At at time when higher education is facing appropriation cuts and pondering tuition increases, some lawmakers say those lobbying expenses are a bit excessive.

According to the survey performed by Senate researchers, state public colleges and universities employ at least 16 "legislative liaisons," including seven contract lobbyists at an expense of $831,000 in this fiscal year. The figure does not include colleges that did not respond to the survey.

The University of Missouri System employs three full-time lobbyists at a cost of $296,000, according to the survey.

The coalition filing the initiatives says the tax could generate $300 million per year in revenue. Gov. Bob Holden said he would consider supporting the increase.

Committees from both the Senate and the House met last week for hearings about a bill that would establish the “Electronic Government Services Act.”

Gov. Bob Holden Wednesday signed into law both the House and Senate versions of a bill that clarifies the absence of a statute of limitations for rape, sodomy, attempted rape and attempted sodomy.

Jones said she will no longer be able to afford her medication, which on some months runs as high as $2000, if changes to the state Medicaid policy under Gov. Bob Holden's proposed budget cuts were approved.

The House Education Appropriations Committee accepted Holden's recommendations for higher education funding, including similar 10 percent cuts to the state's other public colleges and universities.

The committee is continuing the markup of both elementary and higher education budgets, where legislators approve expenditures line-by-line. The panel reviewed funding for universities without any changes.

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This mandates all insurance companies who cover health insurance to provide coverage for all children up to 18 years.

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The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education proposed a plan to squeeze money from districts that receive most of their summer school funding from the state.

The proposal will be reviewed by the state school board in three months.

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Holden signed a proclamation that lets legislators tap into the "Rainy Day Fund" to allow the continuation of services, including drug and alcohol abuse treatment, Lupus research support, and Amtrak assistance.

Holden is proposing the use of $135 million, but says there will still be $17 million left in the fund for a natural disaster.

But the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said the governor's proposal was unconstitutional.

Under a new bill, the state would provide a lump sum payment of $150,000 to the survivors of a public safety officer killed while on duty.