Another session of the Missouri Legislature has come and gone. Of the 1,559 House bills and 689 Senate bills filed this time around, 69 bills will make it to Gov. Mike Parson’s desk. Here are some key bills left up to the governor to sign or veto: Missouri lawmakers vote to pump up […]
Legislation that would allow Missouri utility companies to speed their transition to renewable energy is on its way to Gov. Mike Parson’s desk just a day before the General Assembly’s session ends. The Missouri House voted 146-1 Thursday in favor of a policy — also adopted earlier this year in Kansas — that would allow utility providers, like […]
A coalition of 22 states, led by Missouri and Attorney General, Eric Schmitt, filed an amicus brief in support of an Arkansas law that would prohibit abortions solely based on a prenatal Down Syndrome diagnosis. Leslie Rutledge v. Little Rock Planning Services and can be found at this link. “Those with Down Syndrome bring […]
Hy-Vee, Inc. announces today that all Hy-Vee pharmacy locations are now administering free COVID-19 vaccines to individuals ages 12 to 15, per the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recent approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for this age group. Hy-Vee has been offering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to individuals 16 […]
The Missouri Department of Social Services submitted a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services formally withdrawing its State Plan Amendments for MO HealthNet expansion. On August 4, 2020, Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment expanding MO HealthNet eligibility to individuals between 100 and 138 percent of the federal poverty level. However, the […]
Robert Knodell, Acting Director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, and Dr. George Turabelidze, State Epidemiologist, signed the standing order for PfizerBioNTech COVID-19 vaccine administration for individuals 12 to 15 years in the state of Missouri. This is following the decision by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to recommend to […]
(Missouri Independent) – As the state of Missouri battles its second year of the novel coronavirus’ spread, lawmakers on Wednesday sent to the governor’s desk a bill that aims to rein in local public health orders and ban vaccine passports. The provisions were included in House Bill 271, which deals with local government transparency. It grew […]
(Missouri Independent) – The fate of a wide-ranging crime bill was called into question on Tuesday over a provision that would stiffen penalties for lying under oath to the legislature or obstructing a legislative investigation. During a conference committee on Tuesday morning convened to work out differences on Senate Bill 53, House members said the bill […]
(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 […]
To address workforce shortages across the state, Governor Mike Parson directed the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to notify the U.S. Department of Labor that Missouri will end participation in all federal pandemic-related unemployment insurance programs effective Saturday, June 12 at 11:59 p.m. “From conversations with business owners across the state, we know […]
An attempt to renew a law essential to financing Missouri’s Medicaid program drew fire late Monday from a state Senator who wants to bar Planned Parenthood from participating in the program and an anti-abortion group seeking to block access to contraceptives. A renewal of the taxes that provide more than $2 billion annually for Medicaid was added […]
Missouri voting-rights advocates joined a national call to action Saturday to promote the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the For the People Act. The Lewis Act would require states with a history of voter discrimination to get approval from the Justice Department before making legal changes to voting rules. Julie Steiger, co-president of the League of […]
A draft 2022-2026 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program that focuses on taking care of the state’s existing transportation system was presented today to the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission. A 30-day public review and comment period began on Wednesday, May 5) Missouri Department of Transportation Planning Director Eric Curtit told commissioners the draft STIP includes 1,417 […]
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced that on April 27, 2021, Healthy Home & Family, Inc., an in-home health care provider, and its owners, Belinda Bivens and Mary Stockson, have entered into a civil settlement agreement totaling $302,127 in restitution and penalties, with his office for submitting 114 false claims to Missouri Medicaid (MO HealthNet). […]
Governor Mike Parson directed all state workers to return to their offices for in-person work no later than Monday, May 17, 2021, and that all state buildings be open and accessible to the public during normal business hours. “Since the start of COVID-19, our state team members have gone above and beyond to keep state government running and […]
Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway today released a citizen-requested audit of Excelsior Springs, located in western Missouri. The audit, which received an overall rating of “fair,” recommended improvements to several of the city’s financial practices to make sure taxpayer dollars are used effectively. “Taxpayers asked for this audit to ensure the city is utilizing their […]
Warm spring weather has arrived, and motorcyclists are eager to hit the road. As they tune their engines and prepare for numerous road trips to come, the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety wants to remind motorists and motorcyclists alike to “Watch for Motorcycles” in order to help prevent motorcycle crashes, deaths, and injuries on Missouri […]
DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day collected 839,543 pounds (419.7 tons) of unused, expired, and unwanted medications across the country. Americans once again showed their dedication toward helping prevent addiction and potential overdose by removing prescription pills from their homes. The April event included 4,425 community partners at 5,060 collection sites throughout the country. “DEA’s […]
Three Georgia men were indicted by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Georgia and charged with hate crimes and the attempted kidnapping of Ahmaud Arbery. The indictment also charges two of the men with separate counts of using firearms during that crime of violence. Travis McMichael, 35; Travis’s father, Gregory McMichael, 65; […]
Due to weather, crews from Vance Brothers, Inc., working with the Missouri Department of Transportation, have postponed the start of the seal coat project on Livingston County Route 190 between U.S. Route 65 in Chillicothe and 8 miles west of U.S. Route 65, just west of Route N. The work is now scheduled to begin […]
