House approves MOSIRA bill

Gov. Jay Nixon appreciates lawmakers' passing MOSIRA, the Missouri Science and Innovation Reinvestment Act, even though it's only part of the jobs package he called lawmakers back to Jefferson City to deal with in the special session.

The plan creates a fund to offer incentives for science-based businesses to develop or expand in Missouri.

On Friday, the House sent it to Nixon on a 94-48 vote, after an almost 90-minute debate.

"If it is as we think it is, in the sense of how important it can be to begin to make us competitive for science and technology in the future, that is something I've supported in the past," the governor told reporters late Friday afternoon. "I would hope that it's in a form I can sign, and I expect that it would be."