The Senate Minute
Interim 2014
Dec. 16, 2014 — The Joint Committee on Government Accountability holds its first hearing. The panel’s job is to look into alleged inefficiencies, fraud and misconduct in state government — in this case, related to the state’s role following a police shooting and subsequent grand jury decision in Ferguson. The committee will continue to meet next year. We’ve included actualities from Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, and Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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Dec. 9, 2014 — Some legislation from this past legislative session could be introduced again next year. The First Regular Session of the 98th General Assembly will start its work within the next 30 days. We’ve included actualities from Sen. Brian Munzlinger, R-Williamstown, and Sen. Joseph Keaveny, D-St. Louis, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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Dec. 2, 2014 — With one month before the start of the 2015 legislative session, lawmakers are preparing strategy. We’ve included actualities from Sen. Brad Lager, R-Savannah, and Sen. Paul LeVota, D-Independence, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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Nov. 25, 2014 — The way sentencing is handled for certain crimes may change in a few years. Even though Senate Bill 491 became law earlier this year, most of the elements of the new law won’t take effect until 2017. We’ve included actualities from Senate Minority Floor Leader Jolie Justus, D-Kansas City, and Sen. Bob Dixon, R-Springfield — both of whom sponsored this legislation — in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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Nov. 18, 2014 — A couple of education measures may be introduced once again next year. Prefiled legislation will receive bill numbers starting on Dec. 1, 2014. The First Regular Session of the 98th General Assembly will start on Jan. 7, 2015. We’ve included actualities from Sen. Ed Emery, R-Lamar, and Sen. Joseph Keaveny, D-St. Louis, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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Nov. 10, 2014 — Changes are made in Missouri Senate leadership for the upcoming legislative session. Senator Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, will return as Senate President Pro Tem in 2015, while Sen. Joseph Keaveny, D-St. Louis, will take over as Senate Minority Floor Leader. We’ve included actualities from these two senators in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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Nov. 4, 2014 — The 2015 legislative session starts in only two months. As is the case most years, there are bills that do not reach the finish line and come back the following year. The First Regular Session of the 98th General Assembly will start on Jan. 7, 2015. We’ve included actualities from Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, and Sen. Paul LeVota, D-Independence, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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Oct. 28, 2014 — A couple of Missouri senators comment on how they believe the fiscal year is progressing. Fiscal Year 2015 started on July 1, 2014. We’ve included actualities from Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia — who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee — and Sen. Scott Sifton, D-Affton — who also serves on the appropriations panel — in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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Oct. 21, 2014 — Nearly a dozen different proposals comprise the measure that ultimately won legislative approval to make changes to Missouri’s laws relating to school transfers. This may be taken up again in 2015. We’ve included actualities from Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, and Senate Minority Floor Leader Jolie Justus, D-Kansas City, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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Oct. 15, 2014 — Among the perennial top priorities for Missouri senators is education, and 2014 is no different. Fiscal Year 2015 — which started on July 1, 2014 — saw an increase in funding for Missouri students. We’ve included actualities from Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg — who chairs the Senate Education Committee — and Sen. Scott Sifton, D-Affton — who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee — in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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Oct. 7, 2014 — After nearly a decade of service, two Missouri senators prepare to leave the upper chamber. They are among six, total, who will not be back next year. The next legislative session will start in January. We’ve included actualities from Sen. Brad Lager, R-Savannah, and Senate Minority Floor Leader Jolie Justus, D-Kansas City, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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Sept. 30, 2014 — The First Regular Session of the 98th General Assembly will start on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015. Most of the legislation that would be taken up during the session has yet to be filed, and those bills won’t receive their numbers until Dec. 1. There will be six new Missouri senators starting next year. We’ve included actualities from Senate President Pro Tem Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, and Sen. Paul LeVota, D-Independence, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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Sept. 23, 2014 — The Senate Interim Committee on Tax Administration Practices completes its work. The panel held its final hearing on Sept. 9. Its purpose is to investigate the process and policy used by the Missouri Department of Revenue in the administration of tax law. The committee will issue a report no later than Dec. 31, 2014. We’ve included actualities from committee members — Sen. Bob Dixon, R-Springfield, and Sen. Scott Sifton, D-Affton — in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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Sept. 16, 2014 — Missouri senators continue to reflect on having overridden the veto on Senate Bill 656, which modifies provisions relating to firearms and corporate security advisors. The annual veto session was held last week. We’ve included actualities from Sen. Will Kraus, R-Lee’s Summit, and Senate Minority Floor Leader Jolie Justus, D-Kansas City, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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Sept. 9, 2014 — The week begins with several committee hearings, including the Joint Committee on the Justice System, which met this morning (9-9). Lawmakers’ annual veto session will begin tomorrow (9-10). We’ve included actualities from Sen. Bob Dixon, R-Springfield, and Senate Minority Floor Leader Jolie Justus, D-Kansas City, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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Sept. 3, 2014 — Senate Bill 635 prohibits issuance of certain incentives to businesses relocating from certain counties in Kansas, if Kansas enacts a similar prohibition. The measure became law on Aug. 28, 2014. Even though Senate Bill 635 is now on the books in Missouri, the missing element is a companion law in Kansas. We’ve included actualities from Sen. Ryan Silvey, R-Kansas