Author
U.S. House speaker reverses on radiation compensation bill that excluded Missouri
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office on Wednesday scrapped a proposal to extend a compensation program for victims of radiation exposure without expanding it to thousands of Americans across nine states. In a statement that came less than four hours after Johnson’s office said a proposal to expand the program was too expensive, a spokesperson […]
U.S. House may consider extending nuclear weapons damages program without Missouri
A proposal to renew compensation for cancer victims who were exposed to radioactive material from the nation’s weapons development without expanding the program to Missouri and several other states amounted to a betrayal, Missouri advocates and lawmakers said Tuesday. Members of Congress from Missouri learned late Tuesday that U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson plans to […]
Missouri advocates push for compensation for radioactive waste victims as deadline looms
Over the course of half a dozen trips to Washington, D.C., Dawn Chapman has become accustomed to long days of congressional meetings and questions about St. Louis’ decades-long struggle with radioactive contamination. Chapman, co-founder of Just Moms STL, wraps her feet with duct tape to keep her shoes from giving her blisters, and she and […]
Missouri legislators pass tax break for Kansas City nuclear weapons campus expansion
A proposed expansion of a nuclear weapons parts manufacturer in south Kansas City could get a boost from a tax break Missouri lawmakers passed Friday. With only hours left in Missouri’s annual legislative session, the state House voted 141-2 to authorize a sales tax exemption for construction materials purchased to expand the National Nuclear Safety […]
Bill to shield pesticide makers from cancer lawsuits faces long odds in Missouri Senate
Time is running out for legislation that would make it harder to sue pesticide manufacturers over claims their products cause cancer, with an unusual coalition of opponents working to ensure they’ve stalled the bill’s progress. The bill, critics argue, shields large corporations at the expense of everyday Missourians who have developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma they attribute […]
Missouri bill protecting rural neighbors from meatpacking sludge clears legislature
Meatpacking sludge storage lagoons that have drawn the ire of rural neighbors because of their foul stench would face stricter state regulations under legislation that cleared a final vote in the Missouri House Thursday. The Missouri House voted 155-1 to require the facilities to obtain water pollution permits, be set back from nearby homes, follow […]
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signs bill to kill south Kansas City landfill
Gov. Mike Parson on Monday signed legislation designed to keep a landfill from moving into south Kansas City, ending a more than year-long effort by nearby communities to stymie the project. In a news release, Parson called the legislation “a win for property rights across the state of Missouri.” “This commonsense measure will ensure homeowners […]
Missouri House approves bill prohibiting eminent domain for solar, wind energy projects
With two weeks left in the Missouri General Assembly’s session, lawmakers are weighing multiple bills that would bar developers from seizing land to build wind and solar farms. One such bill, sponsored by state Rep. Mike Haffner, a Republican from Pleasant Hill, passed the House Thursday by an overwhelming 115-27 vote. It now heads to […]
Missouri Senate advances KC weapons facility tax break without aid for nuclear waste victims
An effort to create a program for St. Louis-area residents affected by radioactive waste nearly derailed a Missouri Senate bill backed by the Kansas City delegation to help expand a facility manufacturing components of nuclear weapons. But after defeating the proposed amendment pertaining to St. Louis on Tuesday, senators approved the bill on a first-round […]
Kansas City seeks stiffer punishment for firefighter who killed three people in crash
Kansas City officials are hoping to overturn an arbitrator’s decision that a firefighter who crashed a fire truck and killed three people could only receive a three-day suspension. On Tuesday, the city of Kansas City filed a motion in Jackson County Circuit Court to vacate an arbitration decision that determined Dominic Biscari could only be […]
Bill to stop Kansas City landfill clears Missouri House, heads to governor
Legislation key to keeping a landfill from being built near pricey suburban homes just outside Kansas City is headed to Gov. Mike Parson’s desk. The Missouri House gave the legislation final approval by a 121-25 vote on Tuesday. It passed the Senate 24-7 last week. With Parson’s signature, it would prohibit a landfill from being […]
Legislation designed to kill Kansas City landfill clears hurdle in Senate, nears final passage
Legislation pivotal to killing a proposed landfill project in south Kansas City took a huge step forward this week in the Missouri Senate and is now just one step away from the governor’s desk. Missouri senators passed the legislation, which would prohibit a landfill from being built in Kansas City within a mile of its […]