider and report upon bills and matters referred to it relating to Workers' Compensation, Employment Security, and the departments administering each of these, and on matters referred to it relating to the conditions and interest of labor.