QUESTION OF THE DAY: Should COVID-19 concerns still be a valid reason to vote absentee?
Missourians were able to claim such vulnerability to request absentee ballots in last years’ elections.
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Missouri GOP-led House advances private school funding bill
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Poor Missouri families could get money for private school through a tax credit program advancing in the state House. The Republican-led House voted in favor of the measure Wednesday. Under the program, private donors would give money to nonprofits that would dole out scholarships to low-income families. Donors would get state
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Special prosecutor picked for case against St. Louis couple
A former U.S. attorney will be the special prosecutor in the case of a St. Louis couple who waved guns at racial injustice protesters last summer.
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‘Concerned citizens’ attend Second Amendment rights rally at Missouri Capitol
People packed into the rotunda Wednesday for a Second Amendment rights rally at the Missouri Capitol.
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Voters will not be able to vote absentee because of COVID-19 concerns in April election
Local clerks are preparing for the April 6 election. Tuesday was the first day people could vote absentee.
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Missouri Senate OKs bill to limit COVID-19 lawsuits
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri senators have passed a bill to shield hospitals, manufacturers and other businesses from lawsuits over alleged wrongdoing during the pandemic. The GOP-led Senate voted 20-13 in favor of the bill. The measure now goes to the House for consideration. Republican Gov. Mike Parson has been pushing lawmakers to pass
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Missouri Senate bill cracks down on road-blocking protesters
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri protesters who repeatedly block traffic without permission could face felony charges under a bill advancing in the state Senate. Senators on Tuesday gave the measure initial approval. The measure follows protests last summer in the St. Louis area over the death of George Floyd, including demonstrations that blocked major highways.
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2 formerly rejected medical marijuana applications approved
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two applications to grow medical marijuana will receive licenses after the state initially rejected them. The state Administrative Hearing Commission on Tuesday approved cultivation licenses for Heye Kirksville and Heya Excello. The decision comes after the state denied hundreds of medical marijuana business applications, many of which prompted challenges to
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Missouri House opposes eminent domain for wind-energy line
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri’s Republican-led state House is trying to ban the use of eminent domain for a large wind-energy power line. Lawmakers in a voice vote Tuesday advanced a bill to prevent the use of property owners’ land for the Grain Belt Express power line without their permission. The high-voltage power line would
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Missouri Capitol evacuated as a precaution
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) The Missouri Capitol was evacuated as a precaution just before 7 p.m. Monday. At least four House committee hearings were in progress at the time. Division Chief Jason Turner said a malfunctioning detector went off in the Capitol. There was no fire or no smoke.
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Missouri House tries again with voter photo ID law
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Republican-led Missouri House is advancing another version of a Missouri voter photo identification law that was gutted by the state Supreme Court. Judges last year permanently blocked a central provision of the 2016 voter identification law that required voters without a photo ID to make a sworn statement in
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Private bill seeks freedom for man living in Missouri church
O’FALLON, Mo. (AP) — Democratic U.S. Rep. Cori Bush has introduced legislation to grant permanent residency to a Honduran immigrant who has spent more than three years inside a Missouri church to avoid deportation. The freshman congressman from St. Louis announced details on Monday of a private bill that would allow Alex Garcia to emerge
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QUESTION OF THE DAY: Should insurance companies have to cover pre-existing conditions?
An effort is on to ask Missouri voters whether insurance companies should have to cover pre-existing conditions.
Continue Reading Missouri bill would delay some public record access
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A pending Missouri bill would put a pause on open-records requests when public agencies are closed. House members voted 149-1 in favor of the bill Thursday. It now goes to the state Senate for consideration. An amendment added to the bill last week would exempt closed government agencies from the three-day
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Missouri leaders committed to coronavirus vaccination plan despite teacher criticism
Missouri leaders reiterated their commitment to the state’s coronavirus vaccination plan and the lack of current vaccinations for teachers.
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Rep. Hartzler raises concerns about President Biden’s $1.9 trillion dollars COVID-19 relief package
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Mid-Missouri Representative Vicky Hartzler (R) has not said how she’s planning to vote on President Joe Biden’s proposed $1.9 trillion dollar coronavirus relief package. ABC 17 News spoke with the representative this morning about a number of issues regarding the pandemic. Hartzler raised concerns about the package saying it might be too
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State health, education leaders to take part in ABC 17 News Q&A
The heads of Missouri’s health and education departments will be part of a panel of experts taking part in a question-and-answer session Thursday on ABC 17 News at 6:30 p.m.
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Rush Limbaugh, conservative media icon, dead at 70 following battle with cancer
Rush Limbaugh, the conservative media icon who for decades used his perch as the king of talk-radio to shape the politics of both the Republican Party and nation, died Wednesday after a battle with cancer. He was 70 years old.
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QUESTION OF THE DAY: Should Missourians have to pay back unemployment benefits received by mistake?
Gov. Mike Parson has said his administration expects Missourians who received extra unemployment benefits by mistake to pay the money back. However, legislators are opposing that approach. Several have filed bills to stop the state from collecting. What do you think? Vote in the poll below.
Continue Reading Missouri governor signs $324M rent assistance bill
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has approved $324 million to help renters and landlords struggling during the coronavirus pandemic. Parson on Thursday signed the funding bill into law. The money comes from a federal program that Congress passed in December. Both landlords and renters can apply for aid under the program.
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