( KTRS ) Missouri lawmakers have passed legislation to expand access to the state’s A+ college scholarship to private school graduates. The legislation would allow private schools to apply to the state to participate in the program. Students who meet grade-point average, volunteer and attendance requirements can receive a scholarship for two years of community…
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Missouri cities, counties and law enforcement agencies couldn’t require police officers to write a certain number of traffic tickets under legislation nearing a final vote. Senators voted 31-1 Thursday to pass the legislation, which would ban traffic-ticket quotas. It needs another vote in the House to head to Gov. Jay…
( KTRS ) Missouri lawmakers are entering their final day of work with time running short for contentious bills on guns, abortions and taxes. The Missouri Constitution’s deadline, to pass bills, is 6 p.m. today (FRI). That typically creates a fast-paced finale. But it makes it easier for opponents to block bills. Measures expanding gun…
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Missourians will decide this fall whether to amend the state Constitution to allow lawmakers to tighten voter ID requirements. The House on Thursday approved a proposed constitutional amendment 110-39, one day after the Senate passed it on a 24-8 party-line vote. The measure will bypass the governor and go on…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – A measure to prohibit tobacco sales to people younger than 21 has failed in the Illinois Senate. The legislation sponsored by Democratic Sen. John Mulroe of Chicago would not have made young smokers criminals. But supporters say they want to prevent young people from getting hooked. The proposal failed 23-25 Thursday…
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) – Enrollment at the University of Missouri is expected to decline by 2,600 students in the fall, causing tuition revenue to drop by more than $36 million. The projections would hurt an already poor budget situation and make it likely that the financial challenges would continue for several years as the smaller…
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Missouri lawmakers have endorsed creating new minimum sentences for minors convicted of first-degree murder. The House voted 145-1 Thursday to approve the new guidelines, which would bring Missouri into line with a 2012 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that mandatory life sentences for minors were unconstitutional. Rep. Robert Cornejo said that…
Ferguson, MO (KTRS) Ferguson continues to rebound after the civil unrest with the opening of another new business. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Thursday morning for the grand opening of a new AT&T retail store along the West Florissant corridor. This is adjacent to a new Starbucks, which opened in late April. Mayor James…
Thomas Rolfes was in New Orleans to meet his fiancee and look at potential wedding sites
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Beer-makers could lease coolers to stores to keep brews frosty under a contested measure passed by Missouri lawmakers. House members voted 94-59 Thursday to send the bill to Gov. Jay Nixon. Backers say the legislation would help consumers, the beer industry and stores because it could mean more refrigerators to…