Latest news with #MissouriGeneralAssembly
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
MO State Rep. introduces bill to cut childhood poverty in half
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Missouri State Representative, Ray Reed announced Monday a bill that seeks to cut childhood poverty in half for Missouri children. During a Missouri General Assembly special session, Reed introduced the 'Missouri Child Tax Credit' bill in hopes for the state to invest in Missouri's low-income and working-class families. Potential Royals move to Kansas sparks mixed reaction in Overland Park 'At a time when we're considering investing nearly a billion dollars to retain a football team, I believe we must also ask ourselves what kind of state we want to be. If we have the resources to build stadiums, we have the resources to build stronger futures for Missouri's kids,' Rep. Reed, said. The statement comes on the same day Jackson County legislators approved the 2025 Jackson County budget, which included investments in community needs such affordable housing and health equity, according to Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. The child tax credit seeks to provide direct payments to low-income families with children under the age of 18-years-old. Kansas City's Country Club Plaza struggles with closures and empty shops In a release form Reed's office, it states the bill is modeled after the 2021 Biden-Harris expansion that lifted more than three million children out of poverty nationwide. 'This bill isn't just about alleviating poverty—it's about unlocking potential,' Reed said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Looking ahead to Missouri special session, Show Me Sports Investment Act
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Missouri General Assembly's special session reconvenes Monday, and it's the House side of the rotunda's turn in Jefferson City. The state Senate passed a trio of bills last week, one providing a plan to fund up to half of stadium projects for the Chiefs or Royals or Cardinals in St. Louis. The Missouri State House will consider the Show Me Sports Investment Act. The stadium funding bill sets the framework for the Royals and the Chiefs to pay back some of the costs for new and renovated venues. Construction bonds would be paid back using tax money generated at the stadiums and would cover up to 50% of the cost to build it. The teams would have to qualify to have access to that money. The stadiums would need to be built for football or baseball, have more than 30,000 seats, and cost at least half a billion dollars. On Sunday, Rudi Keller, the deputy editor of the Missouri Independent, discussed what could happen as the special session continues this week. Kansas City superheroes assemble behind local child battling cancer 'A member of the House budget Committee who will consider the spending bill on Tuesday said there is an assumption the House will pass this, and that's correct. I also talked to the Chair of the House Budget Committee earlier today, and it turns out he's not going to be demanding anything new. So as long as there aren't serious demands that endanger the bill from the House, much as the way demands from Senators resulted in a change to the call, I'm anticipating this will go relatively smoothly this week,' Keller said on 4 The People. The stadium funding bill does not have the words 'Royals' or 'Chiefs' in it, but a big reason for the calling of this special session was to find a way to keep both teams in the state and counter the plans of Kansas lawmakers. Nearly a year ago, the Kansas legislature approved a bill to utilize STAR bonds to cover stadium construction costs. The deadline for that bill is coming up at the end of June. 'If Kansas believes that we could really be in the conversation, you could see some limited extension,' said Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson. 'The way the law is written, it could be extended for up to a year. I don't see that happening.' You can watch the full conversation with Masterson and Keller here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
4 The People: What to expect next in Missouri special session
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Missouri General Assembly's special session is halfway home. The Senate got a through after . Next up it's on to the House. Rudi Keller, deputy editor of the Missouri Independent, joins FOX4 to talk about how the session got to this point and what to expect in the next week. Meantime, no special session for Kansas lawmakers, who passed a STAR Bonds stadium package last year. See the latest headlines in Kansas City and across Kansas, Missouri Senate President Ty Masterson joins FOX4 with his observations on the Missouri package from a Kansas perspective, and with a deadline looming on the STAR Bonds package, when the dust might settle for both states. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Prop A repeal awaiting Governor's signature; how it impacts Missourians
