Senators stop state insurance board vote

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - Three senators stopped the vote of a state insurance board over implementing $21 million to set up President Barack Obama's federal health care plan in Missouri.

During a committee meeting Senators discovered that a similar meeting was happening among members of a state insurance board.

The Missouri Health Insurance Pool planned to vote on beginning the implementation process of Obama's health care plan, a process Republican Senator Jim Lembke of St. Louis says he feels cuts Senators out of the process.

"What we asked them to do was just slow down the process, we're trying to work through this in the legislature through hearings and have the opportunity to have discussions with the second floor," Lembke said.

After hearing from the senators behind closed doors, MHIP says it will not vote today.

Stacey Kafka, Missouri Digital News

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Crowell adamantly against special session

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - Republican Senator Crowell made it very clear during Tuesday's special session four hour debate that he had no problem ignoring Governor Nixon.

Crowell's animated antics sparked a historical special session debate the capitol has not seen in many years.

The senator expressed his adamant opposition of Governor Nixon's legislative maneuvering.

"The governor's not my dad and I don't live under his rules," Crowell said. "This is crazy! This is unbelievable! We have never had a governor try to tell on such a micro-level what the senate can do on such a variety of topics."

Crowell stressed democracy cannot be micromanaged and it is repugnant to the state's very ideals to do so.

He was also worried the governor's actions might turn Missouri into a monarchy.

Jessi Turnune, 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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First health insurance exchange hearing held in Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, MO (KCUR) - A Missouri Senate committee tasked with drafting recommendations for a state health exchange held the first of at least three statewide hearings in Kansas City on Tuesday.

Exchanges are new organizations under the federal health law, intended to provide a more organized and competitive market for buying health insurance.

But yesterday’s hearing wrestled with the very notion of developing one in Missouri.

The eight-member committee focused the majority of the nearly four and a half hour, packed hearing, on asking the state’s Insurance Director and Attorney General about the legalities of an exchange, what kind of role the federal government would have in one, and how an exchange would actually work.

Senate committee member Jane Cunningham worried that creating an exchange would weaken Missouri’s and other state’s legal challenges to the federal health law, and its requirement that people buy health insurance. But Attorney General Chris Koster said, "I don’t think that however the legislature decides to move will affect the outcome of the case."

Koster also said if an exchange does not require people to buy coverage in it, then it doesn’t appear to violate proposition C – that’s the legislation that prohibits insurance mandates in the state. At least two others hearings are scheduled next month for Columbia and Jefferson City.

Elana Gordon, KCUR

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Crowell not running for office after he leaves Senate

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - Republican Senator Jason Crowell says he is not going to run for elected office after his current term ends in the Missouri Senate.

Crowell will be forced out of office due to term limits next year. For the time being, he says he will focus on his personal life.

"I’m getting married October 15 and Kasey and I are going to start our life together," Crowell says. "And that life together does not include any kind of elected office. I’ve been very, very honored to serve Southeast Missouri in both the Missouri House and the Missouri Senate. But what I want to do next is to be the best husband that I possibly can be and God willing a father and focus on raising a family."

Crowell has served in the Missouri Senate since first winning election in 2004, representing Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Madison, Mississippi, Perry and Scott Counties.

He was elected to the Missouri House of Representative in 2000 and 2002.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

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New Mo. Senate committee to look at legality of health exchanges

Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Rob Mayer has created a Senate Interim Committee on Health Insurance Exchanges.

At question is the legality of Missouri creating its own health insurance exchange in order to meet federal health overhaul law requirements.

Missouri voters passed Proposition C last August, which blocked the government from requiring individuals to purchase health care.

Mayer, a Republican from Dexter, says that the committee is a response to concerns about federal law.

“I, along with many other state Senators, have some concerns that complying with the federal law and creating a health insurance exchange, could be and would be in violation of state law,” Mayer said.

The interim committee consists of four Republicans and two Democrats. Mayer says that they will begin work within two or three weeks.

Jacob McCleland, KRCU

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Mo. Senate approves conceal and carry bill

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - With only a few days left in the 2011 session, Missouri's Senate voted to give legislative staff the right to pack pistols in the Capitol.

Democratic St. Louis Senator Joseph Keaveny voted against the bill and says he would advise his staff against taking part in the program.

"People act irrationally sometimes and that's a mistake that you'll pay for for a long long time," Keaveny said.

Republican Washington Senator Brian Nieves said he would absolutely support his staff packing heat.

"I think it's good for citizens to be able to protect themselves, law-abiding citizens to protect themselves when they want to," Nieves said.

The bill now goes to the House.

Andrew Weil, Missouri Digital News

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Mo. House approves Local Control bill

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - A deal on local control is working its way through Missouri's legislature, 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.

A deal has to happen this week before the end of the legislative session.

Theo Keith, Missouri Digital News

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Mo. Legislature passes budget

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (KRCU) - The Missouri legislature passed next year's budget which cuts higher education spending, but not as much as originally proposed by the governor.

Missouri lawmakers passed the $23 billion budget which includes a 5.4 percent cut to Missouri's colleges and universities.

Republican St. Louis County Senator Jim Lembke spoke out against areas of the budget where he saw increases in spending.

