Missouri State Government
Missouri’s top Democratic lawmakers have yet to receive a formal response to letters urging governors in Kansas and Illinois to help pay for abortions for out-of-state Medicaid patients, though a Kansas lawmaker said it is highly unlikely given Republican dominance of the state’s legislature. In letters sent Wednesday and first reported by the Associated Press, House…
Read Full Article Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt defeated a former governor and two U.S. Representatives on his way to the Republican nomination for one of Missouri’s two U.S. Senate seats. Missouri’s senior Senator, Republican Roy Blunt, is retiring at the end of his term. Schmitt will face Trudy Busch Valentine, an heiress to the Anheuser-Busch brewing dynasty.…
Read Full Article John Jackson handily won his bid for re-election as Associate Circuit Judge, defeating Tyler White 3,420 votes to 804 votes. Jackson, the former prosecuting attorney in Marion County, has been on the bench since 1996. The 10th Judicial Circuit includes Marion, Ralls and Monroe counties. White, 31, was charged in June by Bryant with attempting…
Read Full Article Former President Donald Trump finally issued his long anticipated endorsement in Missouri’s crowded GOP primary for U.S. Senate Monday night. But it’s anybody’s guess which candidate he supports. In a statement from his campaign, Trump endorsed “Eric,” without specifying whether he meant former Gov. Eric Greitens or Attorney General Eric Schmitt. “I am therefore proud…
Read Full Article Missouri Gov. Mike Parson issued drought alerts in nearly half of Missouri counties Thursday, where exceptional heat and lack of rain threaten the state’s farmers and ranchers. “Unfortunately, we don’t anticipate conditions improving soon,” Parson said in a news conference. Fifty-three counties along or south of the Missouri River are affected by the alert. About three-quarters of the…
Read Full Article JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A poll conducted by the Tarrance Group has provided some interesting results. Notably, the poll shows Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt in the lead, garnering 28% of the respondents’ vote. The most surprising finding, however, is how poorly embattled former Gov. Eric Greitens performed. Greitens scored just 16% of the vote, a far-cry from the 20-plus% most other…
Read Full Article Former President Donald Trump tiptoed towards an endorsement in Missouri’s competitive GOP primary for U.S. Senate on Friday, ruling out U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler while praising former Gov. Eric Greitens. Early Friday evening, Trump wrote on his social media site Truth Social that he did not believe Hartzler “has what it takes” to earn his…
Read Full Article Efforts to eliminate lead in school drinking water got a huge boost on Friday, as Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signed off on legislation requiring testing and also gave his approval to $27 million in federal funds to help schools install filters. The new law, which goes into effect Aug. 28, requires schools to test their…
Read Full Article JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missouri farmers were given more power in eminent domain proceedings by a bill signed into law last weekend. House Bill (HB) 2005 was signed by Gov. Mike Parson, guaranteeing greater protections for Missouri’s landowners in certain eminent domain cases. Eminent domain refers to the authority of the government to seize private land, with compensation,…
Read Full Article Water resources bill, which includes $3.5 million for North Street project in Hannibal, passes House
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Water Resources Development Act of 2022 that was passed Wednesday by the House of Representatives authorizes $50 million for wastewater and stormwater projects in North Missouri — including $3.5 million for the North Street Project in Hannibal, Mo. A section of downtown Hannibal’s stormwater system collapsed in 2019, nearly flooding part of…
Read Full Article WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the Water Resources Development Act of 2022, a bipartisan bill that will improve ports and harbors, inland waterway navigation, flood and storm protection, and other water resources infrastructure throughout the United States. Congress has regularly approved bipartisan WRDA legislation every two years since 2014 to authorize…
Read Full Article JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A new system for reporting armed intruders may be coming to Missouri school districts by the fall semester. The process for implementing the system is on hold until Gov. Mike Parson signs off on Missouri’s budget. $1.9 million of state money was set aside to assist school districts in implementing a new app…
Read Full Article The Southern Baptist Convention on Thursday released a once-secret and lengthy list of accused sex abusers — several of whom are in the Midwest — within the denomination. The 205-page list is a compilation of ministers and other church workers who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse. The list is described as a “fluid,…
