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NewsBook: Missouri Government News for Week of March 18, 2002

 


. Mental health insurance coverage clears Missouri's House. (03/21/02)
JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri's House passed and sent to the Senate legislation to require that health insurance cover mental health treatment.

Critics charged the bill would raise the cost of health insurance.

  • Get the roll call.
    . Higher Education Board Budget Gets Slashed by House Budget Committee (03/21/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The House Budget Committee has voted to cut the coordinating board's budget by 62%.

    Proponents of the bill say this is a political decision to punish the board, which they say is biased.

  • Get the newspaper story
    . No Consensus on Whether Term Limits Are Affecting Legislators (03/21/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Term limits, enacted by statewide referendum in 1992, will hit the Missouri General Assembly in full force after this session. But no one is sure if they are having much effect yet.

    Some lawmakers say they are surprised by the good attendance of term-limited legislators, but some say they have never seen so many disengaged lawmakers.

  • Get the newspaper story
    . House Gives Final Approval to SMSU Name Change (03/21/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The Missouri House gave final approval to Southwest Missouri State University dropping the regional distinction on its name.

    Proponents of the measure say it shows that the Springfield institution is not just a regional school anymore.

  • Get the newspaper story.
  • Get the roll call.
    . Bill to Create Missouri Multicultural Center Passed the House (03/21/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri's House on Thursday authorized the creation of a resource center for newcomers to the state, but didn't allocate any funds for its creation.

    The sponsor of the bill, Rep. Deleta Williams, D-Warrensburg, said she believes the center would help service providers and agencies across the state provide better service and information for immigrants.

  • Get the newspaper story
    . Spring Break Starts, But No Budget Yet (03/21/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri's legislators are leaving for spring break--but the state's operating budget hasn't yet made it to the House floor.

    Other key bills--including the governor's "rainy day fund" proposal and the Cardinals stadium bill also haven't seen debate in either chamber.

  • Get the newspaper story
  • Get the radio story
    . Senate Approves $30 million in 2002 Budget Supplements (3/21/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Even though they've not yet seen next year's operating budget, the Missouri Senate approved $30 million Thursday to supplement shortfalls during the current year.

  • Get the newspaper story
    . Missouri's Legislature Goes on Spring Break Without Chamber Votes on Major Issues (03/21/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri's House and Senate take next week off for a spring break to one of the slowest legislative sessions in recent memory.

    Some of the biggest issues facing lawmakers have yet to get a full chamber debate including the state's operating budget, tax increases for transportation, using the state's emergency reserve fund, the St. Louis Cardinals baseball stadium, the governor's education accountability plan and elderly abuse.

    When the House returns on April 1, it will start work on the budget at a later date than any seession in recent memory.

    Despite the slow legislative action in a year when term limits will kick out nearly half the members, lawmakers have set one record -- introducing more bills than any other legislative session on record.

  • Get the newspaper story on the record number of bills filed.
    . The House Votes to Allow Hidden Guns in Autos (03/20/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Missourians would be allow to conceal weapons in their autos under legislation passed by the House by a margin of better than two-to-one.

    The measure now goes to the Senate, were there is pending a separate bill to fully legalize concealed weapons -- an idea rejected by Missouri voters a few years ago.

  • Get the House roll call.
    . The Senate Votes to Extend a Gasoline Tax Increase (03/20/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The Missouri Senate passed and sent to the House legislation to remove the expiration of a six-cent gasoline tax increase passed by the legislature several years ago.

    The gasoline tax increase was approved in 1992 to fund a 15-year highway expansion program that subsequently was abandoned by the Transportation Department.

    Currently, the tax is set to expire in 2008.

  • Get the roll call.
  • Get details about the bill.
    . The Senate Votes to Make It Easier to Abandon Babies (03/20/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The Missouri Senate passed and sent to the House legislation that would make it legal for a parent to abandon a new-born infant at a hospital.

    The legislation now goes to the House. It cleared the Senate without a single vote in opposition.

  • Get the roll call.
    . House Committee Passes Rainy Day Fund Proposal (03/20/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The House Budget Committee has approved dipping into the state's emergency reserve fund -- but far less than the governor orginally had recommended.

    The committee recommended using $75 million in reserve funds. The governor proposed $135 million. Use of the funds will require a two-thirds vote of both the House and Senate.

