JEFFERSON CITY — In a bid to make government more efficient, the leader of the Missouri Senate has formed another committee to examine the efficiency of government.
In an announcement earlier this week, Senate President Cindy O’Laughlin, R-Shelbina, appointed herself as vice chair of the new Select Committee on Government Modernization and Transformation.
That brings to three the number of legislative committees formed within the past year dedicated to finding efficiencies in state government, not counting Gov. Mike Kehoe’s January executive order that aims to reduce red tape and improve government efficiency.
The new five-member panel is charged with producing a detailed report that includes policy recommendations, an evaluation of current practices in state government and suggestions for legislative changes.
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O’Laughlin appointed Sen. Brad Hudson, R-Cape Fair, as the chairman of the committee.
“I’m thankful to Pro Tem O’Laughlin for choosing me to lead this important effort,” Hudson said. “In my opinion, there is no question that state government is too large. I look forward to working with my colleagues to identify ways to rein in wasteful government spending and save taxpayer dollars.”
It is not clear why a new panel is needed after both the Senate and the House formed committees modeled after President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency and brought in Elon Musk to oversee it.
Hudson served as vice chairman of the Senate Government Efficiency Committee, which ran into turbulence this spring after it opened a web portal seeking citizen input on how to streamline state operations.
The tip line was flooded with complaints about potential abortion restrictions being debated in the Legislature, as well as grievances directed at local governments.
Nonetheless, Hudson said he’s ready to try again.
“It’s my desire to pull back the curtain, see what works and what does not, and streamline our government agencies to do more while spending less,” he said in a statement issued Thursday.
In the House, Speaker Jon Patterson also jumped on the DOGE bandwagon, forming a new Committee on Government Efficiency dedicated to “rooting out waste and fiscal excess.”
“By conducting a thorough review of operations and policies, the committee aims to modernize procedures and enhance trust between the government and the people it serves,” Patterson said at the time.
In addition to the new Senate committee on efficiency, O’Laughlin also formed a new committee to study property taxes and a new panel to investigate diversity, equity and inclusion in state government.
The property tax committee will study the current climate of real and personal property taxation and evaluate the performance of the State Tax Commission.
“Families and farmers across our state are feeling the squeeze of rising property taxes,” said Sen. Sandy Crawford, R-Buffalo, who will serve as chair of the committee. “It is also important that we understand how adjusting property taxes effects not only our citizens, but the various entities they fund. I look forward to working with the committee as we find solutions that ease the burden on our taxpayers, while still funding necessary services.”
The committee on DEI and equal protection will be chaired by Sen. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove.
“Missourians want their government focused on fairness, not ideology,” Moon said. “Our committee will ensure state dollars are spent in a way that treats everyone equally and upholds the Constitution.”
O’Laughlin said the new committees, which will meet in the months leading up to next year’s legislative session, will “deliver results for the people of Missouri.”
“These committees reflect the Senate’s continued commitment to protecting taxpayers, improving government efficiency and ensuring equal treatment under the law,” O’Laughlin said.
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