September 2003 Stories

9/30/2003: Radio Story - Amtrak unions say they plan to strike Friday if more funding is not pledged.
9/30/2003: Radio Story - Missouri health care officials are waiting for the federal government to start the second phase of small pox vaccinations.
9/30/2003: Radio Story - The Missouri Attorney General is reviewing a court injunction that is ordering the state to reissue dental and eyeglass care to Medicaid patients.
9/30/2003: Radio Story - St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch is endorsing Claire McCaskill for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
9/29/2003: Radio Story - Nursing homes in Missouri must follow strict safety standards.
9/29/2003: Newspaper Story - A loophole in Missouri's anti-telemarketing has allowed charities to make telemarketing calls to homes on the No Call list. A federal judge ruled Thursday that a national bill with this same provision was unconstitutional. Missouri legislators are standing behind the law.
9/26/2003: News summary for the week of September 22, 2003
9/25/2003: Radio Story - State auditors say that weigh stations with predictable hours promote truckers to break the law.
9/25/2003: Radio Story - Missouri law says that most trucks can't weigh more than 80,000 pounds, but State Auditor Claire McCaskill says the Highway Patrol is lax in enforcing the rule.
9/24/2003: Newspaper Story - W.B. "Bart" Tichenor, chief hearing officer for the Missouri Tax Commission, has frustrated county assessors throughout the state by ruling against them in 45 straight cases. Tichenor has ruled in favor of businesses that appeal appraisals of their personal property, which they say has been overvalued. Assessors say Tichenor's rulings are costing local governments tax revenue.
9/24/2003: Radio Story - Represenative Harold Selby says he wants campaign contribution tax to go to schools.
9/24/2003: Radio Story - Democratic Representative Harold Selby introduced a bill during the special session that would place a ten percent tax on campaign contributions. The revenue would help fund public education.
9/24/2003: Newspaper Story - The man whose efforts led to the largest tax increase in the history of Missouri is once again preparing to challenge the constitutionality of Missouri's school funding system. Alex Bartlett is representing more than 200 school districts across the state struggling to find resources in light of cutbacks to education.
9/23/2003: Radio Story - Latest school funding lawsuit aims to challenge school funding on Constitutional 'adequacy' grounds
9/23/2003: Radio Story - Some telemarketing firms say the restrictions will actually help their business.
9/23/2003: Newspaper Story - Doctors groups concerned about rising malpractice insurance premiums are demanding.
9/23/2003: Radio Story - Missouri revenue collections have increased, but state legislators say that this is not enough to cover the budget.
9/23/2003: Radio Story - Officals say the Missouri Art Council has lost all funds and will close in two years without new funding.
9/22/2003: Newspaper Story - Missouri general revenue collections are up 6.1 percent in July and August over the same period last year. Officials say this is does not mark the end of state budget woes.
9/22/2003: Newspaper Story - The Missouri Department of Revenue has announced general revenue in July and August is 6.1 percent greater than the same period last year. However, several government officials have warned this is not the resolution to state budget woes.
9/22/2003: Newspaper Story - Talks between doctors and lawyers ended Friday after three weeks of negotiating legislature that would cap rising malpractice insurance rates
9/22/2003: Radio Story - Party officials name the president's unclue Bucky Bush as campaign chairman.
9/19/2003: News summary for the week of September 15, 2003
9/19/2003: Radio Story - Educators say MAP tests are unequal and modifications need to be made in order to properly test students.
9/18/2003: Radio Story - The House and Senate have successfully legalized concealed weapons and Missouri firearm retailers are focused on what will happen next.
9/18/2003: Radio Story - Illinois and California are trying to import drugs from Canada for state employees and Medicade recipients
9/18/2003: Radio Story - Kansas City authorities are searching for the parents of an abandoned newborn found in a shoe box this week.
9/17/2003: Newspaper Story - Statehouse bathrooms are being renovated for $3 million during budget crisis
9/16/2003: Radio Story - Local gun stores say they have received an increase in phone traffic after lamakers passed the conceal and carry bill.
9/16/2003: Radio Story - The Missouri Municipal League is trying to help cities ban hidden guns in buildings like city hall through a model ordinance.
9/16/2003: Radio Story - A Kansas City court says the new state agency charged with collecting child support doesn't have the legal authority to file new child support cases.
9/15/2003: Radio Story - Florida started conceal and carry trend 16 years ago.