Read Full Article Gov. Mike Parson will sign the law revising the boundaries of Missouri’s eight congressional districts Wednesday afternoon, officially ending the most contentious legislative battle of the year. The revised districts have already led to one candidate, state Rep. Sara Walsh of Ashland, withdrawing from her campaign for the open 4th District seat. Walsh on Monday lamented that all…
Read Full Article A flurry of activity in the Missouri House on Friday kept 2022 from earning the ignominious distinction of least productive legislative session in modern history. With GOP infighting in the Senate forcing it to adjourn a day early after a session that’s seen it mired in gridlock, the House returned Friday morning to pass 20…
Read Full Article Missouri lawmakers are poised to require schools test and, potentially, filter drinking water to prevent lead poisoning, making the state one of just a handful that require administrators to meet standards stricter than federal regulations. The state offers grants for schools to pay for water testing, but there is no requirement to test, and only a…
Read Full Article A St. Charles County Circuit Court judge dismissed Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s lawsuit Thursday against the local school district’s now-rescinded mask mandate, leaving few cases from Schmitt’s legal blitz remaining. The City of St. Charles School District was one of 47 districts Schmitt sued earlier this year over mask mandates, and it was one of only three…
Read Full Article A record state operating budget that a top legislative Republican said “has a little bit of something for everyone” is heading for final votes in the Missouri General Assembly as tax revenue continues to pour into the treasury in historic amounts. Final figures weren’t available Wednesday, but the spending plan that emerged from a day of negotiations…
Read Full Article Amid a wave of anti-LGBTQ legislation pushed nationwide, the Missouri House passed a pair of bills Thursday that would limit transgender students from participating on the sports teams that match the gender they identify with. One bill, which originally dealt with school transportation, would restrict transgender students to only participating on high school sports teams of…
Read Full Article With the end of the legislative session only weeks away, and organizers of an initiative petition campaign sounding the alarm about an even more pressing deadline, dueling efforts to legalize marijuana in Missouri face uncertain fates. In the legislature, GOP state Rep. Ron Hicks is sponsoring a bill to legalize possession and use of marijuana for…
Read Full Article As debates over school curriculum rage nationwide, the Missouri House granted initial approval Tuesday to a “Parents’ Bill of Rights” that would allow for lawsuits and funding to be withheld from schools that repeatedly violate the proposed law. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Ben Baker, R-Neosho, aims to “to empower parents to enforce” rights laid…
Read Full Article In 2018, the Missouri General Assembly passed SB 564 which was designed to modernize the state’s electric grid with investments in infrastructure reliability as well as capitalize on the competitive economic development legislation passed the previous year. Since the passage of SB 564, Ameren has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in electric grid modernization…
Read Full Article If the Missouri Senate debates a sports wagering bill that passed the House last month, it will likely include a higher tax rate and more money to combat problem gambling. At the close of a hearing on the bill Wednesday, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Dan Hegeman didn’t specify what tax rate on sports wagering profits he…
Read Full Article COLUMBIA, Mo. — While the past two years have fueled growth in remote work, most workers in Missouri still commute to their jobs. Some are opting for longer commutes. A new report from University of Missouri Extension shows that more workers in the state are commuting to jobs outside their home counties compared to 20 years ago.…
Read Full Article As allegations that former Gov. Eric Greitens was physically abusive to his wife and children were made public Monday, calls for him to drop out of the U.S. Senate race abounded swiftly. U.S. Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican, said: “If you hit a woman or a child, you belong in handcuffs, not the United States Senate. It’s time for…
Read Full Article The Missouri House gave first-round approval Wednesday to a bill that would allow betting on major college and professional sports. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Dan Houx, R-Warrensburg, is the proposal preferred by the casinos and major sports teams, who would all get a piece of the action. A major part of the drive to allow…
