The Joint Committee on Legislative Research, created under Article III, Section 35, Constitution of Missouri, is directed by statute to provide a variety of services for the General Assembly and its members.

The committee's offices and staff are divided into two divisions, the Research Division/Revisor of Statutes and an Oversight Division. The committee also operates and maintains a legislative reference library. The committee itself is a nonpartisan committee, and is not a policy-making group and formulates no legislative program. Its staff renders only such technical and professional assistance as may be requested by the General Assembly or any of its members, or as required by statute.

The Revisor of Statutes publishes the Revised Statutes of Missouri and subsequent supplements, and Session Laws of Missouri.

The Joint Committee on Legislative Research is comprised of the Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and nine other members of the Senate and the Chair of the House Budget Committee and nine other members of the House of Representatives.

The Senate members are appointed by the President Pro Tem of the Senate and House members are appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

No more than six members from the House and six members from the Senate may be of the same political party.

The Chair appoints an Oversight Subcommittee to more closely supervise the work of the Oversight Division and a Revision Subcommittee to more closely supervise the publishing of the Revised Statutes of Missouri, its supplements, and the Session Laws of Missouri. Three Representatives and three Senators from the full committee are appointed to each subcommittee.