By The Associated Press
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - A look at legislation that passed or failed during Missouri's 2011 legislative session that ended Friday.
PASSED:
ABORTION
Removes a general exception for the health of a woman from an existing state law prohibiting abortions of viable fetuses. Instead allows such abortions only when the women's life is endangered or continued pregnancy would pose serious risk to a major bodily function.
BUDGET
Allots $23.2 billion for state operations next fiscal year. Cuts state aid for public colleges and universities while holding basic aid flat for public K-12 school districts. Increases funding in response to growth in the Medicaid health care program for the poor. Attempts to stop Gov. Jay Nixon from billing most state agencies for costs of his travel and staff.
BUSINESS TAXES
Gradually reduces the state franchise tax charged on business assets such as buildings and inventory before eliminating it completely in 2016. A separate bill offers an income tax deduction for small businesses that hire new employees with salaries that at least match the average local wage.
CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING
Consolidates Missouri's nine congressional districts into eight based on population changes revealed by the 2010 Census. Splits the current 3rd District held by Democratic Rep. Russ Carnahan of St. Louis among four districts. Enacted when lawmakers overrode a veto by Gov. Jay Nixon.
DOG BREEDING
Rewrites key provisions of a dog-breeding law passed by voters last fall, including standards for housing and caring for dogs. Repeals a limit of 50 breeding dogs per business and the possibility of misdemeanor charges for first-time violators. Raises fees charged to breeders to fund Missouri's regulatory efforts.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Overhauls Missouri's domestic violence laws, including many requirements relating to orders of protection, and requires cases against some repeat offenders to be handled in state courts.
FARM LAWSUITS
Limits nuisance lawsuits against agricultural producers, such as large hog farms that produce foul odors, by restricting the amount of money that can be won and curbing the ability of people to file repeated lawsuits. Lawmakers passed a revised bill after Gov. Jay Nixon vetoed the original version.
GUNS
Lowers the minimum age to get a concealed gun permit in Missouri to 21 from the current age of 23.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Increases the maximum penalties for crimes of human trafficking.
MISSOURI RX
Reauthorizes a state program that helps pay the prescription drug costs of low-income seniors and the disabled covered by Medicare.
PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY
Moves Missouri's presidential primary to March from February.
SYNTHETIC DRUGS
Outlaws synthetic hallucinogenic drugs marketed as "bath salts" and additional forms of synthetic marijuana.
TAXES AND FEES
Renews health care taxes that help generate $3 billion annually for Missouri's Medicaid program. Reinstates fees that expired last December that provided more than one-quarter of the funding for Missouri's water regulation programs.
TEACHER ABUSE
Requires schools to share information with the state and other school districts about teachers who are found to have engaged in sexual misconduct with students
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
Reauthorizes Missouri's participation in a federally funded program that provides extended jobless benefits to people who have been unemployed for a year and a half, but also reduces state-funded unemployment benefits to a maximum of 20 weeks instead of 26 weeks.
VOTING
Asks voters in 2012 whether to amend the Missouri Constitution to allow laws creating an early voting period and requiring voters to show government-issued photo identification. If voters pass the amendment, a separate bill would take effect placing both provisions into state law.
WELFARE
Allows drug testing of people receiving or applying for state welfare benefits when the state has cause to suspect they have been using illegal drugs. Those who test positive would be required to complete treatment programs or lose eligibility for the benefits.
VETOED:
WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION
Makes it more difficult for people who have been fired to win discrimination lawsuits against their former employers by changing the standard of proof to bias being a "motivating" factor instead of a "contributing" factor. Also limits punitive damages in discrimination cases.
FAILED:
CHARTER SCHOOLS
Expanded the ability to have charter schools in placgs outside St. Louis and Kansas City.
ECONOMIC INCENTIVES
Created new tax incentives for international cargo shippers at the St. Louis airport, amateur sporting events and science and technology companies. Scaled back existing tax credits for the renovation of historic buildings and the development of low-income housing. Eliminated a tax break intended to offset some rental costs for low-income seniors and disabled residents.
ENGLISH-DRIVER'S LICENSES
Required driver's license tests to be administered only in English, eliminating tests offered in 11 other languages.
INCOME TAX REPEAL
Ended Missouri's individual income tax and replaced it with a higher state sales tax charged on a wider variety of goods and services.
METHAMPHETAMINE
Required a doctor's prescription to get certain cold and allergy medicines that contain pseudoephedrine, an ingredient used to produce methamphetamine.
MINIMUM WAGE
Capped the state's minimum wage at the federal rate, essentially overturning a 2006 law that allows the state minimum pay to rise above the federal level based on annual inflationary adjustments.
NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
Allowed power companies to charge electric customers for the cost of obtaining an early site permit for a nuclear power plant from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
RIGHT-TO-WORK
Prohibited union contracts with businesses in which all employees - even those who are not union members - are required to pay fees to the union.
ST. LOUIS POLICE
Granted the city of St. Louis control over its police force, ending oversight of a board consisting largely of gubernatorial appointees.
TEXTING WHILE DRIVING
Extended to all drivers the state's current ban on sending and reading text messages that applies only to drivers age 21 and younger.
WORKERS' COMPENSATION
Barred employees from suing co-workers for injuries incurred on the job.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Associated Press