MLM Counties News. Notices. Need-to-know Information.

A dismal budget situation and a lack of consensus on certain issues may inhibit legislators from passing agenda items during this year’s session of the Missouri General Assembly. As lawmakers prepare to return on Wednesday for the five-month session, the ...

Tagged with: budget campaign finance DWI ethics Missouri General Assembly Missouri Legislature Second Injury Fund

The Missouri Senate tackled alterations to the Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan for the first time last year. But after the measure failed to come to a vote in the Senate, legislative prospects are dim this year for changing the system ...

Tagged with: Better Courts for Missouri James Harris Jared Craighead Jim Lembke judicial selection Missouri House Missouri Senate Nonpartisan Court Plan Ron Richard Stanley Cox Todd Graves

While lawmakers spent part of the year deliberating pertinent issues, focus shifted in the offseason to legislators' ethical conduct. Two state representatives and one state senator from the St. Louis area resigned in 2009. And a former speaker of the house made news in December when he exiled himself from politics after being charged with felony assault on a woman.

Tagged with: ethics Jeff Smith Rod Jetton Steve Brown T.D. El-Amin

This month, numerous lawmakers have proposed bills that they say would fix ethical inadequacies in state government. Several lawmakers said their efforts are also a response to the forced resignations of three lawmakers this year. On Tuesday, House Majority Leader ...

Tagged with: Charlie Shields ethics Jason Kander Steve Tilley Tim Flook

Gov. Jay Nixon’s proposal to shift some DWI cases from municipal courts to state courts is drawing fire from some who say the move will overburden state courts and drain revenue from cities. Nixon unveiled an array of proposals last ...

Tagged with: circuit courts DWI Jay Nixon municipal courts

A state senator from St. Louis is proposing to tie compensation of Missouri judges to the pay of their federal counterparts. State Sen. Jim Lembke, R-St. Louis County, introduced a change to the state’s constitution earlier this week that would ...

Tagged with: bill Jim Lembke judges salary

The Missouri Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed skepticism for both sides of a case challenging a statute that restricts sex offenders on Halloween. Judge Laura Denvir Stith asked Audrain County Prosecutor Jacob Shellabarger whether upholding certain conditions on Halloween – ...

Tagged with: Criminal Law Missouri Supreme Court sex offenders

Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Shields introduced legislation on Tuesday aimed at helping "improve Missouri's ethical climate among elected officials."

Tagged with: Charlie Shields Jeff Smith Missouri Ethics Commission Steve Brown Talibdin El-Amin

The Missouri Supreme Court will hear arguments on Wednesday on the constitutionality of a statute barring sex offenders from interacting with trick-or-treaters. A law went into effect in 2008 that restricts the activities of sex offenders on Halloween. Those prohibitions ...

Tagged with: Halloween Missouri Supreme Court sex offenders

The Missouri Supreme Court unanimously ruled on Tuesday that a statute barring the possession of a firearm while intoxicated is not unconstitutional, which means that a southeast Missouri man will have to stand trial for an alleged violation of the ...

Tagged with: firearm John L. Richard Mississippi County Missouri Supreme Court possession of firearm while intoxicated second amendment

A Cole County judge halted state Auditor Susan Montee’s attempt to conduct broader examinations of retirement funds for local government employees and the state’s prosecuting attorneys. At issue is whether the first-term Democratic officeholder could do more than examine third-party ...