JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – Missouri lawmakers have given final approval to legislation that supporters say is aimed at protecting commercial property.

A 2011 Missouri law bars residential contractors who fix roofs or complete other exterior repairs on homes from offering to pay insurance deductibles as an incentive to be hired. It also includes a provision stating property owners have five days to cancel a contract with a contractor.

This year’s legislation would expand the provisions to cover commercial property. The bill passed the House 134-2 on Tuesday. Senators approved the measure 33-0 in February. The legislation now goes to Gov. Jay Nixon.

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) – U.S. Sens. Kelly Ayotte and Claire McCaskill are sponsoring legislation to prevent federal employees from receiving bonuses if they aren’t in good standing with their employers or the law.

Ayotte, a New Hampshire Republican, and McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat, on Tuesday introduced a bill inspired by a recent government report describing how the Internal Revenue Service paid more than $2.8 million in bonuses to employees with recent disciplinary problems, including $1 million to workers who owed back taxes.

The bill would prohibit an agency head from awarding bonuses to an employee after an official determination that the worker’s conduct either violated an agency policy that carries a punishment of firing or suspension or violated a law for which the worker could be imprisoned for more than a year.

CASSVILLE, Mo. (AP) — A southwest Missouri man accused of stealing farm equipment in several counties has pleaded guilty to a string of tractor thefts in Barry County.

The Monett Times reports  that 64-year-old Howard Perryman pleaded guilty to five felony counts just as his trial was to start Tuesday in Barry County Circuit Court.

Perryman is also charged in Lawrence, Greene, Webster and Dade counties with stealing cattle and other farm equipment.

Barry County Sheriff Mick Epperly says Perryman previously served prison time for stealing cattle in the late 1980’s.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Missouri senators have started debate on legislation that would charge panels of educators with developing new education benchmarks.

Students are scheduled to take tests this fall aligned to the Common Core standards, which have been adopted by over 40 states. Critics say lawmakers should have been consulted when the State Board of Education adopted the benchmarks in 2010. Now they want Missouri to write its own student performance goals.

The bill under consideration in the Senate on Tuesday evening would implement new education goals for English, math, science and history by the 2016 academic year.

Indiana is the only other state to scrap Common Core to write its own school standards. Under Missouri’s bill, the state could still choose to follow Common Core or adopt certain parts of the benchmarks.

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – Missouri senators have endorsed a three-fourths-cent sales tax increase to fund state and local transportation needs.

Tuesday’s 22-10 Senate vote sent the measure to the House, which earlier approved a 1-cent sales tax hike for transportation. If the chambers agree on an identical bill, it would go on the November’s statewide ballot.

Transportation officials estimate the Senate version would bring in $534 million annually over its 10-year lifespan. Revenue could be used for state and local highway construction, as well as operating costs for existing travel facilities and alternative modes of transportation.

Supporters say the fuel tax that currently funds transportation is no longer viable with higher gas prices and greater fuel economy. Opponents say raising the sales tax would disproportionately affect low-income Missourians.

KANSAS CITY (AP) – The former owner of a Kansas City chiropractic clinic has admitted fraudulently billing Medicare for nearly $3 million worth of nerve-blocking injections.

The U.S. Attorney’s office says 59-year-old chiropractor Michael Kelly Miller pleaded guilty Tuesday in Kansas City to one count of health care fraud. Prosecutors said Miller now lives in Temple Terrace, Fla., and operates a clinic there.

Miller admitted billing Medicare for the injections between February 2009 and December 2011 and receiving nearly $880,000 in reimbursements. The injections were intended to treat the pain of neuropathy, even though Medicare had no guidelines at the time on whether the therapy was medically appropriate.

Miller’s plea agreement calls for restitution of at least the $880,000 he received from Medicare, plus 15 to 21 months in federal prison.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri lawmakers have given final approval to a bill that would let retailers sell beer by the bottle.

Stores currently must sell beer in packages containing at least three bottles. The newly passed legislation would allow sales of single bottles, cans or pouches of beer.

The state Senate approved the bill on a vote of 31-1 last month. The House passed it Tuesday on a vote of 143-1, sending it to Gov. Jay Nixon.

NEW YORK (AP) — Almost 100,000 mobile phone chargers made by DGL are being recalled after complaints of melted parts, smoking, leaking batteries and fire.

The chargers, known as Vibe USB Mobile Power Bar, were sold for $5 at discount retailer Five Below Inc. between January and March.

The rectangular bars, which were sold in black, white, blue, green, pink and purple, are used to charge phones and other small electronics. The words Power Bank are written on one side of the charger.

There have been six reports of incidents, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said, which have led to bursting power bars and minor property damage.

The CPSC said people who own the device should stop using it and return it to the DGL Group by calling 888-456-4251 or going to its website, dglusa.com.

People who return the chargers will receive a full refund plus a $5 coupon that can be spent at Five Below stores.

Five Below, which is based in Philadelphia and runs 304 stores around the country, stopped selling the product as soon as it was made aware of a potential hazard, a representative said.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri lawmakers have given final approval to legislation that could allow casinos to offer credit to high rollers.

The bill would permit casinos to extend a line of credit to gamblers willing to put up at least $10,000. The credit would be considered an unsecured, no-interest loan.

People who are intoxicated couldn’t get the line of credit.

House members passed the measure 125-21 on Tuesday. It cleared the state Senate 24-9 earlier this month, and the legislation now goes to Gov. Jay Nixon.