Missouri General Assembly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Missouri General Assembly |
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|---|---|
 |
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| Type | |
| Type | |
| Houses | Senate House of Representatives |
| Leadership | |
|
Ron Richard (R)
Since September 16, 2015 |
|
|
Todd Richardson (R)
Since May 15, 2015 |
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| Structure | |
| Seats | 197 |
|
Political groups
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Senate Republican (25) Democratic (9) House of Representatives Republican (118) Democratic (45) |
| Elections | |
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Last election
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November 4, 2014 |
| Meeting place | |
 |
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| Missouri State Capitol, Jefferson City | |
| Website | |
| http://www.moga.mo.gov | |
The Missouri General Assembly is the main law-making group for the U.S. state of Missouri. It's like the state's parliament. This group has two parts: the Senate and the House of Representatives. This two-part system is called a bicameral legislature.
The Senate has 32 members, and the House of Representatives has 163 members. People who serve in both parts of the General Assembly have term limits. This means they can only serve for a certain number of years. Senators can serve two four-year terms. Representatives can serve four two-year terms. This adds up to a total of 8 years for members in both houses. The General Assembly meets at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City.
Contents
Who Can Be a Member?
To become a member of the House of Representatives, you must be at least 24 years old. You also need to have been a registered voter in Missouri for two years. Plus, you must have lived in the county or district you want to represent for at least one year.
For the Senate, you must be at least 30 years old. You need to have been a registered Missouri voter for three years. You also must have lived in the area you want to represent for at least one year before the election.
When Does the General Assembly Meet?
The General Assembly has specific times when it must meet. They start their main meeting on the first Wednesday after the first Monday in January. This happens after the state's general election. They usually finish their work on May 30th.
They stop looking at new laws (called bills) after 6:00 p.m. on the first Friday following the second Monday in May. Bills about spending money (appropriation bills) have an even earlier deadline. They cannot be looked at after 6:00 p.m. on the first Friday after the first Monday in May.
If the Governor doesn't agree with a bill and sends it back after they've finished meeting, the General Assembly automatically meets again. This special meeting is on the first Wednesday after the second Monday in September. It lasts for up to ten days. During this time, they only look at the bills the Governor didn't approve.
Special Meetings
The Governor can also ask the General Assembly to meet for a special session. This special meeting can last up to 60 days. During a special session, they can only discuss topics the Governor has suggested.
Also, the leader of the Senate (the President Pro Tem) and the leader of the House (the Speaker) can call a special session. This 30-day session can happen if three-fourths of the members from each house ask for it.
Neither the House nor the Senate can stop meeting for more than ten days without the other house's permission. They also cannot meet anywhere else besides the State Capitol building.
Related Pages
See also
In Spanish: Asamblea General de Misuri para niños
