lawsuit

A northeast Missouri community has agreed to pay $95,000 to end its involvement in a lawsuit filed by investors in a failed artificial sweetener plant.The…

A federal lawsuit accuses the Jefferson City school district and two administrators of not doing enough to prevent a band teacher from having an affair…

Debate has stalled in the Missouri Senate over legislation that would reinstate a limit on certain damages in medical malpractice lawsuits. The state…

Updated 9/13/2012, 4:51 p.m. A Kansas City-based labor group is seeking to block the new law allowing Missouri employers to deny health insurance coverage for birth control pills and other contraceptive procedures. The new law took effect after the Missouri General Assembly overrode Governor Jay Nixon’s (D) veto during Wednesday’s veto session. Attorney E.E. Keenan represents the Greater Kansas City Coalition of Labor Union Women. “This bill throws millions of every day workers under the bus in the name of religious freedom, when in fact it’s the workers’ religious freedom that’s being violated," Keenan said. The case will be heard in Cole County Circuit Court. Keenan says they don’t have a hearing date yet, but he expects the suit will eventually wind up before the Missouri Supreme Court. “It directly thumbs its nose at the federal government’s health care laws," Keenan said. "We all learned in grade school that the federal law is the supreme law of the land…the legislature completely disregarded that lesson in overriding this veto.” The new law’s supporters say employers, particularly small business owners, should not be forced to provide insurance benefits that violate their religious beliefs. Updated 5:44 p.m. The new law has now been hit with a lawsuit. Later Wednesday, an attorney for the Greater Kansas City Coalition of Labor Union Women said it was seeking an injunction against the measure. Among other things, the lawsuit claims the Missouri measure conflicts with President Barack Obama's health care law, which requires insurers to cover contraception. Updated at 3:20 and 6:45 p.m. The state House has also voted to override Governor Jay Nixon's (D) veto, meaning the legislation is now state law. Both chambers needed a 2/3rds majority to override the veto, and the House got exactly that margin. The vote there was 109-45, the exact minimum required for passage. Seven Democrats joined Republicans in voting "yes," although the override nearly failed because three Republican House members were not on the floor during the vote. The final vote authorizing the override was cast by State Rep. Chris Molendorp (R, Belton), who voted against the bill on the final day of the 2012 session. The new law gives employers the option of denying coverage for birth control, abortions and sterilization. GOP Assistant Floor Leader Jeannie Riddle (R, Mokane) says it’s about both religious freedom and protecting small business owners. “To require them to go against every moral fiber of how they choose to operate their business, I believe it goes against every moral fiber of us as Americans," Riddle said. Riddle also cut off floor debate after making her comments. The measure had a much easier time in the Missouri Senate today. The override passed there 26-6, well more than the required 2/3rds majority. Governor Nixon was obviously disappointed, saying the new law will weaken women’s options and give too much power to insurance companies. “For the first time, it puts the insurance company in a position to refuse to provide that as part of their coverage," Nixon told reporters after the vote. "That’s an impediment to that woman – what would otherwise be accessible to her in her policy, wouldn’t be…I see that as an impediment.” Today's override marks the second time the Missouri General Assembly has reversed one of Governor Nixon's vetoes. Lawmakers also overrode the veto of the state's new Congressional map during last year's redistricting battle. The initial House vote on May 18 was 105-33 - five votes shy of the 2/3 majority needed to override a veto. However, 25 state representatives were absent that day. The Archdiocese of St. Louis called the override a "powerful pro-life statement" and a "victory for Catholics, people of all faiths, and more specifically, Missouri citizens who value religious liberty." Our earlier story: Missouri senators have voted to override Gov. Jay Nixon's veto of a bill expanding religious exceptions for insurance coverage of birth control. The vote Wednesday sends the bill to the House, where a two-thirds vote also is needed for an override. The legislation lets individuals, employers and insurers cite religious or moral exemptions from mandatory insurance coverage for abortion, contraception and sterilization. It's intended as a rebuff of an Obama administration policy that requires insurers to cover birth control at no additional cost to women, including those employed by religious nonprofits such as hospitals, colleges or charities. A 2001 Missouri law already requires birth control prescriptions to be covered under policies that include pharmaceutical benefits. That law also allows insurers to offer policies without contraception coverage to those who say it violates their beliefs. Follow St. Louis Public Radio on Twitter: @stlpublicradio

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a class action lawsuit late this afternoon that takes issue with part of Amendment Two, which deals with prayer and religious expression in Missouri. Amendment Two specifically protects public prayer and lets students avoid assignments that violate their religious beliefs. Tony Rothert, legal director for the ACLU’s eastern Missouri division, said the lawsuit is focused on this specific phrase: This section shall not be construed to expand the rights of prisoners in state or local custody beyond those afforded by the laws of the United States. But he said Missouri’s constitution provides greater religious protection than federal law, and that line would remove those extra freedoms for prisoners. “Some have hair restrictions or diet restrictions; these are all rights that could be in jeopardy,” Rothert said. And Rothert expects this case to open the door to other legal challenges. “I think there are likely to be quite a few challenges to Amendment Two, either challenges to the law or instances in which Amendment Two is used for a defense where for activity that violates the First Amendment or the separation of state and church,” Rothert said. A spokesperson for the Missouri Attorney General’s Offices said they haven’t seen the lawsuit yet, and they have no comment. The Missouri Department of Corrections did not respond for a request for comment. For an in-depth report on Amendment Two, click HERE.

The Supreme Court has upheld President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul plan — the Affordable Care Act. In a 5-4 decision on Thursday, the Court…

Regional news coverage from the KBIA newsroom, including:Deaf Association wins lawsuit against state of Missouri for failing ADA standardsStatewide…

A federal judge has approved settlement of a lawsuit filed on behalf of more than 1,000 deaf Missourians over mental health services for the deaf.U.S.…

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is seeking the dismissal of a lawsuit by more than 140 southeast Missouri farmers over damage caused by last year's…

The Missouri House has given first-round approval to legislation restricting lawsuits that stem from some crimes committed at businesses.Business owners…