3-10-17 Number 2 Corrections official faces committee investigating sexual harassment, retaliation in departmentOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
A top Department of Corrections official has told a House subcommittee poor training, bureaucracy, and the Department’s growth have contributed to problems with harassment and retaliation among Missouri prison employees. |
3-9-17 House passes bills meant to halt 'venue shopping'On Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
Proponents said House Bills 460, 461, and 462 would stop the practice of attorneys to seek to have cases involving people not from Missouri, alleging injuries that didn’t happen in Missouri, and against companies not from Missouri, heard in St. Louis based on the belief they’d have a better chance of winning there. |
3-7-17 Republicans move quickly to give state final say on minimum wageOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
House Republicans are fast-tracking bills meant to assert that only the state can set a minimum wage, while Democrats say the bills are a rushed effort that goes back on a promise legislators made two years ago to the people of St. Louis. |
3-06-17 House members again asked to consider legalizing medical marijuana in MissouriOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
House Bill 437 would allow the use of marijuana to treat irreversible debilitating diseases or conditions. |
3-06-17 Republican plan would allow pharmacists to prescribe birth control pillsOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
“It’s pro-choice in the sense that we are trying to give women more control over their reproductive health and over their family planning, and it’s pro-life in the sense that the bill is intended to reduce unintended pregnancies and abortions,” said the bill's sponsor, Ballwin Republican Shamed Dogan. |
2-27-17 House budget chairman on search for savings in FY '18 budget; wariness about tobacco settlement moneyOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
House appropriations committees continue taking testimony from state agencies and elected officials about how much they want or hope to receive in state money if Fiscal Year ’18. |
2-27-17 With Senate prescription monitoring plan close to passage, House remains focused on its member's versionOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
Backers of PDMPs say they help fight prescription drug abuse. They are intended to catch people in the act of “doctor shopping;” visiting multiple doctors in an attempt to get their hands on as much as they can of prescriptions commonly abused. |
2-24-17 Missouri House proposes bigger fines for illegally applying herbicides, after Bootheel farmers' lossesOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
House Bill 662 would let the Department of Agriculture fine a farmer up to $1,000 for every acre herbicide is applied to, off-label. The fine could be doubled for repeat violators. |
2-24-17 Panel on Corrections Department environment hears of 'vague' harassment policies, working in 'hell' On Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
A week after being frustrated by two Department of Corrections officials’ responses to questions about harassment, members of a Missouri House subcommittee heard from two Department employees who described an environment of nepotism, harassment, and retaliation in the state’s prison system. |
2-23-17 Missouri House again endorses less time for unemployment benefitsOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
The bill would cut that time period from 20 to 13 weeks if the state’s unemployment rate is less than 6-percent. It could increase if the jobless rate increases, reaching a maximum of 20 weeks if that rate exceeds 9-percent. |
2-22-17 Bill seeks better oversight of state settlements, after harassment in Corrections DepartmentOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
House lawmakers shocked by what some have called an environment of harassment and retaliation in the Department of Corrections are considering a bill they hope will let the legislature know when such situations are present. |
2-21-17 Bill named for Hailey Owens aims to accelerate and improve Amber AlertsOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
House Bill 697 would establish Hailey’s Law, named for 10-year-old Hailey Owens of Springfield, who was kidnapped and murdered in February, 2014. |
2-21-17 MO House again asked to require independent investigators in officer-involved deathsOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
House Bill 232 would require all law enforcement agencies in Missouri to have written policies on how officer-involved deaths would be handled. |
2-21-17 Proposed 'Good Samaritan Law' aims to save the lives of some who would overdoseOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
House Bill 294 would protect a person from arrest or prosecution for certain possession-related charges if that person calls for emergency medical help for a person suffering a drug or alcohol overdose. |
02-20-17 New Corrections head to House budget makers: hold off on talk of a new prisonOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
Some state lawmakers have questioned whether Missouri will soon need another prison, but the prison system’s new director hopes to keep that from being necessary. |
2-20-17 Subcommittee on harassment in Corrections Department frustrated by Department's structure, processOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
A House subcommittee appointed to investigate harassment and retaliation in the Department of Corrections thinks how the Department handles allegations is not clear, at best. |
2-17-17 House members debate repeal of Missouri's death penaltyOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
