KCUR

Nixon defends, clarifies comments on health insurance mandate

Elana Gordon contributed reporting from Kansas City, Mo.

With a decision on the federal health law nearing, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon further defended his position yesterday regarding a federal health insurance mandate. 

A report from KCUR's Elana Gordon.

This fall, voters in Missouri will face a number of decisions: picking state and congressional representatives, the President.  But also on the ballot will be a measure that like two years ago, has to do with the federal health law. 

It follows months of political tension over a key component.

Updated at 6:15 am Wednesday. Reporting from Amanda Vinicky in Springfield and Jacob McCleland in Cape Girardeau was used in this report.

An Illinois legislative commission has signaled its opposition to Gov. Pat Quinn's plan to close two prisons and a state center for people with developmental disabilities.

Reporting from KCUR's Dan Verbeck used in this report.

The word “inevitable” is being teamed with “job-losses” if the University of Missouri system is unable to work its way out of an expected 12.5 percent cut in state funding for 2013. The statement comes from the University Curators interim president at the end of its meeting in Kansas City.

Reporting by KCUR's Elana Gordon was used in this story.

Two petitions that would affect taxes on tobacco products in Missouri are going through the approval process for circulation.

One would give cities and counties the ability to set and control tobacco taxes. The state has preempted local tobacco taxes since 1993.

Petitions supporters say local communities should have the right to determine how tobacco tax dollars are used. But Misty Snodgrass with the American Cancer Society says the proposal is problematic.