Bob Watson

Jury opt-out option argued at high court

Lincoln County case could impact past high profile cases

For several years, jurors in Lincoln County could opt-out of jury service, by paying a $50 administrative fee and pledging to do “community service.” The issue of improper jury selection has reached the Missouri Supreme Court.

Engineers give Missouri’s infrastructure a C-

Report pans public and private infrastructure

A new report from Missouri members of the American Society of Civil Engineers says the state’s economy won’t improve without fixing the “inadequate infrastructure system” first.

Lawmakers want new MSP building

Several times during the Missouri Legislature’s last two weeks of the 2013 session, Gov. Jay Nixon accused lawmakers of adding “$38 million to build a state office building for bureaucrats that I didn’t ask for.”

Game of life key for Blair Oaks grads

Linda Heckman heads the Jefferson City High School math department, several miles north on Route B.

Mid-Missouri senators generally ‘OK’ with session

State Sen. Mike Kehoe just finished his third regular legislative session. Kehoe sponsored several bills, including a couple of major proposals that, ultimately, drew vote-stopping, filibuster opposition from members of his own party.

Security measures sent to Nixon

With just 2 1/2 hours to spare before the Legislature’s 6 p.m. deadline Friday afternoon, the state Senate cast the final votes needed to send Gov. Jay Nixon a bill re-imposing closed-records status for security and emergency response plans for schools and other public buildings.

Lawmakers send school, public buildings security plans law to governor

With just 2 1/2 hours to spare before the Legislature's 6 p.m. deadline, the state Senate cast the final votes needed to send Gov. Jay Nixon a bill re-imposing closed-records status to security and emergency response plans for schools and other public buildings.

Threat of further filibuster kills transportation sales tax for session

State Sen. Mike Kehoe reluctantly admitted defeat this morning on his proposal for a 10-year, one-cent sales tax to pay for transportation improvements.

Lawmakers send veterans courts bill to governor

State Rep. Jay Barnes and Sen. Will Kraus agree — they encourage Gov. Jay Nixon to sign the veterans courts bill the Legislature sent him this week.

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.

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.

Senate leaders eye final week’s debates

Going into the last week of this year’s legislative session, Missouri lawmakers will take a look at financial problems with the state’s Second Injury Fund.

Kander hopes lawmakers deal with voting, campaign issues

“Missouri is far behind the rest of the country” when it comes to early voting and campaign finance and ethics laws, new Secretary of State Jason Kander told fellow lawyers last week at the Missouri Bar’s spring meeting.

Kander still planning State Library staff cuts

Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander said Friday he’s still planning to cut the State Library’s staff. Local librarians complained that Kander made the decision without consulting them.

Mo. Legislature has several building choices for budget surplus

Kehoe says now is time for discussions

Using unexpected extra government revenue, Missouri lawmakers added $38 million to construct a state office building for, as Gov. Nixon describes it, "bureaucrats I didn't ask for."

Nixon planning to go ahead with Revenue layoffs

Unless something changes in the next few weeks, some Revenue Department Motor Vehicle Division employees will be laid off as of July 1.

Governor likes lawmakers’ education spending

While Gov. Jay Nixon had some strong words to say about portions of the $25 billion state budget that Missouri lawmakers passed this week, he seemed pleased with their education spending plan.

Final budget includes governor's state pay plan

The Missouri Legislature’s final budget, sent to Gov. Jay Nixon Thursday evening, made no changes to the state employees’ pay plan the governor proposed last January.

Senate OKs maintenance, repair bills

Plans to repair parts of the Missouri Capitol and build a new state office building at the MSP Redevelopment site cleared the state Senate on Wednesday and went back to the House because of some technical changes.

Nixon promises layoffs if budget not changed

Gov. Jay Nixon this morning promised to "reduce staff and services accordingly — including making the necessary layoffs — effective July 1" if lawmakers pass the state's budget in its current form.

Proposed sex offender changes challenged

State Rep. Dave Hinson, R-St. Clair, wants lawmakers to change the way Missouri government treats some sex offenders. Instead of treating all sex offenders the same, Hinson’s bill proposes to create three tiers of sex offenders.

Senate sends abortion bill back to House

One Senate amendment means the House will have to vote, again, on Rep. Jeanie Riddle’s bill requiring a doctor to be present when a woman takes an abortion pill like RU-486.

Committee takes no action on House’s rewrite of criminal code

It will be next week before Missouri senators may consider a massive bill rewriting and reorganizing the state’s criminal code.

‘Crown jewel’ of Missouri

Centennial ceremony commemorates Capitol groundbreaking

No shovel was used and no dirt was turned — this time.

Criminal code rewrite still has chance for passage, leaders say

Almost two months ago, state Sen. Jolie Justus was pretty sure “the crime bill is looking more like a 2014 project” than winning passage this year.

Capital improvement funds greatly needed at the Statehouse

But revenue must be available before expenditures are made

State House officials will hold a noon ceremony Monday, marking the 100th anniversary of the groundbreaking for construction of the Missouri Capitol — the new building required after a Feb. 5, 1911, lightning strike and fire destroyed its predecessor.

