The 2017 fiscal year Missouri Students Association budget was passed unanimously in the Wednesday full Senate meeting.

The budget did not receive any amendments during Wednesday’s or the [prior week’s full Senate](https://www.themaneater.com/stories/2016/3/16/msa-budget-enters-second-readings/) meeting. Full Senate met for three consecutive weeks to allow the budget to go through three readings and pass before break.

MSA suspended the rules of order the pass the Senatorial Election Handbook in one meeting. It passed unanimously. The handbook applies most of the the same rules of the presidential election to the senatorial.

Bridget Everson, the Board of Elections Commissioners and author of the legislation, said in a speech introducing the legislation that while Senatorial candidates have not campaigned in the past, she hoped to see more involvement in the election by candidates in the future. Everson said she would distribute fliers to publicize the election.

Applications to run in the election are due at 5 p.m. on April 8. Campaigning begins at 8 a.m. on April 11. Polling will be in Speakers Circle only.

Resolution 55-38, which disavows recent cuts to the MU and UM System budget by the Missouri Legislature, passed with one abstention. Budget committee members plan to work with the Associated Students of the University of Missouri to distribute the resolution to Mo. representatives.

Speaker Mark McDaniel and Operations Chairman Josh Tennison addressed the senators on the importance of attending full Senate meetings. During that night’s meeting and the previous week’s, attendance was low enough that Senators had to call for a roll call to determine if the body met quorum before proceeding with legislation, including MSA’s $1.6 million budget.

Twenty-eight senators were in attendance, which is five more than the minimum attendance to pass legislation. There are currently 57 voting senators and 14 open seats.

_Edited by Waverly Colville | wcolville@themaneater.com_