Most Missouri counties could get ordinance power

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's smaller counties are a step closer to winning what their larger counterparts were granted last year -- the power to enact local ordinances.

The Missouri Association of Counties and other groups that represent the interests of county governments in the Capitol have lobbied for giving expanded powers to the state's 89 third-class counties. However, some rural senators said individual county officials are divided on the issue, with some eager for greater authority and others not even wanting the option to exercise more power.

The ordinance provision is part of an omnibus House bill related to county government that the Senate gave preliminary approval on Thursday. Because of numerous amendments added on the Senate floor, a committee must review the costs of the changes before House and Senate negotiators can work out a compromise version of the bill that can receive final passage by both chambers.

The bill would also authorize Cape Girardeau County to raise the county treasurer's base salary to $51,000, an 8.3 percent increase from Treasurer Bill Reynolds' current annual pay of $47,074. If approved, the pay hike would take effect in 2005. Reynolds is not seeking re-election this year.

A state law granting special permission to boost the treasurer's salary is needed because the county missed its window of opportunity for doing so when it attained first-class status in 1997. The salaries of other elected county officials were adjusted accordingly at that time.

Cape Girardeau, New Madrid and St. Francois counties were the only ones in Southeast Missouri covered by last year's ordinance law. All remaining area counties would be able to exercise the power under the current proposal.

Thursday at the Missouri Legislature

A Senate committee endorsed a broad economic development bill after deleting a House-passed section taking a tax break away from the state's two biggest newspapers.

The House passed and sent to the Senate a bill repealing Missouri's mandatory motorcycle helmet law for those age 21 and older.

Unused prescription drugs could be redistributed to others who need them under a new state program that would be created by legislation given final approval by the Senate.

The Senate gave final legislative approval to an agriculture bill that attempts to make tax credits more valuable for farmers, among other things.

The House passed and sent the Senate a bill under which politicians who publicize pending ethics complaints against opponents could be fined and sent to prison.

The House passed legislation allowing lawsuits against anyone who helps a minor secretly get an abortion, sending the measure to the Senate.

The Senate passed and sent to the House legislation that would make hand fishing legal in limited circumstances.

House and Senate budget negotiators worked until late Thursday but did not reach agreement on Medicaid funding for the fiscal year that begins July 1.