Read Full Article As a fight over who can regulate industrial hog and cattle operations awaits action by the Missouri Supreme Court, counties that sought more stringent protections against them wait in limbo. The Missouri Supreme Court is expected to hear an appeal by county commissioners who sought to regulate concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs, after a Cole…
Read Full Article Electric vehicles (EVs) are on the rise in Missouri. In the past decade alone, more than 11,000 EVs have been sold in the Show-Me State. As more Missouri residents hit the road in an electric car, making sure that it’s as easy to charge up your battery as it is to fill up your tank is crucial. Missouri…
Read Full Article Parson signs Missouri's $4.6 billion spending plan, House approves bill targeting Medicaid expansion
The first bill sent to Gov. Mike Parson from this year’s legislative session includes a pay raise for state employees, money to fund Medicaid through the end of the fiscal year and federal COVID-19 recovery funding for schools. The Missouri House on Thursday voted 133-12 to pass the $4.6 billion supplemental spending bill approved Wednesday evening in the state Senate.…
Read Full Article JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Senate’s anticipated contentious debate on congressional redistricting is underway — and in the midst of a long week. HB 2117, which was amended during a Senate hearing in late January to include an emergency clause, was brought to the floor shortly after 5 p.m. Monday. The Senate did not adjourn until about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday. …
Read Full Article JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — After a week derailed by snow and the governor’s appointees, the Missouri Senate is expected to take up congressional redistricting again next week. “I’m hopeful next week goes off without too much fanfare, but I believe we will get a map done next week,” Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz said…
Read Full Article A pair of Missouri counties is asking the state Supreme Court to overturn a 2019 law that stripped them of their ability to set their own rules for concentrated animal feeding operations. Under the law, county commissioners are prohibited from setting policies that are “inconsistent with or more stringent than” state rules for CAFOs. The law nullified…
Read Full Article JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Just as he had promised earlier in the week, Attorney General Eric Schmitt unveiled a slate of lawsuits against Missouri schools Friday in an effort to halt their mask policies. “School districts do not have the authority to impose, at their whim, public health orders for their schoolchildren. That is doubly true when the public…
Read Full Article After several months of negotiations and adjustments before the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC), Ameren Missouri customers are set to see a rate increase for its services early next year. The new revenue will be earmarked for infrastructure and clean energy. Electric and gas customers will see an increase on their bills beginning Feb. 28, 2022, increasing Ameren’s annual…
Read Full Article Missouri’s two largest counties will continue their efforts to overturn a court ruling that severely limits the powers of local health departments at the same time health officials warn the omicron variant will bring thousands of new COVID-19 cases. Missouri reported almost 10,000 new coronavirus infections Monday, making December the second-worst month of the pandemic this year.…
Read Full Article Missouri is slated to receive more than $13 million in emergency relief funds from the federal government to repair roads and bridges damaged by flooding and storms in 2019. The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) awarded a nearly $2.4 million grant to address infrastructure damage from severe storms and flooding in March 2019 and almost $11 million for the fallout of…
Read Full Article Washington, DC – Congressman Sam Graves (R-MO) and Congressman Daniel Webster (R-FL) introduced the SAFER Travel Act, H.R. 6257, to bar federal vaccine passports and quarantine requirements for travel. “You shouldn’t need a vaccine passport to get on a train, board a plane, or travel home for the holidays,” said Graves, Ranking Member of the House Transportation…
Read Full Article The Missouri Attorney General’s Office has sent nearly three dozen school districts letters instructing them to halt COVID-19 mandates — such as mandatory face coverings, quarantines, or vaccines — this week. The letters, which instruct the districts to “cease and desist” their orders, also say the Attorney General’s Office will begin an investigation into “alleged failure to follow the law.” All…
Read Full Article Two years ago, a company led by an influential businessman faced off with the state’s environmental regulators over whether it needed to do additional testing for a chemical health officials worried could pose a cancer risk to the company’s workers. The Moberly manufacturing facility, Orscheln Products LLC, is owned by the family of businessman Barry Orscheln,…
