( KTRS ) Illinois regulators are making it easier for prisoners on the verge of release to apply for cosmetology licenses while they remain behind bars. The Illinois departments of corrections and financial and professional regulation announced a new measure this week allowing inmates who’ve completed coursework for those licenses to apply for state certification…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Illinois Democrats approved a $3.9 billion bill to fund colleges and various social service programs while the state operates without a budget, but their plan is expected to be rejected by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. Republicans have blasted the proposal, saying Democrats have not shown how they will pay for it…
(KTRS) – State lawmakers are hammering St. Louis County election directors over problems in last week’s elections. The Post-Dispatch reports that election officials say the problems were the result of several factors. Among them is a new requirement that touch-screen machines had to be used for the presidential primary on March 15. Officials say there…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – The Illinois House approved a measure that would give victims of sexual abuse up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave from work following the incident. Democratic Rep. Camille Lilly of Chicago says the proposal expands an existing law that currently protects employees of large companies to ones at small businesses. The…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – The Illinois House has passed a measure to suspend fines for drivers who are late renewing their vehicle license plates until the state can continue mailing reminders. The bill advanced out of the Illinois House unanimously Tuesday and now goes to the Illinois Senate for consideration. The secretary of state stopped…
St. Louis, MO (KTRS) There’s more bad news for the coal industry. St. Louis-based Peabody Energy, the nation’s largest coal miner, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Wednesday. The filing comes less than three months after Creve Couer based Arch Coal, the country’s second-largest miner, filed for bankruptcy. Mines and offices at Peabody, a company…
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Missouri House is advancing legislation to ban donation of fetal tissue from abortions. House members in a voice vote Tuesday gave the legislation initial approval. The bill was spurred by legislative investigations into abortion practices in the state following the release last year of undercover videos that anti-abortion activists…
( KTRS ) Missouri could soon pay testing fees for residents taking a high school equivalency test, for the first time, under a proposal that has won initial approval in the state Senate. It needs another vote before going to the House, which passed similar legislation last month. The measure would cover students regardless of…
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – The state Senate has passed a mid-year spending increase to Missouri’s $26 billion budget. Senators voted 31-0 Tuesday to pass a budget supplement of $466 million in state and federal money, which largely reflects higher health care costs than officials estimated last year. Higher drug prices have been the biggest…
( KTRS ) Police have arrested a man they say shot a 16 yr old girl on April 6th during a drug deal. The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office issued arrest warrants for 19 yr old Eric Mckinney Jr. He faces first degree assault and armed criminal actions charges. Police say that the teen…