Missouri legislative session kicks off at noon with fresh faces
State lawmakers are returning to the capital city for another session of committee hearings, floor debates and discussing Missouri’s future.
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Missouri Senate leaders’ legislative priorities going into 2023 session
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) The 2023 Missouri legislative session starts Wednesday. As expected, Republicans and Democrats in the State Senate have differing priorities. Republican Party Republican State Sen. Caleb Rowden, of Columbia, returns to the Capitol this year with a new title: Senate President Pro Tem. The position will have to be ratified by the
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Bailey sworn in as Missouri Attorney General
Missouri’s next attorney general was sworn in Tuesday at the Supreme Court Building in Jefferson City.
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Wage advocates say new Missouri minimum still not enough
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Thousands of workers in Missouri received a raise at the start of the new year, but the extra money still doesn’t match the cost of living. The Missouri minimum wage increased to $12 an hour under Proposition B. This is the last year under Prop B, passed by voters in 2018, which
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New Year, New Laws: Minimum wage, taxes, homeless camping
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) At the start of the New Year, several new laws and taxes will impact Missourians. Minimum wage increases The minimum wage in Missouri increased to $12 an hour starting Jan. 1. This is thanks to Proposition B, passed by Missouri voters in 2018. Under Prop B, minimum wage increased by 85 cents
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US may execute its first openly transgender woman
Unless Missouri Gov. Mike Parson grants clemency, Amber McLaughlin, 49, will become the first openly transgender woman executed in the U.S. She is scheduled to die by injection Tuesday for killing a former girlfriend in 2003.
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Missouri considers raising teacher pay to increase retention
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Half of Missouri teachers leave the profession by their fifth year, according to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The state is hoping increased salaries will prevent that. The DESE has proposed several ways to extend pay raises for teachers. Missouri still sits at the bottom nationwide when it comes
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Proposed House bill would protect those calling for help in college hazing incidents
A lawmaker is proposing a bill that he believes would help protect college students in Missouri who report hazing.
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Governor extends order to help Gygr-Gas customers
Gov. Mike Parson on Thursday signed an executive order to continue to allow customers of a Boonville-based propane supplier to get their tanks filled by other companies.
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Missouri AG Schmitt files lawsuit against Gygr Gas
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced today in press release that his office has filed a lawsuit against Missouri propane gas supplier, Gygr Gas. The lawsuit alleges that Gygr Gas abruptly closed in the cold winter months 2022, failed to notify its customers that it would stop making the propane deliveries they
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Missouri Supreme Court suspends former Boone County prosecutor
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) The Missouri Supreme Court decided on Tuesday to suspend the law license of a former Boone County prosecuting attorney for three years. The Court found that Harry Swingle violated several of the Rules of Professional Conduct – including multiple accusations of conflict of interest, using a lawyer as a witness and
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Malek appointed as new state treasurer by Parson
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Gov. Mike Parson announced on Tuesday that he is appointing Vivek Malek as the next state treasurer. Malek, 45, of Wildwood, was appointed after the position was vacated by Scott Fitzpatrick’s election to be the next state auditor in November. Malek is a practicing attorney and owns the Law Offices of
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Congress moves to ban TikTok from US government devices
By NOMAAN MERCHANT Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — TikTok would be banned from most U.S. government devices under a spending bill Congress unveiled early Tuesday, the latest push by American lawmakers against the Chinese-owned social media app. The $1.7 trillion package includes requirements for the Biden administration to prohibit most uses of TikTok or any
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Mid-Missouri cities consider local sales taxes on recreational marijuana
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Two prominent Mid-Missouri cities, Columbia and Jefferson City, are planning to discuss the possibility of adding a 3% local sales tax for recreational marijuana at their next City Council meetings. Amendment 3 was approved by Missouri voters during the Nov. 8 election with more than 53% of votes in favor. Missouri residents
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Missouri November election results officially certified
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) The Board of State Canvassers – which includes Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, Judge Cotton Walker and Judge Jon Beetem — certified the results of the Nov. 8 election for Missouri on Friday. A press release stated 2,069,481 residents voted in the election, which is 48% of registered voters in the
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Missouri courts begin clearing nonviolent marijuana charges
Missouri courts began the process of clearing criminal records of certain marijuana charges Thursday.
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Recreational marijuana legal in Missouri, buying from dispensaries will begin in at least two months
Thursday marked the first day of legalized recreational marijuana in Missouri, but a few asterisks have followed. Missourians first approved Amendment 3 in last month’s midterm election with more than 53% of votes in favor. The legislation went into action Thursday and Missouri residents 21 years old and older can now legally possess up to
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Recreational marijuana changes in Missouri start Thursday
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) On Thursday, recreational marijuana use is officially legal in Missouri. This comes after Missourians approved the legalization of marijuana in last month’s midterm election. Voters approved Amendment 3 with more than 53% of votes in favor of the measure. However, medical marijuana dispensaries still have some work to do before recreational sales
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Members of the 13th Judiciary Circuit Court discuss expungement policies for Amendment 3
FULTON, Mo. (KMIZ) Members of the 13th Judicial Circuit Court continued its ongoing discussions regarding the expungement policy following Missouri’s adoption of Amendment 3. Convictions for possession and paraphernalia will begin to be expunged Thursday under the voter-approved constitutional amendment that legalized recreational marijuana in Missouri. Under Amendment 3, misdemeanor marijuana offenses will be automatically
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Blunt gives final floor speech at Capitol
WASHINGTON, D.C. (KMIZ) Missouri’s senior U.S. senator gave his final floor speech on Tuesday. Sen. Roy Blunt will retire next month. He served 12 years in the senate. Blunt talked about is role as a legislator. He ended his speech with a story about a statue in the U.S. Capitol. He said it went up
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