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NewsBook: Missouri Government News for Week of February 12, 2001

 

. Committee approves half-million dollar increase for UM System over Holden's proposed budget (02/15/01)
JEFFERSON CITY - The House Education Appropriations Committee handed the University of Missouri System a $458.5 million budget, a 3.7 percent increase over last year and $550,000 more than Missouri Gov. Bob Holden included in his proposed budget.

Budgets for other public colleges and universities were also funded at or above Holden's proposed level.

  • Get the newspaper story
    . As Senate leader, Kinder emerges as a passionate conservative (02/15/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Passion is a word many who know him use to describe the Missouri Senate's new top leader -- and an emerging figure in the state Republican party.

    Until just a short time ago, that passion was described somewhat negatively by his critics as the dogged singlemindedness of a conservative idealogue.

    But with his father's death last summer and his election as president pro tem, the top post of the Senate, collegues -- including even one of his harshest critics -- say Peter Kinder has tempered that drive and seasoned it with compassion.

  • Get the newspaper story
    . A couple of St. Louis senators are not batty over the idea of the Cardinals leaving the city of St. Louis (02/15/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The president of the Cardinals is asking the General Assembly to help work out a way the team could move to the suburbs.

    That idea is not good for the public according to St. Louis Sen. Pat Dougherty.

  • Get the radio story.
    . Auditor: Dogs at risk because state regulation of breeders "is ineffective" (02/15/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Regulation of commercial dog breeders in Missouri "is ineffective," with lax regulations and "spotty inspections" raising questions about the health and safety of thousands of dogs, according to a report state auditors released Thursday.

    Saying she was concerned about potential conflicts of interest within the Missouri Division of Animal Health, Auditor Claire McCaskill reported that inspectors had not sanctioned a single dog breeder during a recent two year period.

    A third of all commercial dog breeders licensed in the U.S. are located in Missouri.

  • Get the radio story.

  • Get the newspaper story
    . House approves lowering the legal BAC to .08 (02/15/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The House approved lowering Missouri's legal blood alcohol content to .08 on Thursday, voting 136-19 in favor of the perennial proposal sponsored by Rep. Craig Hosmer, D-Springfield.

    Attention now moves to the Senate, where a similar measure has languished for more than a week, with opponents arguing that the legislation fails to address recidivism among those previously convicted of drunken driving.

    If enacted, Missouri would avoid the loss of millions in federal highway subsidies.

  • Get the newspaper story.
  • Get the roll-call vote.
    . Plan would give 25 percent of tobacco settlement to education (02/14/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Sen. Ted House, D-St. Charles, wants one-quarter of the state's $6.7 billion tobacco settlement to be distributed to schools on a per student basis.

    Several teacher and school organizations testified in support of the plan.

  • Get the radio story.
    . Bird Appreciation Day passes Senate (02/14/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Sen. Steve Stoll, D-Festus, wants March 21st to be Bird Appreciation Day in Missouri.

    Senators joked about holidays for squirrels and how the plan was an attack on hunting before easily passing the bill.

  • Get the radio story.
    . Passing School Bonds With Simple Majority Is One Step Closer To Law (02/14/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - A resolution to pass school bonds with a simple majority made it through the House Education Committee Wednesday.

    Under current law, school bonds need a four-sevenths majority to pass.

    The next step for the resolution will be to make it through the House of Representatives before it is sent to the Senate.

  • Get the radio story.
    . Anti-Smoking Groups ask for more money from the Missouri Tobacco Settlement (02/14/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Anti-smoking groups called for a bigger share of tobacco settlement funds than recommended by Gov. Bob Holden.

    "This is blood money from tobacco companies," said Alan VanZandt.

  • Get the newspaper story.
    . Billboard industry representatives support limited restrictions on new signs (02/13/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Representatives of Missouri's billboard industry came out in support of a bill to restrict the construction of new signs only months after voters narrowly rejected a proposition that would have banned new roadside signs.

    However opponents charged it amounts to only a temporary cap on the number of billboards.

  • Get the newspaper story.
    . Mathewson resigns transportation committee post (02/13/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Citing his frustration with Republican leaders, state Sen. Jim Mathewson, D-Sedalia, resigned Tuesday from the Senate Transportation Committee.

    Mathewson, a 20-year veteran in the upper chamber, also said he was frustrated with inaction on a bill he sponsored that would raise the state's sales tax rate to pay for transportation projects.

    The bill has been stalled in the transportation committee since the middle of January.

  • Get the newspaper story.
  • Get the radio story.
    . House gives first-approval to .08 bill (02/13/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri's House perfected a bill to lower the state's legal blood alcohol content to .08.

    The bill faces a final vote in the House before it can be sent to the Senate for further debate.

  • Get the radio story.
  • Get the newspaper story.
    . State spending increased by $1 billion despite tight budget (02/12/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The Chamber of Commerce says the state is spending money at a faster rate than the federal government, with expenditures for 2000 up more than $1 billion over 1999.

    The Chamber says they want the legislators to examine spending more thoroughly before increasing taxes.

  • Get the radio story.
    . Prescription drugs may cost less for senior citizens (02/12/01)
    JEFFERSON CITY - House Republicans unveiled a new plan Monday that would give rebates on prescription drugs to more of Missouri's senior citizens. The Republicans said the proposal would not come at taxpayer expense.