House Committee approves changes to Facebook law

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - The Missouri House Education Committee approved new wording in the Facebook bill on Monday.

The adjusted language clarifies that the state does not restrict student-staff communication on social networking sites. But it does require each school district to develop its own policy.

Columbia Representative Chris Kelly presented the amended bill and says he understands why there was confusion with the old wording.

"You shouldn't write legislation so it can be understood. You should write legislation so it cannot be misunderstood and we did not do that," Kelly said.

But Clay County Representative Myron Neth says too much of the original bill was taken out.

"I think it's leaving open a situation where in one district you're allowing this stuff to happen and in another you aren't," Neth said.

That didn't stop Representative Neth from voting in favor of the bill. The House Education Committee unanimously approved the revised bill and it will now go before the full House.

A spokesperson for Governor Nixon said the governor won't know what he'll do with the bill until it's passed.

Mariel Seidman-Gati, Missouri Digital News

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Nasheed doesn't mind if local control is pushed back in agenda

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - One of the leading supporters of local control for the St. Louis Police Department says she doesn’t mind if the issue is pushed back in the legislative agenda.

The Senate's top leader, Rob Mayer refused a Senate vote on local control of the St. Louis Police Department until tax credits were dealt with first.

St. Louis Democratic Representative, Jamilah Nasheed is a lead supporter of the local control issue and says she will respect Mayer's decision on what he thinks is important.

"Quite frankly I don't have a problem with that," Nasheed says.

However, before local control can be addressed the House must approve the restricting tax credits for the China hub.

Becky May, Missouri Digital News

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Sikeston entrepreneur enters race for Mo. House

SIKESTON, MO (KRCU) - A Sikeston entrepreneur entered the ring to take Ellen Brandom’s place in the Missouri House of Representatives. Holly Rehder will seek the Republican nomination in Missouri’s 160th District, which covers New Madrid, Scott and parts of Cape Girardeau County.

Rehder owns and runs Integrity Communication with her husband in Sikeston. She thinks her business experience will be an asset in the General Assembly.

"We all know that small business is the engine of our economy and right now the economy is what needs to be focused on," Rehder said. "And when we have, you know, certain lawmakers who don’t mind putting more regulation and more regulation on the back of small businesses, it’s just crushing us. And I think we need more people who have more skin in the game who don’t mind to stand there and fight and hold the line."

Rehder has also served as a staffer for Jo Ann Emerson. She says that she holds Emerson and Ellen Brandom as political models and mentors.

Brandom is seeking to replace Jason Crowell in Missouri Senate. Crowell cannot run again due to term limits, though he is considering a run for state-wide office.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

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Late-term abortion ban moves to Nixon's desk

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - To stop what they called "barbaric murder," Missouri Republicans approved a ban on late-term abortions Thursday.

After a final House vote, the bill is on to Governor Jay Nixon.

It would halt abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy.

Jefferson County Republican John McCaherty was one supporter.

"We talk about landowner rights and business rights and worker rights. It's high time we talked about the rights of the child," McCaherty said.

Democrats, like St. Louis County Representative Stacey Neuman, say the decision should be left to the women in the situation.

"A woman needs to rely on the expertise of her physicians, not politicians, not the state," Neuman said.

Neuman's plea was not enough, as Republicans passed the bill 121-33.

A leading abortion-rights supporter in the Senate said these late terminations are so rare that the bill is inconsequential.

Theo Keith, Missouri Digital News

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Fake pot bill moves to Nixon's desk

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - Missouri's governor is the final step for a bill that bans so-called bath salts and fake pot.

The measure would get two synthetic drugs -- K-3 and bath salts -- off the market.

It passed the House with 90 percent support.

West Plains Republican Ward Franz talks about what bath salts did to one man.

"He didn't show up for work. He didn't show up to pick up his kids," Franz said. "They found him barricaded in his garage because he was hallucinating and hearing voices."

Franz says sellers are getting around the law by labeling bath salts as not for human consumption.

But St. Louis Democrat Mike Colona says the effects of bath salts and K-3 are much different.

"If you talk to law enforcement, there are two different issues. One leads to neurosis, uncontrollable activities. The other puts you to sleep," Colona says.

Colona says the bill would hurt businesses that also sell legal drugs.

It's not the first time state lawmakers have done battle with these drugs. They banned another form of fake pot, called K-2, last year.

The bill's next stop is Gov. Jay Nixon's desk.

Theo Keith, Missouri Digital News

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Local control deal maneuvering through legislature

A deal on local control is working its way through Missouri's legislature. As Theo Keith tells us, it is contingent on approval from the St. Louis police union that's so far opposed it.

