JEFFERSON CITY - The Kansas City Star reported Tuesday that a former top aid to John Ashcroft is considering a race against Matt Blunt in the 2008 primary for governor.

The possiblity of a race was raised by Chip Robertson -- a former Missouri Supreme Court judge and who previously served as Ashcroft's chief of staff when Ashcroft was governor.

Robertson was quoted by the Star as saying he "I'm going to think about it."

JEFFERSON CITY - Republican Representative Jack Johnson called a meeting of the committee to hear testimony from state emergancy agencies.

The Department of Public Safety is in charge of streamlining the state's disaster preparedness.

JEFFERSON CITY - The U.S. Supreme court will decide whether schools receiving federal funds can ban on-campus military recruiters because of the military's don't ask don't tell policy.

The University of Missouri has recruiters from all four military branches.

JEFFERSON CITY - Republican Senator Chuck Gross sponsored a bill that would require physicans to offer pain relief to unborn fetuses.

JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri drivers would have corn in their gas tank in a bill filed for the next legislation session.

Ethanol production is a key Missouri agriculture issue for next year.

JEFFERSON CITY - Pain relief for fetuses facing abortion is among the topics on the table proposed for Missouri's next legislative

session. If approved, the Unborn Child Pain Prevention Act would require physicians to inform women seeking abortions of the fetus' capacity to feel pain at 20 weeks, and to offer to administer anesthesia to a fetus before an abortion.

JEFFERSON CITY - A proposed bill would require all minors to first pass a drivers education program before obtaining a license.

The bill will go before the legislature next session.