Missouri House members were asked this week to consider whether Missouri should continue to have a death penalty. |
2-16-17 House Republicans continue labor reform efforts, address project labor agreementsOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
HB 126 would bar required union agreements on public works projects. |
2-14-17 House endorses tougher penalties for crimes against law enforcementOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
House Bill 57 aims to increase by one degree the penalty for voluntary or involuntary manslaughter, first- or second-degree property damage, unlawful use of a weapon, rioting, or first-degree trespassing, when those crimes are committed against a law enforcement officer. |
2-13-17 House proposal seeks move of historic African American's collection to SmithsonianOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
Historic documents related to a key figure in African Americans’ struggle for equal opportunity in education should be elevated to a national stage, according to a state representative. |
2-10-17 Republicans' labor reform agenda continues; House sends paycheck legislation to SenateOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
House Republicans have advanced another piece of their labor reform agenda, sending to the Senate legislation they call “paycheck protection.” Democrats decry the bill as an attack on unions, calling it “paycheck deception.” |
2-9-17 New prison system director talks to House committee about harassment, moreOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
The “primary focus” for the incoming Director of the Department of Corrections is dealing with reports of harassment and retaliation within the department. That’s what Ann Precythe said after talking to a House subcommittee created to review those reports. |
2-6-17 House budget chairman on the governor's spending plan and House budget prioritesOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
Governor Eric Greietens (R) has released his $27.6-billion proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2018. It has gone to the House of Representatives, which will now prepare its own spending plan starting with Greitens’. |
2-6-17 House again considering requiring human trafficking posters at some businessesOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
House Bill 261 is based on one of the recommendations made by the House Task Force on Human Trafficking. |
2-3-17 House asked to consider tougher penalties for illegal herbicide use that cost farmers cropsOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
The Department of Agriculture told the House Committee on Agriculture Policy those farmers lost an average of 35-percent of their crops, when neighboring farmers used an outdated dicamba product. |
2-2-17 Missouri House votes to send right-to-work to Gov. GreitensOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
The Missouri House has sent Governor Eric Greitens a bill that would make Missouri the 28th right-to-work state; a bill it is anticipated he will sign. |
2-1-17 Missouri House asked to consider multiple ethics reformsOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
House lawmakers continue to lay out a slate of proposed ethics reforms they believe would help restore the public’s trust in Missouri’s elected officials. |
1-31-17 Leading Democrat on House Budget Committee looks ahead to challenging FY '18 processOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
Mike Lear sat down with the ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee, Michael Butler (St. Louis), to talk about his thoughts in facing what lawmakers say will be a difficult budget year. |
1-30-17 House Committee advances Senate right-to-work billOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
The major difference in the bill sponsored by Rolla Republican Senator Dan Brown is that it includes a grandfather clause. That will allow contracts between employers and unions that exist at the time it becomes law to remain in place until they expire or are altered. |
1-27-17 Bill aiming to keep guns away from domestic abusers filedOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
Cape Girardeau Republican Donna Lichtenegger’s legislation, House Bill 766, would mirror Missouri law to a 1997 federal law. |
1-25-17 MO House subcommittee will investigate harassment in Corrections DepartmentOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
A news article brought to light multiple cases in which, it said, court documents showed some Corrections employees were the victims of harassment by other employees. |
1-24-17 Missouri House gives initial approval to ridesharing company regulationsOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
House Bill 130 would require background checks on national and local drivers, inspections of vehicles, an annual registration fee of $5,000, and would exempt such companies from local or municipal taxes. |
1-20-17 HB 127 could let Missouri schools avoid making up snow daysOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
The proposal by Lamar Republican Mike Kelley would allow districts to create plans for students to do schoolwork from home on up to 10 days on which school is out of session for inclement weather. These “alternative instruction plans,” could include the use of online work or some other form of activity. |
1-19-17 Missouri House sends fast-tracked right-to-work bill to the SenateOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
The Missouri House has advanced another priority of its Republican supermajority, sending a right-to-work bill to the State Senate. |
1-18-17 Missouri House advances right-to-work bill, rejects sending it to votersOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
