Tag: missouri news

Jackson County, St. Louis County added to Fitzpatrick’s local government checkbook By Raymore Journal staff Missouri State Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick today announced that Jackson County and St. Louis County have been added to the Local Government Checkbook, making spending data from Missouri’s two largest counties available to taxpayers. The Checkbook is part of his ongoing commitment to ensuring a more efficient and transparent government at both the state and local levels. “As Treasurer, a priority of mine continues to be improving transparency at all levels of government because I believe...

Acting Governor Mike Kehoe issues Executive Order 22-05 in response to severe weather By Raymore Journal staff Tuesday, July 27, acting on behalf of Governor Mike Parson, Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe signed Executive Order 22-05 in response to severe flooding occurring in the St. Louis region. The Order declares a State of Emergency exists in Missouri and activates the Missouri State Emergency Operations Plan, which allows state agencies to coordinate directly with local jurisdictions in order to provide assistance. “With record rainfall impacting the St. Louis region and the potential...

Workers could sue over vaccine mandates under Missouri bill By Raymore Journal staff Workers required to get vaccinations for their jobs could sue if they have negative reactions under a Missouri bill advanced in the state House on Wednesday. The Republican-led House voted 92-44 to give the measure initial approval. It needs another vote to move to the GOP-led Senate. The measure would apply to any employer-required vaccines, although bill sponsor Rep. Mitch Boggs, R-LaRussell, said cited recent COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Under the measure, employers who make their workers get a vaccine could...

Missouri’s GOP-led House sends income tax break to Senate By SUMMER BALLENTINE Associated Press Missouri’s Republican-led House passed a bill Thursday that would give rebates of up to $1,000 for state income taxes owed this year. Lawmakers voted 103-44 to send the nonrefundable tax credit legislation to the GOP-led Senate, where Republican Majority Leader Caleb Rowden said it faces an uncertain path forward. The House proposal would allow for rebates of up to $500 per individual or $1,000 for married couples. In practice, if an individual owes $1 in state income taxes when they...

Missouri Senate backs limits on property tax increases By Raymore Journal staff Some Missouri homeowners could be spared from paying higher property taxes under a pair of proposed constitutional amendments approved Wednesday by the state Senate. One proposal would authorize laws limiting the amount by which property values could be increased when being reassessed. Another proposal would allow counties to adopt ordinances exempting people age 65 and older from increases in assessments used to figure their residential property taxes, beginning in 2023. That measure also would allow counties...

Missouri House OKs elections for transgender athletic bans By Summer Ballentine Associated Press The GOP-led Missouri House on Wednesday voted to allow local elections over whether to ban transgender girls from competing on K-12 girls’ sports teams. House members voted 89-40 in favor of adding Republican Rep. Chuck Bayse’s proposal as an amendment to an elections bill in a late-session attempt to pass the contested legislation before lawmakers’ mid-May deadline. Under the amendment, Bayse said public school boards and administrators could call elections over whether to allow...

Missouri House pitches using budget surplus for tax breaks By Summer Ballentine Associated Press The Republican Missouri House budget leader on Wednesday proposed an idea to use some of a more than $3 billion budget surplus to give out widespread income tax credits. House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith’s late-session proposal is aimed at doling out tax credits worth what workers owe in state income taxes. Smith’s initial plan would set aside $1 billion for the tax credits and would cap the tax credits at up to $500 for individuals or $1,000 for married couples filing jointly. In...