Marshall Griffin

Democratic Governor Jay Nixon is not commenting yet on whether he intends to sign or veto the congressional redistricting map passed this week by the Republican-led Missouri House and Senate.

When asked by reporters in St. Louis, Nixon replied that he’s been too busy dealing with natural disasters to spend any time on the map that reduces Missouri’s congressional districts from nine down to eight.

Good morning! Here are some of today's starting headlines:

Fed. judge gives corps OK to break Missouri levee

A federal judge is giving the go-ahead to the Army Corps of Engineers' plan to intentionally break a Mississippi River levee in southeastern Missouri.

The break could happen as early as this weekend to spare a flood-threatened Illinois town just upriver. Friday's ruling in Cape Girardeau turns back Missouri's bid to block the corps from blasting a hole in the Birds Point levee in Mississippi County, just south of Cairo, Ill.

Two bills continue to sit in the Missouri Senate that would restore local control over the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, despite last week’s announced agreement between Mayor Francis Slay (D) and the Police Officers Association.

The compromise would give police officers collective bargaining rights, preserve police pensions, and preserve officers’ ranks, salaries and benefits once they become city employees.  There would also be a no-strike clause.

The Missouri Senate has passed a proposed constitutional amendment that would alter term limits for state lawmakers.

Currently, House and Senate members can serve no more than eight years in their respective chambers, although they can switch chambers and serve another eight years across the Rotunda.

Early this morning, the Missouri Senate gave first-round approval to a major overhaul of the state's tax credit system.  

The wide-ranging bill would phase out numerous incentive programs while reducing others.  Among those being partially eliminated is a tax break enabling low-income senior citizens to offset either property taxes or monthly rent payments.  It's sponsored by GOP Senator Chuck Purgason of Howell County.