JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Here's a running list of what happened as legislators reached the end of the time when they can work on bills this year in their regular session. For details on any of the bills mentioned here, click here for the Legislature's Web site and look under Joint Bill Tracking.
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Missouri lawmakers ended their 2009 session by sending Gov. Jay Nixon a compromise bill expanding some business incentives while reining in others. Passage of the wide-ranging economic development bill allowed the Democratic governor and Republican-led Legislature to claim success on their No. 1 priority for the 2009 session.
Financial strains or partisan tensions led to the defeat of several other Nixon priorities. Those include the proposed expansions of college scholarships, government health care for low-income parents and private insurance for autistic children.
The House and Senate adjourned about 5:50 p.m. Friday - 10 minutes before their constitutionally required quitting time.
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Lawmakers have approved new oversight for Missouri's two private jails after an escape last year at the Integrity Correctional Center in Johnson County. When two inmates broke out of the privately run jail last August, jail staff members didn't tell local officials for 14 hours.
A bill sent Friday to Gov. Jay Nixon requires private jails to "take prompt and reasonable action" to confirm an escape and then notify local and state law enforcement. Private jails also would be included in several other state regulations that already apply to public jails.
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Legislation expanding tax incentives for Missouri businesses is heading to Gov. Jay Nixon as part of a compromise that also will impose new restrictions on some tax credits.
The Senate broke a session-long stalemate Friday to pass the economic development legislation. The House then gave final approval to the bill with less than two hours remaining in the 2009 session.
The jobs bill was a priority of Nixon as well as of Republican and Democratic legislative leaders. It had been stalled in the Senate primarily because of a dispute about whether to limit tax credits for the renovation of historic buildings. Lawmakers ultimately agreed on a $140 million cap on those tax credits but smaller projects were exempted from counting against the cap.
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Motorcycle and bicycle riders could run through stalled red lights under legislation that's heading to Gov. Jay Nixon.
Some motorcycles and bicycles aren't heavy enough to trigger automated traffic lights. Under the bill, those on bikes would have a defense for running a traffic signal that has been red unreasonably long.
To qualify, the rider must have come to a complete stop and the intersection would need to be clear. It also needs to be shown that the traffic signal was malfunctioning or failed to detect the waiting vehicle.
The House gave final approval to the bill 147-9 on Friday.
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Lawmakers have passed a wide-ranging crime bill that would add new restrictions on sex offenders, ban text messaging while driving and add penalties for owners of dangerous dogs. The legislation also would increase penalties for cattle rustlers and ban beer bongs and kegs from many rivers.
The bill was approved by lawmakers in both the House and Senate on Friday. It now goes to Gov. Jay Nixon.
The legislation would restrict most sex offenders by not allowing them to be within 500 feet of a public park or child care facility. They could also not be a coach of a sports team with those 17 and younger.
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Unemployed workers could receive an extra 20 weeks of benefits, thanks to passage of a bill by the Missouri Legislature. The legislation sent Friday to Gov. Jay Nixon would allow Missourians to take advantage of a provision in the federal economic stimulus act extending the period for which people can receive jobless benefits.
The National Employment Law Project estimates the bill could allow Missourians to receive an additional $150 million of unemployment benefits through the end of 2009.
Also included in the bill are unemployment law changes that could let Missouri tap into an additional $133 million in federal stimulus money. But it's unclear if the federal government will accept the wording of Missouri's legislation on that provision.
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Missouri lawmakers have killed a bill over fears that it would begin to roll back the public notices that must be published in newspapers. The public notice provision had been added to a broader county purchasing bill. The notice provisions would have allowed cities in St. Louis County to post required financial statements on their Web sites instead of putting them in newspapers as is currently required.
Just hours before the end of the legislative session Friday, the House voted 108-46 to reject the legislation. Lawmakers critical of the bill said government's financial information should be published by independent news sources. An open-government coalition had opposed the legislation.
Republican House member Tim Jones, of Eureka, likened the proposed changes to a "fox guarding the hen house."
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Missouri lawmakers have voted to loosen many of the state's bingo restrictions. The legislation given final approval Friday would allow more frequent bingo games and replace a $3,600 per day cap on prizes for all bingo rounds with a ceiling set by the Gaming Commission.
The bill also lowers taxes. The measure eliminates a 0.2 cents tax levied on each game card. It also repeals a 2 percent gross receipts tax on pull-tab cards that are similar to lottery tickets with the player scratching off windows.
More than 300 charitable and fraternal organizations currently are allowed to run bingo games that are regulated by the state. Supporters said the changes are designed to help veterans and fraternal groups, but its critics have argued the bill expands legalized gambling.
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Missouri senators have passed legislation expanding some tax incentives for businesses while placing new limits on others. The Senate's vote Friday broke a three-month stalemate on the economic development legislation and raised hopes that lawmakers could accomplish one of their top priorities before the session ends at 6 p.m. Friday.
The legislation needs final approval from the House before it
can go to Gov. Jay Nixon. The bill would raise the amount of tax credits that can be issued to certain companies that locate, expand or add jobs paying at least average wages and providing health benefits.
It also would limit for the first time the amount of tax credits that can be approved for the renovation of historic buildings.
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On the first day of their 2009 session, Missouri lawmakers declared job-creation legislation a priority. On their last day, they are still struggling to get it done.
Senators worked until about 2:30 a.m. Friday while trying to reach a compromise on legislation expanding some tax incentives for businesses while imposing new restrictions on others. Tired and frustrated, they finally quit to get some sleep and are scheduled to reconvene at 10 a.m.
The Missouri Constitution requires that lawmakers end their session at 6 p.m. Friday.
The key sticking point on the economic development legislation is the extent to which annual limits should be placed on the amount of tax credits that can be approved for the renovation of historic buildings.
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It's time to plan a birthday party for the Missouri Capitol. Lawmakers sent Gov. Jay Nixon a bill Thursday night authorizing a state commission to begin planning for a centennial celebration of the building.
The Capitol was completed in 1918, after the first two in Jefferson City burned down. The legislation also creates a Missouri Board on Geographic Names. The 19-member panel would be responsible for evaluating new or changed names for geographical features and places in Missouri.
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Missouri lawmakers gave final approval to what backers called a "triage" effort for a public defender system in crisis. Under the bill, the state Public Defender Commission would be allowed to set maximum caseload standards for the lawyers who represent people accused of crimes who cannot afford a private attorney. Some local public defender offices have turned away clients because their caseloads are so high.
The House sent the bill to Gov. Jay Nixon on Thursday on a 139-16 vote. Sponsoring House member Tim Jones, a Republican from Eureka, said the legislation isn't likely to resolve the issue but is a step in the right direction.
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Missouri voters will decide whether to grant a property tax break to former war prisoners who are disabled because of military service. Lawmakers have given final approval to a proposed constitutional amendment that would exempt their homes from local property taxes. The measure likely will appear on the 2010 ballot.
Legislative staff estimates the tax break could cost local governments $186,717 in lost tax revenue. That's based on an assumption of 500 former war prisoners living in Missouri, but the cost estimate notes that there is no way to know how many are disabled.
The measure's sponsor has said the tax break was suggested by a
constituent who fought in Poland during World War II.
