JEFFERSON CITY - Massachusetts High Court's ruling Wednesday reaffirming same-sex couples' right to marry has fired up debate among Missouri's lawmakers.

At issue is whether Missouri will have to recognize gay marriages.

Under the Full Faith and Credit clause in Article IV of the U.S. Constitution, states are required to observe the judicial proceedings of other states.

JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri's voter turnout in the presidential primary was the lowest ever. One state representative says the primary costs the state too much money and should be eliminated.

JEFFERSON CITY - State legislators reacted this week to the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage. One state representative says the court is handling the issue properly.

JEFFERSON CITY - State legislators reacted this week to the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage. The court clarified their November ruling saying that equal marriage rights--and not civil unions--are constitutional.

JEFFERSON CITY - All convicted felons in Missouri would have DNA tests on file under a proposal discussed in the Missouri Senate Wednesday.

The bill would also compensate individuals cleared of a crime because of DNA evidence and released from prison.

JEFFERSON CITY - After more than 14 hours of straight filibuster, the Senate finally gave first-round approval to chaning the name of Southwest Missouri State University to Missouri State University.

The vote came after the Senate's top leadership signed an agreement in the early morning hours that ended the marathon filibuster.

Under the agreement, Senate Democratic Floor Leader Ken Jacob agreed to drop his filibuster. In return, the two top GOP leaders -- Senate President Pro Tem Peter Kinder and Republican Floor Leader Mike Gibbons -- agreed to await further action on the bill until the legislature passes another measure to let the University of Missouri borrow more money and lease some property.

JEFFERSON CITY - John Kerry easily won the Missouri Democratic presidential primary Tuesday, winning more than half of all the votes cast on the Democrat side. John Edwards came in second with slightly less than 25% of the vote.

Howard Dean garnered less than 9% of the vote.

Only about 15% of Missouri's registered voters actually voted -- far fewer than the projected turnout.

JEFFERSON CITY - For four days the Senate has been deadlocked over the proposal to rename Southwest Missouri State University to Missouri State Univeristy.

The filibuster has pitted against each other the two leading candidates for lietenant governor -- the Senate's president pro tem who sponsored the bill and the Senate's Democratic floor leader who is conducting the filibuster to stop a vote on the bill.

JEFFERSON CITY - State Senator Mary Bland says the process of voting may be the most valuable part of Missouri's third ever primary election.

JEFFERSON CITY - State Sen. Mary Bland says a lack of effort, on the part of Dick Gephardt, to inspire voters to vote in the primary is partly to blame for the expected low voter turnout.

JEFFERSON CITY - Representative Brian Baker of Belton plans to file a bill by Monday that calls for a voting student member on the University of Missouri board of curators. The bill follows an attempt by Rep. Jim Avery during the 2003 Legeslative session that did not make it to law.

JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri's Senate entered the second week of a filibuster over changing the name of Southwest Missouri State University.

The filibuster is being conducted by the Senate's Democratic leader whose district includes the main campus of the University of Missouri.

JEFFERSON CITY - The University of Missouri's new policy prohibiting sexual-orientation discrimination would be effectively outlawed under a measure before Missouri's legislature.

The bill would require that groups recieving state money -- like cities, school districts, and universities -- utilize current federal standards, and nothing more.

JEFFERSON CITY - Small business owners testified in both House and Senate committee hearings Monday about their need for a board to mediate agency rule-making when small businesses might be affected.

The board would represent business interests and would hear business complaints from other agencies.