State Senate Republicans subpoenaed documents last November about the St. Louis Planned Parenthood’s disposal of fetal tissue. Planned Parenthood handed over those files in May and Senate officials had until June 20 to review them.

The subpoenas followed the work of a Senate committee launched last summer after several videos were released alleging that the organization illegally profited from the sale of fetal tissue.

Senate Republicans said a press conference today will cover the initial results of the investigation into Planned Parenthood’s business model and methods by which it disposes of fetal tissue and whether any state dollars have been directly used in such activity.

Senator Eric Schmitt (R-Glendale) called the investigation a fact-finding mission without any preconceived notions of what the subpoenaed material included.

Democrats said the investigation is political and a waste of state money. They blamed Senator Kurt Schaefer (R-Columbia) for orchestrating the subpoenas and for ending the partnership between the University of Missouri and Planned Parenthood’s Columbia clinic.

Ten other states launched investigations into Planned Parenthood following the release of videos last summer. All of those states said no wrongdoing was found.

The sponsor of a vetoed bill that would give Missouri businesses a tax break for shifting to an employee ownership program says he’ll pursue an override of the veto.

The bill would give companies a break on 50-percent of the tax on capital gains resulting from the sale of shares to employees if they switch to an employee stop option program (ESOP).

Governor Jay Nixon (D) said in his veto of HB 2030 that it would cost the state too much – up to $10.3-million dollars – without creating any jobs.

“There’s a whole lot of tax breaks for employee-owned businesses right now. Adding another state one costing us $10-million dollars, I didn’t think it would affect the behavior of folks to get into that enterprise,” said Nixon, who said tax breaks for switching to employee ownership already exist.

Bill sponsor, Representative Denny Hoskins (R-Warrensburg), said the bill would give more employees a chance at what he calls the American dream: to have ownership in a company.

“It works similar to a 401K. Whether you’re just starting with the company of you’ve been with the company 30 years and you’re a senior vice president, everybody is a part owner in the company,” said Hoskins.

Hoskins argues the incentive the bill would create would give companies considering changing ownership another reason to stay in Missouri.

“The last thing we want is an out-of-state or out-of-country company coming in, buying 100-percent of the company, and then moving it out-of-state or out-of-country,” said Hoskins.

Hoskins disagrees with the projected cost to the state of the bill, saying it was based on a prediction that every company in the state would adopt an ESOP.

The bill passed the legislature with bipartisan support, with enough votes to overturn the veto in September if enough lawmakers continue to support it.

JEFFERSON CITY – After four people in Missouri were hit and killed on train tracks over the holiday weekend, the Missouri Department of Transportation and Highway Patrol caution citizens to not trespass on train tracks.

Three of the incidents occurred in the City of St. Louis and one in Ralls County near Hannibal.

MoDOT, Missouri State Highway Patrol and Missouri Operation Lifesaver remind pedestrians about the dangers of disregarding railroad crossing laws and trespassing on railroad property.

“Collisions between vehicles/pedestrians and trains are tragic, but preventable,” said Tim Hull, Missouri Operation Lifesaver State Coordinator. “Railroad tracks are private property and trespassing is dangerous, illegal and it can be deadly. If you See Tracks? Think Train.”

In 2015, there were 25 trespass incidents resulting in 15 fatalities and seven serious injuries in the state of Missouri. To date in 2016, there have been 12 trespass incidents resulting in six fatalities and four serious injuries.

According to Operation Lifesaver, a national non-profit rail safety education organization, a person or vehicle is hit by a train approximately every three hours across the United States. Trains move faster and are much quieter than people think. Trains can’t stop quickly, they can’t swerve to avoid someone or something on the tracks and they overhang the tracks by at least three feet in both directions.

Pedestrians are reminded if they See Tracks? Think Train. Here are a few safety tips:

• Do not walk on or over railroad property – this is trespassing!
• Cross tracks only at designated pedestrian or roadway crossings.
• Do not cross the tracks immediately after a train passes. A second train might be blocked by the first.
• Never walk around or behind lowered gates at a crossing.
• Stay alert around trains. No texting, earbuds or other distractions.
• Never mix rails and recreation. Do not hunt, fish or bungee jump from railroad bridges or trestles.
• Do not attempt to hop aboard railroad equipment at any time.
• Do not take selfies or posed photography on or near tracks or railroad bridges.
• Be aware trains do not follow set schedules.

Missouri Operation Lifesaver is a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating collisions, deaths and injuries at highway-rail grade intersections and on railroad rights-of-way through public education, engineering and enforcement. To learn more about Missouri Operation Lifesaver, please visit them online.