Courtesy of Senator Eric Schmitt.

Seersucker has taken over Jefferson City.

Last month, we reported on Missouri State Senator Ryan McKenna's handwritten proposal to ban seersucker suits for anyone over the age of eight.

His disdain for the fashion trend -- inspired by a growing love of seersucker at the Missouri State Capitol -- has apparently backfired. Big time. The so-called seersucker caucus is stronger than ever. And in an increasingly hostile and divided legislature, this may be one of the most powerful, bipartisan group of lawmakers.

Yesterday, was apparently seersucker-to-end-all-seersucker day. More photo proof below.

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Governor Jay Nixon.

It's the final countdown of the legislative session and Missouri lawmakers were quite productive last night -- giving final approvals to three controversial GOP-backed bills that liberal critics say are an embarrassment to the state.

According to Republican supporters, these bills honor civil liberties, property rights and constitutional protections.

To some watching the debates unfold -- and to the minority Democrats frustrated with the priorities of the legislative leaders -- it's a different story. One blocks Sharia law, the religious law of Islam. Another bans a 1992 international green pledge of the United Nations. And the third stops federal gun control policies from being enforced in Missouri.

And in some cases, lawmakers may be able to override a veto of Governor Jay Nixon, a Democrat.

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Missouri's magical dog.

Legend has it that Jim the Wonder Dog successfully predicted the sex of unborn babies, correctly chose the winner of seven Kentucky Derbies and the World Series, could comprehend complex human speech -- and so much more. And now, the hard-at-work Missouri legislature is one step closer to making Jim the Wonder Dog...Missouri's official "Wonder Dog."

That's not all.

Jim, who is a part of House Bill 306, is not the only famous Missouri dog one step closer to becoming a part of law here. Old Drum, who was at the center of an 1870 Missouri Supreme Court case and who apparently inspired the "man's best friend" saying, may also become the official State Historical Dog.

"We had a lot of passionate Missouri citizens make cases for the dogs," Rep. Denny Hoskins, sponsor of the bill, tells Daily RFT.

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State Senator Brian Nieves.

Missouri state senators are busy this week, and yesterday they came together to successfully pass a bill. Hooray! Laws are important, because they impact our lives, right?

With SB 265, which has made its way out of the Senate and is headed to the House for consideration, some argue the tangible consequences in actual, real life are, you know, questionable.

On its way to potentially becoming law, the proposal, as we've outlined before, would give Missourians clear protections against a sustainable development agreement of the United Nations...that President George H. W. Bush signed in 1992.

It is, according to some Missouri Republicans, a very serious threat.

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Rep. Lyle Rowland

Here in Missouri, Republican lawmakers like to propose legislation that stops government officials outside of the state -- like the president -- from imposing their ways here. The latest effort in this category comes from Republican Representative Lyle Rowland, who has a bill that looks beyond the United States; his legislation would actually prohibit Missouri from implementing certain United Nations or international policies that infringe upon individual's rights.

And a House committee has approved it.

"People are having their private property seized...by the government," Rowland tells Daily RFT. "That is wrong."

Why is this state lawmaker worried about the U.N?

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Slackers!

The University of Missouri's respect for a diverse range of religious holidays -- not just the main ones, like Christmas, Thanksgiving and Hanukah -- goes "beyond political correctness." It's "almost like an excuse to do nothing."

So says radio host Tammy Bruce, in an eye-opening Fox News story that goes after Mizzou for maintaining a policy that "lists eight Wiccan and Pagan holidays and events right alongside more mainstream occasions."

Which is, of course, a total outrage that deserves some good old-fashioned journalistic scrutiny.

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Happy February 15th. Just in case you have post-V-Day blues, we present to you the latest Missouri-photos-gone-viral story (and thankfully, this one's not an embarrassing and costly misspelling on university merchandise). Have you heard of the Disney-themed wedding in O'Fallon? Just in case you missed it, Jamie and Christopher Chandler got married more than a year ago in a ceremony dedicated to Disney in every detail -- and through the magic of The Internet, their photos have spread virally this week.

For your viewing pleasure, we've collected some of the best photos below from St. Louis-based Shari Photography. Take a look and try not to be too hard on yourself for not coming up with this idea first.

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Representative Rick Brattin wants proof of evolution.

Missouri Representative Rick Brattin, a Republican, has introduced a bill that would mandate schools across the state give "equal treatment" to the theory of evolution and so-called "intelligent design," which is similar to creationism.

Why?

"I'm a science enthusiast," he tells Daily RFT. "I'm a huge science buff."

He's not, however, much of a Darwin fan.

See Also:
- Akin: Evolution is "Not Even A Matter of Science"
- Evolution T-Shirts on Trial in Missouri Town

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Rep. John McCaherty

Representative John McCaherty, a Republican lawmaker, can't actually ban abortions in Missouri, because of that whole Roe v. Wade thing -- but that is not stopping him from trying his hardest to add limitations through a new bill that is sure to inspire controversy.

"We can't legally...stop her from aborting a child," McCaherty tells Daily RFT. "But we can restrict what doctors do."

And his bill does target physicians -- not women, who he insists would still have a right to choose under this proposal.

How would this work? And why does the bill have "abortion ban" in the title?

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Local race gets physical. Full video below.

This is one way to attack the enemy.

Opponents of Antonio French, Alderman of the 21st Ward of St. Louis, are allegedly stealing his yard signs, because we all know that will, um, make a huge difference in local elections?

See Also:
- Arsonist Strikes Ward Office of St. Louis Alderman Antonio French
- Lewis Reed V. Francis Slay: Challenger Nabs South Ward Endorsement

And in a refreshing break from the he-said-she-said of St. Louis' election season, there is hard proof in this case that somebody is stealing French's signs. The alderman's nicely edited video is below.

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