Government

Cape Girardeau, Mo. – Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has signed into law a bill requiring insurance companies to make timely payments to medical providers.

The so-called "prompt pay" bill imposes penalties on insurance companies for excessive delays in payment to providers. The law bans the practice of suspending claims, which the Governor describes as a limbo state where the claim is neither approved nor denied. The bill also establishes delinquency penalties on insurance companies when payment is not received within 45 days.

St. Louis, Mo. – The Missouri Association of the Deaf and 13 deaf residents have filed suit against the Missouri Department of Mental Health. The lawsuit, filed in federal court today, claims the department has violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by not providing mental health services to the deaf.

The plaintiffs say the department needs to hire more qualified sign language interpreters and train psychiatrists and other therapists about deaf culture.

Kansas City, Mo. – The Kansas City city council chose attorney Anne LaBella as a new municipal judge Thursday and decided to look into different hours for the municipal court.

LaBella has represented clients in municipal court for 18 years, and is also known for her volunteer work with women in shelters, veterans and the homeless.

The council also discussed having at least one division of the municipal court operate as a night court.

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill took the Senate Floor today to say a group of freshman colleagues have agreed to end the practice of secretly holding back administration nominees from job appointments: End it by policy and end it forever.

Kansas City, Mo. – A clearer picture of Saturday night's "flash mob" conflicts on the Plaza emerged in a city council committee meeting Wednesday. But it was also a meeting with conflicts of its own.

Most of the 900 or so young people police dispersed from the upscale shopping area were 16 or under. Many arrived by bus. Only a few, mostly among the older youths, were involved in fights.

Kansas City, Mo. – The Kansas City Council will decide next week whether to set an August ballot on the persistent blight of waste tires. A council committee has been told thousands are ditched along streets, parkways and vacant lots every year.

Jefferson City, Mo. – About 400 people gathered outside the Missouri State Capitol Tuesday for a tea party rally, featuring the son of former president Ronald Reagan.

Talk show host Michael Reagan told the crowd on the State Capitol's South Lawn that liberals and progressives are "like termites."

"If we don't temp them on a regular basis, they're going to keep eating away."

But Reagan also said that conservatives need to emulate liberals in their long-term outlook.

Jefferson City, Mo. – The Missouri Senate has given first-round approval to a bill designed to shrink the size and cost of state government.

Among the recommended actions in the bill is the combining of the Missouri Highway Patrol and the Water Patrol into one law enforcement entity. Its sponsored by Senate President Pro-tem Charlie Shields.

"Also, (it) will move the alcohol and tobacco folks into the Department of Revenue, and frankly will eliminate positions there," says shields.