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ST. LOUIS NEWS TODAY - Sunday, February 11, 2007
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Missourians to Vote for New License Plate Design
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), February 11, 2007 - A series of public meetings and online voting will provide an opportunity for Missourians to pick a new license plate design.
License plate reissuance requirements in state law have set in motion a public process by the Missouri State Highway Patrol to select the next standard Missouri motor vehicle license plate.
The Internet voting opened Friday, February 9, and will be accessible until Monday, March 5. The announcement of Missouri's new plate design will follow. See Internet voting at www.dor.mo.gov/. Click on the link under "Features" to help select the new plate
"I encourage Missourians to vote for the plate they'd like to see on Missouri's roads," said Revenue Director Trish Vincent. "It's been a privilege to be part of this process, and I look forward to meeting with Missourians about our plate designs in the coming weeks."
In 1995, a License Plate Advisory Committee was established to develop uniform designs and common colors for the plates and to meet with the public. Missouri's current license plates were unveiled on April 1, 1996, as a result of that public process.
In 2004, state legislators passed into law another required plate redesign. Senate Bill 1233 authorized the License Plate Advisory Committee to again develop designs for a new Missouri license plate. The committee selected three designs that will increase visibility of the plate and reduce the likelihood of tab theft.
House Looks to Bolster Sheltered Workshops, Protect Firefighters
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), February 11, 2007 - House Bills 300 and 352 would strengthen the financial foundation of Missouri's sheltered workshops, maintain the integrity of the firefighting profession, and protect volunteer firefighters' jobs.
Sheltered workshops provide employment for thousands of Missourians with disabilities. Rep. Steve Hobbs, R-Mexico, sponsor of HB 352, believes his bill will help the workshops establish greater financial stability.
"We're making sure sheltered workshops are viable for the future," said Rep. Hobbs. "We're helping them to help themselves." Hobbs' bill similarly benefits nonprofit organizations for the blind.
Hobbs' legislation would give sheltered workshops and organizations for the blind a significant bidding preference by allowing them to bid for state contracts under the minority bidding process. Bill supporters say the change will allow workshops to bid on more jobs, have greater flexibility with work schedules, and be a partner with the state on contracts.
Also, to meet financial challenges and maintain staffing levels, HB 352 calls for increases in the per-diem payments workshops receive. An amendment successfully offered today by Rep. Paul LeVota, D-Independence, would accelerate the increased payments. Beginning in 2007 the bill would require the state to pay each sheltered workshop $75 per standard work week worked by a handicapped employee. A handicapped employee would also earn $15 a day for any overtime worked. Those amounts would increase each year until 2010 when they would reach $95 per week and $19 per day.
The other measure debated on the floor Thursday, February 8, HB 300, addressed unfortunate instances of firefighter fraud.
"Nothing in state law prevents a person from hanging out a sign, calling himself a fire department, and then responding to an emergency by listening to a scanner," said bill sponsor, Rep. Mark Bruns, R-Jefferson City. "And worst of all, the same person can send a bill to the homeowner for his so-called services."
Rep. Bruns, who worked 15 years with the Jefferson City fire department, indicated there have actually been two instances of individuals committing such fraud on the east and west sides of the state. His bill would require someone claiming to offer the services of a fire department to register with the state fire marshal who can identify registered departments with a unique number and can critically review registrants' applications.
The second provision of HB 300 prohibits employers from terminating a volunteer firefighter late to or absent from work because he was fulfilling his volunteer duty so long as the firefighter attempts to contact and provide adequate information to his employer. Rep. Ed Wildberger, D-St. Joseph, who spent 29 years with the St. Joseph fire department, spoke of the need for the "Volunteer Firefighter Job Protection Act."
"Their dedication is just as real as anyone's to their jobs," said Rep. Wildberger. "It would be a shame if someone lost their job for serving their community."
Both measures must receive final approval from the House before being considered in the Senate.
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