SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois has its belated state budget, but the state Capitol’s next flashpoint in the political struggle over finances is about how to fund public education with just weeks before the first day of school. The spending plan lawmakers enacted this month over Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s vetoes includes a $350 million…
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens has vetoed a bill that he says would mean children could ride on the bows of boats without railings. Greitens took action on that bill and several others Friday. Motorboat drivers now can’t allow people to ride on bows, gunwales and the tops of seats without adequate…
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Missouri Republican state Representative Paul Curtman is weighing a bid for Democratic U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill’s seat. Curtman on Thursday announced he’s starting an exploratory committee for the campaign. That will allow him to start raising money as he considers officially entering the race. Curtman is a former Marine and…
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Gov. Eric Greitens says his administration wants to hear suggestions from Missouri citizens on how the state can reduce government red tape. Greitens on Wednesday announced the launch of a website, www.NoMORedTape.com . The website allows Missourians to submit recommendations to reduce what Greitens calls burdensome regulations. The governor says government…
St. Louis, MO (KTRS) The state’s new photo I.D. law is being put to the test today in St. Louis. A special election is being held in the city’s 28th ward to fill the aldermanic seat vacated by Mayor Lyda Krewson. A special election on June 20th in southeast Missouri was the first since the…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois finally has a budget plan after two years. Now, to start paying bills. The Democratic-controlled Legislature’s vote last week to create a $36 billion framework over Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s vetoes ended the nation’s longest fiscal stalemate since at least the Great Depression. At the core of the budget was…
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Republicans want to make it a crime for abortion clinic staff to ask ambulances to respond to calls at their facilities without sirens or lights, a move that abortion-rights advocates say is unnecessary and another veiled attempt to restrict access to abortion providers. The proposal would establish a misdemeanor…
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Several voter rights advocacy groups say the state of Missouri is not following federal requirements on providing voter registrations. The League of Women Voters of Missouri and four other groups sent a letter Thursday to Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and to Joel Waters, director of the state Department…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois House voted Thursday to override Gov. Bruce Rauner’s vetoes of a budget package, giving the state its first spending blueprint in more than two years and ending the nation’s longest fiscal stalemate since at least the Great Depression. Lawmakers have been meeting in a special session called to deal…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois Senate has adjourned without taking action on House-approved legislation to break the nation’s longest budget standoff since the Great Depression. The Legislature plans to return Tuesday at 10 a.m. Chicago Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan has scheduled a meeting of the four legislative leaders for the same time. Republicans were no-shows…