The Associated Press

Mo. Lawmakers Approve Overhauling Prop B

Missouri lawmakers have given final approval to legislation replacing many provisions in a dog-breeding law approved by voters in November. The House approved the legislation 85-71 on Wednesday. It cleared the Senate last month and goes now to Gov. Jay Nixon.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has signed legislation restoring federally funded jobless benefits to thousands of Missourians, but cutting aid to people laid off in the future.

Nixon's signature Wednesday means retroactive payments will go out later this week or early next week to about 10,000 people whose eligibility for unemployment benefits ended April 2. It also means that people who lose their jobs on Sunday or later will be eligible for just 20 weeks of state-funded benefits instead of 26.

Missouri lawmakers have given final approval to legislation replacing many provisions in a dog-breeding law approved by voters in November.

The House approved the legislation 85-71 on Wednesday. It cleared the Senate last month and goes now to Gov. Jay Nixon.

The bill eliminates a cap on owning 50 breeding dogs and rolls back various new requirements on dogs' living conditions. Instead, breeders would need to provide appropriate space for their animals based on regulations set by the Department of Agriculture.

The Missouri Senate has passed legislation extending several health care taxes that help generate about $3 billion annually for state's Medicaid program.

The special taxes are levied on such things hospitals, nursing homes and pharmacies. They are used to draw down federal Medicaid money, which is then distributed to health care providers through various programs.

Missouri's health care taxes are to expire Sept. 30.

A former police officer in the St. Louis suburb of Bridgeton faces sentencing in July after pleading guilty to taking a $5,000 bribe.

The U.S. Attorney's office in St. Louis says 38-year-old Scott William Haenel of O'Fallon also admitted obstructing a federal investigation in his guilty plea on Wednesday.

Federal authorities say a person cooperating with the FBI met several times with Haenel between November and January and paid him $5,000. In exchange, Haenel agreed to help conceal a money laundering scheme involving drug trafficking money.