NewsBook: Missouri Government News for Week of April 10, 2000

 

. Auditor calls for central registry of abusive care givers. (04/13/00)
JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri Auditor Claire McCaskill called Thursday for the creation of a central registry that contains information about persons disqualified from serving as a care giver to children, the elderly or persons with disabilities.
The database would be available through the Internet and over the telephone. It requires legislative approval.

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. Missouri House Committee calls for new nuclear route (04/13/00)
JEFFERSON CITY - A House Committee approved a resolution Thursday that calls on the federal government to change plans and find another route for nuclear waste slated to pass through Missouri this summer.

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. Equal Rights Amendment takes its first step (04/13/00)
JEFFERSON CITY - A Senate committee approved the Equal Rights amendment in a straight-line party vote. The amendment needs two-thirds of the states to ratify before it can be added to the U.S. Constitution
. Committee hears airport control bill (04/12/00)
JEFFERSON CITY - A week after St. Louis Rep. Quincy Troupe charged racism over a similar proposal, the House Municipal Corporations Committee heard testimony on both sides of a plan to take control of Lambert airport away from the city.

The plan, sponsored by three suburban St. Louis legislators, would create a regional board to govern the airport.

The lobbyist for the airport testified against the bill and residents from several areas surrounding the airport testified for it-- including the mayor of Cool Valley and a black councilman from St. Charles.

But, one the bill's sponsors says there was no strategy in having two black men speak in favor of what has become a racial issue.

  • Get the radio story.
  • Check out HB 1286.
    . House debates ballot date of tobacco trust fund issue (04/12/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Democrats pushed to put the trust fund issue on the November ballot while Republicans debated for August.

    Both parties talked about better voter turn-outs in November, but Republicans questioned possible political motives behind the date.

  • Get the radio story.
  • Check out SB 549.
    . The Senate debate on same sex marriage spawns discussion of legislating morality (04/12/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - After being accused of being a racist last week, Sen. Steve Ehlmann got involved in another hot issue this week.

    Ehlmann proposed an amendment that would make high school health teachers in Missouri add a unit on marriage that uses a male/female couple as the ideal model.

  • Get the radio story.
  • Check out SB 744.
    . House approves equal pay amendment (04/12/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The House approved by voice vote Tuesday a bill that would allow persons who are paid less for the same work to sue in state courts before a jury.

    But some legislators think this opens the door to frivolous lawsuits.

  • Get the newspaper story.
  • Check out HB 1569.
    . House committee passes tougher Sunshine bill (04/12/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The plan to toughen the state's Sunshine Law was made a bit tougher by a House committee Wednesday -- which also added a major loophole for government-owned hospitals.

    The committee removed a Senate-passed provision that would require proof of intent before a public official could be convicted of violating the law.

  • Get the newspaper story.
  • Check out SB 858.
    . House Speaker says he doesn't support House size reduction (04/11/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Steve Gaw says he won't stop the bill from reaching the House floor.

    But, that doesn't mean he supports the plan to reduce the size of the House from 163 to 105.

    He says it isn't fair to rural Representatives.

  • Get the radio story.
  • Check out SJR 53.
    . Bill undergoes slight change for a small compromise (04/11/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The language of Missouri's Eqaul Pay enactment bill caused a brief hold up in the House.

    An amendment was added to change the wording to satisfy everyone.

  • Get the radio story.
  • Check out HB 1569.
    . Legislation that provides Missouri's disabled with telecommunications devices now includes low rate loans (04/11/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Legislation to provide Missouri's disabled with adaptive telecommunications devices improves with an addition from Representative Bill Boucher.

    Boucher's legislation also offers low rate loans for the disabled, utilizing a federal matching program for funding.

  • Get the radio story.
  • Check out SB 721.
    . Lawmakers involved in racism controversy call cease-fire (04/11/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - Rep. Quincy Troupe, D-St. Louis, met with Sen. Steve Ehlmann, R-St. Charles, Tuesday, and agreed a week-long cooling off period would be the best way to proceed before discussing how to address Troupe's allegations of racism.

    Troupe was faced with a legislative slap on the wrist for calling Ehlmann a racist on St. Louis' KMOX-AM last week.

  • Get the newspaper story.
  • Get the radio story.
    . A bill to set up a system for funding a new Cardinals stadium may end up stuck in the on-deck circle (04/11/00)
    JEFFERSON CITY - The bill to set up a commission to start looking at funding of a new St. Louis stadium has one week to get to the House Floor.

    That's according to the co-sponsor of the bill and the chair of the commission that passed the bill.

    Also, one St. Louis county representative is vehemently opposed to the plan.

  • Get the radio story.
  • Check out HB 1357.
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