JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) – Missouri Southern State University plans to resume sending legislative interns to the state Capitol for the 2017 session.
The university in Joplin withdrew its four interns during the 2015 session. University officials have never said exactly why they took the action. After the 2015 session, House speaker John Diehl resigned for exchanging sexually explicit texts with an intern and Sen. Paul LeVota resigned amid allegations that he sexually harassed interns. The University of Central Missouri also pulled its interns that year.
The Joplin Globe reports changes made during this legislative session convinced Missouri Southern to reinstate the intern program.
The changes included requiring House members to attend sexual harassment training and appointing an ombudsman to coordinate and advocate for the interns.
