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NewsBook: Missouri Government News for the Week of March 29, 2004

 


. Advocates for the disabled testified against a bill that would cut Medicaid. (04/01/04)

JEFFERSON CITY - The bill would make it possible for the State Legislature to create funding limits for state Medicaid programs. Opponents say the most needy will lose their benefits.


. The Senate votes to give cops more power to enforce the seat belt law. (03/31/04)

JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri's Senate adopted a provision that would allow police to stop a driver for not wearing a seat belt.

Presently, Missouri law allows a ticket to be issued for not wearing a seat belt only if the driver has been stopped for some other offense.

Missouri has been threatened with the loss of some federal highway funds if the current law is not changed.


. House deals two strikes to gay rights (03/31/04)

JEFFERSON CITY - Gay rights suffered two blows in the Missouri House Wednesday. The first came when a House committee approved a bill that would prohibit state-funded public institutions' anti-discrimination policies from including more groups, including homosexuals, than federal standards allow.

The House also gave first round approval to a constitutional amendment limiting marriage to one man and one woman.

  • Get the newspaper story.
    . House Approves Mental Health Parity Bill (03/31/04)

    JEFFERSON CITY - The House overwhelmingly approved a bill that would require insurance companies cover mental illness, including drug abuse and alcoholism. Opponents argued the bill will drive up the cost of insurance for small businesses.

    Supporters of the bill say the benefits of offering the coverage offset the relatively small cost. The measure now moves to the Senate for consideration.

  • Get the radio feature.
    . House Budget Committee directs highway funds from treasurer's office to MODOT (03/31/04)

    JEFFERSON CITY - The House Budget Committee directed highway funds from the state treasurer's office and Natural Resources Department to the Transportation Department in a vote late Monday night. Currently, the treasurer's office uses this money to fund almost 25 percent of its entire budget for staff salaries and benefits.

    Deputy State Treasurer Chuck Miller said the treasurer's office has been trying to have the highway funds they receive replaced by general revenue money for many years, but the committee did not add any general revenue funds to the office's budget.

  • Get the newspaper story
    . Missouri's Surpeme Court rules for the natural mother in an Internet adoption case. (03/31/04)

    JEFFERSON CITY - By a 4-3 decision, Missouri's Surpeme Court over-turned a lower court decision that had stripped the natural mother of parental rights of twins that had been place up for adoption over Internet.

    The case, which involved adoptive parents in England had gained international attention.

  • Get the Supreme Court decision.
    . Bill would ban cell phones in voting booths (03/30/04)

    JEFFERSON CITY - Lawmakers fear cell phones make vote buying easier. The bill would restrict voters from using a cell phone once they have received a ballot.


    . House committee hears plan to limit outsourcing (03/30/04)

    JEFFERSON CITY - The Missouri House Communications Committee heard testimony today to ban the state government and restrict private businesses from using foreign call centers. Legislators argued the practice takes jobs away from Missouri citizens and callers have a right to know who they're talking to on the phone. The committee did not take further action on the bill.

  • get the radio story.
  • get the newspaper story.
    . Laborers' Union Endorses Claire McCaskill (03/30/04)

    JEFFERSON CITY - The Missouri Laborers' Union has endorsed Democratic State Auditor Claire McCaskill for governor. She will challenge the incumbent governor Bob Holden in the August primary. Holden has the support of one of the state's other large unions, the AFL-CIO. A spokesman for the AFL-CIO said Holden has a track record that demonstrates he's a friend to labor. Representatives from the Laborers' Union said McCaskill is more likely to win in November than Holden.


    . The Senate Appropriations Committee approves the higher education bond issue (03/29/04)

    JEFFERSON CITY - A multi-hundred million dollar bond bill to fund construction of scientific resesearch-related buildings throughout the state was almost doubled in size Monday night by the Senate Appropriation Committee, which approved the bond issue.

    The measure now totals $350 million in bonds to be paid off by the state during 25 years.

  • get the radio story.
  • get the newspaper story.