New state office building planned on MSP site

Planning and design also announced for new Fulton State Hospital

Thanks to a substantial increase in Missouri government’s income, state lawmakers now are planning a new state office building in Jefferson City, repairs and improvements to the Capitol and a start to replacing the Fulton State Hospital.

Senate sends school security bill back to House

For the past four months, emergency response and security plans for schools and other public buildings have been “open records” in the state, available for review by anyone who asks to see them, because the law that made that information a closed record expired last Dec. 31.

Bills would spur economic growth in Missouri

State senators should endorse two different proposals aimed at improving economic development efforts in Missouri, witnesses said during a Wednesday afternoon committee meeting. But the Senate’s Jobs, Economic Development and Local Government Committee took no action on the bills after the hearing.

Bill would clarify audit costs, auditor’s powers

A House-passed bill would make it clear that four Mid-Missouri counties (and 14 others around the state) would have to pay the state auditor if that agency does an “outside” audit of the county’s business.

Electric 'surcharge' proposal limping after first airing

State Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, said late Wednesday his proposal to allow Missouri's regulated electric companies to add a surcharge to customers' bills isn't dead. But it never came to a vote Wednesday.

Committee sends another ‘gun rights’ bill to full Senate

Separate bill would make daylight savings time year-round

The committee voting took longer than its hearing on a House-passed bill involving firearms. Under current law, Missourians must be at least 21 to get a concealed weapons permit, but the proposed law would drop that to 19.

Local attorney indicted in 'marriage fraud' scheme

Jefferson City lawyer James D. Barding appeared in U.S. District Court today, after being indicted by a federal grand jury for marriage fraud conspiracy.

Senators debate House abortion bill

Missouri law allows doctors and patients to communicate by video-conferencing “to improve the health status of a patient.”

Committee hears workplace discrimination bill

Although the House passed the bill two months ago, a Senate committee heard testimony Monday afternoon on the bill changing some of the language in Missouri’s human rights law, including its workplace discrimination language.

Session has three weeks left

Only three weeks to go.

Following the path

The last time a Cole County native — Henry J. Westhues — became a Missouri Supreme Court judge, Paul Wilson’s parents had been married about two years.

Senators complain about unsigned flier

Several state senators on Thursday received a black-and-white, two-sided, apparently photocopied flier questioning the politics of a company that supports a change in Missouri’s franchising law.

Linn technical college to get ‘Missouri’ in name

If Gov. Jay Nixon signs his name to the bill state senators approved Thursday morning, Linn State Technical College will get to change its name next year.

Bullying victim urges lawmakers to require school policies

A high school girl told Missouri senators Wednesday they need to require the state’s public school districts to have policies about bullying — and to do something when bullying happens.

‘School police’ bill heard in Mo. Senate committee

The Missouri House said three weeks ago it likes the idea, and Wednesday afternoon, the state Senate’s Education Committee was asked to OK a bill letting public school districts hire their own police officers.

Riddle wants to let state workers keeps guns in cars

Missouri government employees are being discriminated against, state Rep. Jeanie Riddle told a Senate committee Tuesday — and she wants to change that.

Appeals court upholds Moad case dismissal

Barring a successful appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court — or a rehearing by the appeals court in Kansas City — Jeffrey Luke Moad, now 27, Eugene, never can be tried again for manslaughter in the Feb. 14, 2006, death of Laura “Katie” Winfrey, 18, New Bloomfield.

State budget includes small state pay raise

Although the state government’s final budget won’t be written until the conference committee meetings likely to begin next week, the fate of state employees’ pay seems settled.

Senate panel hears bill changing way vacancies filled

After hearing testimony on a House-passed bill that would change election laws, members of the state Senate’s Financial & Governmental Organizations and Elections Committee were told they’ll be asked next week to approve a changed version of the bill.

Prevailing wage challenged

Both the federal and state governments require contractors to pay the “prevailing wage” on public construction projects, such as schools, municipal buildings and sewer systems.

Paul Wilson formally installed as Supreme Court judge

Paul Wilson has been working since January and, Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard Teitelman noted, already has “participated in hearing or deciding more than two dozen cases.”

LU students facing higher health insurance costs

Lincoln University Curators voted Thursday to increase student testing and health insurance costs, even though they voted to hold in-state, undergraduate tuition rates at the same level as this current year.

Lincoln University raising some fees

Lincoln University students who come to Jefferson City from another state will see tuition increases this fall, but Missouri residents’ undergraduate tuition is staying the same, at $205 for each credit hour.

Health director offers her story as inspiration for students

Peoples’ perspective

Marie Peoples has been Cole County’s Health director for almost 21⁄2 years. “A defining moment (of my life) that stands out to me was when I wrote in my 6th grade essay that I wanted to become an oceanologist,” Peoples told Lincoln University students at Thursday morning’s Honors Convocation

Stories by Bob