Democratic state senators Pat Dougherty and Maida Coleman want the governor to expand the special legislative session. They want to fix the wording of three child abuse laws the governor signed in the spring. They say the language in the laws isn't clear on when and where abused children and their abusers can live or go to school. Dougherty says the special session is the time to deal with the problem.
Democratic leader Maida Coleman, D-St. Louis, spoke about her own experience of being pregnant at age 17 and how important it was to her to have someone outside her family to confide in.
Senate Minority Leader Maida Coleman, D-St. Louis City, said that with senators receiving the new language slightly before midnight Wednesday night, it was inappropriate to force the measure to a vote early Thursday morning.
Sen. Maida Coleman, D-St. Louis City, said that with the senators not receiving a copy of the negotiated language until a half hour before floor debate on the language began, meaningful debate was not possible.
Saint Louis Democrat Maida Coleman, the Senate Minority Leader, says she supports reviewing the services, as long as it's not an excuse for cutting jobs.
Despite the Republican victories, Senate Democratic leader Maida Coleman expressed no doubts about her more conciliatory ton she adopted when she took over leadership for Senate Democrats.
JEFFERSON CITY - In the Senate's final debate of the first half of the session, Senate Minority Leader Maida Coleman, D-St. Louis City, questioned the Christian values of Republicans as the Senate prepared to vote on a measure to cut the size of the Medicaid program.
Sen. Maida Coleman, D-St. Louis, presented a bill to the Senate economic committee on Wednesday that would impose new standards on both mobile home park owners and their tenants.
And, when it comes to medical malpractice insurance premiums, St. Louis Sen. Maida Coleman says doctors might not be too happy with the bill's after-effects.
"If they can come up with a plan that's better great but anytime you're losing people hurting and suffering the plan can't possibly be better," said Sen. Maida Coleman (D-St. Louis).
Sen. Maida Coleman, D-St. Louis, presented a bill to the Senate economic committee on Wednesday that would impose new standards on both mobile home park owners and their tenants.
Sen. Maida Coleman, D-St. Louis City, said it was important to explore efficiency without simply trying to fire state employees. She said based upon Blunt's initial steps, his calls for efficiency spell the elimination of state jobs.
"That's just another indication of how non-receptive this administration is to good, quality suggestions," Sen. Maida Coleman, D-St. Louis City, said. "There's nothing that has been said yet that proves that this proposed legislation is the best legislation, but the goal is to cram it down the public's throat regardless.
"It's a good thing that the process will be a little more spread out," Senate Minority Leader Maida Coleman, D-St. Louis, said. "This is a serious decision, and it takes serious consideration."
"It's a good thing that the process will be a little more spread out," Senate Minority Leader Maida Coleman, D-St. Louis, said. "This is a serious decision, and it takes serious consideration."
Dougherty, Sen. Maida Coleman, D-St. Louis City, and several Senate Democrats filed a block of legislation directed at protecting consumers from a range of privacy and ethical issues the ChoicePoint scandal raised.
"It's a good thing that the process will be a little more spread out," Senate Minority Leader Maida Coleman, D-St. Louis, said. "This is a serious decision, and it takes serious consideration."
In addition to speaking to the House and Senate caucus, the senator spoke to an energized crowd of parent educators, PAT families and school administrators, who applauded every idea Bond put forth. Sen. Maida Coleman, D-St. Louis City, and Gov. Matt Blunt also spoke in support of Bond's act and recognized the significance of PAT.
JEFFERSON CITY - Sen. Maida Coleman says she wants to make it easier for immigrant students to get a colllege education. She is sponsoring a bill that would waive in-state tuition for anyone who attended a Missouri high school for at least two years.
*Graham's fellow Democrats did most of the work early on. St. Louis Senators Tim Green, Maida Coleman -- herself a cosponsor of the name change bill -- Rita Days and Joan Bray held up proceedings by debating a series of amendments. They filled the time by complaining about the cuts to social services, like Medicaid, proposed in Blunt's budget.
The Financial, Governmental Organizations and Elections committee heard testimony Monday concerning a bill proposed by Sen. Maida Coleman (D-St. Louis City), that would change the age requirements for members of the General Assembly.
A proposed constitutional ammendment would lower the age to run for the state House of Representatives from twenty-four to twenty-one. It would also lower the age to run for state senate from thirty to twenty-five. St. Louis senator Maida Coleman says those who fight for our country should be able to run for office.
One of the bills' sponsors, St. Louis Senator Maida Coleman says more than 30 Missourians were killed last year during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan... many of those soldiers had children.
"The Republicans always want to hold our feet to the fire and accuse us of not keeping our promises," said Sen. Maida Coleman, a Democrat from St. Louis. "This is something that he said he would not do."
Senate Minority Leader, St. Louis Democrat Maida Coleman, says these are all moves that have a peculiar similarity to the administration in Washington, D.C.
"They want to make money in the end," said Sen. Maida Coleman, D-St. Louis City. " They want to see that bottom line show that their corporations are doing very good. That's great for the stockholders, but there are a lot of us out here who happen to be stockholders who are hurting."
Flanked by state democratic leaders, Saint Louis Senator Joan Bray introduced her plan to slow the growth of medical malpractice insurance premiums. Under the plan, companies wanting to raise rates by more than fifteen percent would have to prove the hike was needed. Demoratic Floor Leader Maida Coleman says insurance companies need to be held accountable for their rates.
The Senate minority leader, Maida Coleman of St. Louis, said she was optimistic about the prospect of working with Blunt. However, she said she remains skeptical that his administration will work in the best interest of all Missourians.
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