Tagged: Missouri House

Proponents of a Medicaid expansion will get their say at the Missouri Capitol — even if they don't get their way.

A House committee is scheduled to hear testimony Monday on a Democratic proposal to expand eligibility for the Medicaid health care program to an estimated 260,000 additional lower-income adults. The plan has the support of Gov. Jay Nixon and is called for by President Barack Obama's health care law.

But the Republican-led Legislature has generally opposed the Medicaid expansion.

State and local-level school officials would be required to develop guidelines for teaching evolution under legislation making its way through the Missouri House.

If passed, school districts would have to, “encourage students to explore scientific questions” regarding the “strengths and weaknesses” of both biological and chemical evolution.  The sponsor, State Representative Andrew Koenig (R, Winchester), says House Bill 179 stresses academic freedom.

“It does not mandate curriculum to the teacher," Koenig said.  "It’s really up to the school district, and if evolution is gonna be taught, it just allows them to teach the scientific strengths and weaknesses.”

Missouri House Democrat's plan would send colleagues to prison for proposing legislation limiting collective bargaining rights.

Representative Jeff Roorda of Barnhart introduced the bill Friday in response to a Republican House member's proposal to jail lawmakers for introducing gun control measures.Roorda says he was "inspired" by the GOP approach to protecting gun rights and he wants to do the same for unions. Representative Mike Leara, of St. Louis County, is sponsoring the bill banning gun-control legislation.

Missouri first-graders could see an addition to their curriculum under a bill given first-round approval in the Missouri Senate.

The measure endorsed Tuesday would give school districts the option to teach a National Rifle Association-sponsored gun safety program to students in first grade. It would also allow schools to implement a training program for teachers and other personnel on responding to intruders.

House Democrats are sponsoring legislation to expand Medicaid in Missouri, despite the fact that the state budget filed by Republicans leaves out the proposed expansion.

House Bill 627 would expand Medicaid to an additional 300,000 Missourians, and House Democrats say not passing it would cost the state 5,000 jobs and could force some rural hospitals to close their doors.  Kerry Noble is CEO of Pemiscot Memorial Health Systems in the Missouri Boot-heal.