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There's only 30 minutes left before the constitutional deadline passes on Missouri's legislative session. But lawmakers had passed a number of major proposals last week and earlier this week. KSMU's Missy Shelton is in Jefferson City and reports on what lawmakers and the governor have done today.
Breaking with tradition, Republican Governor Matt Blunt held his end of the session news conference almost seven hours before the actual end of the session.
He told reporters he's pleased lawmakers passed a balanced budget, tougher penalties on sex offenders who target children, and a requirement that gasoline contain 10 percent ethanol.
Asked about his biggest disappointment, Blunt cited the failure of lawmakers to pass a spending plan for proceeds from the proposed partial asset sale of MOHELA or the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority.
Blunt blamed the Republican-controlled House for the proposal's failure.
Republican House leaders had coupled the MOHELA spending bill with a scholarship bill that could have ultimately led to less state funding for universities.
House Speaker Rod Jetton defended the decision to link to the two bills.
But Blunt says lawmakers likely won't have another chance to weigh in on how to spend the MOHELA proceeds.
Blunt has said he wants the MOHELA board to transfer the funds directly to state universities for capitol improvement projects.
Despite the governor's claim that lawmakers won't have another say on the MOHELA money, House Speaker Rod Jetton says he believes lawmakers will have a chance for input.
Both the House Speaker and the governor left the capitol early on the last day of session... Jetton told reporters he was going back to Southeast Missouri for his daughter's high school graduation. Blunt's spokeswoman says the governor was on his way to Springfield for the Mother's Day weekend...Blunt's early departure came as a surprise to Jetton who said the governor's presence at the capitol would help get Medicaid fraud legislation through the General Assembly in the final hours of the session.
As for legislative action today, lawmakers sent the governor a bill to require voters to show government-issued photo identification at the polls.
The senate forced a vote on the issue in the early morning hours today through rare procedural maneuvering.
The House tackled the bill this afternoon with Democrats like Representative Connie Johnson complaining that the measure will disenfranchise people, especially those who have fought hard for the right to vote.
Bill supporter Republican Representative Brian Yates took exception to Representative Johnson's comments.
The voting bill narrowly passed the House by a vote of 84 to 73.
