The Division has two primary duties: the preparation of fiscal notes on all bills pending before the General Assembly and the performance of program evaluations and sunset reviews.
FISCAL NOTES
Chapter 23 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri requires the Oversight Division to prepare a fiscal note on each bill before action may be taken on it. The fiscal note must state:
Oversight prepares new fiscal notes on bills and joint resolutions at the following points in the course of the legislative process:
Oversight does, when requested, prepare fiscal notes on drafts of proposals which have not been introduced as bills or have not been formally presented as either committee or floor substitutes. These drafts are considered confidential until the proposal is publicly introduced.
The process in preparing a fiscal note begins when the drafter in either Senate Research or Legislative Research forwards a copy of the bill draft to Oversight with a request for fiscal note. Oversight reviews the draft and forwards a copy to all affected state agencies and local political subdivisions as required by statute.
Once the agencies have reviewed the legislative draft and have determined what fiscal impact, if any, it will have upon their agency they respond to Oversight. Oversight compiles all agency responses and together with their own independent research, prepares a fiscal note stating the estimated fiscal impact to state government, local governments and small businesses.
The Oversight Division prepares approximately 3,000 fiscal notes during a regular legislative session.
PROGRAM EVALUATIONS/SUNSET REVIEWS
To meet the demands for more responsive and cost effective state government, legislators often desire to obtain information regarding the status of state programs they have created and the expenditure of funds they have authorized. The Committee on Legislative Research, through the Oversight Division, can investigate and assess state agency performance in the implementation of laws and report the findings to the legislature.
The Oversight Division conducts its work in an independent manner utilizing trained professional staff. An evaluation generally includes examination of state agency records, interviews of agency staff, surveys of affected citizens, on-site observation of program operations and review of similar programs in other states. The objectives of the evaluation usually include determining efficiency, effectiveness and quality of the program. Questions regarding sufficient funding levels, appropriate spending practices and the need for extension of sunset dates can often be answered in the course of the evaluation.
In addition, recommendations are made to the legislature for changes that could be made to enhance the program or facilitate more efficient management of the program. The Division is assigned evaluations pursuant to a concurrent resolution of the General Assembly or a resolution adopted by the Committee on Legislative Research. Staff devote time to completing the work during the interim, between June and December. Reports are typically presented to the Committee on Legislative Research for review and release to the public upon completion.
The Committee is comprised of the Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and nine other members of the Senate and the Chair of the House Budget Committee and nine other members of the House of Representatives.
The Senate members are appointed by the President Pro Tem of the Senate and House members are appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
No more than six members from the House and six members from the Senate may be of the same political party.
The Chair of the Committee on Legislative Research appoints an Oversight Subcommittee to more closely supervise the work of the Oversight Division. Three Representatives and three Senators from the full committee are appointed to the subcommittee.
| Representatives | Senators |
|---|---|
| * = Oversight Subcommittee Member | Updated: October 3, 2016 |
| Kevin Engler, 116th - Chair | Bob Dixon, 30th - Vice-Chair |
| Sue Allen, 100th | Jason Holsman, 7th |
| Pat Conway*, 10th | Jamilah Nasheed, 5th |
| Scott Fitzpatrick, 158th | Brian Munzlinger, 18th |
| Tom Flanigan*, 163rd | Mike Parson, 28th |
| Kimberly Gardner, 77th | Kurt Schaefer*, 19th |
| Caleb Jones, 50th | Scott Sifton*, 1st |
| Tom McDonald, 28th | Ryan Silvey*, 17th |
| Tommie Pierson, 66th | Wayne Wallingford, 27th |
| Dan Shaul*, 113th | Gina Walsh, 13th |
Fiscal Notes State Agencies
Legislative Oversight
October 2016
Fiscal Note Template (Complete)
Download instructions:
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If you have questions about the
template, please email Jared.Kesel@lr.mo.gov
Fiscal Notes - Local Government
Legislative Oversight
October 2016
If you have questions about the
template, please email Jared.Kesel@lr.mo.gov
To request a printed copy of our reports free of charge, please call 573-751-4143 or e-mail our office at Valerie.Mueller@lr.mo.gov. Please include your name and address.
To request a printed copy of our reports free of charge, please call 573-751-4143 or e-mail our office at Valerie.Mueller@lr.mo.gov. Please include your name and address.
To request a printed copy of our reports free of charge, please call 573-751-4143 or e-mail our office at Valerie.Mueller@lr.mo.gov. Please include your name and address.
| Name | Title | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Updated: September 8, 2016 | |||
| Mickey Wilson, CPA | Oversight Director | (573)526-8120 | Mickey.Wilson@lr.mo.gov |
| Ross Strope | Assistant Director | (573)751-4143 | Ross.Strope@lr.mo.gov |
| Kendra Crum | Fiscal Analyst | (573)751-4143 | Kendra.Crum@lr.mo.gov |
| Helen Webster-Cox, CPA | Program Evaluator | (573)751-4143 | Helen.Cox@lr.mo.gov |
| Jeani Hancock | Fiscal Analyst | (573)751-4143 | Jeani.Hancock@lr.mo.gov |
| Nina Medlock | Program Evaluator | (573)751-4143 | Nina.Medlock@lr.mo.gov |
| Valerie Mueller | Administrative Secretary | (573)526-8120 | Valerie.Mueller@lr.mo.gov |
| Shanna Stark | Administrative Assistant | (573)751-4143 | Shanna.Stark@lr.mo.gov |
| Sarah Juergensmeyer | Fiscal Analyst | (573)751-4143 | Sarah.Juergensmeyer@lr.mo.gov |
| Cathy Lucia | Fiscal Analyst | (573)751-4143 | Cathy.Lucia@lr.mo.gov |
| Kim Bax | Fiscal Analyst | (573)751-4143 | Kim.Bax@lr.mo.gov |