JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has signed a mid-year spending bill with funding for social services, education and a financially troubled St. Louis County school district.

The supplemental budget signed into law Wednesday moves $69 million to the state Medicaid program to offset a shortfall in Missouri’s settlement payments from tobacco companies. It also includes an extra $3 million to help low-income people pay utility bills, and $2 million to help the unaccredited Normandy School District.

The measure also provides additional funding for public schools and colleges through June 30 to make up for shortfalls in gambling and lottery revenues.

Nixon froze $22 million budgeted for schools and colleges earlier this month, saying lawmakers had not included enough money in the supplemental budget.

KANSAS CITY (AP) – A Kansas City hospital has a new policy that forbids hitting of any kind, including parents spanking their children to discipline them.

KMBC-TV reports Children’s Mercy Hospital has established what it calls a “No Hit Zone” where physical discipline is banned. Hospital officials say the goal is not to tell parents how to discipline their kids, but instead to help parents through stressful times at the hospital.

A hospital brochure says harsh discipline like hitting, spanking and yelling can affect children’s physical, emotional and mental health.

Under the new policy, hospital employees who see behavior that could escalate are directed to address the adult and see how they can help. A social worker could be called in if behavior progresses to the hitting level.

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – Missouri senators have endorsed legislation that could lead to the development of a preschool rating system by private or nonprofit groups.

The bill given initial approval Wednesday comes two years after a law was enacted barring the creation of a preschool rating system by the state, higher education institutions or quasi-governmental entities.

The new legislation leaves intact the prohibition on government involvement but would allow publicly funded preschools to participate in a rating system run by a private or nonprofit group.

Bill supporters say rating systems can help parents decide where to send their young children.

Two years ago, some lawmakers had raised concerns that a state rating program could have resulted in some early childhood centers becoming ineligible for state-subsidized child care.

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – The Missouri House has endorsed a bill that would allow motorcyclists over the age of 21 to forgo wearing helmets while travelling on the road.

Current law requires motorists to wear helmets or face a fine of up to $25 for each offense.

Supporters say adults should have the freedom to decide whether to wear a helmet and argue Missouri misses out on tourism because of the current law. Opponents say the helmet law protects riders during accidents and that the measure would cost the state in higher medical bills.

The measure given first-round approval Wednesday needs one more vote before moving to the Senate. Lawmakers adjourn May 16.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A popular upscale Kansas City restaurant that was destroyed by a gas explosion last year plans to reopen this summer across the street from its previous location.

The Kansas City Star  reports JJ’s will open a 4,800-square-foot restaurant and bar on the south side of the lobby in the new Plaza Vista Building a few blocks from the Country Club Plaza.

Owner Jimmy Frantze says he expects about 90 percent of his former employees to return.

An explosion caused by a natural gas leak on Feb. 19, 2013, killed server Megan Cramer and injured several other workers. The blast leveled the restaurant and damaged two neighboring buildings.

Frantze and his brother David Frantze say they considered rebuilding at the original site, but the bids were way too high.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A medical examiner is working to determine what caused the death of a man whose body was found inside a truck in a pond in northern Kansas City.

Police on Tuesday said the body was that of 42-year-old Vincent Eugene Reynolds, who was last seen on April 12. His family reported him missing April 14.

JIM KUHNHENN, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government is developing a website to help job-seeking veterans and military spouses create resumes, make connections with employers and become part of a database that companies can mine for skills and talents.

The effort aims to streamline the broad assortment of government and private-sector employment resources for veterans and military families.

First lady Michelle Obama will announce the launch of the new Veterans Employment Center on Wednesday at Fort Campbell, Ky., during a special veterans’ jobs summit organized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the Pentagon and the departments of Veterans Affairs and Labor.

The first lady says service members haven’t always had the time or information to prepare resumes, plot careers or meet with employers to get adequate jobs.

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – Gov. Jay Nixon’s administration says it has exceeded a goal to reduce Missouri’s energy consumption.

Nixon signed an executive order in 2009 setting a target of a two percent annual reduction in state energy use for each of the next 10 years for state buildings under the direction of the Office of Administration.

The administration office says Missouri already has reduced its energy use by 22.5 percent, which it says equals an annualized decline of 4.45 percent.

The office says those figures include a greater than 16 percent reduction in electricity use since 2008 and a nearly 33 percent reduction in propane and natural gas use since that time.

A teenage driver was injured in Tuesday evening crash in Johnson County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported the crash occurred on Mo. 13 just before Route E as a 2014 Nissan driven by Krislyn E. Maness, 17, Warrensburg swerved to avoid another vehicle.

The Nissan traveled off the roadway, struck a telephone pole, an embankment, several trees, and then overturned.

Life Flight flew Maness to research hospital in Kansas City. The MSHP reported she was wearing a seat belt.