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NewsBook: Missouri Government News for Week of April 14, 2003

 
. Education loses in Senate committee budget cuts (04/17/03)
JEFFERSON CITY - Education takes the brunt of budget cuts as passed Thursday by the Senate Appropriations Committee. The committee recommended slicing a combined $361 million from education to help solve the state's 2004 budget woes.

The Senate is scheduled to take up the budget on Tuesday.

  • Get the newspaper story
    . Republicans look to gambling for revenue without tax increases (04/17/03)
    JEFFERSON CITY -The Missouri's legislature's Republican leadership sent a personal message to Gov. Bob Holden that lawmakers would not accept his tax increase proposal.

    At a private meeting with the governor, legislative leaders told Bob Holden Republicans would not support a tax increase large enought to require statewide voter approval.

    Instead, Senate Republican leaders are looking to repeal the daily loss-limit on gambling boats and other measures, including small tax increases, to ease the state's budget problems.

  • Get the newspaper story
    . The House votes to deregulate broadband Internet access (04/17/03)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The Missouri House passed and sent to the Senate legislation sought by Southwestern Bell that would deregulate broadband Internet services.

    The rates of Internet services offered by phone companies are regulated by the Public Service Committee while independent Internet service providers are free from state regulation.

    Opponents argued the state should hold off until the Federal Communications Commission adopts a policy on federal regulation of Internet access services.

  • Get the newspaper story
  • Get the House roll call.
    . House passes foster care bill (04/17/03)
    JEFFERSON CITY - One of the top priorities of the new Republican leadership of the Missouri House moved closer to approval Thursday as that body passed a foster care measure sponsored by the Speaker.

    Catherine Hanaway, R-St. Louis County, sponsored the bill that would, among other changes, set up a pilot program for privatizing child services provided by the Division of Family Services.

    Hanaway said DFS already gives 20 percent of its case work to private services. But opponents were concerned about licensing issues.

    Get the newspaper story

    . Legislature weighs requirements on health insurers (04/16/03)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The Legislature is considering bills that would require health insurers to cover everything from chiropractic care to weight reduction services to clinical trials for cancer patients to mental health care.

    Get the newspaper story

    . Lawmakers consider closing prisons to help cover the budget shortfall (04/16/2003)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Senator Jim Mathewson (D-Sedalia) says lawmakers failed to address the budget early enough and now must make "painful" decisions.

  • Get the radio story.
    . Missouri legislators get a taste of Iraq. (04/15/03)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Several Missouri lawmakers got a taste of what military serving in Iraq are having -- MREs, or Meals Ready-to-Eat.

    The Luncheon was provided by servicemen and women from Fort Leonard Wood.

  • Get the newspaper feature.
    . Carnahan Resigns Leadership Post (04/16/03)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-St. Louis City) says he's resigning his post as House Democratic Caucus Chair to make time for a Congressional run. Carnahan has already formed an exploratory committee to run for Missouri's 3rd Congressional district seat, now held by Democrat Rep. Dick Gephardt. Carnahan says he will keep his current seat in the Missouri house.

  • Get the radio story.
    . Bill would lower jury age to 18 (04/16/03)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Eighteen-year-olds in Missouri can vote and join the armed forces but not serve on juries. Bills in the House and Senate would lower the jury age from 21 to 18.

    Get the newspaper story

    Get the radio story.

    . Republican senators huddle to find a way to raise revenues. (04/15/03)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Republican members of the Senate spent much of Tuesday meeting behind closed doors trying to find agreement on a package to raise more money for next year's budget.

    Sources say that both House and Senate Republicans have rejected the idea of a one-cent sales tax increase that would expire after three years.

    One Republican Leader agreed that time was running out because of the deadlines facing the Senate to finish the state's budget.

  • Get the package of radio stories.
    . The Senate Appropriations staff proposes a quarter-of-a-billion dollar cut in education. (04/15/03)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The state's $2 billion School Foundation Program that provides funds to local schools, would be cut by $275 million under a spending plan presented to the Senate Appropriations Committee by its staff.

    Staff have been meeting privately with agency officials to figure out ways to balance the state's budget.

  • Get the newspaper story.
    . Missouri ranks first in job loss last year (04/15/03)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri lost more jobs last year than any other state; a statistic that the Chamber of Commerce said is cause for a "state of emergency." But some said other indicators show Missouri's economy is not as bad as it might seem.

  • Get the newspaper story.
    . Governor Holden lobbies Senate Republicans for support of his budget plan (04/14/2003)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Holden says he wants to educate Senators about the effects of the House proposed program cuts, which he says would have too deep an impact on the state.

  • Get the radio story.
    . Higher Ed Commission looks at how Missouri schools stack up (04/14/03)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Solutions weren't part of the equation Monday at the first meeting of the governor's Commission on the Future of Higher Education. Instead, commissioners spent the day getting a handle on the current state of Missouri's higher education system.

  • Get the newspaper story