February 2003 Stories

2/21/2003: News summary for the week of February 24, 2003
2/27/2003: Newspaper Story - Columbia's representatives had little to say in response to a report that Sen. Ken Jacob, D-Columbia, pushed legislation for personal reasons. Jacob's recent provision, added onto a Senate bill, would place restrictions on water service shutoffs. His amendment came after his own water service was shut off for nonpayment.
2/27/2003: Newspaper Story - Missouri's House Speaker said she is considering subpoening administration officials to investigate possible threats to fire state department employees for discussing budget ideas with legislators.
2/27/2003: Newspaper Story - After publicly threatening education budget cuts if he did not get his way from the legislature, Gov. Bob Holden chose to make his final budget withholdings in private, at the end of the day, as state offices were being closed.
2/26/2003: Newspaper Story - A measure to limit awards in liability lawsuits -- long backed by corporations and doctors -- won preliminary approval in Missouri's House Wednesday.
2/26/2003: Radio Story - The bill would place a $350,000 limit on malpractice lawsuit awards.
2/26/2003: Newspaper Story - The Senate voted Tuesday to prohibit St. Louis and other city and state governments from suing gun manufacturers due to negligent sales and distribution.
2/26/2003: Newspaper Story - A House appropriations committee voted to eliminate the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides coverage to about 80,000 Missouri children.
2/25/2003: Radio Story - The House gave first round approval to a bill that makes the certification process for teachers easier.
2/25/2003: Newspaper Story - Missouri's House votes to give teachers life-time certification.
2/25/2003: Radio Story - The Senate gives initial clearance to a bill that would prohibit state and local government from suing gun manufacturers.
2/25/2003: Newspaper Story - Missouri would get $76 million in federal funds to help bring the stae into compliance with federal requirements.
2/25/2003: Newspaper Story - A Missouri House Committee heard testimonies on Tuesday on a bill that would prohibit discrimination against citizens with service animals.
2/24/2003: Newspaper Story - Former budget director James Moody says Missouri's budget problems are set to grow "exponentially" worse unless radical steps are taken.
2/24/2003: Radio Story - Newly elected governors may have to disclose who pays for thier inauguarl celebrations under a bill the house gave primary approval to.
2/24/2003: Newspaper Story - The Senior Care and Protection Act, sponsored by Senate Pres Pro Tem Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, would target nursing homes with a history of violations while loosening regulations on homes that have repeatedly demonstrated good conditions.
2/24/2003: Newspaper Story - The Commission on Children's Justice is searching for solutions to the juvenile justice system problems by forming small working groups. The commission's preliminary findings will be published in a report due out by March 28.
2/21/2003: News summary for the week of February 17, 2003
2/20/2003: Newspaper Story - Lawmakers and businesses owners are blaming high workers' compensation costs for job loss, but some say restricting workers' compensation claims will only hurt workers.
2/20/2003: Newspaper Story - In what amounts to a political alumni association, several state House members have formed the University of Missouri Caucus.
2/19/2003: Newspaper Story - Missouri lawmakers were told Wednesday they have a role to play in the nation's fight against fat. The Senate Committee on Public Health had a public hearing for a bill Wednesday that might not have an immediate affect on our waistlines, but would try to help us understand how they got so big in the first place and suggest ways we can get our pants to fit again.
2/19/2003: Newspaper Story - The House Education Appropriations Committee cut $107.9 million from primary and secondary education, while taking only $3.7 million from higher education for fiscal year 2004.
2/19/2003: Radio Story - A house bill would increase fees for DWI treatment.
2/19/2003: Radio Story - Senate proposes issuing general revenue bonds instead of using tobacco settlement money.
2/19/2003: Newspaper Story - Missouri's Senate agreed to go along with a House plan limiting the amount of borrowed money the governor could use this fiscal year at $150 million
2/18/2003: Newspaper Story - Lawmakers hear bills to allow citizens to carry hidden pistols.
2/18/2003: Radio Story - A Senate committe has sent the House's $150 million compromise on borrowing from tobacco settlement funds to the Senate floor.
2/18/2003: Newspaper Story - February 28 is the last day for seniors to apply for SenioRx drug prescription program.
2/18/2003: Newspaper Story - Insurance premium rates would nearly double for UM faculty and staff under a bill presented to the Senate Ways and Means Committee
2/18/2003: Radio Story - Jon Dolan says an inspector general would do the job
2/18/2003: Newspaper Story - A veteran senator is looking for a way to education freshman legislators faster.
2/18/2003: Newspaper Story - With a more conservative and Republican-controlled legislature, anti-abortion forces are proposing several new restrictions on abortion rights in Missouri.
2/17/2003: Newspaper Story - Rep. Vicky Riback Wilson, D-Columbia, is co-sponsoring a bill that would require health insurers to treat mental health care in the same way they treat other illnesses. Thirty states have enacted similar legislation. The bill is one of a number of measures before the legislature that would place minimum requirements on health insurers for certain illnesses.
