MO Statehouse

The full Missouri Senate is set to convene next week, October 17th, to make one last attempt at reaching an agreement on a wide-ranging economic development bill.

The biggest sticking point remains whether to place 7-year expiration dates, or sunsets, on low income and historic preservation tax credits.  The Missouri House removed the sunsets before passing the bill last week, a move opposed by the Senate.

President Pro-tem Rob Mayer (R, Dexter) says he’ll ask the Senate to vote to appoint conferees, who would meet with House leaders and try to hammer out a final version of the bill.

A Missouri Senate committee has requested that the state’s Economic Development Department hand over all documents related to a failed attempt to build an artificial sweetener plant in Moberly.  The northeast Missouri town agreed to issue $39 million in bonds to Los Angeles-based Mamtek.  But the project fell through, and Moberly was stuck with a $39 million tab when the company missed its bond payment.  Republican Senator Kurt Schaefer of Columbia was appointed to the Governmental Accountability C

The Missouri attorney general's office contends a lawsuit challenging new congressional districts should be dismissed.

Some Democrats filed a lawsuit last month challenging the new districts. They argue the districts are not compact and contiguous, deny equal rights and reflect the use of government power to benefit a few instead of preserving the general welfare.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon says a business incentive bill passed by the House has widened the differences with the Senate in a special legislative session.

Nixon said Tuesday that he prefers the Senate version of the legislation but hopes lawmakers can still settle their differences and send him a bill.

Republican senators were to meet privately later Tuesday to discuss the legislation passed last week by the House.