Read Full Article When people are checked into the Clay County Detention Center, they all have to pay an intake fee of $8. But for women on their periods, entering the jail used to cost them extra. Incarcerated women at the facility used to be charged about $6 for two packages of 12 pads. If they didn’t have…
Read Full Article WASHINGTON — Enforcement of the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for millions of health care workers was blocked in 10 states on Monday, after a ruling by a federal judge in Missouri. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Matthew Schelp affects the states involved in the lawsuit, including Missouri. The others are Iowa, Kansas, New Hampshire,…
Read Full Article As costs increase and the winter months approach, Missouri is expanding its energy assistance benefits for low-income residents. The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program offers eligible Missourians assistance on heating and cooling bills. While the summer program has been offered from June-September with the winter program running from November-May, the Department of Social Services (DSS) expanded the program this week to…
Read Full Article Even as nursing homes worked through the summer to get Missouri over the halfway mark in employee vaccinations, the state fell further behind peers, dropping to last in the nation. And while neighboring Kansas has fared better, both states have large swaths of nursing home staff to get vaccinated before a federal deadline next month.…
Read Full Article About half of Missouri is now required to adhere to 10-digit dialing to make local calls to accommodate a new phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved 988 as the nationwide shorthand number for the hotline last summer. Similar to the 911 system, the three-digit dialing option will allow callers to…
Read Full Article With the 2016 relocation of the Rams back to Los Angeles tied up in court, there has been some speculation of St. Louis receiving an NFL expansion team as a way to appease it for the loss. Rams owner Stan Kroenke and other team owners are embroiled in a massive legal battle with St. Louis over allegations the team improperly moved…
Read Full Article Before slavery ended in 1865, large numbers of Missourians didn’t count in the population base used to allocate the seats in the General Assembly. In the 1821 Missouri Constitution, only “free white male inhabitants” counted in the distribution of Missouri House seats, leaving out white women and all Blacks, free or enslaved. A change in 1849 added white…
Read Full Article ST. LOUIS – The Missouri Court of Appeals at St. Louis on Tuesday rejected a bid by the Los Angeles Rams, its owner and the National Football League to move January’s relocation lawsuit out of St. Louis. An order signed by Robert M. Clayton III of Hannibal, the eastern district appeals court’s presiding judge, denied…
Read Full Article Missouri schools and libraries have been awarded more than $48 million in federal relief funds over the past three months to address the digital divide and expand broadband access for students. More than 430 schools and libraries across the state were awarded funds from the Federal Communication Commission’s Emergency Connectivity Fund Program in its second round, allowing them to purchase computers, tablets,…
Read Full Article The University of Missouri System allowed a mask mandate for its four campuses to expire Friday. Last month, the Board of Curators extended a rule that face masks be worn in classrooms by a 5-4 vote. That policy was scheduled to end at the close of Friday, and a meeting notice had not been posted this…
Read Full Article Missouri students and teachers identified as being exposed to a coronavirus case in school may now be permitted to remain in class if they continue to test negative for the virus and properly wear a mask. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) updated its school reopening guidance Friday to include the new “test to stay”…
Read Full Article Gov. Mike Parson announced a sudden cabinet shake-up Tuesday, with a slew of personnel changes across five state agencies — including the immediate and unexplained departure of the official in charge of the state’s procurement agency. In a news release Tuesday afternoon, Parson announced Office of Administration (OA) Commissioner Sarah Steelman was stepping down and…
Read Full Article Pump prices for gas and diesel didn’t change much Friday in Missouri, despite being the first day of a 2.5 cents per gallon increase in the state fuel tax. The cheapest gas in the state was $2.49 a gallon in Springfield, according to GasBuddy.com. That was unchanged from earlier in the week. The most expensive, AAA of…
Read Full Article Shawndra Taylor had just 12 hours notice when the first truck canceled. In it, contained food to help prepare the 3,000 meals served each day in her school district in Eldon — including items she needed to make dinner for students. Her supplier, Kohl Wholesale in Quincy, Ill., was too short-staffed. Taylor, the district’s food services…