Missouri's House has approved the deal, sending it back to the Senate.

But the bill won't move forward until the police union gets the collective bargaining rights it wants.

There's a deal in the works to make that happen.

The Senate is scheduled to vote Monday to confirm a new police board member who supports giving the union those rights.

Appointee Tom Irwin would tip the board in favor of a collective bargaining deal.

A St. Louis Democratic Senator who's opposed previous versions of the bill says the police union's OK is needed to get the bill through.

All of this has to happen in the next week before the end of the legislative session.

Theo Keith, Missouri Digital News

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Mo. House passes photo ID bill

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - The Missouri House passed a bill that would impose stricter voter registration requirements.

The bill would require voters to show a government-issued photo ID when they show up at the polls.

Opponents say the bill would hurt voter turnout. They say groups such as the elderly, disabled, and immigrants will have trouble obtaining government ID's.

St. Louis City Representative Karla May says it will prevent American citizens from voting.

"We have immigrants that live in our state, that are here legally, that are tax paying citizens," she said. "They all don't have all of this proper identification that you are putting in this bill."

Those in favor of the bill say it will cut down on voter fraud.

The bill passed by 99-52 vote.

It needs to be approved by the Senate once more before it goes on to the governor.

Meghann McGinnis, Missouri Digital News

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Mo. House approves Voter ID bill

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - Missouri's representatives voted and approved the bill that's trying to require Missouri voters to have photo identification when voting.

Representative Stanley Cox sponsors the bill.

Cox says if people try to cheat, they water down others' votes and deny the right to vote.

St. Louis County Representative Stacey Newman spoke against the bill.

She says there's no reason to require Missourians to present photo identification, saying that there has not been "one instance of documented voter fraud in Missouri. Not one instance."

Newman says voter impersonation is similar to the issue of voter fraud.

She says she doesn't know how a cartoon, dead person, or a pet can actually show up to vote because it doesn't happen and it never will.

Kyle Tons, Missouri Digital News

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Missouri Senate passes bill to reduce size of House

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - The Missouri Senate passed a bill that would eliminate 60 state Representatives after the next census. The bill would cut the number of Representatives from 163 to 103.

According to bill sponsor and St. Louis County Republican Senator Jim Lembke, Missouri has the fourth-largest House in the country.

Lembke says downsizing will save money and provide a more efficient government.

"This is about having a manageable statehouse and across state government, making changes that would save taxpayers money. This would save taxpayers about five million dollars a year," Lembke says.

Opponents of the bill say cutting Representatives would cause leaders to be less in touch with their constituents.

Republican Clay Senator LuAnn Ridgeway says this reduction would harm the relationship between Representatives and their constituents.

"In this time of term limits, we need to keep our representatives as close to the people as possible. By diluting the number of representatives, and increasing the number of people they would representative, it is of necessity that it would be harder to stay in touch with the people," Ridgeway said.

If the Houses were to pass the bill, the decrease in House size would not take place until after current members are term-limited out of office.

The idea of cutting the size of the House has been around for years, but typically stalls in the House.

Meghann Mollerus, Missouri Digital News

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GOP supermajority splinters in Mo. Senate

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - The top Democrat in Missouri's House says the standoff within the Republican supermajority is slowing down important legislation.

Mike Talboy watched as Missouri's legislature fractured.

The House's Republican leaders decided not to have floor debate on Monday, saying there's nothing to do.

Talboy says he's never seen that before.

"It's disappointing that we get to some sort of standoff where we decide that we're going to adjourn early. It is what it is at this point," Talboy said.

In what House Republicans portrayed as a snub, they say their counterparts in the Senate refused to work out differences over redrawing district lines.

Because of that, House Republican leader Tim Jones says there's nothing for the House to do on Monday.

"If the Senate had responded to our request on the redistricting map, we would very likely have had something to do," Jones said.

Both chambers have confined St. Louis City to a single district, eliminating Russ Carnahan's seat. Regardless, rural Senate Republicans are complaining about the way the redistricting lines are drawn.

Senate Republicans have also stalled a measure to give tax breaks to businesses who create jobs.

The same with allowing Ameren Missouri to charge ratepayers to build a second nuclear power plant...

...Spending nearly $190 million in federal funds for education...

...And accepting a quarter-billion dollars in stimulus money.

Lawmakers have less than a month, until May 13, to pass these measures.

Two high-profile bills, extending unemployment benefits and rolling back dog breeding restrictions, have already passed.

Theo Keith, Missouri Digital News

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Domestic violence victim speaks on state Capitol lawn

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - A victim of domestic violence brought her story to the state Capitol lawn to urge lawmakers to strengthen domestic violence laws.

