Work continues on $50 million in renovations of the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City. Dana Rademan Miller chairs the State Capitol Commission which is charged with the preservation of the structure. She says the building has been in urgent need of repair after state revenue declines led to 15-years of deferred maintenance. Rademan […]
A bill in the state legislature would implement Instant Runoff Voting in Missouri. It calls for voters to rank candidates in order of preference in a process of elimination until one candidate achieves a 50 percent-plus-one majority. Republican state Representative Dan Stacy of Blue Springs says his proposal would ensure a majority winner when three […]
The Missouri Legislature is expected to make highway funding a top issue in the upcoming session, according to Triple-A spokesman Mike Right. Right says one of the reasons November’s ballot measure failed was likely from “bait and switch” language. Proposition D would have increased the gas tax by two and a half cents […]
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 […]
Auditor Nicole Galloway has released her review of the state’s home and community-based services program to assist disabled and elderly Medicaid-eligible Missourians. The report examined the effectiveness of recent cost-saving measures approved by the legislature and recommended continued improvement to processes for determining and authorizing individual need. The Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) […]
People languishing in federal prison for decades on nonviolent drug convictions may get a new chance at justice if the U.S. Senate finds the political will to pass sentencing reform in the final weeks of the lame-duck session. Groups on both left and right on the political spectrum support the First Step Act, a series of […]
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 […]
Despite the failure of a Right-to-Work ballot measure this year, a bill will return to the Missouri Legislature in 2019. The state legislature will be asked next year whether to bar Missouri businesses from requiring workers to pay mandatory union fees. The bill is being sponsored by Republican Senator-Elect Eric Burlison of Springfield. […]
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 […]
Incoming Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz announced his intention to appoint Senator Dan Hegeman as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. The 100th Missouri General Assembly will convene its first regular legislative session on Wednesday, January 9. The Appropriations Committee is tasked with giving preliminary approval to the state operating budget for each fiscal […]
Cindy O’Laughlin is one of nine new State Senators who’ll join the next Missouri legislature in January. She’s one of five Republican newcomers to receive at least 70% of the vote in GOP dominated mostly rural districts. O’Laughlin said campaigning became a fulltime job for her. The businesswoman from Shelbina says the time […]
While the outgoing chairman of the Missouri House Veterans Committee is pleased with the House’s accomplishments for veterans during his tenure, he admits not all of his priorities passed. Webb City GOP State Representative Charlie Davis is leaving the Legislature, because of term limits. Davis is proud of the House’s accomplishments for veterans. […]
A southwest Missouri lawmaker who’s leaving Jefferson City because of term limits says he’s “shocked” that voters rejected a ten-cent gasoline tax increase last Tuesday. Webb City GOP State Representative Charlie Davis has a lot of truckers in his district. While he’s shocked at the vote, Webb City GOP State Representative Charlie Davis […]
There’s disagreement among farmers over the Clean Missouri ballot measure to redraw voting districts. The Missouri Farm Bureau opposes the proposal, claiming it would weaken the power of rural voters. Mid-Missouri cattle rancher Susan Williams says Cooper County where she lives is already disenfranchised because it’s divided into four legislative districts. Former Missouri […]
Missouri House Speaker Todd Richardson will resign his seat in the Legislature on Thursday to become the new MO HealthNet Director. Medicaid provides low-income families and individuals with health care coverage. Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) Director Steve Corsi says Richardson will face challenges. Rural hospitals in Farmington, Kennett, Osceola, and Reynolds […]
The Missouri Supreme Court is trying to determine if a workman’s compensation law is valid or unconstitutional based on its technical and unclear language. The state legislature changed the rules in 2014 for compensation when a second workplace injury occurs. Starting that year, new claims for benefits through the state’s second injury fund […]
Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft lashed out at a judge who struck down key portions of the state’s voter ID law Tuesday. Earlier this month, Cole County Circuit Court Judge Richard Callahan tossed out a requirement for voters who don’t present a photo ID to sign an affidavit in order to cast […]
The Livingston County Commission plans to attend a meeting on Proposition D next week. The meeting will be in the meeting room of the Chillicothe Fire Department Tuesday afternoon at 4 o’clock. Proposition D appears on Missouri’s November 6, 2018, general election ballot. It was referred to state voters by the Legislature. Prop D phases […]
The Missouri prison system has reached a potential record of about 800 correctional officer vacancies. Department of Corrections Director Anne Precythe tells Missourinet the improving economy is part of the blame. Precythe says another problem is the agency is pulling from the same hiring pool where prisons are located near each other. She […]
Missouri Farm Bureau, the state’s largest general farm organization, announced its positions on several issues that will be before voters on the November ballot. The state Board of Directors took action based on the grassroots policies developed by and voted upon by representatives of our more than 130,000 member families across Missouri. Amendment 1 […]
