Mo. Gov. Jay Nixon (D) and staff members head to a meeting with House Republicans at the State Capitol on Apr. 3rd, 2013, where he discussed his plans for Medicaid expansion.
He met with the GOP caucus today to discuss his Medicaid expansion proposal and their plans to reform the system. Nixon told reporters afterwards that any proposal still needs to expand Medicaid to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $32,500 for a family of four.
Missouri House Speaker Tim Jones says the decision over gay marriage should be left to the states, and not to the federal government.
Jones was asked by reporters about US Supreme Court arguments over the federal Defense of Marriage Act, and about whether the GOP majority was interested in moving legislation that would make it illegal in Missouri to discriminate against someone based on their sexual orientation.
Jones indicated that he’s not going to take any action to encourage the bill’s passage.
The spending plan adds an extra $65 million for K-12 schools, although the spending hike still falls short of fully funding the state’s public school formula.
Missouri’s budget for the next fiscal year has been passed by the State House. While Medicaid expansion has dominated most of the debate, spending hikes were approved in other areas.
The nearly $25 billion spending plan adds an extra $65 million for K-12 schools, although the spending hike still falls short of fully funding the state’s public school formula.
Republican Mike Lair of Livingston County chairs the Appropriations committee on Education.
Around 200 labor union members rallied outside the Missouri Capitol on March 27th, 2013, voicing opposition to "anti-worker" bills in the Missouri House and Senate.
The Department of Revenue was targeted during Tuesday’s budget debates in the Missouri House over its practice of scanning documents for driver’s license and conceal-carry applications.
The Missouri House has given first-round approval to the state budget for Fiscal Year 2014, while House Republicans beat back three attempts to expand Medicaid.
The first attempt was made Tuesday morning, in the form of a motion to send House Bill 1 back to committee and add $940 million to it for Medicaid needs. The motion was made by State Representative Jeff Roorda (D, Barnhart).
Supporters and opponents spent several hours Monday testifying on an alternate Medicaid proposal being floated by House Republicans. The bill would expand Medicaid coverage to an additional 180,000 Missourians while removing about 44,000 children from the Medicaid rolls.
The bill is being offered by House Republicans as an alternate to Democrats’ call to expand Medicaid. In addition to changing coverage, private insurers would compete to provide coverage for Medicaid recipients, who could then get cash incentives for staying healthy and avoiding costly medical procedures.
At approximately the half-way mark for its 2013 session, the Missouri General Assembly has in some ways performed as expected, but has also delivered some genuine surprises.
Legislation that would provide tax breaks for amateur sporting events held in Missouri has become the first one sent to Governor Jay Nixon during the 2013 regular session.
(l-r) Mo. Dept. of Revenue Deputy Director John Mollenkamp and Director Brian Long testify before Mo. House Committee on Govt. Oversight on March 11, 2013.
The head of the Missouri Department of Revenue says his agency is not forwarding electronic copies of documents from Missouri citizens to the federal government.
