A Missouri House committee heard three bills today that would extend the state's texting-while-driving ban to all motorists.

But the bills differ in how the law would be enforced.

In November 2010, James Allen Morgan, a former St. Louis city liquor control officer, plead guilty to bribery charges. Today, Morgan found out just how he'll be punished.

According to a Department of Justice press release, Morgan received the following sentence:

• Five months in prison
• Five months home confinement
• Two years of supervised release

And what was Morgan's crime?

Missouri House members have endorsed legislation to offer amnesty to delinquent taxpayers.

The measure would waive interest and penalties for those who pay their tax bills between Aug. 1 and Oct. 31. Supporters estimate the measure could bring in as much as $74 million to the state. Plus, they say it would give individuals and companies an opportunity to wipe their slate clean.

The legislation gained first-round approval Wednesday and needs another vote before moving to the Senate.

St. Louis-based Peabody Energy announced today that it will keep its headquarters in downtown St. Louis for at least another 15 years.

Peabody is a Fortune 500 company employing more than 600 people in St. Louis.

The company had been offered a package of $10 million in Federal New Market tax credits to fund upgrades to their downtown high-rise.

The U.S. Senate has approved legislation that cuts $4 billion in spending, forestalling a government shut-down for the next two weeks.

Missouri Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill joined all but one of her colleagues in approving the measure.

McCaskill says she hopes Senators use the next two weeks to negotiate cuts that don't simply target discretionary spending, which is only 12-to-15 percent of the budget.

Some Missouri lawmakers say the state should do away with its tenure system for teachers and make students' academic performance a big part of their evaluations.

A House panel heard testimony Wednesday on legislation that would require 50 percent of a teacher's evaluation to be based on students' scores on state tests. Teachers would not be guaranteed salary increases based on their classroom experience. The changes would take effect in July 2012.

Missouri's Republican State Committee is taking aim at Governor Jay Nixon already.

There's no Republican candidate yet in the 2012 race for Missouri governor.

But the GOP committee is already running a radio spot that lambasts the Democratic governor's air travel expenses, referring to him as "Air Jay".

Nixon has come under fire for billing state agencies $400,000 over two years for his air travel around the state.

• Missouri House members have voted to cap the state's minimum wage at the federal rate. The legislation would essentially overturn a 2006 voter-approved law that lets Missouri's minimum wage rise above the federal level based on annual inflation. Proponents contend capping the minimum wage would help small business. They also say it could be difficult for Missouri businesses to compete if the state's minimum wage is higher than those of neighboring states. Critics defend Missouri's existing law and say legislators should not overrule a measure approved by the voters.

To say that turnout last night at the St. Louis Public Schools' parent forum on possible major changes to district policy for next year was low would be an understatement.

The U.S. Senate announced today that it will accept a bill from the House to fund government for an additional two weeks, averting a government shutdown on Friday.

The House had proposed a budget which cut $60 billion in federal spending, which Senate Democrats complained was too much.

Siding with his former House colleagues, Missouri Senator Roy Blunt said he sees little room for compromise when it comes to reducing the deficit.