Missouri voters can now register to vote online.

Secretary of State Jason Kander says the now available online tool will simplify the voter registration process and make it easier. Voters can go online and fill out a Missouri Voter Registration Application. Users can also print out the forms and mail them, request a mailed application, request an absentee ballot, read the Voter Bill of Rights and more.

After Secretary of State Kander's office receives the information, the office's Election Division of Kander's office will review the information before sending it to the appropriate election authority, who will then notify the applicants of their registration status.

Missouri is one of 15 states now offering online voter registration; five other states are in the process of implementing online voter registration.

Click here to read the report issued by the minority party members of the Senate Interim Committee on Medicaid Transformation and Reform.

A report based off of the actions of the Senate Interim Committee on Medicaid Transformation and Reform has been issued by me and two other minority party members of the committee: Sen. Paul LeVota, D-Independence; and Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis.

The report details that the committee “failed to recognize the testimony and ignored those who testified” regarding Medicaid expansion in the state.

“When minority members requested the committee report contain information regarding Medicaid expansion they were told such a subject was ‘not under the purview of the committee’s responsibility’ despite the fact that 52.4 percent of the committee testimony related to Medicaid expansion,” the report reads.

This report calls for expansion of Medicaid to those with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level and also suggests a “hybrid approach based on the ‘premium assistance’ model be adopted if traditional Medicaid is not politically feasible.”

I am disappointed that this minority report had to be issued at all,. Health care is too important an issue for Missourians for us not to consider expansion.

Enroll by March 31 to avoid a penalty.

Penalty for not having insurance is $95 a year or 1 percent of household income. There will be a new box on your W-2 tax form to verify health insurance.

Fill out an application at www.healthcare.gov to see if you qualify for a discount or tax credit.

There are several ways to learn more about the ACA or the federal Health Insurance Marketplace:

• Visit www.healthcare.gov for live chat assistance.
• Call the Marketplace Call Center: 1-800-318-2596, it is open 24/7.
• Visit www.covermissouri.org.
• Call 211 for assistance from local social services to find a federally qualified health center that will provide in-person assistance to fill out forms and find a certified navigator.
• Download a paper application that can be printed and mailed. (If choosing this option, please utilize the guidance of live chat or phone or local navigator to ensure accuracy.)

There are no fees to use the marketplace and no one should solicit health coverage to you. Report fraud to the Missouri Attorney General’s office by calling 1-800-392-8222.

Here is a checklist of information you will need when you sign up:

• Social Security numbers (or document numbers for legal immigrants)
• Employer and income information for every member of your household who needs coverage (for example, from pay stubs or W-2 forms—Wage and Tax Statements);
• Policy numbers for any current health insurance plans covering members of your household; and
• Completed Employer Coverage Tool for every job-based plan you or someone in your household is eligible. (You’ll need to fill out this form even for coverage you’re eligible for but don’t enroll in.) Visit www.healthcare.gov to view this form.

The federal government has already announced that the timelines for enrollment for 2015 coverage will be pushed back one month, to allow consumers more time to compare the plans. Enrollment will continue through Jan. 15, 2015.

For information on health care seminars in the St. Louis area go to: http://covermissouri.org/tools/events/events.php. To learn more about the ACA or the federal Health Insurance Marketplace, visit www.healthcare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596.

Missouri's minimum wage was raised to $7.50 an hour on Jan. 1.

Missouri's standard minimum wage increased by 15 cents to $7.50 an hour on Jan. 1.

According to state law, the minimum wage rate is calculated once a year and may increase or decrease based on the cost of living, which is measured by the previous year's Consumer Price Index. The change was announced by the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations on Nov. 8.

My recent visit to Confluence Academy Walnut Park was a great opportunity for me to learn about the school's co-teaching methods and to see their success firsthand.

I visited with the students and staff at Confluence Academy Walnut Park on Friday, Dec. 13. It was a pleasure to meet so many dedicated teachers, administrators and staff members. Staff talked about the school's popular co-teaching program. Administrators noted this teaching model works best for students who are only a few points away from earning proficient or advanced ratings on the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) test.

Heat Up St. Louis, a local non-profit, has resources available to help seniors, disabled persons and families with children who are unable to pay their heating bills.

The agency formed 10 years ago and is always seeking donating members to ensure its services can continue to support thousands of people each year. The agency boasts putting 100 percent of all donations towards helping heat the homes of those in need.

The agency has also provided a list of warming centers in the St. Louis City/County area.