Sikeston Republican Bill Sponsor Ellen Brandom argued with Democratic St. Louis City Representative Jacob Hummel about the one-million dollars of funding for testing.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Ellen Brandom, R-Sikeston, allows Temporary Assistance for Needy Families recipients to be subject to a drug test if there is a "reasonable suspicion" they are using controlled substances. If the recipient tests positive, they could lose their benefits for three years. The bill passed with enough votes to override a potential veto from the governor.
The Senate Commerce Committee heard Tuesday, a House-passed bill that would change regulations regarding unsecured loans up to $500, commonly known as payday loans. The bill’s sponsor Representative Ellen Brandom, R-Sikeston, presented the measure stating its purpose was to provide additional protections for the consumers of payday loan companies without putting the lenders out of business.
The House voted along party lines for a bill that would change several provisions on payday loans. The bill would lower the total maximum interest rate for borrowers to 60 percent instead of the current 75 percent rate over a 14 to 31 day period. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Ellen Brandom, R-Sikeston, would also limit the number of times a borrower can rollover or renew their loan from six times to three.
"We should discourage drug use and not reward it," Republican Ellen Brandom, R-Sikeston, said to the Senate Health Committee Tuesday in urging them to approve her measure that would require drug testing of welfare recipients.
The passing bill's sponsor, Rep. Ellen Brandom, R-Sikeston, developed the legislation in a bipartisan committee last summer. The bill with stricter regulations, which failed to pass through the committee, was drawn up by Rep. Mary Still, D-Columbia. Still's bill was defeated with an 11-5 vote in the House Financial Institutions Committee.
"It is important for the business community," said Rep. Ellen Brandom, R-Sikeston. "As Missouri wants to expand our job opportunities, we want Missouri to be a great place for businesses to locate in and expand."
The bill's sponsor, Rep. Ellen Brandom, R-Sikeston, argued that "taxpayers do not want to see their hard-earned dollars being spent for substance abuse products illegally."
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Ellen Brandom, R-Sikeston, allows Temporary Assistance for Needy Families recipients to be subject to a drug test if there is a "reasonable suspicion" they are using controlled substances. If the recipient tests positive, they could lose their benefits for three years.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Ellen Brandom, R-Sikeston, allows Temporary Assistance for Needy Families recipients to be subject to a drug test if there is a "reasonable suspicion" they are using controlled substances. If the recipient tests positive, they could lose their benefits for three years.
The House voted along party lines for a bill, which would change several provisions on payday loans. The bill would lower the annual percentage rate maximum to 1,564 percent from the current 1,950 percent. The bill sponsored by Rep. Ellen Brandom, R-Sikeston, would also limit the number of times a borrower can "rollover" their loan to three from the previous six.
The House voted along party lines for a bill, which would change several provisions on payday loans. The bill would lower the annual percentage rate maximum to 1,564 percent from the current 1,950 percent. The bill sponsored by Rep. Ellen Brandom, R-Sikeston, would also limit the number of times a borrower can "rollover" their loan to three from the previous six.
The bill's sponsor, Rep. Ellen Brandom, R-Sikeston, developed the legislation in a bipartisan committee last summer. The other bill was drawn up by Rep. Mary Still, D-Columbia, but her bill was defeated by a 11-5 vote in the House Financial Institutions Committee.
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