Read Full Article JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Gov. Mike Parson announced Wednesday the state of Missouri has approved more than $1.8 million in grant assistance to 19 agencies across the state to investigate and prosecute crimes that victimized children. “Criminals who victimize children must be investigated, prosecuted, and brought to justice, no matter when they commit these heinous crimes,”…
Read Full Article With thousands of students quarantined in the first weeks of the new school year, Missouri’s health director said the state is exploring a new strategy that aims to keep kids in class through regular testing. Donald Kauerauf, the new director of the Department of Health and Senior Services, said his agency discussed a new modified…
Read Full Article Missouri Republicans assailed President Joe Biden’s push to require employees of private businesses to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing, vowing a legislative response and legal action. Gov. Mike Parson promised to “fight back against federal power grabs and government overreach” in a tweet Thursday afternoon, calling Biden’s plan “an insult to our…
Read Full Article A campaign to legalize adult cannabis use in Missouri is emphasizing the use of new revenue to automatically expunge nonviolent cannabis-related criminal records. Legal Missouri 2022, a statewide coalition, filed a ballot initiative with the state last week seeking to legalize recreational marijuana use while expunging criminal records for those with low-level marijuana offenses. Marijuana possession accounted…
Read Full Article In the fall of 2020, I was infuriated to see then-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell rushing to seat Justice Amy Coney Barrett on the Supreme Court just 35 days before the 2020 election. After all, he was the one who refused to even hold hearings on Merrick Garland, a moderate choice by any measure, because the…
Read Full Article New cases from the Delta variant wave that has killed more than 1,150 Missourians since June 1 have plateaued but hospital ICUs continue to fill — and small, rural hospitals are among the hardest hit. There were 690 patients in ICU beds across the state on Tuesday, the most recent day reported by the state Department of Health and Human Services.…
Read Full Article The schools in Gov. Mike Parson’s hometown will continue to require students, teachers and staff to wear masks indoors despite a lawsuit filed by the Missouri attorney general challenging public school mask mandates across the state. The Bolivar R-1 Board of Education in Polk County voted in a special meeting this month to require masks as a…
Read Full Article Wars are not always fought by armed military forces with guns, bombs, stealth fighters, and sophisticated weaponry. And the enemy is not always clearly defined. Even the reasons for war often lack clarity. But the divisiveness and fighting still rage, nonetheless. At first glance, you might think characterizing the divisiveness that America is experiencing today…
Read Full Article SEDALIA, Mo. — Missouri is investing at least $400 million to increase broadband across the state, Gov. Mike Parson announced from the Missouri State Fair Thursday. The funds, pending appropriations approval by the legislature, will come from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Additionally, the Department of Economic Development (DED) has applied for an additional $56 million from the federal government to…
Read Full Article Missouri payrolls added exactly 15,000 non-farm jobs in July as the unemployment rate ticked down 0.1 percent, seasonally adjusted data from the federal Bureau of Labor Standards shows. The state’s labor force of 3.08 million, however, declined by 177, and overall employment, which includes self-employed people and farm labor, grew by 4,462 for the month.…
Read Full Article JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Those seeking a substitute teaching certificate in Missouri will be allowed to pursue accreditation through alternative training as the state still struggles with a staffing shortage heading into the new school year. The rule change, approved by the State Board of Education Tuesday, permanently gives applicants the choice between the standard 60 hours of college…
Read Full Article President Joe Biden’s $1 trillion bill targeted at revamping the country’s infrastructure could create jobs for Missourians in the state’s booming renewable energy sector. The Senate approved Biden’s sweeping infrastructure legislation Wednesday after months of negotiations, marking a bipartisan victory for leaders in Washington. The bill adds $550 billion to its federal budget and is…
Read Full Article By RUDI KELLER, Missouri Independent Missouri is seeing the first signs that the Delta variant surge may have crested, though many areas are still suffer from rising COVID-19 case numbers while hospitalizations hit new highs for the summer. On Wednesday, the seven-day average of COVID-19 cases reported by the Department of Health and Senior Services declined week-over-week…