2/17/2003: Newspaper Story - New House budget chairman seeks fiscal reform
2/17/2003: Radio Story - The House does not include proposed taxes in revenue estimates. So, the spending cutbacks are higher than the Governor's estimates, which include the proposed taxes.
2/14/2003: News summary for the week of February 10, 2003
2/13/2003: Radio Story - Gov. Bob Holden urges the Senate to increase the size of the debt approveed by the House to salvage the education budget.
2/13/2003: Newspaper Story - Higher and lower education stand to lose a combined $119 million in appropriations for next year under spending caps imposed Thursday by the House budget chairman.
2/13/2003: Newspaper Story - A late-night compromise between House leaders and governor leads to approval of $150 million in tobacco money.
2/12/2003: Newspaper Story - The Missouri House will consider a bill placing penalties on spam e-mail. The bill includes an exemption for state-licensed businesses.
2/12/2003: Newspaper Story - Seal criminal records after ten years
2/12/2003: Newspaper Story - In a party line vote, the House approves less than half the governor's request for tobacco money
2/11/2003: Newspaper Story - House gives initial approval to Classroom Trust Fund
2/11/2003: Newspaper Story - Internet service providers urged lawmakers to reject a plan that would exempt Southwestern Bell's Internet service from state regulation.
2/11/2003: Radio Story - House gives first round approval to Classroom Trust Fund.
2/11/2003: Newspaper Story - Disabled adults who receive state dollars to pay for personal care attendants are concerned that lawmakers will cut funding for the program.
2/10/2003: Radio Story - Holden says Republicans need to agree to more spending from tobacco settlement fund this fiscal year.
2/10/2003: Newspaper Story - The Governor and Republican legislators have agreed to half the budget riddle, but are still $162 million apart
2/ 7/2003: News summary for the week of February 3, 2003
2/ 6/2003: Newspaper Story - The state Department of Insurance released a plan Thursday to reform the state's medical malpractice industry.
2/ 6/2003: Newspaper Story - Two seats on the University of Missouri Board of Curators will be vacant due to Senate Republicans' refusal to approve Gov. Bob Holden's nominees. The Senate did not act on the January nominations of Democrat Don Walsworth and Republican Cheryl Walker, which had an approval deadline of Feb. 8.
2/ 6/2003: Newspaper Story - Sharice Stanley was one of eight people who testified Wednesday in front of the House Health Care Policy Committee, which was examining a bill that would require physicians to meet with patients at least 24 hours before performing an abortion. The House and Senate are considering nearly identical bills that would require a doctor-patient meeting to discuss potential physical and emotional side effects.
2/ 5/2003: Newspaper Story - A bill to create a state-wide system for abduction alerts moved closer to becoming state law Wednesday. The Senate gave preliminary approval to the bill, which would establish the "Alert Missouri System."
2/ 5/2003: Radio Story - Republicans in the house and senate sponsor a bill that would make the marketplace safer for small investors.
2/ 5/2003: Newspaper Story - Missouri's House responded to complaints from law enforcement officials that 20 hours is not enough time to charge arrested individuals. Some officials, however, feel that a citizen's civil liberties could be violated with the proposed 30 hour cap.
2/ 5/2003: Radio Story - Lawmakers in the House gave first round approval to a bill that would extend the time law enforcement can hold a suspect in custody without charging them.
2/ 5/2003: Radio Story - A house commitee heard from supporters and opponents of a bill that would establish a 24-hour waiting period before an abortion.
2/ 4/2003: Radio Story - The GOP plan calls for spending $100 million in tobacco funds, along with $250 million in other savings. Gov. Holden says he'll consider the plan.
2/ 4/2003: Radio Story - Current exemptions for federally regulated businesses and home-based companies would be a thing of the past under new legislation.
2/ 4/2003: Newspaper Story - Proposed changes to Missouri's no-call law was reviewed by the House Commerce, Energy and Technology Committee
2/ 4/2003: Newspaper Story - Lawmakers are taking measures to reduce health insurance costs by looking into which state mandates should be kept, omitted or changed.
2/ 4/2003: Newspaper Story - Republicans announce a different plan to fill $350 million budget shortfall.
2/ 3/2003: Radio Story - Tobacco companies spend $330 million on marketing and promotion yet state spends nothing on anti-smoking campaigns.
2/ 3/2003: Radio Story - Some Lawmakers met with representatives of Missouri's juvenile justice system.
2/ 3/2003: Newspaper Story - Funding for higher education and K-12 may be cut to solve the state's estimated $1 billion budget deficit, House and Senate education committee chairs say.
2/ 3/2003: Newspaper Story - Anti-tobacco critics question Missouri's use of the tobacco settlement to close its budget shortfall