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1 suspect pleads guilty to killing SW Mo. couple

One of five people charged in the abduction and killings of a southwest Missouri couple has pleaded guilty to reduced charges.

Bill to curb welfare fraud sent to Nixon

Missouri welfare recipients could not spend their cash benefits at casinos, liquor stores or adult-entertainment establishments under legislation sent to Gov. Jay Nixon on Thursday.

Students returning from SC weight loss program

Students from a suburban Kansas City school district will be nearly 600 pounds lighter when they return Friday from the spring semester at a weight-loss boarding school in South Carolina.

Bill would limit lawsuits over lead contamination

A Missouri-based lead mining company could be shielded from punitive damages in state lead contamination lawsuits under a bill sent to Gov. Jay Nixon.

Mo. lawmakers pass changes to workers’ comp claims

Missouri lawmakers gave final approval Thursday to a measure that would double the fees charged to businesses in order to replenish an insolvent fund for disabled workers who suffer serious job-related injuries or illnesses.

Mo. bill allows return of printed state manual

Missouri’s official state manual has been banished to the Internet for the past few years. But it could make a return to print.

Senate backs bill aimed at injured workers

The Missouri Senate passed legislation early Wednesday that could clear the way for more than a thousand disabled workers to finally begin receiving payments from a special state fund that has essentially run out of money.

Criminal code must wait until next year

‘Monumental task’ will get high priority in 2014

Supporters of an effort to rewrite and reorganize Missouri’s criminal code said Wednesday the clock — and the size of the bill — kept them from passing the bill this year.

Diplomat in Russian spy scandal from St. Louis Co.

The U.S. diplomat caught up in a spying investigation in Russia has family in suburban St. Louis and graduated from high school there.

KC couple charged with locking girl in basement

A Kansas City couple has been charged with keeping a 9-year-old girl in a filthy basement and allowing her to go to the bathroom only outdoors.

Mo. Senate backs bill aimed at injured workers

More than a thousand disabled workers could finally begin receiving payments for their job-related injuries if the Missouri House gives final approval to legislation intended to replenish an insolvent state fund.

Mo. ethics panel fines ex-Sen. Wright-Jones $270K

A former state senator from St. Louis has been fined more than $270,000 by the Missouri Ethics Commission for violating numerous campaign finance laws.

Judge dismisses 1 count against KC diocese, bishop

A federal judge has dismissed one of two civil counts against the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph and Bishop Robert Finn filed by a victim who was the subject of lewd photographs taken by a diocese priest in a western Missouri church.

Mo. bill would stop document scanning

Missouri lawmakers have sent Gov. Jay Nixon a bill that would force the state Revenue Department to stop scanning driving applicants’ documents into a state computer system.

Officials could intervene quicker in Mo. districts

State education officials would be able to intervene sooner to turn around struggling Missouri school districts under a measure that cleared the Legislature Wednesday and now heads to Gov. Jay Nixon.

Missouri Senate OKs ‘guns in cars’ bill

State employees came closer Tuesday to keeping concealed weapons in their vehicles on state-owned or leased parking lots.

State Medicaid director out of a job

Ian McCaslin, the director of Missouri’s Medicaid health care program, was out of a job Tuesday with no public explanation for why he was replaced after serving through two administrations.

Missouri House endorses transportation sales tax

But measure stalls in Senate

A penny sales tax that would be dedicated to state and local transportation projects cleared the Missouri House on Tuesday.

Nixon vetoes repeal of senior, disabled tax break

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon vetoed legislation Tuesday that would have repealed a tax break for low-income seniors and disabled residents who live in rental housing.

Mo. bill tightens criteria for election recounts

Losing political candidates could find it harder to get a recount under legislation sent to Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon. A bill given final approval Tuesday would tighten the margin of defeat necessary to trigger a recount.