City, and Sen. Jason Holsman, D-Kansas City, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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Aug. 25, 2014 — Aug. 28 is the day when most laws take effect in Missouri. This includes Senate Bill 668, which requires health benefit plans to establish equal out-of-pocket costs for covered oral and intravenously administered chemotherapy medications, and Senate Bill 532, which allows caregivers who are related either by blood, marriage or adoption — under a sworn statement — to consent to medical and educational services for a minor, if the parent or guardian cannot be reached after a reasonable amount of attempts. We’ve included actualities from Sen. Ryan Silvey, R-Kansas City, and Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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Aug. 19, 2014 — A new law relating to education is about a year away from taking effect. House Bill 1689 pertains to early childhood education and the school funding formula, and will take effect on July 1, 2015. House Bill 1490, which mainly focuses on Common Core, will become law on Aug. 28, 2014. We’ve included actualities from Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, and Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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Aug. 13, 2014 — The Senate Interim Committee on Tax Administration Practices meets for the second time. The panel met on Tuesday near St. Louis. The committee has one more meeting, set for next month at the Capitol. It intends to have final recommendations ready by the end of the year. We’ve included actualities from Sen. Will Kraus, R-Lee’s Summit, and Sen. Paul LeVota, D-Independence, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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Aug. 5, 2014 — Missouri lawmakers may attempt to override the veto of an education measure. Senate Bill 493 was passed by the Missouri General Assembly, but vetoed by the executive branch. The next step for this legislation could come during the Missouri General Assembly’s annual veto session in September. We’ve included actualities from Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, and Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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July 29, 2014 — The Senate Interim Committee on Tax Administration Practices holds its first hearing. The panel first met on July 17. The second hearing is currently set for Aug. 12, with its final hearing scheduled to be held in September. The panel expects to have recommendations delivered to the leader of the Missouri Senate by Dec. 31. We’ve included actualities from Sen. Will Kraus, R-Lee’s Summit, and Sen. Paul LeVota, D-Independence, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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July 22, 2014 — Among the new laws set to take effect on Aug. 28, 2014, is Senate Bill 492, which will modify provisions relating to the authorization for funding and administrative processes in higher education. We’ve included actualities from Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, and Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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July 15, 2014 — Senate Bill 491 is one of the measures that will become law without the governor having taken any action on it. The new law was passed by the Missouri General Assembly on April 28, 2014. However, the full effect of the new law will not begin until Jan. 1, 2017. We’ve included actualities from Senate Minority Floor Leader Jolie Justus, D-Kansas City, and Sen. Bob Dixon, R-Springfield, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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July 8, 2014 — Missouri will soon have a couple of new election laws on-the-books. Senate Bill 892 will change the date of Missouri’s presidential primary, and House Bill 1136 mainly relates to electronic voting machines. Both measures will take effect on Aug. 28, 2014. We’ve included actualities from Sen. Will Kraus, R-Lee’s Summit, and Sen. Paul LeVota, D-Independence, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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July 1, 2014 — Fiscal Year 2015 started today (7-1) and will end on June 30, 2015. Of the funds allocated by lawmakers for Missouri’s departments and programs, the governor vetoed $275.7 million and is withholding $846.3 million in overall funding, totaling more than $1.1 billion. We’ve included actualities from Senate Appropriations Committee chair — Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, and Sen. Scott Sifton, D-Affton — who also serves on the Appropriations panel — in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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June 24, 2014 — Following the veto of 10 tax-related measures, Missouri senators reflect on a tax-cutting bill that will become law. Senate Bill 509 & 496, which modifies provisions relating to income taxes, is set to become law on Aug. 28 — but the tax cuts would start in 2017. We’ve included actualities from Sen. Will Kraus, R-Lee’s Summit, and Senate Minority Floor Leader Jolie Justus, D-Kansas City, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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June 17, 2014 — Missouri senators continue to react to the veto of 10 bills, all relating to taxes, passed during the Second Regular Session of the 97th General Assembly. The measures were vetoed by the executive branch on June 11. We’ve included actualities from Sen. Brad Lager, R-Savannah, and Sen. Paul LeVota, D-Independence, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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June 10, 2014 — Some of the measures passed during the Second Regular Session of the 97th General Assembly relate to health. These include Senate Bill 668, which will require insurance companies that already cover both oral and injection chemotherapy treatments to offer the same out-of-pocket costs for each, and House Bill 1411, which requires people younger than 17 — using a tanning device in a tanning facility — to have the parent or guardian give written consent in person. Both of these measures will take effect on Aug. 28, 2014. We’ve included actualities from Sen. Ryan Silvey, R-Kansas City, and Sen. Scott Sifton, D-Affton, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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June 3, 2014 — The Senate Interim Committee on Tax Administration Practices has been named to investigate the process and policy used by the Missouri Department of Revenue to interpret, enact and enforce tax statutes. The panel will have a report prepared by Dec. 31, 2014. We’ve included actualities from Senate Majority Floor Leader Ron Richard, R-Joplin, and Sen. Paul LeVota, D-Independence, in this feature report narrated by Senate Communications Officer Dean Morgan.
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Archive:

January 2014
February 2014
March 2014
April 2014
May 2014

January 2013
February 2013
March 2013
April 2013
May 2013
Interim 2013

January 2012
February 2012
March 2012
April 2012
May 2012
Interim 2012

January 2011
February 2011
March 2011
April 2011
May 2011
Interim 2011

January 2010
February 2010
March 2010
April 2010
May 2010
Interim 2010

January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
Interim 2009



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