1. Introduction of a Bill - Bills can be initiated in either the Senate or House and are labeled as Senate Bills or House Bills. - Bills can be preintroduced starting December 1 before the session, or introduced during the session by any senator or representative. - Once introduced, a bill is assigned a number, read for the first time, and then goes on the calendar for a second reading and committee assignment. 2. Committee Review - A public hearing is held where the bill sponsor presents the bill and both sides (proponents and opponents) are heard. - The committee then votes and can recommend various actions: - Do pass - Recommend passage with amendments - Return without recommendation - Substitute a new bill - Recommend do not pass - Make no report at all. 3. Perfection of a Bill - If favorably reported, the bill moves to the "perfection calendar" and is debated for possible amendments. - After all amendments are considered, a motion is made to perfect the bill, which requires a majority vote. 4. Final Passage - Following perfection, the bill is placed on the calendar for a third reading and final passage. - Members can debate but no further substantive amendments can be made. A recorded vote is needed for approval. 5. Second House Consideration - The bill is sent to the other house, read a second time, assigned to committee, and goes through a similar process. - If amendments are made in the second house, a conference may be requested between both houses to resolve differences. 6. Enrollment and Signing - After final passage, the bill is typed in its approved form, compared for errors, and signed by the House speaker and Senate president. - Written objections can be filed at this time, which accompany the bill to the governor. 7. Governor's Action - The governor has 15 days (or 45 days if not in session) to sign or veto the bill. - If signed, it is sent to the Secretary of State; if vetoed, it returns to the house of origin with objections. A two-thirds vote is required to override a veto. - If not returned in the specified time, the bill automatically becomes law. 8. Effective Date - Laws take effect 90 days after the session ends unless specified otherwise or if it's an appropriation act. 9. Secretary of State Duties - The Secretary of State preserves and publishes the laws, ensuring they are accessible and updated.

To get involved in the legislative process in Missouri, a member of the public can take several steps: 1. Suggest an Idea for a Bill: Any individual or group can propose an idea for a new law or a change to an existing law. This could include consumer groups, professional associations, or government agencies. 2. Contact Legislators: Since only legislators can sponsor and introduce bills, the public can reach out to their state representatives or senators to express their ideas and concerns or ask them to sponsor a bill based on a public suggestion. 3. Participate in Committee Meetings: Bill proposals are discussed in committee meetings, which are open to the public. Attending these meetings allows individuals to voice their opinions or concerns regarding proposed legislation. 4. Follow Legislative Proceedings: Members of the public can track the progress of bills through the legislative process and stay informed about bill readings, committee actions, and votes. 5. Engage in Advocacy: Public interest groups often engage with legislators and can be a good way for people to amplify their voices concerning specific issues. 6. Provide Testimony: During committee hearings, individuals can provide testimony to share their views on a bill. This is a direct way to influence legislative decisions. 7. Vote: Finally, participating in elections to choose legislators who align with one's views on issues contributes to shaping Minnesota's laws and policies.

Tracking bills is hard, especially if you rely on state legislature websites, which are often hard to navigate. Thousands of bills get filed in Missouri every year (and about 180,000 bills nationwide). If you want to be an effective advocate, you need to know where legislation of interest stands, and act quickly.

FastDemocracy's free version allows you to track an unlimited number of bills - no strings attached. We'll send you a daily or weekly email on your priority bills and give you tools to research bills and legislators.

FastDemocracy Professional is for anyone who tracks bills in a professional capacity. It features

• real-time bill, amendment and hearing alerts
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1. Sign up here for a free FastDemocracy account.

2. Head to Tracked Topics to select issue areas you care about.

3. Use the search bar on top if you're looking for something specific.

4. Click "Track Bill" for any legislation you'd like to monitor a bit closer. That's how you add it to your Tracked Bills. You can also click on a bill to learn more, see the bill summary, most recent actions, votes, news and tweets. You can also contact legislators or share your bills on social media.

5. You can track an unlimited number of bills for free and we'll send you a daily or weekly email if your tracked legislation moves.

6. Do you need real-time alerts, outreach tools, bill lists, and professional functions? Then FastDemocracy Professional is the right fit for you.

7. Track bills on your smartphone using our free mobile app.

You can use the Find Your Legislators tool to find them, see their voting records, and contact them.