The legislature has approved Republican plans  to take away from the revenue department the power to issue concealed weapons permits.  The same effort changes the way gun owners have to be trained.

Legislative Republicans are getting their revenge on the Revenue Department for copying and keeping concealed weapon permit paperwork.  They’ve cut department funding for the program and shifting responsibility for issuing the permits to local sheriffs.

But sponsor Dan Brown of Rolla says a shortage of bullets is changing the training that concealed weapons holders have to finish before they can get the license.  The bill reduces the number of practice shots potential licnesees have to fire from fifty to thirty. 

The legislature is giving sheriffs some extra money to pay for the extra step of issuing the permit.  The governor has to approve the bill.

AUDIO: debate highlights 5:33

Missouri’s U.S. Senators are calling for firings after the Internal Revenue Service Acting Commissioner allegedly targeted conservative groups.

Sen. Roy Blunt says Commissioner Steven Miller knew about the actions and misled members of Congress about them. He calls the agency’s actions “outrageous” and “unwarranted.” He’s asking Miller to step down or be removed.

“It’s become increasingly clear this was not limited to the actions of a small group of lower level employees, which is why President Obama and his administration must initiate a comprehensive and transparent investigation immediately,” Blunt says. “Americans deserve answers, and I join my colleagues in support of any and all congressional investigations to uncover the truth behind these shameful activities.”

Sen. Claire McCaskill says the IRS targeted for special scrutiny conservative and small government groups applying for tax-exempt status.
“People should be fired for this serious breach of public trust,” she says. “We don’t do this in America.”

Reports show the IRS put pressure on groups with titles including “Tea Party” … “patriot” and others, as well as groups that focused on government spending.

The record for 2013 made by the people we have elected to make our laws will be written this week. 

The session that started in cold, gray January ends in the green warmth of May at 6 o-clock Friday evening.  The clock increasingly becomes a friend or an enemy in these last days, depending on which side senators and representatives take on major issues still outstanding—and several are pending.

The comprehensive tax credit reform measure that Governor Nixon wants before he acts on the elimination of tax credits for low-income renters is one of the issues.  Important jobs and healthcare issues are on the table. Leaders hope some weekend discussions will resolve some problems and free bills to move without time-consuming floor fights.  

Senate Leader Tom Dempsey says signs of building pressure began to appear in the Senate last week, where floor leader Ron Richard gave Senators Wednesday evening off after contentious debate that had lasted into the early minutes of the day. 

Two major long-term money issues appear to face differing outlooks–a one-percent transportation sales tax, which Dempsey thinks might make it, and the 1.2-billion dollar capital improvements bond issue, which Dempsey thinks might need another year.  Both could wind up on the 2014 ballots.

AUDIO: Dempsey press conference 19:12