February 5, 2004 - Submitted by Dale Amick - MTC Legislative Consultant

Action in the Missouri Legislature was dominated this past week with committee hearings on dozens of bills. 

The Missouri House this week gave preliminary approval to legislation that would reform the rule-making process within the Department of Natural Resources. Under the legislation, any new, state environmental rules or regulations would have to be based on scientific evidence and include an economic impact statement. The burden of proof would be on the Department of Natural Resources to prove a proposed environmental rule was in the public’s best interest.  

Meanwhile, the Senate spent most of the week debating whether to allow Southwest Missouri State University to change its name to Missouri State University. The Senate gave preliminary approval to the name change, but tied its implementation to  passage of a proposed capital improvement package for the University of Missouri system. 

The House Appropriations Committee for Economic Development continued its work on drafting a new budget blueprint for the Department of Economic Development, which includes the Division of Tourism. No effort to alter the governor’s funding recommendation for the division has surfaced. The governor recommended the same funding level for the division as was appropriated for the current fiscal year.

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