Missouri Politics Archives

Missouri lawmakers pass several bills ahead of Friday’s session deadline

May 14, 2021 5:38 AM Zola Crowder

Missouri’s legislative session ends Friday at 6 p.m., and several bills passed this week are now awaiting Gov. Mike Parson’s signature.

Missouri Senate votes to block federal gun law enforcement

May 13, 2021 9:42 PM Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri senators have passed a bill to block local police from enforcing federal gun laws. The Republican-led state Senate on Thursday voted 22-10 in favor of the bill. The GOP-led House now faces a Friday deadline to pass the legislation. The measure would penalize local police agencies if their officers

Missouri lawmakers pass safeguards for boarding schools

May 13, 2021 5:52 PM Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri lawmakers have passed legislation that would impose greater oversight of unlicensed boarding schools and residential care facilities for children. The vote Monday by the House sends the bill to Gov. Mike Parson. The legislation comes after allegations of long-running abuse at some facilities. In March, Attorney General Eric Schmitt

Missouri lawmakers vote to keep lottery winners secret

May 13, 2021 3:55 PM Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri lawmakers have passed legislation that could keep the names of state lottery winners secret. State House members Jay Mosely said Thursday that the intent of his bill is to keep winners from being harassed or threatened. The bill, which won final approval Wednesday, would make it a misdemeanor crime

Lack of Missouri Medicaid expansion creates uncertainty for state, patients

May 13, 2021 2:36 PM Chanel Porter

Gov. Mike Parson announced Thursday that Missouri will not expand Medicaid coverage to an estimated 275,000 low-income residents who were set to become eligible for the program July 1. Missouri voters in August approved a state constitutional amendment to expand the program, but Parson said the legislature did not fund the expansion, make it unconstitutional.

Governor says no to expanding Medicaid without funding

May 13, 2021 9:20 AM Zachary Farwell

According to Governor Mike Parson’s Office, the Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) submitted a letter Thursday morning to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid to withdraw its State Plan Amendments for MO HealthNet expansion.

Missouri Senate votes to limit use of chokeholds after Governor threatens veto

May 13, 2021 5:40 AM Zola Crowder

If signed by Parson, the bill would allow police to only use chokeholds if they or someone else are in serious danger.

Missouri lawmakers vote to collect online sales taxes

May 12, 2021 10:29 PM Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri lawmakers are advancing bills that would require out-of-state online stores to collect sales taxes. The GOP-led House and Senate both passed slightly different versions of the proposal Wednesday. Both measures include income tax cuts to offset the expected increase in revenue. Missouri is the only state that hasn’t approved

Missouri lawmakers ask for special session on election laws

May 12, 2021 10:22 PM Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A small group of Missouri lawmakers are asking fellow Republican Gov. Mike Parson to call a special session on state election laws. Republicans in a House elections committee on Wednesday wrote to Parson for help. Lawmakers face a Friday deadline to send bills to the governor’s desk. The seven lawmakers

Parson says he is ready to sign gas tax increase into law

May 12, 2021 11:58 AM Chanel Porter

The bill now heads to Gov. Mike Parson’s desk.

Missouri Senate votes to limit police use of chokeholds

May 12, 2021 3:13 PM Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Senate has voted to limit when police can use chokeholds. The bill’s 31-2 bipartisan passage Wednesday in the GOP-led Senate represents a rare step by state lawmakers to take action in response to police violence. Little has been done by Missouri’s Republican Legislature since a white Ferguson police

Missouri lawmakers pass bill to increase gas tax for the first time in decades

May 12, 2021 5:18 AM Zola Crowder

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Republican lawmakers in Missouri have passed a bill to raise the gas tax for the first time since the 1990’s. Now, it’s headed to Governor Mike Parson’s desk. The GOP-led House voted Tuesday 104-52 to raise Missouri’s 17-cent gas tax by 2.5 cents a year until it hits 29.5 cents per

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Should the state stop paying federal coronavirus unemployment?

May 12, 2021 2:13 AM ABC 17 News Team

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said Tuesday that the state will stop paying special federal coronavirus unemployment benefits on June 12.

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Missouri governor orders end of federal pandemic unemployment benefits

May 11, 2021 1:36 PM Matthew Sanders

The governor’s office said federal unemployment programs are the topic but did not give any other details.

Parson threatens veto of police reform bill over subpoenas

May 11, 2021 3:33 PM Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Gov. Mike Parson is threatening to veto a wide-ranging law enforcement reform bill because of a provision that would give the Legislature the power to issue subpoenas requiring people to testify before committees. The governor says the provision gives lawmakers too much power. In the past, House members accused the

Missouri House votes to pare down school voucher bill

May 11, 2021 3:31 PM Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri House has passed a pared-down school voucher bill after a similar measure went to the governor last week. The GOP-led House on Tuesday voted 79-72 in favor of adding the pruned proposal to another bill. Both measures would create a tax credit program to pay for kids to

Missouri lawmakers pass statewide prescription drug database

May 11, 2021 3:29 PM Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri is closer than ever to joining every other state in having a statewide prescription drug database to flag possible opioid misuse. The House on Tuesday voted 91-64 to send Gov. Mike Parson legislation that would create such a program. Parson has said he supports prescription monitoring programs. The proposal

State bill could force school districts to allow recordings of IEP meetings

May 11, 2021 5:48 AM Zola Crowder

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) After a long discussion Monday night, the Columbia Board of Education denied a motion to allow parents to record Individualized Education Program meetings. Policy KKB currently prohibits visual or audio recording on district property unless authorized. Board of Education president Helen Wade voted against the motion. Wade said people act differently when they

More than 40 attorneys general urge Facebook to stop plans for an Instagram for kids

May 10, 2021 1:12 PM CNN Newsource

Facebook’s plans to launch a version of Instagram for children under the age of 13 continues to get backlash. On Monday, 44 attorneys general signed a letter addressed to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, urging him to scrap plans for an Instagram intended for younger users, citing mental health and privacy concerns. The letter comes less

Missouri House votes to legalize needle exchanges

May 10, 2021 7:20 PM Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri House has passed a bill to legalize needle-exchange programs. The House voted 101-55 for the bill Monday. Needle-exchange programs allow drug users to trade used hypodermic needles for clean ones. The aim is to stop people from reusing dirty needles or sharing needles with others, which can spread