Read Full Article JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Gov. Mike Parson pardoned Mark and Patricia McCloskey last month, the Governor’s Office said. The McCloskeys had pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges in June related to last year’s incident when the couple pointed firearms at protesters who marched past their house in St. Louis. Mark McCloskey is a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate. The McCloskeys were…
Read Full Article The Missouri Supreme Court ruled last month that the state must expand Medicaid as voters approved in 2020. Now it’s just a question of when. On Friday, attorneys representing plaintiffs who would have qualified for coverage urged Cole County Circuit Court Judge Jon Beetem to effectuate what the state’s highest court ordered and prohibit the…
Read Full Article Eight months after her son was born, Webster Groves High School teacher Jaime Adamski broke down in tears at her doctor’s office. Her breast milk had declined significantly since she had gone back to work. “I was depressed, angry, frustrated,” she said. “I felt like I was not a good enough mother because I wasn’t…
Read Full Article By JASON HANCOCKThe Missouri Independent Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has added his name to the growing list of GOP elected officials asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion. Parson and 11 Republican governors submitted an amicus brief on Thursday in a Mississippi case weighing whether state laws that…
Read Full Article From USA Today Some people in Missouri are dressing in disguise and begging doctors to not publicly reveal they’ve received a COVID-19 vaccine, a doctor said. Priscilla Frase, Ozarks Healthcare hospitalist, said patients voiced concerns on how their family members, friends and co-workers would react if they got vaccinated. “Nobody should have to feel that…
Read Full Article By KAITLYN SCHALLHORNThe Missouri Times Hours after St. Louis said it would implement a mask mandate, Attorney General Eric Schmitt vowed to challenge the order in court. And at least one mayor has said he will not penalize businesses that choose not to enforce the mandate. Both the city and county of St. Louis said they would begin requiring masks…
Read Full Article By TESSA WEINBERGThe Missouri Independent In a bid to increase vaccination rates to combat the Delta variant’s growing spread, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced Wednesday an incentive program that will feature chances to win $10,000 for those who get a shot. Parson was also joined Wednesday by Donald Kauerauf, a former assistant director in the Illinois Department of…
Read Full Article By TESSA WEINBERGThe Missouri Independent Missouri requested Friday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reconsider its rejection of the state’s vaccine incentive plan. Robert Knodell, the acting director of Missouri’s Department of Health and Senior Services, urged CDC Director Rochelle Walensky to make an exception to CDC guidance that states incentives may not…
Read Full Article By KAITLYN SCHALLHORNThe Missouri Times JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Gov. Mike Parson greenlit an incremental gas tax increase Tuesday, bumping it up to 29.5 cents by 2025. A passion project for Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, the legislature gave the final approval for his SB 262 during the final week of session. It incrementally increases the gas…
Read Full Article By JANICE ELLISMissouri Independent The state of Missouri, the “Show Me State,” is located in the heart of America. In addition to the sass and symbolism the nickname and location connote, what a great geographical and strategic position to be in — to lead, to bring about positive improvements in the lives of its citizens…
Read Full Article By TESSA WEINBERGMissouri Independent As a new surge of COVID cases overtakes Missouri, businesses, healthcare providers and houses of worship will soon be shielded from most COVID-related lawsuits under a bill Gov. Mike Parson signed Wednesday. Senate Bill 51, sponsored by Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville, provides sweeping protections for businesses unless a high standard of…
Read Full Article From THE MISSOURI TIMES – Missourians who received erroneous federal COVID-19 unemploymentoverpayments could soon be able to seek a waiver from recovery through the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, it announced Tuesday. The potential waiver only applies to federal overpayments given from Feb. 8, 2020, through June 12, 2021, under the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), Pandemic Unemployment Assistance…