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — St. Joseph residents are bracing for potential changes as Missouri moves towards repealing Proposition A. The Proposition, a voter-approved initiative, would have gradually increased the minimum wage and paid sick leave statewide. Passed by 58% of voters in November 2024, Proposition A promised to raise Missouri's minimum wage to $13.75 in 2025 and $15 in 2026, with future increases tied to inflation. It also required employers to provide one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. However, House Bill 567, passed by the Missouri General Assembly on Wednesday, aims to eliminate the sick leave requirement and remove future wage adjustments after 2026. The bill is now awaiting Governor Mike Kehoe's signature. St. Joseph resident, Dakota Allen, said this move from the government doesn't give him much confidence in the current democracy, and that Missourians should stand up to any party that violates voter rights. It's just kind of one of those things that no matter who's in power when they're looking to abuse their power and overturn the will of the people, it's time for us to step up and make sure that they can never do it again," Allen said. Allen said if this repeal is signed by Governor Kehoe, it will be painful for businesses that are looking to attract employees to the state, especially those in higher professions. "We're going to see this all across the board, there's not going to be those guarantees that make our state appealing for employees, and it's just going to become more and more difficult," Allen said. Sen. Mike Bernskoetter, R-Missouri said in an initial repeals conversation to the legislation in April of 2025, that the language in Proposition A was not made clear enough on the ballot. "When voters saw Prop A on the ballot, they were only given a small summary, but behind the summary was eight pages of statutes," Bernskoetter said. "It creates a one-size-fits-all for all businesses to follow and businesses should be able to tailor their workplace policies to meet the needs of their customers and employees." Opponents argue, combining minimum wage increases with paid sick leave mandates in a single ballot measure violates Missouri's constitutional requirement that initiatives address only one subject. In addition, claiming misleading ballot language, particularly regarding the fiscal impact and the scope of exemptions. Sparking backlash from Missourians everywhere, "SAVE OUR SAY rallies will be held across the state on Saturday, May 17, in St. Joseph, Farmington, Blue Springs, St. Louis and many other cities. If signed into law, the repeal will go into effect on August 28, 2025. Until then, businesses must comply with the sick leave requirements and wage timeline outlined in Proposition A.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill approved to allow MSU to offer doctoral degrees
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Missouri State University (MSU) could soon be adding research-based doctorates to the list of degrees the university offers. The Missouri General Assembly recently approved two bills that allow the university to do so. President of MSU Richard B. Williams says back in 2005, when the college first changed the name to Missouri State University, part of the legislature included a compromise with the University of Missouri. The compromise meant MSU and other state institutions could not claim the land grant title, the flagship title, a research one title, or offer certain programs, including medicine, law, pharmacy, engineering, dental and more. SPS free summer lunches not impacted by federal cuts to school food programs In 2018, there were some changes to the law allowing MSU to offer clinical doctorates, and just recently, the university added a doctoral program in education. 'There still is the stipulation that it's against the state law. We would break the law if we had PhDs that are research PhDs,' said President Williams. 'So this allows us the opportunity to look at the workforce, look at what degrees are actually needed, and then we can offer a Ph.D. in those areas.' House Bill 419 and Senate Bill 160 changed the law to allow MSU to offer research-based doctorates and other professional programs, including a baccalaureate in vet tech. District 30 Senator Lincoln Hough and District 133 Representative Melanie Stinnett sponsored House Bill 616 and Senate Bill 11, which eventually turned into the bills that were recently approved by both the House and Senate. 'I believe that both Senator Hough and myself worked really hard to try and collaborate and try and find a way to get this across the finish line,' said Representative Stinnett. 'And so the initial bill that we filed looks a little bit different than what was passed. But I think that that's the outcome of everyone coming to the table and having conversations.' Springfield man admits to burglary and theft at U.S. Post Office Representative Stinnett says ultimately this bill can help encourage students to choose MSU and stay in the area, but can also benefit the community. 'It's kind of twofold, making sure that the student is able to take a look at what university they want to attend and make that choice for themselves,' Representative Stinnett said. 'But then also really that economic driver in that economic piece as well, meeting the needs of our community and our business community and allowing them the opportunity to get those degrees.' President Williams says it can also be beneficial for the students to complete their degree at the same university they started at without needing to move to a new city or even a new state. 'They have a mentor that's a faculty member. They have a line of research that they're working. There is an expert in that area with that faculty member,' President Williams said. 'They're comfortable. They've written grants together, they've written papers together. And so that's a very big benefit for these individuals because they're established.' The two bills will still need to be signed into law by Governor Mike Kehoe, but both President Williams and Representative Stinnett say passing these bills is a big milestone in a years-long journey. 'Many people are excited. This is history. For us to be able to offer a Ph.D. is a very large win,' said President Williams. 'Not only for the university, not only for our faculty and staff, but for the community, for our economy, and for the state of Missouri.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
