(Missouri Independent) – For years after the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, activists and community leaders have pushed to “re-envision public safety.” Inspired in part by the Ferguson Commission, which recommended that cities focus more resources on the root causes of crime, organizers across the state echoed these calls. But they largely fell on deaf ears. […]
Missouri State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick announced he has joined a coalition of 15 State Treasurers to speak out against apparent attempts by the Biden Administration to pressure banks and other large financial institutions to divest from coal, oil, and natural gas companies. “While the pursuit of more renewable sources of energy is a noble cause, […]
(Missouri Independent) – On Monday morning, Jeremy Cady, state director of Americans for Prosperity, filed paperwork with Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s office to begin the process of putting the 12.5-cents a gallon tax increase on a statewide ballot. To succeed in forcing a referendum on the bill, the campaign would have to gather about 110,000 […]
(Missouri Independent) – An effort by lawmakers to require disclosure of ownership information for businesses granted medical marijuana licenses was derailed on Thursday when state regulators suggested a possible gubernatorial veto. On Tuesday, the Missouri House voted to require the Department of Health and Senior Services provide legislative oversight committees with records regarding who owns […]
(Missouri Independent) – In a historic vote, the Missouri House signed off Tuesday on legislation creating a prescription drug monitoring program — inching one step closer to ending Missouri’s designation as the only state without one. The bill now heads to Gov. Mike Parson for his signature or veto. Sen. Holly Rehder, a Sikeston Republican who […]
(Missouri Independent) – Utility providers across Kansas and Missouri may soon be able to retire coal-fired power plants faster as the energy sector accelerates its transition to renewable energy sources. Kansas already passed legislation that allows companies to shutter coal plants, which release considerable amounts of carbon dioxide, without the financial hit that would otherwise come […]
(Missouri Independent) – After hours of fierce debate that spanned the course of two days, the Missouri House on Wednesday signed off on a prohibition on transgender students participating on the sports teams that match their gender identity. The provision, offered as an amendment by Rep. Chuck Basye, R-Rocheport, to House Bill 1141 was adopted by a vote […]
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt joined a multistate coalition of 20 attorneys general in writing to President Joe Biden and congressional leaders to voice opposition to the recent steps towards packing the U.S. Supreme Court. “President Biden’s and Congressional leaders’ attempts to pack the United States Supreme Court will undermine the independence and impartiality of […]
After a heated floor debate that included numerous biblical references, the Missouri House voted Thursday afternoon to give final approval to a $34.1 billion state operating budget. The House budget does not contain funding for Medicaid expansion. The operating budget now heads to the Missouri Senate, and Medicaid expansion supporters hope senators will include the […]
Missouri is another step closer to getting a statewide prescription drug monitoring program. The state Senate has given initial approval to Senator Holly Rehder’s nine-year quest to require a centralized database to help the medical community look for cases of suspected misuse of painkillers. Lake St. Louis Senator Bob Onder, a fellow Republican, […]
Workers and small-business owners are voicing opposition to a bill before the Legislature that would tie Missouri’s minimum wage to the federal minimum wage, reversing a voter-approved increase to $12 an hour by 2023. Terrence Wise, a McDonald’s worker in Kansas City and a leader of the Service Employees International Union’s “Fight for 15 and a […]
(Missouri Independent) – Missouri Senate leadership pulled a bill vital for funding the state’s Medicaid program from floor debate Tuesday after adopting an amendment barring the use of public money for common contraceptive treatments. The amendment, sponsored by Republican Sen. Paul Wieland, could endanger the state’s entire Medicaid program by eliminating a health care service required by federal […]
(Missouri Independent) – President Joe Biden on Tuesday urged the U.S. Senate to immediately pass legislation to close loopholes on background checks for guns and to ban assault weapons, following a mass shooting that killed 10 at a Colorado supermarket. “This should not be a partisan issue,” Biden said. “This is an American issue.” Biden’s […]
Webmasters note: This article is a commentary by Tim Gibbons of the Missouri Independent. Tim Gibbons is communications director for the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, a statewide farm and rural organization dedicated to preserving family farms and promoting stewardship of the land and environmental integrity. The comments in the article are those of the author, […]
(Missouri Independent) – Thousands of Missourians facing repayment of mistakenly paid unemployment benefits would get some relief under legislation passed with a bipartisan vote Wednesday in a Missouri House committee. The bill, which will likely be debated on the House floor next week, would forgive debts due to overpayments from federal coronavirus relief programs but would not […]
A proposed fuel tax increase could come with a rebate option for drivers who fill up in Missouri. State Representative Becky Ruth, R-Festus, has filed legislation that would increase the fee by two cents annually for five years to help to pay for Missouri’s underfunded highway system. She tells Missourinet if drivers turn in their […]
Missouri Senate President Dave Schatz wants drivers to pay a little more when they get fuel. A Missouri Senate committee is considering whether to ask voters to increase the fee by two cents per year over a five-year period. During a public hearing, Schatz says an increase is necessary to pay for repairs to the […]
The Missouri Senate Judiciary Committee is considering a law enforcement package. During a public hearing, Bill sponsor Brian Williams says the legislation would include restrictions for when officers could use force. Officers would not be allowed to use force against a person already restrained and chokeholds would be banned. Williams, a Democrat from […]
(Missouri Independent) – President Joe Biden is poised to send a sweeping immigration reform bill to Congress Thursday that would lay out a path for nearly 11 million undocumented people to obtain citizenship within eight years. Immigration has been one of the toughest issues for Congress to tackle, and the legislation’s fate is unclear in […]
(Missouri Independent) – In early July, the Columbia City Council passed an ordinance requiring everyone over 10 years old to wear a face mask when in close contact with someone from outside their household. Since that vote, a requirement for face masks has been in every health order issued for the city of 123,000 by the Columbia-Boone […]
