JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The duration of jobless benefits for thousands of unemployed workers could turn on how the state Supreme Court interprets a sentence in the Missouri Constitution regarding vetoed bills.

The court heard arguments Wednesday on whether the Senate exceeded its powers when it voted last September to override Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto of a bill cutting unemployment benefits from 20 weeks to 13 weeks. The quickened clock began ticking Jan. 1 for people filing new claims.

An attorney for unemployed workers told Supreme Court judges that the constitution required the Senate to vote on the override in May, as the House did.

But the attorney general’s office says senators had the option of waiting until September. A lower court originally ruled in favor of the Senate’s action.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — More than two dozen business and local government groups are backing a proposed increase to the state’s fuel taxes.

During a committee hearing Wednesday, Poplar Bluff Republican Sen. Doug Libla (LIE-blah) touted his proposal to raise the gasoline tax by 1.5 cents a gallon and diesel by 3.5 cents a gallon.

Gov. Jay Nixon has already voiced support for the measure.

Chambers of commerce and municipal and county government associations are among those arguing that the state needs more money to repair roads and bridges. Some say they support an even larger tax hike.

Transportation officials say Missouri has the fourth-lowest transportation funding nationally.

House Speaker Todd Richardson says Missouri needs to pay for roadwork without more taxes. The House’s transportation committee won’t review proposals for transportation funding until February.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts says he won’t meet with President Barack Obama when the president visits Omaha on Wednesday, but he will send Lt. Gov. Mike Foley in his place.

Ricketts said Tuesday that scheduling conflicts will keep him from accepting the White House invitation, which he says he received on Monday. Obama’s visit to Nebraska was announced last week.

Ricketts says his decision was not politically motivated.

The governor is scheduled to deliver his annual State of the State address to lawmakers on Thursday morning, including his budget recommendations.

Ricketts says Obama’s visit to Nebraska is a “big deal” for the state.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Sam Brownback has announced that Kansas will prevent Planned Parenthood from receiving any funds through its Medicaid program.

In his annual State of the State address Tuesday evening, the Republican governor also encouraged the GOP-dominated Legislature to enshrine his directive into law.

Brownback used his speech to outline a broad legislative agenda on issues such as taxes, health care and education. He announced his action against Planned Parenthood near the end.

The governor is a strong abortion opponent. He signed a law in 2011 to prevent Planned Parenthood from receiving federal family planning dollars through the state health department.

The governor said Tuesday that he directed the health department’s secretary to see that no taxpayer money goes to Planned Parenthood through Medicaid, which provides health coverage for the needy.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Some Missouri Senate Republicans and anti-abortion groups are pushing a proposal to ban fetal-tissue donation.

A Senate committee reviewed the legislation Tuesday.

The bill would prohibit the practice in Missouri and enact other regulations on abortion clinics including annual, unannounced inspections.

Planned Parenthood officials say clinics in Missouri don’t participate in fetal-tissue donation. The practice gained national attention after the release of undercover videos by anti-abortion activists, who said they show Planned Parenthood discussing the sale of fetal tissue.

A St. Louis Planned Parenthood clinic is the only provider of abortions in Missouri.

A Planned Parenthood regional chapter medical director told lawmakers he doesn’t think the legislation would improve women’s health and safety.

The bill needs committee approval to move to the full Senate.

FULTON, Mo. (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a man who died in a central Missouri house fire.

Fulton fire officials identified the victim as 82-year-old Bobby R. Metz. Fire crews found him Monday night inside a burning home in Fulton. Another victim was able to escape from the home and transported to a hospital with minor burns.

It took crews about an hour to fully put out the flames. Fire officials believe the fire was caused by cigarettes. Damages are estimated to be $120,000.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska is warning the Nebraska School Activities Association that a proposed policy on transgender students’ participation in sports could prove costly.

In a news release Tuesday, the ACLU said it has warned the NSAA that moving forward with the proposal would put the organization and schools at risk of being sued and of losing federal school funding.

The NSAA board is set to vote Thursday on a proposal that would create a gender eligibility committee to rule on participation requests by transgender students. The committee would consider evidence of hormone therapy or gender-altering operations, and the policy would require transgender students to use either private locker rooms and bathrooms or those based on their gender at birth.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A consulting firm has outlined dozens of proposals for Kansas legislators that it says could save the state more than $2 billion over the next six years.

The proposals Tuesday from Kansas City-based Alvarez & Marsal include overhauling health insurance for state workers and bringing local public school employees into a single, statewide health plan.  The state would offer only high-deductible health insurance plans for its workers.

The firm’s 105 proposals include increasing taxes paid by workers’ compensation insurance companies and leasing small plots of state-owned land for cell phone towers.

Alvarez & Marsal says its proposals would save $302 million alone during the fiscal year beginning in July when the state has a projected $190 million budget deficit.

The Legislature hired the firm last year to identify potential budget improvements.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Good Samaritans who break into a locked car to save a pet could be shielded from criminal charges and lawsuits under a proposal in the Nebraska Legislature.  Sen. Sara Howard of Omaha introduced a bill Tuesday that would grant immunity to a person who damages a vehicle to save an animal locked inside.

The measure would only apply if there was no other reasonable way to save the animal, and if the person believed the animal was in imminent danger.

The bill would also require the person breaking into the vehicle to contact authorities before taking action, place a note with contact information on the vehicle’s windshield or driver’s side door, and wait with the animal at a nearby safe location until authorities arrive.