Proposed bill to close retail stores on certain holidays faces great opposition
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Proposed bill to close retail stores on certain holidays faces great opposition

Date: January 22, 2014
By: Shannon O'Brien
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: 
The Missouri Chamber announced their opposition to a bill shutting down retail stores on Christmas and other holidays
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OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: The bill would require all stores or shops which sell retail items to close on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.

The Missouri Chamber says retailers haven't had a problem finding workers willing to work on these holidays.

St. Louis County Democrat Keith English sponsored the bill in hopes of restoring family values back into Missouri. 

English says increasing the minimum wage is another option, but until that happens he says the solution is closing all department stores on these holidays.

Actuality:  ENGLISH.WAV
Run Time:  00:04
Description: "There's a lot of days between the holiday season to be open."

English says the debate over the bill in a hearing brought up new points, and he will take them into consideration.  

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Shannon O'Brien.     

Intro: 
The Missouri Chamber of Commerce says "no thanks" to a bill to close retail stores on Thanksgiving and other holidays
RunTime:  0:44
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: The measure requires all stores or shops selling retail items to close on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.

The Missouri Chamber says retailers would have already made changes to their hours on these holidays if they had been having issues.

St. Louis County Democrat Keith English sponsored the bill, but a committee hearing left him with other things to think about before his bill goes any further.

Actuality:  ENGLISH2.WAV
Run Time:  00:09
Description: "Today's debate brought up some great ideas and some things that I'll consider, but the competition is the big thing that I didn't really think about you know other states being open that are bordering us."

English says shoppers could easily go to other bordering states to shop on these holidays resulting in a loss of tax revenue for Missouri.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Shannon O'Brien.