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Missourinet

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ACLU to file suit to recognize gay marriages in Missouri

February 11, 2014 By Jessica Machetta

The American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri will file litigation in Kansas City to seek recognition of gay marriages by the State of Missouri. Press conferences will be held in Kansas City, Jefferson City, St. Louis and Springfield, where same-sex couples will speak out about their suit to be recognized.

Gay marriage has been in the spotlight in Missouri recently as eight Republican lawmakers try to impeach Gov. Jay Nixon because of his executive order requiring the Department of Revenue allow same-sex couples married legally in other states to file their Missouri taxes jointly. GOP legislators say Nixon is violating the constitution.

House Speaker Tim Jones is not heading up the effort to impeach Nixon, but is supportive of the legislation. The measure has not yet been assigned to a committee, the first step in the legislative process.

In the past year, the U.S. Supreme Court’s struck down the Defense of Marriage Act, which had prohibited federal recognition of same-sex marriage, and the Missouri Supreme Court has denied survivor benefits to same-sex couples.

Patrol Cpl. Dennis Engelhard was killed in the line of duty in 2009 when he was struck by a vehicle while investigating an accident on Interstate 44 in Eureka. Although he had listed his spouse, Kelly Glossip, as a beneficiary on his documents filed with the Highway Patrol, the state denied payment because they were not married. The ACLU sued the state on Glossip’s behalf, and lost.

Gay rights have also made headlines this week in Missouri as MU football player Michael Sam made the announcement that he was gay, the first player to come out as he begins his professional career.

While there have been other athletes who have come out about their sexuality, Sam is the first player to open up as he begins his quest to start a professional career.  If Sam were to make an NFL roster, he would become the first player to publicly announce that he is gay.

“I’m not naïve,” Sam said. “I know this is a huge deal and I know how important this is. But my role as of right now is to train for the combine and play in the NFL.”

Filed Under: Crime / Courts, News Tagged With: gay, Nixon, same-sex marriage, Supreme Court, taxes

Bellefontaine Neighbors Senator agrees with Nixon, tax-cut bill could hurt vulnerable Missourians (AUDIO)

August 19, 2013 By Jessica Machetta

Gov. Jay Nixon and senior members of his administration will visit the Branson Public Schools District Office on Tuesday to discuss the impact of House Bill 253 with area school administrators, teachers, school board members and others, according to Nixon’s office.

Nixon vetoed House Bill 253 in June, calling it an unaffordable experiment that would force dramatic cuts to education and raise taxes on prescription drugs, and the legislature has the opportunity to override that veto during veto session Sept. 11.

Sen. Gina Walsh (D-Bellefontaine Neighbors) says she voted no on the bill during regular session, and she’ll vote no again.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen, every day in the press … if we’re not in Jefferson City, we get the information the same way everyone else does, through you guys,” Walsh said in an interview. “I’ve heard that it could be a slam-dunk and I’ve heard that it could be a rough veto session. So I don’t know what to think of it.”

Nixon’s office reports that data requested by the Missouri Association of School Administrators from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shows that House Bill 253 would drain hundreds of millions of dollars from public schools throughout the state.

“I think the bill is a bad idea,” Walsh says. “I think it will hurt people, especially in my district, which is a poor district, there are a lot of senior citizens… putting a sales tax on medication would absolutely hurt them.”

House Republicans will need all 109 votes to override the veto in September. That includes getting a few Republicans who voted against the measure during regular session to change their votes to a “yes” this time around.

AUDIO: Jessica Machetta reports (1:12)

Filed Under: Legislature, News Tagged With: Governor Nixon, HB 253, taxes, veto session

Sen. McCaskill focuses on reigning in costs, cracking down on scams (VIDEO)

May 30, 2013 By Jessica Machetta

Sen. Claire McCaskill says scams and marketing practices might be costing taxpayers $5.4 billion in unnecessary Medicare and Medicaid payments. She’s launched an investigation and a public awareness campaign.

McCaskill credit 2The Senate Subcommittee on Financial and Contracting Oversight is looking into reports that medical equipment companies are sending people equipment they don’t need, and then billing Medicaid or Medicare for the costs.

Senator McCaskill grills Dr. Steve Silverman with Med-care diabetic and Medical supplies during a hearing, and says the marketing practices are deceptive and are resulting in the loss of billions of dollars paid by taxpayers. McCaskill says when someone from Silverman’s company calls a patient, especially an elderly person, “Med-care” could easily be heard as “Medicare.”

Silverman tells her his company has never presented itself to be Medicare.

“Why did you name yourself that then?” she says.

She’s working with the Missouri Attorney General’s Office to make sure scams are reported. She’s also added a new tool on her website, called “Submit Your Scam.” McCaskill is looking at possible legislation to crack down on aggressive marketing tactics by medical supply companies.

“Wouldn’t it be better if doctors are the ones providing this medical equipment-and if that care isn’t instigated by third parties?” she says. “We’ve got to bring Medicare costs under control and reforms in this industry are one way to do that.”

McCaskill’s office reports that more than 60 percent of approximately $9 billion for medical equipment is estimated to have been paid out erroneously or improperly, adding up to more than $5.4 billion.

Another prong of McCaskill’s crusade to protect consumers is in going after credit companies that are erroneously posting poor credit ratings on some people’s credit history. She says a huge percentage of people are seeing debts pop up on their credit reports that they are not responsible for, something she attributes to a lack of due diligence by companies that fail to make sure they’ve got the right person.

She says a simple social security number check would prevent such errors, which are causing people to sometimes go into financial ruin when it comes to home loans and major financial aspects of their lives. (see video below)

McCaskill has been spending time in Missouri over the past several days while Congress is adjourned, talking to the Attorney General’s Office and prosecutors about consumer protections.

“It’s the Missourians who’ve been targeted by these scam artists-either in emails, or mailings, or cold-calls-who I need to hear from, so I know how best to crack down on scammers and protect consumers,” she says. “I plan to bring the input I get from folks on the ground back to the Senate so we can shine a light on these practices, and rein them in.”

Filed Under: News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: consumers, Medicare, taxes



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