For Carol Cromer, she says life with her husband was a nightmare.

Before his suicide, he stalked her every move.

He sent her threatening messages.

He even set fire to her car and to her home.

"It had been five very long years of living in constant fear. It had consumed my life so long, that I was unsure of what it would be like to live life normally again," Cromer said.

She says keeping him behind bars was nearly impossible as he would place bond everytime.

"These individuals are incapable of changing their own lives," she said. "They do not value their own lives. Therefore expecting them to value someone else's life is incomprehensible and ignores the possiblity of a potentially fatal outcome."

Earlier in the week, the Missouri House referred a bill to committee that would ban people found guilty of a domestic violence crime from possesing guns.

Attorney General Chris Koster says he is pushing for comprehensive legislation to strengthen domestic violence laws.

Elizabeth Hagedorn, Missouri Digital News

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Redistricting plan would split Jefferson County between 3 Congresspeople

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - As part of the House's redistricting proposal, Missourians in Jefferson County would be represented by three different members of Congress.

The Senate has failed to vote on the House's redistricting plan because of opposition by several Missouri Senators.

Most opposing Senators say the Republican Senate's plan is a better alternative than the Republican House's. But Democratic Jefferson County Senator Ryan McKenna says he opposes both plans.

"For my county to be the only county in the State now to have three congressmen and women is a hard pill for me to swallow," McKenna said.

Republican Senator Bill Stouffer says this is one time politics should be put aside.

"This map doesn't have a chance to go through this body," Stouffer said.

Senators must come to a decision by the end of the day Monday for the Governor to have to act on the plan before they adjourn for the year.

Andrew Weil, Missouri Digital News

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Mo. House passes unemployment benefit legislation

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - Governor Nixon's signature is all that's left before 10,000 Missourians get their unemployment benefits restored. The Missouri House sent legislation to the governor to extend unemployment benefits by a vote of 138 to 13.

The bill came from the Senate where a Republican filibuster had held it up for weeks.

The delay made benefits expire on April 2 for 10,000 long-term unemployed Missourians.

Republican Representative Barney Fisher from Western Missouri says it was time for the bill to reach the governor.

"We had to accept them really and concur in what the Senate did. I don't think their changes were drastic. I think they were reasonable and it was time to pass that bill and get it to the governor," Fisher said.

Democrat leader Mike Talboy says the House needed to pass the bill or fear "sending this over to, whether there called the four horsemen of the apocalypse or as I've dubbed them, the lunatic fringe," Talboy said.

Future unemployed Missourians will see their benefits cut by six weeks, a concession the House made to the Senate.

Governor Nixon's spokesman says the bill will now go under an "expidited review process."

Brian Bondus, Missouri Digital News

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Redistricting map passes Senate committee

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - The conflict between urban and rural interests took center stage in the re-districting debate.

The Senate redistricting committee passed the House-proposed map by a vote of 4-3.

Citizens and Senators voiced their concerns over the new map.

Senator Robin Wright-Jones voted against the map. She says Blacks outside of St. Louis and Kansas City would lose their voice in Congress.

“I see that the two Democratic districts are both basically skewed to the eastern or western sides of the state,” Wright-Jones said.

Others say the map would combine too many urban and rural areas. Lafayette county resident Kay Hoflander says the map will dilute the interests of her rural county.

Under the proposed map Lafayette and two other rural counties will be included in a congressional district with urban Kansas City.

But Senate Committee Chair Scott Rupp says it will be difficult to make everyone happy with the map.

“When you have to find the population you're gonna have to share some of the urban and suburban areas where the people are,” Rupp said.

The Committee Chair says the close vote out of his committee means the bill could meet hard opposition on the Senate floor.

Megan McGinnis, Missouri Digital News

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Missouri House recommends axing Carnahan's district

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - The Missouri House Redistricting Committee passed a map that would eliminate Democrat Russ Carnahan's congressional seat in St. Louis.

Republican committee chairman John Diehl proposed the map that looks very similar to the one passed in the Senate on Monday.

"Everybody's criticizing it, but nobody can show you anything better. So it's probably a pretty good map," Diehl said. "And I think the fact that the Senate and the Democrats came up with a map that's only about two percent different than this one ... I think tells you we are probably pretty close to the right answer."

Democratic Representatives Penny Hubbard and Jamilah Nasheed from St. Louis both served on the committee and voted for the new map.

Even though St. Louis lost a district, Nasheed says it will strengthen the city.

"It should be one, because the city of St. Louis is polarized right now. I think now is the time to be able to do away with the polarization in the city of St. Louis and I think this will help," Nasheed said

The only "no" vote came from Crystal City Democrat Ron Casey, who's from the congressional district that's going away.