    The committee also sent the state's $19 billion operating budget to the House, but too late for lawmakers to take it up before their spring break. As a result, full House action on the budget will be delayed until April -- the latest in at least a dozen years.

  • Get the newspaper story.

  • Get the radio story
    . Southwest Missouri Name Change Gets Preliminary House Approval (03/20/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - A bill that would change the name of Southwest Missouri State University to Missouri State University gained preliminary House approval on Wednesday.

    Members of the Boone county delegation led oppostion to the change, with debate centering around the proposal's motivation, impact and appropriateness. The bill would also change the name of three state colleges to make them universities.

  • Get the newspaper story.
    . Kinder Sponsors Bill to Prevent Keno (03/20/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Senate President Pro Tem Peter Kinder (D-Cape Girardeau) is sponsering a bill to prevent any new gaming from coming to the state.

    The bill conflicts with a proposal by Gov. Holden to use Keno to fun K-12 education.

  • Get the newspaper story.
  • Get the radio story.
    . Pari-Mutuel Betting Wins Narrow House Approval (03/19/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - By a one-vote margin, Missouri's House gave preliminary approval to legislation that would allow off-track betting on horse races.

    Supporters argue off-track betting is the only way to get a company to open a horse race track in the state.

    The bill won preliminary approval by a 76-75 vote -- short of the 82 votes that will be needed to send the bill to the House.

  • Get the House roll call.
  • Get details on the bill.
    . Debate on Mental Health Parity Bill to Continue in House (03/18/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The Missouri House is scheduled to continue debate on a mental health parity bill, sponsored by Columbia representatives Vicky Riback Wilson and Tim Harlan.

    The bill repeals the current law and requires insurance companies in Missouri that provide health benefit plans to provide more complete mental health coverage, including eliminating provisions in the law that allow health carriers to limit treatment for people with drug and alcohol addictions.

    Get the newspaper story


    . Proposal to Increase Cigarette Tax Receives Mixed Response (03/20/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - A bill is being heard in the Senate's Ways and Means committee that would increase tax on tobacco products by 25 percent.

    Supporters of the bill emphasize the large amount of money that the general revenue fund would receive if this bill is passed.

    The bill faces oppostion by many, including the Chamber of Commerce, who claims it will give Missouri a competitive disadvantage to bordering states and the Internet.


    . Senate Gives Nod to "Dram Shop Act" (03/19/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri's Senate has given first-round approval to a bill that would hold bartenders liable for knowingly serving intoxicated patrons or people under the age of 21.

    The bill is more restrictive than current law for people trying to sue a bartender or establishment that serves liquor.

    The Senate defeated several amendments that would require bartenders to be trained to spot intoxicated persons.

  • Get the radio story
    . MAP Testing Cuts Proposed to Alleviate State Budget (3/19/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The House Budget committee voted to slash $8 million from the Missouri Assessment Program, the state's main method of testing students.

    Rep. Charlie Shields proposed the cuts for all academic subjects except science and math.

    Sheilds says the tests will only be taken away for a year, until the state can find more money in the budget.

  • Get the radio story
    . Higher Education Budget Survives Further Cuts in Committee (03/18/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The House Budget Committee upheld a 10 percent cut in the budgets of Missouri's four-year institutions of higher education.

    Rep. Denny Merideth, D-Caruthersville, proposed an additional 1 percent cut which the committee defeated. Members said their intent is to send the budget bills to the full House by the end of the week.

  • Get the newspaper story.
    . Senator Raises Awareness on Obesity in Missouri (03/18/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Sen. Mary Bland wants to create a commission that would suggest ideas to help prevent obesity in children.

    She says adults who fight chronic health problems today can help the younger generations from being overweight.

    Her bill already has the consent of the Public Health and Welfare Committee and will soon face the full Senate for consent.

  • Get the radio story.
    . Holden Will Go Forward with Mexican Truck Plan Despite Opposition (03/18/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Senators Harry Kennedy and Sarah Steelman sponsored a resolution last week that would urge the governor to rethink his Customs Harmonization Project.

    After a press conference on Monday, the governor said he plans on going ahead with the project, which he hopes will "expedite international cargo" between Mexico and Missouri.

  • Get the radio story on legislative opposition.
  • Get the radio story on the administration's side.