Starting Tuesday, Missourians will be able to sign up for individual health insurance through an online marketplace as part of the Affordable Care Act, which many refer to as Obamacare. By visiting these online health-care exchanges, folks can choose from a variety of options in four different classes. Enrollment continues through March of next year.

For some people, sifting through the different plans can be a bit overwhelming. Today on Intersection, we’ll break down the different options and find out how the Affordable Care Act affects you.

Panelists:
Stephene Moore, Region 7 Director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Thomas McAuliffe, Policy Analyst, Missouri Foundation for Health

Jeremy Milarsky, Navigator Program Manager, Primaris

Jean Leonatti, CEO, Central Missouri Area Agency on Aging (joining by phone)

An extraordinary year in the Missouri legislature came to a close last week, as the legislature overrode 10 of Governor Jay Nixon’s 33 vetoes in its annual veto session, the most veto overrides in the state since 1833. That’s not all that surprising though, with the interesting setup in the state right now: a Democratic governor, and Republicans controlling a veto proof majority in both the state house and senate. But that veto proof majority didn’t always stick together along party lines in the veto session: there were attempts to override 7 other vetoes that were unsuccessful, including the two most high-profile bills: a tax cut bill and a bill that would nullify federal gun laws. 

This week on the show, we’re going to dissect that veto session, and talk about what it means going forward – what we learned about the political divisions in our state, and what we can expect next year.

Panelists:
Representative Chris Kelly represents Columbia and much of Boone County in the House.

Republican Representative T.J. Berry is from Kearney – his district is northeast of Kansas City. 

Marvin Overby is a political science professor at the University of Missouri.

Phill Brooks is the director of the Missouri School of Journalism’s State Government Reporting Program, otherwise known as Missouri Digital News.

This month, folks around town will be discussing this year’s One Read selection, the Ruins of Us by Keija Parssinen. Set in Saudi Arabia in 2005, the novel tells the story of Rosalie March, an American expat married to a wealthy Saudi businessman. Their happy union starts to crumble after she discovers her husband’s secret second marriage. The book examines the emotional toll the revelation takes on Rosalie, her husband, her son and daughter and a family friend.

This week on Intersection, we’ll talk about the novel with the book’s author. In the second half of the show, we’ll chat with other local authors about what it’s like writing in Columbia.

Panelists

Keija Parssinen, author, the Ruins of Us
Alex George, lawyer and author, A Good American
Marlene Lee, author, the Absent Woman

Over the next few weeks, civic leaders will continue to pore over the details of City Manager Mike Matthes’ proposed annual budget, in advance of an expected vote by city council in September. 

The $414 million budget for 2014, which was unveiled in July, reflects Matthes’ insistence on ending deficit spending from the city’s general fund. Some of the changes announced in the budget include hiring three additional police staff, retooling the city’s public transit system, and cutting funding to CAT-TV. This also comes as city leaders discuss whether the police department needs to add new officers, and how to find money to pay for them.

This week on Intersection, we’ll take a closer look at the proposed budget, find out what it could mean for Columbia if approved, and talk about some of the other issues facing the city.

Panelist:
Mike Matthes, Columbia city manager

It’s that time of year again, when students across Columbia sharpen their pencils, pack their book bags, and prepare for the start of yet another school year. Tuesday is the first full day of classes for CPS, and it marks the start of a number of changes for the district, including new school start times, new school bus routes, and a new comprehensive high school.

This week on Intersection, we’ll explore some of the changes this year, and get a preview of what's to come.

Christine King, president, Columbia Board of Education
Michelle Baumstark, director of community relations, Columbia Public Schools
Susan McClintic, teacher, Alpha Hart Lewis Elementary

On Monday, Columbia Mayor Bob McDavid announced his six-point plan to tackle violent crime in the city. Among the ideas is a 20 cent property tax increase to hire 35 additional officers. The mayor also announced the members of a task force charged with investigating Columbia’s crime problem, which the city council can vote to approve at its meeting Monday.  

The announcement comes weeks after a number of high profile incidents, including the shooting death of teenager Tre’Veon Marshall, a homicide in a Conley Road shopping center in what’s believed to be a drug deal gone bad, and shots fired in Columbia’s downtown district.

This week on Intersection, we’ll talk to the mayor about his proposals, and find out what could be done to reduce violent crime in the city.

Useful links:
-A summary of crime in Columbia over the past 20 years
-Breakdown of violent crime in Columbia involving a firearm
-How violent crime in Columbia compares with other Midwestern cities

Panelists:
Bob McDavid, mayor of Columbia
Dale Roberts, executive director of the Columbia Police Officers' Association
Laura Nauser, council member for Columbia's Fifth Ward
Tyree Byndom, community leader and talk show host

Last week, President Obama became the latest public official to question expanded self-defense laws such as Florida’s stand your ground statute. Speaking at a press conference on Friday, the president challenged the law, asking if it really contributed to “the kind of peace and security and order that we'd like to see.”

Opponents say that stand your ground laws promote vigilantism and undermine public safety, while supporters say they empower law abiding citizens. So which is it? This week on Intersection, we’ll take a closer look at expanded self-defense laws.

Panelists:
Frank Bowman, Floyd R. Gibson Missouri Endowed Professor of Law, MU School of Law
Dale Roberts, attorney
Ben Trachtenberg, Associate Professor of Law, MU School of Law (joining by Skype)

As Missouri’s legislature prepares to take on the issue of Medicaid expansion, we explore the potential benefits and drawbacks, and learn how it could impact people across the state.

Panelists:
Karen Edison, dermatologist and director of the University of Missouri Center for Health Policy
Rep. Keith Frederick, R-Rolla, chair of the Missouri House of Representatives Health Care Policy Committee and an orthopedic surgeon

Among the many proposals outlined in Gov. Jay Nixon's State of the State address last week, his proposed budget includes a $17 million increase in funding for early childhood education programs. We look into what the early-childhood needs are, what kind of impact state-funded programs might have, and how far the additional funding would go.

Scheduled panelists:
Steve Calloway, president, Minority Men’s Network
Jack Jensen, executive director, First Chance for Children
Mernell King, early childhood programs director, Central Missouri Community Action (CMCA)

Immediately following Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon's annual State of the State address, we brought together panelists inside the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City to provide a first round of analysis. Together we go through the governor's main points and discuss the specific proposals, which include a significant expansion of Medicaid in Missouri, increased funding for education at all levels, consolidation within the Department of Natural Resources, and the elimination of some of the state's 61 different tax credit programs.

Panelists:
Phill Brooks, director of Missouri Digital News and statehouse correspondent for KMOX
Rep. Chris Kelly, D-Columbia, 45th District
Rep. Caleb Jones, R-California, 50th District