The Missouri Senate has passed a contentious gun rights bill. The “Second Amendment Preservation Act” attempts to invalidate federal gun regulations. Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo of Independence spoke in favor of an amendment that would have closed a loophole letting convicted domestic violence abusers own a gun. The amendment to the overall bill failed. […]
Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and 43 of his Republican colleagues sent a letter urging President Joe Biden to stand with Israel. While Israel remains under attack from Iranian-backed terrorists, the Biden Administration is negotiating and potentially offering sanctions relief to Iran, the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism. The Senators called on President Biden to immediately end negotiations […]
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee unanimously passed U.S. Senator Josh Hawley’s (R-Mo.) bill to ban TikTok on government devices. Senator Hawley’s bill is co-sponsored by Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.). “TikTok is an immediate security threat that no has place on government devices. This should not […]
The state legislature voted Friday, May 7, to give final approval to a $34 billion state operating budget; however, the budget has not been signed by the governor. North Central Missouri College President Doctor Lenny Klaver says he is pleased where the college is in the process. He explains that, in the budget, community colleges […]
(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 […]
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 […]
A key bill that COULD hit the Senate floor in Jefferson City this week involves the Grain Belt project in rural northern Missouri. State Senator Jason Bean of southeast Missouri’s Holcomb has filed a bill that’s been heard in committee. Under his bill, the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC) could not issue a […]
The Missouri Legislature has passed a private schooling tax credit bill. The measure would let donors provide scholarships to students to attend a private Missouri K-12 school. In return, they would get state tax credits. Senator Andrew Koenig of eastern Missouri’s Manchester carried the House bill that would prioritize special needs students and those who […]
The Missouri Legislature’s state budget negotiators are recommending the hiring of 53 attorneys for the state Public Defender System. During negotiations, Senate Minority Floor Leader John Rizzo of Independence says his wife corrects some cases handled at the local level by overworked attorneys. The system has nearly 400 lawyers handling about 90,000 cases […]
The House and Senate will soon confer on a bill to boost protections for police officers and to boost penalties for repeated protesting in public streets. Senate Bill 26, deemed “the public safety bill of the session” by supporters, also comes with an array of amendments tacked on by the House Tuesday. The […]
Senator Roy Blunt joined Senator James Lankford and six other colleagues in sending a letter to President Biden on the pressing need for a nominee to the position of Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom. The Members emphasized the importance of America remaining a world leader in defending and promoting religious liberty for all […]
Robots on wheels could soon be strolling down Missouri’s sidewalks and roads to deliver goods to your doorstep. The Missouri Legislature has passed a bill that would allow personal delivery devices to travel up to 10 miles per hour. During the debate, Senator Bill Eigel discusses the bill with the sponsor, Springfield area Senator Lincoln […]
Domestic violence victims could get long-term orders of protection against their alleged abusers without returning to court annually. The Missouri Legislature has passed a bill that would allow protection orders to be renewed for up to the lifetime of the attackers. The proposal is sponsored by Senator Elaine Gannon of southeast Missouri’s De Soto. […]
Senator Roy Blunt announced that he is accepting applications from Missourians interested in attending service academies. Nominations to the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Military Academy, and U.S. Naval Academy are available for qualified applicants. “Service academies play a critical role in educating and inspiring the next generation of servicemen and […]
U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (Wash.), the Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, introduced legislation that will provide $500 million a year for five years to improve safety and reduce congestion at railroad crossings […]
A Missouri House committee has unanimously approved a proposed gas tax increase. Under the bill, the state would boost the fuel tax by 2.5 cents per year for the next five years. Drivers could request a rebate for the amount of the tax hike. Ross Lien, with the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, says the current […]
(Missouri Independent) – With the Missouri Senate poised for what promises to be a lengthy debate over Medicaid expansion, legislative Democrats said Tuesday that the fight over funding will move to the courts if lawmakers don’t approve money for the new coverage. During a rally on the Capitol Building lawn, Senate Democrats promised to push […]
U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Bob Casey (Pa.) introduced a resolution honoring Carl Lutz, a Swiss diplomat who saved more than 50,000 people – half of the surviving Jewish population of Budapest – from deportation to concentration camps during the Holocaust. While working in Nazi-occupied Hungary, Lutz obtained permission from Nazi leadership to issue […]
Missouri KidsFirst presented the 2021 Standing with Children Awards at a virtual event hosted by the organization at 12:00 PM on Monday, April 26, 2021. The 2021 recipients of the Standing with Children Awards are Laura Bauer and Judy Thomas, investigative reporters with the Kansas City Star, Dr. Linda Shaw, child abuse pediatrician with SSM […]
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced legislation to create the Parent Tax Credit, a historic tax cut to help working parents afford to start a family and raise their children. Through a fully refundable tax credit provided directly through automatic, monthly advances, Senator Hawley’s Parent Tax Credit gives working parents the flexibility they need to make the best choices for raising their […]
