Springfield News-Leader
JEFFERSON CITY Citing fears of impending tyranny, the Missouri House gave initial approval to a plan to limit the reach of federal gun laws here Wednesday.
The bill from Rep. Jered Taylor, R-Christian County, would bar state and local law enforcement from enforcing any federal statutes that ban or discourage “law-abiding citizens” from having guns, accessories or ammunition.
Taylor and other Republicans said they’re expecting a lot of that stuff with Democrats now in control of Congress and the White House.
Indeed, President Joe Biden campaigned on banning assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines as part of his Plan to End Gun Violence. Congressional Democrats have proposed various limitations and regulations Republicans abhor.
Springfield News-Leader
State Rep. Tricia Derges, who runs multiple health clinics for low-income patients in the area, has been indicted by a grand jury on charges of felony wire fraud, illegal distribution of controlled substances and making false statements, federal prosecutors revealed Monday.
Derges, R-Nixa, pleaded not guilty in her initial appearance Monday afternoon and was released without bond. Her case is set for jury trial March 22, though that could be delayed. Documents show she is being represented by Springfield-based attorney Stacie Bilyeu.
In a news conference after the plea was entered, Tim Garrison, the U.S. Attorney for Missouri’s Western District, laid out the case against her.
Parson ended up accepting the idea and speaking to the smaller chamber.
But in a three-page letter to GOP lawmakers Friday, Parson said the reasons for the switch were basically hogwash.
He pointed out that the night before the speech, House members were conducting committee hearings in rooms packed with people, many of whom were not wearing masks. I could not understand why House leadership would condone such an unsafe hearing while preventing the State of the State from moving forward, Parson wrote. We had taken every precautionary measure to limit unnecessary attendance, ensure social distancing, and provide overflow viewing areas.
Springfield News-Leader
Parson and his team unveiled a new budget and a number of new initiatives, urged legislators to take action on key priorities and touted various successes from the past year fighting the pandemic while continuing to run the state.
Here are three things that stood out Wednesday afternoon.
1. Medicaid expansion is coming
In last year’s State of the State, Parson called a plan to make more Missourians eligible for state-run health insurance “a massive tax increase that Missourians cannot afford.”
Wednesday was a different story.
Roughly six months after voters ignored Parson and approved expansion anyway, Parson’s team laid out a budget proposal absorbing its cost with no immediate trouble.