9/15/2003: Radio Story - Missouri follows the trend started by the Florida legislature 16 years ago.
9/12/2003: News summary for the week of September 8, 2003
9/11/2003: Radio Story - With the Senate's override of the Governor's concealed weapons veto, it is now up to the sheriffs' offices to implement the bill.
9/11/2003: Radio Story - Doctors lobbying the Senate couldn't get lawmakers to override Holden's veto of the malpractice reform bill.
9/11/2003: Radio Story - The governor expressed disappointment today over the legislative defeat of his eduation tax plan.
9/11/2003: Radio Story - The governor unveiled Missouri's new anti-terrorism license plate today during a special ceremony.
9/11/2003: Radio Story - Holden's plan to increase funding for education defeated in Senate committee
9/11/2003: Radio Story - The GOP controlled Senate killed the governor's plan for increasing revenue to fund education.
9/10/2003: Radio Story - Doctors and lawyers cannot reach a conclusion on award limits.
9/10/2003: Radio Story - The new concealed weapons law allows anyone over 21 to carry a loaded gun in a car, forcing police to treat every traffic stop as if it's an encounter with an armed driver.
9/10/2003: Radio Story - Republicans are being coy toward whether Sen. Jon Dolan will be arriving for Thursday's session.
9/10/2003: Newspaper Story - While the Missouri State Senate waits for Dolan to return for Cuba, the House voted to override Holden's vetoes on abortion and concealed weapons.
9/ 9/2003: Radio Story - Gov. Bob Holden is asking for the closure of the complicated Geoffrey Loophole to fund education.
9/ 9/2003: Radio Story - Legalizing concealed weapons is one of the most divisive issues that will be discussed at this Wednesday's veto session.
9/ 9/2003: Radio Story - Republican lawmakers consider legalizing concealed weapons a top priority.
9/ 9/2003: Radio Story - GOP leaders say they'll try to force through a bill putting new limits on every type of civil suit.
9/ 9/2003: Radio Story - At least one democratic lawmaker threatens to use filibuster any vote to overide Gov. Bob Holden's veto of a bill that requires waiting period for abortion.
9/ 9/2003: Radio Story - Republican leaders are hoping to overturn as many as seven of Gov. Holden's vetos.
9/ 8/2003: Newspaper Story - Both chambers of the Missouri General Assembly convened at noon today in the State Capitol. Only a few bills were introduced.
9/ 8/2003: Radio Story - As the special session gets underway, lawmakers consider raising taxes on business to boost funding for elementary and secondary education.
9/ 8/2003: Radio Story - Several Democrats are expected to break with party lines when they again support a bill that Gov. Bob Holden vetoed.
9/ 8/2003: Newspaper Story - On the same day as Missouri lawmakers met for a special session, the Department of Education sent a poll to school superintendents across the state to support Holden's statements.
9/ 8/2003: Newspaper Story - Guards and bomb sniffing dogs no longer line the Capitol entrance
9/ 8/2003: Newspaper Story - Gov. Holden has proposed eliminating the so-called "Geoffrey Loophole," which allows some corporations doing business in Missouri to not pay income taxes. Republicans say Holden will drive away business.
9/ 5/2003: News summary for the week of September 1, 2003
9/ 5/2003: Newspaper Story - An info-box of the 26 non-budget bills the governor vetoed that will be before the Sept. 10 veto session of the legislature.
9/ 4/2003: Radio Story - The State Chamber of Commerce is launching an effort against Governor Holden's latest tax proposal.
9/ 3/2003: Newspaper Story - Repeal of local school dependence on the local property tax was one of the issues raised by the chairman of a special legislative committee that began Tuesday reviewing school financing.
9/ 3/2003: Newspaper Story - Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Peter Kinder alleged that Democratic candidates Bekki Cook and Ken Jacob had higher aspirations behind their run for Lieutenant Governor.
9/ 3/2003: Newspaper Story - Republicans condemned Gov. Bob Holden's proposal to close four corporate tax loopholes. The plan would earn more than $40 million in revenue for public schools. However, Republicans oppose such tax increases and question why Holden withdrew $197 million from funds appropriated for education.
9/ 2/2003: Radio Story - A newly formed education committee met Wednesday to tackle Missouri's Foundation Formula
9/ 2/2003: Radio Story - Half of school districts aren't meeting their targets for improving students' test scores.