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2003 Crime Stories

• 12/15/2003: Newspaper Story - A prefiled bill for the 2004 legislative session has proposed a stamp tax on illegal drugs bought and sold in the state of Missouri.
• 12/11/2003: Radio Story - Former Public Service Commission chairman Kelvin Simmons will take over Missouri's Department of Economic Development after long-time director Joe Driskill resigned amid investigations into fraud in a tax credit program overseen by the department.
• 12/ 8/2003: Newspaper Story - The Missouri Department of Economic Development reacted immediately to information that one of its tax credit programs was being defrauded, director Joe Driskill said. Allegations that the department reacted slowly are inaccurate, he said.
• 11/17/2003: Newspaper Story - Some Missouri vehicle owners are driving down state revenue because they are not paying sales taxes, Revenue Director Carol Fisher said. Drivers who steal license plates or drive with expired tags have cost the state about $90 million. The Revenue Department has raised the possibility of requiring sales taxes for vehicles be paid at the time of purchase, which would alleviate the debt from those who buy their vehicles from dealerships, Fisher said.
• 11/13/2003: Radio Story - Sixty Missouri law enforcement agencies and task forces will get funds to help stop Missouri's growing methamphetamine problem. Officials with the Missouri Sheriffs Methamapetamine Relief Team, also known as MOSMART, say that the counties will use the funds for anything from training to equipment.
• 11/12/2003: Radio Story - The state attorney general's office announced Wed. it is investigating phantom businesses created to abuse a state tax credit program.
• 11/12/2003: Newspaper Story - The Missouri Attorney General's office announced Wednesday that it is investigating tax credit fraud of a program run by the state Department of Economic Development. The program offers tax credits to businesses for computer equipment. It seeks to attract high-tech businesses to poor areas. "Phantom businesses" have allegedly abused the system. "We were not asleep at the switch," director of economic development Joe Driskill said.
• 11/ 6/2003: Radio Story - Missouri is one of three states with a law that bans homosexual acts. Josh Hinkle has more on why this law may soon come off the books.
• 11/ 5/2003: Newspaper Story - Missouri taxpayer dollars are not as secure as they should be, a state audit reports. The state accounting system, known as SAM II, is accessible via old user IDs of former employees. The system also lacks proper recovery procedures in case of fire or computer malfunctions. Background checks have also found financially-related criminal histories for some employees who can enter and retrieve information in the system.
• 11/ 3/2003: Radio Story - Attorney General Jay Nixon says the state Supreme Court cannot say that the execution of juveniles is "cruel and unusual punishment." The United States Supreme Court said last year that capital punishment for mentally retarded individuals is "cruel and unusual." However, a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1989 established the legality of executing a juvenile offender.
• 9/15/2003: Radio Story - Florida started conceal and carry trend 16 years ago.
• 9/15/2003: Radio Story - Missouri follows the trend started by the Florida legislature 16 years ago.
• 9/10/2003: Radio Story - The new concealed weapons law allows anyone over 21 to carry a loaded gun in a car, forcing police to treat every traffic stop as if it's an encounter with an armed driver.
• 9/ 9/2003: Radio Story - Legalizing concealed weapons is one of the most divisive issues that will be discussed at this Wednesday's veto session.
• 9/ 9/2003: Radio Story - Republican leaders are hoping to overturn as many as seven of Gov. Holden's vetos.
• 9/ 8/2003: Newspaper Story - Guards and bomb sniffing dogs no longer line the Capitol entrance
• 5/14/2003: Radio Story - The house passed a bill to ban lawsuits against gun and ammunition makers.
• 5/14/2003: Radio Story - Fans could be fined up to $5,000 and charged with misdemeanor
• 5/13/2003: Radio Story - The senate gave unanimous approval to legislation that's designed to make it more difficult to access the ingredients used to make methamphetamine.
• 5/ 6/2003: Radio Story - Legislation authorizing concealed weapons is on its way to the governor's desk.
• 4/29/2003: Newspaper Story - In response to the shrinking space for new inmates, a measure that would decrease prison sentences for "non-violent" offenders came before a House committee Tuesday.
• 4/21/2003: Radio Story - Eighteen-year-olds in Missouri can die while serving in Iraq but currently cannot serve on state juries.
• 4/16/2003: Radio Story - The Senate Appropriations Committee heard a proposal to close the Boonville and Chillicothe prisons.
• 4/16/2003: Newspaper Story - Eighteen-year-olds can die in Iraq for their country, but they can't serve on juries in Missouri. Several Missouri legislators hope to change that.
• 4/16/2003: Radio Story - Senate budget writers consider the impact of closing two state prison.
• 4/ 9/2003: Newspaper Story - Mandatory prison sentences would be reduced as part of a comprehensive sentencing reform bill approved by the Missouri Senate
• 4/ 8/2003: Radio Story - A Senate committee was urged to let Missourians carry concealed weapons without voter approval.
• 4/ 8/2003: Newspaper Story - Senate committee hearing on conceal and carry legislation
• 4/ 7/2003: Newspaper Story - A bill in the House Crime Committee would make selling a child illegal for all reasons.
• 3/ 6/2003: Newspaper Story - The Missouri House passed a bill Thursday that would allow citizens to carry concealed firearms in Missouri, with 108 votes in favor and 33 against the proposal. Now the bill has to be discussed in the Senate.
• 3/ 4/2003: Radio Story - The Missouri House gave first round approval to a bill that allows for the carrying of concealed weapons.
• 3/ 3/2003: Newspaper Story - Missouri's budget is to tight, the crumbling State Penitentiary may have to stay open another year
• 3/ 3/2003: Radio Story - Nation's Oldest Prison West of the Mississippi may Stay Open Another Year
• 2/26/2003: Newspaper Story - The Senate voted Tuesday to prohibit St. Louis and other city and state governments from suing gun manufacturers due to negligent sales and distribution.
• 2/25/2003: Radio Story - The Senate gives initial clearance to a bill that would prohibit state and local government from suing gun manufacturers.
• 2/18/2003: Newspaper Story - Lawmakers hear bills to allow citizens to carry hidden pistols.
• 2/12/2003: Newspaper Story - Seal criminal records after ten years
• 2/ 5/2003: Radio Story - Republicans in the house and senate sponsor a bill that would make the marketplace safer for small investors.
• 2/ 5/2003: Newspaper Story - Missouri's House responded to complaints from law enforcement officials that 20 hours is not enough time to charge arrested individuals. Some officials, however, feel that a citizen's civil liberties could be violated with the proposed 30 hour cap.
• 2/ 5/2003: Radio Story - Lawmakers in the House gave first round approval to a bill that would extend the time law enforcement can hold a suspect in custody without charging them.
• 1/29/2003: Newspaper Story - Private investigators request statewide licensure for their profession