(Missourinet) – The sales tax you pay when you buy a vehicle in Missouri will soon be collected at the car dealership. Gov. Mike Parson has signed a bill into law that will shift away from the traditional practice of letting car buyers pay the bill at a driver’s license office at a later date. […]
Category: State News
As more states legalize pot, their uneven safety rules can pose a risk
(Missouri Independent) – Amid the growing acceptance and legalization of cannabis use across the country, a concerning reality has emerged: The state-by-state patchwork of safety regulations can leave marijuana consumers wandering through a haze of uncertainty, exposing them to potential risks. Under federal law, marijuana is illegal — period. So, it’s up to individual states […]
Missouri tax preparer accused of fraudulent practices, government seeks to shut them down
The United States filed a complaint in the Eastern District of Missouri seeking to bar a St. Louis-based tax preparer from assisting in preparing federal income tax returns for others. The government’s complaint alleges that, since at least 2017, Diane Shontae Williams, both individually and through her business, Dreams & Memories Professional Planning Services, prepared […]
KC Chiefs ‘Superfan’ charged with string of bank robberies
An Overland Park, Kansas, man popularly known as Kansas City Chiefs superfan “ChiefsAholic,” who has been a fugitive from justice for the past four months, has been charged in federal court with bank theft for one of a string of robberies he is suspected of committing. Xaviar Michael Babudar, 28, was charged with one count […]
Missouri governor signs bills impacting cannabis banking, employee background checks
(Missouri Independent) – Missouri’s marijuana businesses will have fewer obstacles when it comes to accessing banking, but they must now get fingerprint background checks from all their new employees and contractors, under legislation that the governor signed on Thursday. Few banks nationwide serve cannabis businesses and their owners — or even their auxiliary partners — because […]
Governor Mike Parson announces judicial appointments to the 16th, 21st, and 45th Judicial Circuits.
Lauren D. Barrett, of Kansas City, was appointed as Associate Circuit Judge for the 16th Judicial Circuit. Ms. Barrett is currently the chief trial assistant in the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office. She holds a Bachelor of Journalism and a Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri. She will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable […]
Video: Democratic legislative leader launches campaign for Missouri governor
(Missouri Independent) – The top Democrat in the Missouri House officially launched her campaign for governor early Sunday morning, taking direct aim at her likely GOP rivals while touting efforts to restore abortion rights and block foreign ownership of farmland. State Rep. Crystal Quade, 37, is the first major Democratic candidate to enter the field […]
Missouri will exempt Social Security, public pension payments from state income taxes
(Missouri Independent) – Gov. Mike Parson on Thursday signed the tax cut he said a week earlier was responsible for his decision to veto most of the 201 spending items he cut from the state budget. The bill, exempting Social Security benefits and public pension payments from income tax, would reduce state general revenue by an estimated $309 million annually. It […]
Environmental groups lead efforts for cleaner cars and lower emissions in Missouri and beyond
Cleaner cars and lower emissions across Missouri and the nation are the goals of an event being led by environmental groups. They are calling attention to an Environmental Protection Agency proposal, recommending ambitious new standards to help reduce vehicle emissions starting with model year 2027. Advocates of tougher emissions rules took to America’s highways for a relay […]
Missouri State Fair unveils 2023 Farm Family Day honorees from every county
Farm Family Day at the Missouri State Fair, in partnership with the Missouri Farm Bureau and other key industry organizations, continues its 63-year tradition of recognizing Missouri’s Farm Families and their significant contributions to the state’s economy and vitality. Nominated families from each county are chosen to represent their respective counties based on their farming […]
Governor Parson exercises pardon power, grants 18 clemencies in June 2023
In a move that has garnered attention statewide, Governor Mike Parson of Missouri granted a total of 18 pardons during the month of June 2023. The pardons were issued in accordance with Article IV, Section 7 of the Constitution of the State of Missouri, which grants the governor the authority to grant pardons. The official […]
Missouri State Auditor releases monthly reports on municipalities and special district financial information
Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick has recently released monthly reports that provide detailed information on the compliance of municipalities and other political subdivisions with financial reporting laws. The reports are part of the state’s ongoing efforts to ensure transparency and accountability in local government finances. The first report focuses on cities, towns, and villages, while […]
Federal grand jury indicts six Missouri residents in methamphetamine distribution and firearms case
A federal grand jury has indicted six individuals from southern Missouri for their alleged involvement in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and for illegally possessing firearms. The indictment was returned under seal on June 28, 2023, by a federal grand jury in Springfield and was unsealed on Wednesday, July 5, following the arrest and initial […]
2023 “Focus on Missouri” agriculture photo contest winners announced
The Missouri Department of Agriculture recently hosted the 2023 Focus on Missouri Agriculture Photo Contest, and a captivating image featuring the state’s beloved animal has emerged as the Best in Show. The winning photograph, titled “Hitched,” was submitted by Tony Cook, a resident of Fayette, Mo., and was selected from a pool of submissions from […]
Be alert for slow moving MoDOT mowing crews
Though it’s been a drier start to summer than usual, seasonal growth along Missouri’s roadways still needs to be mowed. The Missouri Department of Transportation urges motorists to use caution when encountering tractor-mowers near the shoulders of interstates and other busy roadways. “Mowing roadsides increases visibility for motorists along Missouri roadways,” said MoDOT State Maintenance […]
Effort to boost payment for wrongly convicted vetoed by Missouri governor
(Missouri Independent) – The state shouldn’t be responsible for paying people released after their convictions have been overturned, Gov. Mike Parson wrote explaining his veto of a bill that expands who is eligible for compensation for being wrongly imprisoned. Under current law, only someone shown to be innocent by means of a DNA test is eligible for compensation […]
Governor Mike Parson signs 31 pieces of legislation into law, vetos one legislative bill
Governor Mike Parson signed 31 pieces of legislation into law and vetoed one legislative bill, Senate Bill (SB) 189, passed by the Missouri General Assembly. With this action, Governor Parson has signed or vetoed all legislation approved during the 2023 Legislative Session. “We took action to close out all remaining bills from the 2023 session, and […]
Missouri woman pleads guilty to fraudulently applying for $168,000 pandemic loan
A woman pleaded guilty to federal charges Thursday and admitted fraudulently applying for a $167,999 Payroll Protection Program loan during the coronavirus pandemic for a Poplar Bluff, Missouri business that she did not run or own. Maxine Michelle Burns, 44, of Willow Springs in Howell County, Missouri, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape […]
Former youth hockey coach arrested in Missouri on federal child sex charges
A former youth hockey coach was arrested Thursday on federal charges that include accusations that he produced child pornography involving two juveniles and possessed child pornography of multiple other currently unidentified juveniles. James R. Lambert, 41, of Lake St. Louis, was indicted on June 28 on two counts of production of child pornography, one count […]
Missouri man handed a 20 year prison sentence for child pornography
A Grovespring, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court for receiving and distributing child pornography. James Michael Justice, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Justice to 15 years of supervised release following incarceration. On Nov. 21, 2022, Justice pleaded […]