Diehl's map will now go to the House floor.

Brian Bondus, Missouri Digital News

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Health care resolution passes Mo. House Rules Committee

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - A resolution dealing with the legitimacy of the Federal Health Care bill passed a Missouri House Rules Committee. It will now be sent to the House.

The resolution requests Missouri's Governor and Attorney General to write a letter to President Obama.

Supporters want Obama to hurry-up the Federal Supreme Court decision of the constitutionality of his health care overhaul.

Republican Representative David Day says he supports the resolution because it helps relay a message from voters to the President.

"I would like to think that any President would listen to what people are saying and I'll certainly give him the benefit of the doubt on that, so I'm hoping, if it reaches him, if we get that far with it, he'll at least give it some thought," Day said.

Day says he expects the resolution to pass the House floor.

The resolution passed through committee with a seven-to-four vote. All four votes in opposition from the bill came from Democratic representatives.

Kyle Tons, Missouri Digital News

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House passes amendment to cut Governor's travel money

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - The Missouri House passed an amendment stripping the Governor's office of additional travel funds.

House Budget Chairman Ryan Silvey has criticized the governor for charging his travel to other state agencies and supported the effort Tuesday to make more cuts to the governor's budget.

"We have got a pretty simple choice here," Silvey said. "Do we let the governor continue flying around excessively on a state plane or do we help kids in inner-city St. Louis who need a leg up?"

Democratic St. Louis City Representative Jamilah Nasheed offered the amendment which would take money from the governor's travel budget to a dropout prevention program in St. Louis.

Nasheed's amendment along with the rest of Missouri's budget passed.

The Governor's office said Nixon would give the proposals a fair review, as Nixon himself visited the St. Louis area.

Jordan Shapiro, Missouri Digital News

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Ex-teacher in the Mo. House argues to end teacher tenure

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - St. Charles County Representative Scott Dieckhaus (R) was a teacher for four years, one short of gaining tenure under Missouri's current system.

But now, four years later, he's a politician fighting to eliminate teacher tenure for K-12 education in Missouri.

Missouri State Teacher's Association spokesman Todd Fuller says the organization is fully against their former member's bill.

"As an association, we have been opposed to the bill in its form that focuses on teacher tenure since it's inception," Fuller said.

Fuller says currently teacher tenure is not a guarantee teachers will stay in their positions if they're not doing their job.

Dieckhaus' bill would also change the way teachers get paid: it would require yearly reviews based on the performance of their students on standardized tests.

Dieckhaus says the aim of this legislation is to ensure only the best teachers are in Missouri's classrooms.

Allison Blood, Missouri Digital News

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Mo . House passes late-term abortion restrictions

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - According to a bill passed by the House, women no longer would be able to get abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy without a second doctor's opinion.

Under the bill, women still would be able to get an abortion if a second doctor gives approval for the procedure.

Doctors may be fined if they perform the procedure without a second opinion.

During the debate, Republican Representative John McCaherty said it is important to remember the restrictions of the bill apply only women who are over 20 weeks pregnant.

"At five months, my goodness, if you can't make a decision in five months, then there's more of a problem there than just the will to have an abortion," McCaherty says.

Some opponents of the bill argued it may be difficult for women of rural areas to access a second doctor, especially in the event of a medical emergency.

Others, like St. Louis Democratic Representative Tishuara Jones, spoke in opposition of any government control over a woman's decision.

"Get your hands out of my belly," Jones says. "Get them out, because this bill criminalizes the doctor-patient relationship and it tells women what to do with their bodies and their children."

Despite Jones's opinion, supporters of the bill said a fetus is considered viable at 20 weeks and therefore is a child.

Meghann Mollerus, Missouri Digital News

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Missouri House passes six gun bills

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - Pro-gun sentiments surrounded Missouri's House as they passed six bills relaxing regulations on firearms.

Lawmakers approved a package of gun bills after more than an hour of debate. Most of the debate focused on a plan to lower the legal age to carry a concealed weapon from 23 to 21.

Cass County Republican Representative Rick Brattin says it's important to protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Missourians.

"It is our responsibility as legislators to make sure that the people have that right and the ability to access arms," Brattin says.

The bill also allows legislative staff members to carry concealed firearms in the statehouse. Elected officials already have this right.

Callaway County Republican Representative Jeannie Riddle sponsored the bill. She says staff members should have the same rights as the lawmakers they work for.

"This bill deals with law abiding citizens to protect their God-given, constitution-guaranteed right," Riddle says.

The Capitol has no security in place to enforce any type of weapons ban.

Helena Kooi, Missouri Digital News

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