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NewsBook: Missouri Government News for Week of Feb. 7, 2000

 

Check out the NewsBook archive for top stories from the 1999 legislative session

. Lawmaker wants to make it a felony to intimidate or injure athletic officials (02/10/00)
JEFFERSON CITY - Kansas City Senator Harry Wiggins says a surprising number of parents have begun to violently attack volunteer officials in youth sporting events.

His bill aims mainly at protecting local officials but extends to national sporting events held in Missouri as well.

Wiggins says the bill is part of a multi-state movement by the National Association of Sports Officials to protect volunteers.

  • Get the radio story.
    . State to Break Ground for Max-Security Prison (02/10/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Corrections officials said Missouri will break ground Friday for a new $72 million maximum-security prison which will house 1,596 inmates. It will be located in Charleston.
    . Group Claims Insurance Industry Contributions Influence Legislators (02/10/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The Missouri Alliance for Campaign Reform claimed Thursday that campaign contributions from the insurance industry influence the way legislators vote. After electronic analysis of 81,000 contributions, the ogranization reported the insurance industry gave legislators $449,142 total during the current election cycle. Legislators were more likely to vote with the indusry as the amount of donations increased, a spokesman claimed.
    . Computer Crime Bill Gains Preliminary Approval From House (02/10/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - A computer privacy bill under consideration by the House addresses a ton of things, from privacy to pornography.

    Although, first round approval was granted, there were many areas legislators debated on and questioned. One more House vote is needed before the bill heads to the Missouri Senate.

  • Get the radio story.
    . Divorced Parents Testify to Try and Convince a House Committee to Make it Easier to Move (02/09/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - A group of divorced parents testified to a House Committee that they would like to see a proposed bill make it easier for parents with custody to move. The intent would be to streamline current law, to allow divorced parents more flexibility when moving.

    The bill they would like to see changed was introduced by Rep.Pat Dougherty.

  • Get the radio story.
  • Check out HB 1421
    . Highway patrol criticized by legislators (02/09/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - In a committee hearing on lowering the speed limit for trucks, lawmakers were critical of the highway patrol. A proposal would lower truck speed limits to 65 mph because of safety concerns. The trucking industry has said a lower speed limit might cause congestion, while the highway patrol says it would make our roads safer.

  • Get the newspaper story.
  • Check out HB 1748.
    . Lobbyists testify in support of term limit increase (02/09/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Several lobbyists testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in support of Sen. John Schneider's proposal to ask voters to increase term limits to 12 years from the current 8.

    The lobbyists say term limits hurt the people's voice in government.

    Sen. John Schneider says he'd support the entire repeal of term limits, but doubts Missouri voters would approve that.

  • Get the radio story.
  • Check out SJR 31.
    . Two legislators try to make it legal for UM to charge tuition (02/09/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Currently, it is illegal for the University of Missouri system to charge tuition. But two Missouri lawmakers are trying to get that changed.

  • Get the newspaper story.
  • Check out SB 953 and HB 1916.
    . Senate Committee Debates Extending Charter School Law (02/09/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY -Private colleges like Washington University would be able to charter public schools under a proposed bill. The bill is being sponsored by Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau. Several education groups say they are opposed to it.

    Under current law, only public colleges may sponsor charter schools. These institutions must be located in either St. Louis or Kansas City.

  • Get the radio story.
  • Check out SB 855.
    . Passionate testimony for universal health care plan (02/08/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Representative Rita Days speaks in favor of the bill that provides health to all Missourians.

    The plan would raise taxes to create a publicly-financed, universal health insurance program.

  • Get the radio story.
  • Check out HB 1237.
    . Bill sponsor supports cigarette tax to help seniors pay for pills (02/08/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - A bill sponsored by Rep. Jim Froelker would provide subsidies for prescription drugs to low-income seniors.

    The plan would cost the state about $30 million annually, with funding coming from the tobacco settlement, federal grants, or a 5 cent increase in the cigarette tax.

    A representative from AARP spoke in favor of the proposal at a committee hearing on the bill Tuesday evening.

  • Get the radio story.
  • Check out HB 1450.
    . St. Louis leaders propose a sales tax to revitalize downtown St. Louis (02/08/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - St. Louis Mayor Clarence Harmon and former U.S. Senators Tom Eagleton and Jack Danforth say downtown St. Louis needs the sales tax to survive.

    But Republican senators voiced opposition, including St. Louis County Senator Dave Klarich's concern that the bill could lead to public money funding the remodeling of structures sold into private ownership.

