Ferguson, Muni Courts, Ethics to Lead Missouri Legislature

(AP) – The 2015 Missouri legislative session is underway with lawmakers vowing to address issues related education, ethics and law enforcement.

Legislators convened around noon Wednesday for the start of the annual session, which runs through May 15.

House Republicans outnumber Democrats 117-45, with the most GOP members ever in the chamber. The party has a veto-proof majority in the Senate, as well, with 25 Republicans and nine Democrats.

Topics on this year’s agenda include issues that surfaced after the fatal shooting of Michael Brown. Bills filed so far include measures that would curb the revenue cities can receive from traffic fines, which protesters say can unfairly lead to arrests of low-income residents.

Other issues include proposals to revamp Missouri law allowing students in unaccredited districts to transfer to other nearby schools.