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NewsBook: Missouri Government News for Week of May 13, 2002

 


. Big-time lobbyists ignore parking restrictions at Missouri's statehouse. (05/21/02)
JEFFERSON CITY - Some of the biggest lobbyists for the state routinely ignored no-parking restrictions around Missouri's state house -- where parking is in short supply.

With only a $5 per day ticket, violation can be cheaper than leasing parking space.

  • Get the newspaper story.
    . Cousins End Their General Assembly Run (05/17/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Rep. Don Koller and Sen. Danny Staples closed a chapter of their political careers with Friday's end of the regular session.

    Term limits prevent Koller, who plans to run for the Senate in two years, and Staples from running for re-election. During their careers both men played key roles in transportation issues.

  • Get the newspaper story.
    . Term Limits Opens Up Leadership Spots (05/17/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Term limits will prevent two of the most powerful members of Missouri's legislature from running for office again, and the competition for those positions will be intense.

    House Speaker Jim Kreider and Senate Majority Leader Bill Kenney are among 85 lawmakers ineligible to run for re-election. Complicating the issue further is redistricting, which Republicans say gives them a good chance to win control of the House and retain control of the Senate.

  • Get the newspaper story.
    . Last Day: Transportation Tax Passes, 2003 Budget Fixed, Stadiums Fail, but No Special Session (05/17/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The last day of the Missouri General Assembly's 2002 session went mostly as expected, as lawmakers approved a total of $672 million in new revenue for the state, but the $644 million stadium and economic development package failed.

    The legislature approved:

    But perhaps the sweetest news to most lawmakers was Gov. Bob Holden's failure to call a special session.

  • Get the newspaper story.
  • Get the newspaper story on education versus higher education in the session.
    . Last Day of Session Begins (05/17/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The last day of legislative session began Friday morning and must adjourn by 6 p.m. according to the state Constitution.

    The major issues lawmakers will deal with today include:
    * putting a $511 million transportation tax increase before voters
    * raising $112 million in revenue by raising taxes on some businesses
    * final action on a $644 million stadium and economic development package.

    Today may be even more complicated as term limits mandates that nearly half of the House and a third of the Senate will serve their final day of regular session. The threat of a special session to deal with the budget that once appeared imminent now looks much less likely.


    . Tentative Agreements Reached on Revenue, Transportation Tax (05/16/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Conference committees reached tentative agreements Thursday on bills that would close certain loopholes in the state's business tax code, potentially raising $111.6 million, and on a bill that would send a $511 million transportation tax proposal to the voters this fall.

    The transportation tax issue would raise the state's general sales tax by a half-cent and the motor fuel tax by 4 cents. If it passes the full House and Senate Friday, it will go before voters this fall.


    . Stadium Bill Dead (05/17/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The $644 million stadium and economic development package that would have provided money for stadiums and convention centers around the state was declared dead Friday morning by its sponsor, Senate President Pro Tem Peter Kinder.

    The bill suffered a major setback in a House committee Thursday, when the committee's chairman, Rep. Kate Hollingsworth, took the bill and left the hearing room without allowing a vote to adjourn. The committee voted the bill out after she had left, but it is still Hollingsworth's decision to report the bill back to House Speaker Jim Kreider.

    Hollingsworth said Thursday she was not likely to report the bill out, but late last night she met with Gov. Bob Holden, a supporter of the bill. Her delay on the bill means there is probably not enough time for the full House to approve it as well as a House-Senate conference committee to reach a compromise, and then for both the full House and Senate to approve it again, Kinder said.


    . Clergy Made To Report Child Abuse (05/16/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Legislature passed a bill today that requires ministers to report suspicion of child abuse.

    The requirement was only added to the bill this morning, in a rush to get the issue brought before the House.

  • Get the radio story
    . Missouri Legislature Passes Pledge of Allegiance Bill (05/15/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The Senate passed a bill that will require public schools to recite the pledge of allegiance at least once a week, effective August 28 of this year.

    Children will not be forced to say the pledge.

    The bill does not have an enforcement clause; each school will regulate itself.

  • Get the radio story
  • Get the newspaper story
    . Butterfly Ballots Can Remain, Says House (05/15/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - An amendment doing away with butterfly ballots in Missouri elections got nixed Tuesday morning.

    Representative May Scheve of St. Louis County proposed the amendment to a Senate Bill.

  • Get the radio story
    . House Speaker Blocks Action on Stadium Bill (05/14/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - House Speaker Jim Krieder said Tuesday he will not allow House action on the sports stadium legislation until the legislature passes a measure to increase state revenues.

    The bill, which includes state funds for a new baseball stadium in St. Louis, was approved by a House committee last week. But it has yet to be reported to the full House for debate.

    As speaker, Kreider has near absolute power to block House action on legislation.


    . Negotiators Fall Short of Balancing Budget (05/14/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - House and Senate negotiators agreed to raise more than $100 million in new revenues Tuesday, but still came short of a goal to balance next year's state budget.

    Through a mix of new taxes, elimination of tax bonuses and accounting shifts, lawmakers agreed to draft a plan that would raise $106 million. However, with three days to go and opposition to various parts of the proposal, the threat of a special session loomed large over the Capitol.

  • Get the newspaper story.
    . Concealed Weapons Bill Weakened in Senate (05/14/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - A new push that would allow Missourians to carry concealed weapons was significantly weakened in the Senate Tuesday, as the state's major population centers were removed from the bill.

    St. Louis city, St. Louis County, Jackson County and Greene County were all taken out in an amendment offered by Sen. Doyle Childers, R-Reeds Spring. All other counties would then vote on the question of whether or not to allow concealed weapons.

    The amendment passed by a 15-14 vote, with an unusual teaming of senators from urban and rural areas. Childers said he didn't think the bill was dead, but Senate Floor Leader Bill Kenney said he was not sure if the bill would come up again before session ends Friday.

  • Get the newspaper story.
  • Get the radio story.
    . House Bill Extends Children's Health Insurance (05/13/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Despite a budget shortfall and long debates about how to spend state funds, Missouri legislators voted to continue a program to provide health insurance for children.

    The House passed a bill Monday that extends the State Children's Health Insurance Program to July 1, 2007. The program offers health insurance coverage to uninsured children.

  • Get the newspaper story

    . Opponents and Proponents of Cardinals Stadium Rally at Statehouse (05/13/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The statehouse had demonstrations Monday from both supporters and opponents to the plan to provide state funds to finance a new ballpark in St. Louis.

    The proposal has cleared the Senate and a House committee, but has been stalled by the House speaker who refuses to allow House action until a funding increase for education is guaranteed.

  • Get the radio story.
    . Lawmakers Continue Program to Finance Child Health (05/13/02)
    JEFFERSON CITY - With little opposition, Missouri's legislature has continued a program that expands the Medicaid health program to children of parents with incomes above poverity limits.

    The program, adopted under the administration of the late Gov. Mel Carnahan, had been attacked at the time as being a major expansion of welfare.

  • Get the newspaper story.