    Republican Senator Franc Flotron also suggested packaging the bill with airport legislation.

  • Get the radio story.
  • Check out SB 827 and the bill's sponsor, Sen. John Scott.
    . Amendment May Kill Health Care Bill (02/08/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - A health care bill that would help small business owners and farmers may be done for the year. On Tuesday, the House passed an amendment that would allow insurers to set rates based on pre-existing conditions - a point not in the original bill.

    Sponsor Tim Harlan says he cannot support such an amendment, and may let the bill languish--or take it off the table entirely.

  • Get the radio story.
  • Get the House roll-call vote.
  • Check out Harlan's bill.
    . Highway adopted by KKK may be named after Rosa Parks (02/08/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Within months the Ku Klux Klan could be responsible for cleaning a road named for Rosa Parks, the black woman made famous for refusing to move to the back of the bus. Sen. Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, proposes to memorialize Parks, one of the major heroes in the civil rights movement, by renaming a section of Interstate 55 outside St. Louis.

    The Knights of the Ku Klux Klan pledged to keep the half-mile stretch of roadway free of garbage as part of Missouri's Adopt-A-Highway program. In return, the Klan was allowed to erect signs, which were recently stolen. So far the Klan has not actually cleaned the road. It narrowly avoided suspension from the program several days ago when a representative picked up supplies from the transportation department.

  • Get the newspaper story.
  • Check out SB 876 and the bill's sponsor, Sen. Bill Clay.
    . Hepatitis A cases create legislation flow (02/08/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Hepatitis A cases in St. Louis this fall have brought legislators to create four different bills that would try to make vaccines more popular among workers.

  • Get the newspaper story.
  • Check out HB 1488, HB 1489, HB 1650, and SB 736.
    . Yahoo! Pulls Plug on WWW.KILLBILLCLINTON.COM Auction (02/08/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The virtual auction house pulled the plug on an auction of web names such as WWW.KILLBILLCLINTON.COM after a Missouri Digital News report.

  • Get the newspaper story.
    . The Mo. Man Behind WWW.KILLBILLCLINTON.COM (02/08/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Darryl Bozwell is 37 years old and still lives with his parents and dog. He spends a lot of time tinkering with the Internet.

  • Get the newspaper story.
    . The Equal Rights Amendment gets committee approval. (02/07/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri lawmakers on the House Critical Issues Committee approve the Equal Rights Amendment. The vote went straight down party lines.

    The bill will now go before the full House for consideration.

  • Get the radio story.
    . Sex between guards and inmates would be criminal under a bill in the House (02/07/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri lawmakers consider making it a felony for employees of the Department of Corrections to have sexual relations with inmates.

    Supporters call it an abuse of power and say sex in that situation can never be consensual.

  • Get the radio story.
    . Talent, Holden accept $3 million over legal limit (02/07/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Since running for governor, the top two contenders have raised approximately $3 million in single-check contributions above the on-again, off-again $1,125 legal limit.

  • Get the newspaper story.
  • See the breakdown of the campaign money raised by Bob Holden and Jim Talent.
    . Nixon endorses Bradley for president (02/07/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon has become the 36th statewide officeholder to endorse presidential candidate Bill Bradley.

    At a news conference Monday, Nixon said Bradley's support for campaign finance reform, anti-crime proposals and health care plans make him a strong candidate. Nixon said although he has supported Bradley for a long time, he delayed his public announcement until the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision in a key campaign finance case.

    Nixon is the second executive office director to endorse Bradley. Missouri Secretary of State Bekki Cook has been a longtime supporter of the Bradley campaign, and traveled to Iowa to support the candidate before the Iowa caucuses.

  • Get the newspaper story.
  • Get the radio story.
  • Get the press release from the Bradley campaign.
  • Get the full list of Missouri endorsements from the Bradley campaign. This list includes state senators and representatives, as well as local officials.
  • Al Gore has broad support in Missouri as well. Read the Gore press release on Missouri democrats who endorse the vice president.
    . Carnahan decides not to endorse a candidate (02/07/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Gov. Mel Carnahan says he will not publicly endorse either Bill Bradley or Al Gore until the Democratic Party nominates its candidate at the convention.

    Carnahan says he hopes to unite state Democrats behind that person. Previously Carnahan has said he knows both Bradley and Gore well, and wished to remain neutral as the two sought the nomination.

    Carnahan is running against Sen. John Ashcroft for a U.S. Senate seat in the 2000 election.

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