Will Sunset Only Bring Darkness?
Abstract
Forum Public AdministrationWill Sunset Only Bring Darkness? SAGE Publications, Inc.1977DOI: 10.1177/027507407701100108 R.P.Knuth Research Director, Missouri Public Expenditure Survey Professor Drury's article is a stimulating examination of the Sunset law phenomenon currently in vogue. The article caused me to consider several implications of the Sunset concept that I feel should be explored. In Missouri, and in other states, it is much easier to kill a bill than to pass one. A bill can die in numerous ways in the legislative process. It can be bottled in committee, it can be held on a calendar, it can be the subject of a filibuster, it can be the subject of a deadlock in conference, and many other perils can beset legislation. One can foresee chaos if, for example, a liquor control agency reenactment bill is stalled in the process by procedural problems. A special session could be required to rescue the agency. What I suggest is that, in enacting Sunset laws, effort should be made to give special attention to reenactment procedures to insure that timely votes will be taken and that the bills move expeditiously. Reenactment bills probably should be given priority consideration under legislative rules and debate limits should