Chris Blank

Originally from southeastern Wisconsin, he is a print journalism and history student at the University of Missouri.

Stories by Chris Blank include:

5/14/2005: Newspaper Story - The special session called by the governor to discuss unpassed anti-abortion issue illustrated a split in the Republican majority--fiscal versus social conservatives.
5/12/2005: Newspaper Story - The Senate approved the final version of the school foundation formula early Thursday morning with the House following suit early that afternoon.
5/11/2005: Newspaper Story - The House passed a proposal Wednesday morning to overhaul the school funding formula after debating for more than 10 hours
5/ 5/2005: Newspaper Story - Completing its work one day early, the legislature approved a $19.2 billion budget that cuts more than 90,000 people from Medicaid while increasing funding to the foundation formula by $113 million
5/ 3/2005: Newspaper Story - Blunt's foundation formula proposal drew the support of many suburban legislators who voted against the initial proposal at the expense of rural lawmakers.
5/ 3/2005: Newspaper Story - The budget conference committee restored House appropriations to higher education while curtailing the Medicaid program.
4/28/2005: Newspaper Story - A House committee rejected the proposal to change the state's foundation formula on a 14-9 vote.
4/26/2005: Newspaper Story - The Senate gave final approval to a $40 million cut from the operating budgets of the state's public colleges and universities.
4/21/2005: Newspaper Story - The Senate Appropriations Committee's 5 percent cut to higher education permitted it to reduce some of the Medicaid cuts in the House budget.
4/19/2005: Newspaper Story - A proposed constitutional amendment to limit increases to the state budget was approved by the House Budget Committee.
4/14/2005: Newspaper Story - A Senate filibuster stopped a bill to allow motorcyclists to choose to wear helmets while the House gave final approval to the state budget.
4/13/2005: Newspaper Story - Debating until nearly midnight, the Senate approved a new school foundation formula with a price tag of more than $650 million, if fully-funded.
4/ 7/2005: Newspaper Story - The House passed the Senate's version of a bill that would cut 89,000 people off Medicaid.
4/ 5/2005: Newspaper Story - University officials said a proposed to change to how higher education is funded could hurt colleges.
3/31/2005: Newspaper Story - With only five weeks until it is due, the first draft of the state budget includes cuts to social services and increases to K-12 education.
3/17/2005: Newspaper Story - Following a passionate debate in which Democratic senators questioned the morality of Republicans voting in favor of bill to cut people off Medicaid, the Senate gave final approval to the bill.
3/15/2005: Newspaper Story - The Senate voted along party lines to add an amendment that would end the state Medicaid program in 2008.
3/11/2005: Newspaper Story - A bill that would tighten eligibility to workers' compensation, which some opponents are calling a "hidden tax" is set for a conference committee.
3/ 8/2005: Newspaper Story - Gov. Matt Blunt's hand-picked commission to increase efficiency met for the first time Tuesday morning.
3/ 8/2005: Newspaper Story - The Senate-House joint committee passed its version of a new school foundation formula
3/ 3/2005: Newspaper Story - Hoouse Democrats pushed for a change in fee office contracts to competitive bidding.
3/ 2/2005: Newspaper Story - After an exhaustive legislative battle, the House passed a bill to re-name Southwest Missouri State University as Missouri State University.
3/ 2/2005: Newspaper Story - A joint Senate-House committee expected to vote on a proposal to fix the foundation formula delayed the vote by at least a week
3/ 2/2005: Newspaper Story - A joint Senate-House committee expected to vote on a proposed fix to the formula used to distribute state money to local schools delayed the vote until next week.
3/ 1/2005: Newspaper Story - A joint Senate-House committee expected to vote on a fix to the formula used to distribute state money delayed the vote until next week.
2/24/2005: Newspaper Story - A House committee passed along a partisan line a bill that would limit the workers' compensation program.
2/22/2005: Newspaper Story - Following a contentious House Higher Education Committee hearing on a bill to rename Southwest Missouri State University as Missouri State University, the committee voted 10-1 to send the measure to the House floor.
2/17/2005: Newspaper Story - After several days of debate, the House overwhelmingly gave final approval to a bill that would restrict lawsuit venue while capping punitive damages.
2/17/2005: Newspaper Story - Three Republican senators proposed a constitutional amendment to prohibit the courts from considering cases involving state appropriations.
2/15/2005: Newspaper Story - With the exception of Sen. Victor Callahan, D-Jackson, all the Democrats voted against the bill due to concerns that it unfairly targets workers.
2/15/2005: Newspaper Story - The House spent much of Tuesday debating a bill that would have a profound impact on the civil liability system. Among the changes, the bill would cap punative damages and restrict venue.
2/10/2005: Newspaper Story - Opponents argue a worker's compensation bill is favors insurance companies at the expense of workers.
2/ 8/2005: Newspaper Story - After discussions involving a handful of senators, a bill that would tighten requirements for eligibility in the state worker's compensation program will likely see floor debate on Wednesday and Thursday.
2/ 3/2005: Newspaper Story - House creates second committee to fix Foundation formula. Democratic leaders have argued that there are too many committees working on the issue now.
2/ 1/2005: Newspaper Story - The Senate voted unanimously to remove its $50 limit on lobbyist gifts. A measure to permit laptops from the chamber was defeated.
2/ 1/2005: Newspaper Story - The Senate voted to remove its $50 cap on gifts senators can receive from lobbyists. The Senate also voted to continue its ban on lap-tops from the chamber.
1/27/2005: Newspaper Story - Despite a campaign not to reduce Medicaid eligibility, Blunt called for a budget that would cut the benefits for 110,000 Missourians.
1/25/2005: Newspaper Story - Doyle Childers, a moderate Republican, was selected to head the Department of Natural Resources on Tuesday.

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