Read Full Article By CAMERON GERBERThe Missouri Times JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Gov. Mike Parson signed off on Missouri’s operating budget for the new fiscal year, authorizing more than $35 billion in funds while issuing several budgetary vetoes. The Republican executive partially vetoed several appropriations bills, cutting line items amounting to nearly $115 million. The remaining budget emphasizes education, workforce development, and…
Read Full Article From The Missouri Times – JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Gov. Mike Parson outlined the economic effects of a failure to renew the federal reimbursement allowance (FRA) Monday, pointing to the group of legislators who stalled the process. “We’re laying out a grim reality our state is facing if the federal reimbursement allowance and related programs are not extended,” Parson…
Read Full Article From MISSOURI INDEPENDENT – It was the year’s biggest gathering of Missouri Republicans, but the party’s putative frontrunner to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt was nowhere to be found. Over the weekend, nearly everyone angling for the Senate seat flocked to the Missouri Republican Party’s annual Lincoln Days in Kansas City and a Missouri…
Read Full Article From THE MISSOURI TIMES – After months of speculation, Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler jumped into the U.S. Senate race Thursday — becoming the first congressional official and woman to do so. Unlike other candidates, Hartzler didn’t make the campaign official on cable news. Instead, she traveled back to Missouri, telling those gathered at the Frontier Justice shooting range in Lee’s Summit she…
Read Full Article from THE MISSOURI TIMES – Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway will not seek re-election or run for another political position in 2022, she said Friday. “I have put my skills as a CPA and Certified Fraud Examiner to work for taxpayers, and I’m proud of what my team has accomplished. In my remaining time as the state’s watchdog, I…
Read Full Article As he hinted he would do during his speech to the Lewis County (Mo.) GOP on May 7, St. Louis attorney Mark McCloskey officially filed to run for the U.S. Senate on Tuesday. From THE MISSOURI TIMES – Mark McCloskey, the St. Louis attorney who gained notoriety last year for brandishing guns at Black Lives Matter protesters,…
Read Full Article From MISSOURI INDEPENDENT – The Missouri House passed the first tax increase that would go into effect on a governor’s signature in 28 years Tuesday night after a lengthy debate that exposed deep divisions in the Republican caucus. On two votes, the Republican majority of 113 split almost evenly, first on the question of whether…
Read Full Article By the Missouri Times JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Gov. Mike Parson moved to cut federal pandemic-related unemployment benefits Tuesday, arguing the move would encourage more Missourians to get back into the workforce. Missouri will phase out of the six programs by June 12. “From conversations with business owners across the state, we know that they are struggling…
Read Full Article From The Missouri Times – Both chambers of the Missouri legislature gave final approval to the more than $34 billion budget Friday afternoon. The House began third reading budget bills, passing them along to the Senate. Most bills passed without conflict, with the lack of funding for Medicaid expansion the biggest topic of conversation in the lower chamber. A recommendation from…
Read Full Article Supporters say the changes are needed to rein in an aggressive Missouri Department of Natural Resources. From Missouri Independent – A Missouri House committee advanced a sweeping bill environmentalists say would hamper the state’s ability to enforce clean air and water laws. But several amendment votes could undermine the bill’s prospects in the Senate. The House Emerging…
Read Full Article Missouri’s governor today directed all state workers to return to their offices for in-person work no later than Monday, May 17, 2021, and that all state buildings be open and accessible to the public during normal business hours. “Since the start of COVID-19, our state team members have gone above and beyond to keep state…
Read Full Article From The Missouri Times: State Auditor Nicole Galloway said her office has begun a regularly scheduled audit of Ralls County. The county received an overall rating of “fair” from the most recent state audit, issued in November 2015.
Read Full Article by Jeff Smith for Missouri Independent What does it take to be a successful candidate for high office in Missouri these days? We might consider that question through the lens of Missouri’s 2022 U.S. Senate race.
Read Full Article From themissouritimes.com It’s official: Missouri will not gain or lose any congressional seats, according to the 2020 apportionment results released by the U.S. Census Bureau Monday. Missouri will retain its eight congressional seats but neighboring Illinois is among seven states losing a congressional seat. California, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia also lost a seat; Texas gained…
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