Burlison said his intentions aren't to govern instances where a service has yet to be provided, but focus on situations where already established private providers lose revenue or business due to newly created government competition.

Several opponents voiced an overall fear that without more tightening, the legislation will exceed its original purpose.

“I think that the bill should be narrow in scope to address the concerns of the senator rather than casting such a broad net,” Missouri Coalition of the Environment Policy Director Ed Smith said. “What’s going to happen is we’re going to come up with a long list of exemptions but things are going to fall through the cracks and there are going to be unintended consequences.”

Paul Wagner, Executive Director of the Council on Public Higher Education, voiced a similar concern that state-funded universities would be “open to a long line of private attorney’s knocking on our door” if the bill were to pass.

Committee vice-chairman Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, agreed there’s a need to strike a balance between cutting down competition and allowing municipalities to provide beneficial public services.