Missouri Senate sets aside utility-reform bill; approves two local-government measures

The Missouri Senate on Tuesday set aside Senate Bill 4, a utility-reform measure focused on natural gas sponsored by Sen. Mike Serpoy of Lee's Summit, and gave first-round approval to Senate Bill 1 and Senate Bill 2, which relate to county and local government, according to remarks on the chamber floor and a statehouse report.

Senate Bill 4, sponsors said, assembles provisions that have appeared in prior measures. "All parts of this bill, all parts of this sub have been on bills in the senate in the past, many multiple times," the sponsor noted on the floor. The measure's text, as discussed on Tuesday, focuses on natural gas provisions rather than other utility sectors.

Sen. Tracy McCrory of Saint Louis County raised concerns during floor discussion about the bill's possible effect on household utility bills. "When I look at this legislation, think that this legislation, especially PISA and future test year, are gonna raise utility rates for, you know, our constituents," McCrory said on the floor.

After discussion, Senate Bill 4 was set aside for future consideration; the transcript records no final vote on the measure and does not specify a motion-maker or vote tally. By contrast, the Senate gave first-round approval to two other measures on Tuesday: Senate Bill 1, described as relating to certain aspects of county government, and Senate Bill 2, described as relating to local government. The transcript records the chamber granting first-round approval to those bills but does not include vote tallies, mover/second information, or further details about the bills' provisions.

The items will return to the Senate for later consideration. Reporting from the state capital, Dean Morgan.