The House then voted to advance the right-to-work bill 101-58. Another vote for the bill would send it to the state Senate. |
1-17-17 House makes good on Speaker's promise: gift ban proposal first out of gateOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
House Bill 60 is sponsored by Hermann Republican Justin Alferman. He said its goal is to ban the giving of, “individually, personally consumable gifts,” to legislators. |
1-12-17 House budget committee warned of impending fiscal challengesOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
The Missouri House Budget Committee was given a wake-up call in its first hearing. First-year chairman Scott Fitzpatrick (R-Poplar Bluff) explained to its members the challenges they will face in crafting the budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. |
1-12-17 Missouri House asked to reject pay hike for legislators, statewide office holdersOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
The Missouri Citizens’ Commission on Compensation for Elected Officials recommended in its December 1 report an increase in pay over the next two years of five-percent for Representatives and Senators, and of eight-percent for the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Treasurer, Secretary of State, and Auditor. |
1-11-17 Legislator exploring ways to improve state employee benefits even if pay hike not possible for FY '18On Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
The Missouri legislature could have a difficult time building a pay increase for state employees into the Fiscal Year 2018 budget, but there are other things it could consider to improve those employees’ benefits. |
1-9-17 House proposal to ban lobbyist gifts advances through first committeeOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
A state House proposal aimed at banning gifts from lobbyists to elected officials has taken its first step toward debate by the full chamber. |
1-5-17 House committees to deep dive into Missouri business regulations and licensingOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
House Speaker Todd Richardson (R-Poplar Bluff) announced in his opening day address that he’s instructed the House Committee on Government Efficiency and the House Committee on Professional Registration & Licensing to review regulations and licensing requirements on Missouri businesses. |
12-28-16 Proposal to increase minimum age for marriage aims to fight sex traffickingOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
Manchester Republican Jean Evans’ prefiled legislation would increase from 15 to 17 the minimum age at which a person can receive a marriage license. |
12-15-16 Bill for 2017 would expand newborn screenings to include two genetic diseasesOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
The legislature will be asked in 2017 to expand screenings of newborns in Missouri to look for two more life-threatening diseases. |
12-08-16 Speaker Richardson previews the 2017 session in the Missouri House (VIDEO)On Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
Labor, tort, education, ethics, and regulatory reforms will be among the focuses of the Missouri House Republican supermajority in the 2017 legislative session. |
12-07-16 Missouri House to investigate reports of harassment within Department of CorrectionsOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
The state House of Representatives will investigate reports of harassment within the state Department of Corrections, which has reportedly victimized numerous employees and cost the state millions in legal settlements. |
12-02-16 House Budget Chairman not optimistic going into FY '18 budget processOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
Shell Knob Republican Scott Fitzpatrick said when Governor-Elect Eric Greitens (R) delivers his budget proposal next month, it could call for little more than covering things the state is mandated to pay. |
12-01-16 Gift ban proposal re-filed for 2017; sponsor expects better chance of passage under Governor-Elect GreitensOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
The sponsor of a key ethics reform proposal that the House passed in 2016 believes it has a stronger chance of becoming law in 2017. He also expects Missourians' perception of their legislature to be better under new ethics laws and personal behavior policies. |
12-01-16 Trio of public safety bills filed; sponsor says one could help prevent incidents like 2015 drowning in water patrol custodyOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
One bill would increase by $1-million funding for the Water Patrol division, which Rep. Kathie Conway said would among other things, improve trooper training. |
11-17-16 Representative to propose tougher gun restrictions for domestic abusersOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
Representative Donna Lichtenegger will propose mirroring Missouri law to a 1997 federal restriction on the ownership, possession, purchase, or sale of firearms by those convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors or who have orders of protection against them. |
11-16-16 Task Force on Human Trafficking preparing recommendations for 2017 legislative sessionOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
The group was created in 2015 with the goal of making recommendations to the legislature on how to fight trafficking in Missouri. A report with those recommendations is due by the end of the year, and is being developed now. |
11-11-16 Proposal would ask voters for bonds to pay for new or improved veterans homeOn Selection You Will Jump to the iframe below
A House Republican wants to again propose asking Missourians to support adding to the number of beds in Missouri’s veterans homes. |