JEFFERSON CITY - A House committee approved an overhaul in how Missouri funds public schools Wednesday that Republican say would balance the underfunded and highly criticized system. The plan, however, wouldn't take full effect for more than seven years.

One day after Gov. Matt Blunt demanded action, suburban Republicans, who last week blocked the bill, reversed their votes. The shift proved strong enough to muscle the plan Blunt says will fix the state system on to the House floor.

JEFFERSON CITY - Floor debates began today over the 2006 fiscal year budget.

Lawmakers spent the early afternoon discussing the elementary and secondary education budget.

JEFFERSON CITY - State regulation of local phone rates would be eased under the measure.

Among the provisions, it expands the definition of areas where a phone company faces competition and, as result, is free to set rates as it wishes.

Although opposed by consumer advocates, the final version of the measure won by overwhelming margins in the House and Senate.

JEFFERSON CITY - Gov. Matt Blunt warned lawmakers Tuesday that he would call a special session if they fail to pass legislation revising the state's school funding system.

Blunt also outlined a compromise plan that would add more money for metro area school districts than the version now stalled in a House committee.

Blunt's proposal would cost more money and take longer to implement than the bill cleared by the Senate.

JEFFERSON CITY - Police officers would have the power to request identification from people they suspect committed a crime.

Failure to provide your name and address could result in 15 days behind bars.

JEFFERSON CITY - Supporters and opponents of legalizing home birth without a doctor flooded a Senate hearing room. Doctors, parents, and lawmakers gave their opinions about the bill.

The bill's sponsor, O'Fallon Rep. Cynthia Davis, says women should be allowed to choose who helps them give birth. But opponents say complications during home birth can be more dangerous to the baby.

JEFFERSON CITY - The Senate Education committee has voted to allow a student representative on a governing board of a Missouri college to vote on any matter coming before the board.

Opponents say allowing students to vote on sensitive personnel issues could have unintended consequences for that student.

JEFFERSON CITY - Sen. Matt Bartle wants to clarify the state's indecent exposure law to make sure sexual predators don't slip through the cracks in public schools.

This action is in response to last week's Missouri Supreme Court ruling that reversed the conviction of a St. Louis elementary school counselor, previously found guilty of exposing himself to three boys in a school restroom.

JEFFERSON CITY - The House-Senate conference committee adopted most of the Medicaid budget cuts recommended by Gov. Matt Blunt.

The Senate version of the budget would have restored some of the cuts with money from an across-the-board cuts in higher education.

The higher ed cuts were dropped under the conference committee.

The committee finished the budget days ahead of the 6pm Friday constitutional deadline for finishing the budget.

The budget now goes to the House and then the Senate for final approval.

JEFFERSON CITY - Both Republican Senator John Loudon of St. Louis County and Democratic Senator Victor Callahan of Independence propsosed bills to help family pets.

Neither of the bills passed, but both senators will push them again next legislative session.

Abortion rights advocates and anti-abortion groups disagree on how invovled the government should be in these decisons.