Missouri lawmakers will return to Jefferson City in September for a special session involving a complicated Missouri Supreme Court ruling about vehicle sales. Governor Mike Parson has announced the special session, saying lawmakers will be addressing a court ruling called “Kehlenbrink vs. Department of Revenue”, which involves using the sale proceeds of a […]
The 2019 State Fair opens Thursday in Sedalia and State Fair Director Mark Wolfe says the fair commission is waiving late fees for entries this year because farmers have endured hardships from flooding and tornadoes. Wolfe says one of the biggest fair events will be the Governor’s ham breakfast on August 15, which […]
Many motorcycle riders could soon cruise down Missouri’s roads without a helmet and not get in trouble with the law. On Friday – the last day of the regular session – state lawmakers sent to the governor a proposal that would let motorcyclists ride without a helmet if they are at least 18 years old […]
The Missouri House advanced House Bill 1062 to the Missouri Senate. This bill will effectively kill new infrastructure projects like the Grain Belt Express transmission line. Members of the Missouri Public Utility Alliance (MPUA) have repeatedly let lawmakers know that 39 local consumer-owned utilities, representing more than 350,000 people in the state, stand to lose […]
Legislation that is aimed at preventing the Grain Belt Express project from using eminent domain across northern Missouri is heading to the state Senate. The House voted 115-35 on Thursday to give final approval to Frankford State Representative Jim Hansen’s bill, which says NO private entity has the power of eminent domain to build above-ground […]
The public service commission has approved a high voltage, wind energy transmission line to run through private property along Northern Missouri, and *some* landowners and farmers want the legislature to stop that from happening. Missouri House members heard both sides of the argument: That the lines are in public interest and the company can claim […]
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a stop in the St. Louis-area of Ferguson Monday to rally support for two bills. Pelosi joined eastern Missouri Congressman Lacy Clay and other elected officials at the Urban League Empowerment Center about the proposals that would expand voting rights and change laws about concealed campaign gifts. Pelosi […]
A Missouri House committee is considering whether to boost the state’s gas tax by 10 cents over four years to help pay for road and bridge improvements. Samantha Davis with the Missouri Corn Growers Association hopes changes are made to the measure that would also tax alternative fuels at a similar rate beginning in 2026. […]
Governor Mike Parson’s office says they’re confident that a final transportation agreement with Missouri lawmakers is possible, before the end of the session in May. The governor’s office is responding to House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith’s 100-million dollar transportation plan, which does NOT incur new debt. The Carthage Republican has concerns with the governor’s […]
Lawmakers have reintroduced a proposal that would allow judges to order poachers to pay restitution fees ranging from $375 to $5,000. Two identical bills filed in the Missouri House and Senate could gain more traction this year considering three recent cases in which elk were illegally killed. Under the proposed legislation, the fees […]
The Missouri Department of Revenue says state tax refunds are about 80-dollars lower than a year ago, in part because of a longstanding inaccurate calculation at DOR involving the federal tax deduction. Revenue Director Joel Walters testified Wednesday before a House oversight committee in Jefferson City, saying some taxpayers will have to pay because they […]
A Missouri Senate committee is considering whether the state should be charging a 6.5-percent sales tax on out-of-state internet purchases. Missouri School Boards Association spokesman Brent Ghan says the tax could bring in additional money for the state. Ghan hopes lawmakers would not use the additional revenue to give tax cuts. […]
The Great Northwest Day steering committee has announced its priorities for the upcoming visit next month with lawmakers at the state capital. According to Micah Landes, the steering committee chairman, five priorities to be presented include: Caring for our youngest citizens Aligning to educate and advance our workforce Having rural high-speed broadband access and affordability […]
House Speaker Elijah Haahr announced today the House Committee chairmanships and his selections for Republican membership on House committees for the 100th General Assembly. “One of the greatest qualities of the Republican Caucus is the diverse experiences and talents this group of individuals brings to our legislative process,” said Speaker Haahr, R-Springfield. “We have worked […]
Hands off Amendment 1. That’s the message from supporters of the “Clean Missouri’ ballot initiative to state lawmakers, who begin the 100th General Assembly next week. The anti-gerrymandering measure passed by 62 percent of the vote in November, but Gov. Mike Parson and several legislators are already calling for major changes. Joan VonDras with the Sierra Club’s […]
Local county officials continue to push back against any effort on the state level to transfer maintenance of roads to them. Opposition to any transfer of the “lettered roads” to local governments is reflected in unbending comments by Randolph County Commissioner Wayne Wilcox in northeast Missouri. Wilcox says handing over those roadways to […]
State Representative Jim Hansen of northeast Missouri’s Frankford plans to ask the legislature to pass a total ban on texting while driving. Missouri is one of the only states in the country without a total ban on texting while driving. Hansen hopes his proposed ban on texting while driving will get some traction […]
Missouri lawmakers could be considering a far-reaching abortion restriction in the upcoming legislative session. Republican state Representative Nick Schroer of O’Fallon pre-filed a bill this week that would prohibit doctors from performing abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. The measure, which allows for exceptions in medical emergencies, would ban most abortions after […]
A southeast Missouri lawmaker who has championed prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) legislation for years thinks it will “make it over the finish line” in 2019. Sikeston State Representative Holly Rehder tells Missourinet that she and State Senator-Elect Tony Luetkemeyer of Parkville will pre-file the same bill today (Monday). Rehder notes Missouri is […]
State Senator-elect Cindy O’Laughlin thinks citizens have a mistrust of Missouri’s government because departments are poorly managed. She says it’s predictable that they would oppose propositions like the gas tax that failed in November’s election. The Shelbina Republican says lawmakers don’t have confidence that lawmakers are spending money wisely. She says […]