"Except in a very few like higher education, the bill that we will be going to next where they took a pretty heft cut on top of a cut that they took last year," Lembke said.

Lembke says it’s the legislators responsibility to be the fiscal stewards for Missourians.

The budget now goes to the governor.

Andrew Weil, 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. Senate committee dives head-first into concussion legislation

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - The man who saved Super Bowl 34 for the St. Louis Rams urged Missouri lawmakers Tuesday to protect young football players from concussions.

Mike Jones says many athletes come back before they're ready.

"A lot of times young people are out there, they might have an injury and they might want to go back out there or their parents may not understand the significance of their injuries," Jones said. "We need this bill right here to help them support what they are doing and and understand exactly what's out there."

Jones was one of dozens to testify on the bill.

The bill protects athletes by creating a waiting time after suffering a head injury and requiring a physician to approve the athlete's return to play.

Opponents have concerns about enforcement and liability issues.

St Louis County's Democratic Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal says she thinks individual school districts should determine the rules for athletes and the legislation opens up schools to lawsuits.

"As a schoolboard member in my other capacity I see potential for liability to go back to the school district and I am not too sure if we want our insurance rates to go continuously up," she said.

A committee vote may on it as soon as today.

Emily Kissee, 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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Missouri Senate passes prayer in school legislation

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL MEDIA) - A Missouri Senate Committee unanimously passed legislation to allow prayer in public schools and government buildings on Tuesday.

For four years in a row the legislation has made it to the Senate floor, but died there every time.

St. Louis City Democrat Robin Wright-Jones says she has no problem with people praying anywhere.

Wright-Jones voted for the bill in committee and says she does not see any Democratic opposition this year.

"There's just the eight of us and two of us voted for it. I think the others are Roman Catholic men so I don't think they would have a problem, but I don't know for sure," Wright-Jones said.

The House has already passed the bill and the bill's sponsor says he is very optimistic the Senate will pass it too.

Brian Bondus, 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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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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Mo. Senate passes late-term abortion bill

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - Following a similar House vote just weeks ago, Missouri Senators passed a bill banning abortions after 20 weeks unless the fetus is determined non-viable by two physicians.

The bill would prevent women from getting a late-term abortion if a fetus is determined viable.

If a physician says the fetus is not viable, the doctor must get a second opinion of another physician before performing the abortion.

Dexter Republican Senator and bill sponsor Rob Mayer has been working for years on late-term abortion legislation.

"We were very pleased it was third read and passed out of the Senate. It makes sure, in most cases, viable children are saved from abortion," Mayer said.

Jackson County Democratic Senator Jolie Justus said lawmakers should not be involved in a woman's decision whether to carry to term a fetus that has a fatal abnormality or has already died.

"What they are doing is basically interfering with the practice of medicine by passing this bill, because this is a decision doctors should be making with their families, and we should not be interfering with that here in the legislature," Justus said.

Despite Justus's opinion, the bill passed 27 to 5 with no floor debate.

Meghann Mollerus, Missouri Digital News

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Unemployment benefits hinge on Missouri Senate Republicans

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - Filibustering Republicans in the Missouri Senate gave Governor Jay Nixon an ultimatum: send back some federal stimulus money to end the filibuster or continue to keep the money and risk termination of unemployment benefits on Saturday.

Senators Jim Lembke and Brian Nieves found ways to cut 300 of the 570 million stimulus dollars allotted to Missouri from the indebted federal government.

The senators say they will compromise and let the benefits extension pass to a floor vote if the governor cuts certain projects.

Nieves cites a $22 million study of high speed rails as an unnecessary project. He says it's up to the governor to decide what's more important.

"So, what needs to happen here is the governor needs to decide whether or not these ridiculous pet projects are more important than these Missouri families," Nieves said.

Saint Joseph Senator Rob Schaaf is also a filibustering Republican Senator.

He says he's doing so because of the irresponsible federal spending that's put the country in debt.

"The federal government is spending us into oblivion. They're putting our children and grandchildren in deep debt and they're essentially enslaving their futures for many years," Schaaf said.

Senator Lembke says they've extended the olive branch. The governor has yet to meet with the Senators.

Kyle Toms, Missouri Digital News

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Mo. Senate considers eliminating teacher tenure

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (MISSOURI DIGITAL NEWS) - The elimination of teacher tenure is a possibility with its inclusion in another bill heard by a Missouri Senate Committee.

Another bill eliminating teacher tenure was debated as a solution to bring up Missouri's K-12 test scores.

St. Louis County Represenative Jane Cunningham is the sponsor of this bill and says teacher tenure along with teacher evaluations and performance based pay are all possible solutions to better teaching methods.

However, Mike Wood of the Missouri State Teacher Association says performance based pay is ridiculous.

"To put teachers across the hallway in competition with each other for increases of salary at their expense just doesn't lend itself to being conducive in a learning environment," Wood said.

On the other hand, Cunningham says she has more good faith in teachers.

"What a deregatory statement to a professional," Cunningham countered. "To say a difference in pay would make them so they are so jealous they can't work together for the betterment of a child. I'm embarrassed by a statement like that."

The committee took no vote on the bill, with just five weeks left.

Sherman Fabes, Missouri Digital News

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