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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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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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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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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More candidates file for Jefferson City Council races
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Two more candidates filed to run for a Jefferson City Council seat this week. Candidate filings opened on Dec. 6 for the April 4, 2023, municipal elections in Missouri. The last day for a candidate to file for this election is Tuesday, Dec. 27. The last day residents can register to
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2023 Boone County budget prioritizes pay increase for law enforcement
Increased salaries for sheriff’s deputies and other emergency employees are a priority in the 2023 Boone County budget approved Thursday, with officials citing the need to reverse “unprecedented employee turnover and lengthy vacancies.”
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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 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 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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City drops requirement on logo trash bags, effective immediately; implementing possible automated system could take six months, councilman says
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia residents longer need to use the city-issued trash bags. The Columbia City Council voted unanimously at its meeting on Monday to eliminate the required use of official city-provided trash bags for residential curbside collections, as well as the provision that the City provide trash bags. Effective immediately, Columbia Solid Waste residential curbside customers are permitted to
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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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Missouri lawmaker prefiles bill proposing I-70 expansion
COLUMBIA, Mo. State Sen. Bill Eigel (R-St. Charles) prefiled a bill ahead of the legislative session that would use a portion of Missouri’s $6 Billion surplus to expand Interstate 70. The proposal filed on Thursday would set aside funds to rebuild Interstate 70 from a two-lane highway, to a four-lane highway in both directions. Funding
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Governor’s office counsel named next Missouri Attorney General
Parson named Andrew Bailey, the general counsel for the governor’s office, as the next Missouri Attorney General in a news conference Wednesday.
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What’s next for the future of Fusus surveillance in Columbia after the City Council voted it down
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia City Council isn’t ready to just give up on the idea of new surveillance camera software for police. After a tense meeting that lasted more than five hours Monday night, the Columbia City Council voted against using the Fusus surveillance software in a 4-3 vote. The “no” votes consisted of Ward
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Rowden picked as president pro tem of Missouri Senate; Rizzo again chosen as Democratic leader
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) The Senate Majority Caucus elected Sen. Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, to serve as president pro tem of the Missouri Senate for the 102nd General Assembly Rowden previously served as the Senate majority floor leader. I am honored to have been elected by my peers to be the next President Pro Tem of
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Missouri voters approve legalization of marijuana for recreational use
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri will join a growing number of states to allow recreational marijuana. More than 53% of voters approved Amendment 3 on Election Day. With the amendment receiving approval from voters, Missouri is now one of 21 states to legalize marijuana for recreational use. Election Results Missourians could start to see the changes
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Luetkemeyer wins reelection in Third Congressional District
Republican U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer has again won reelection to the U.S. House.
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