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Legislators face big issues on last day

On their last day, Missouri legislators still have three of the year's biggest issues before them. Susan Batt has the story from Jefferson City.

Tax cuts, child support enforcement and welfare reform - all must be completed today.

The governor's 3% grocery tax cut faces a final vote in both the House and the Senate. Yesterday the tax cut deadlock broke when senators agreed to remove the tax deduction for parents sending their children to private schools.

Federally mandated child support enforcement rules also face approval in both houses or the state could loose more than $62 million in federal funding.

Welfare reform declared dead a few days ago was resurrected yesterday, and sponsors are cautiously optimistic that it might pass. But the House has not even begun to debate these reforms prompted by new federal rules.

The deadline is 6 o'clock tonight. One-half hour later, legislators begin a special session to work on the budget they failed to pass during the regular term.

From the state capital, I'm Susan Batt.