Marijuana being weighed by person on scale

Federal grand jury subpoenas sought records from Missouri medical marijuana regulators

(Missouri Independent) – Twice last year a federal grand jury demanded the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services turn over records pertaining to the medical marijuana program.  The pair of subpoenas, issued by the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri in September 2020, were redacted by the department at the […]

Farm Service Agency FSA

2021 Farm Service Agency county committee elections underway

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin mailing ballots this week for the Farm Service Agency county and urban county committee elections to all eligible agricultural producers and private landowners across the country. Elections are occurring in certain Local Administrative Areas (LAA) for these committee members who make important decisions about how federal farm programs […]

Missouri Supreme Court

Audio: Missouri Supreme Court deciding whether local leaders can spend public money on ballot measures

The Missouri Supreme Court is considering whether local elected officials should be banned from spending public money to campaign in support of or opposition to candidates and ballot measures. Some St. Louis County area elected officials filed a lawsuit in 2019 saying the state law violates the free speech rights of local leaders. Attorney Paul […]

Medicaid

Audio: Close to 13,000 people have been enrolled in expanded Medicaid

Close to 13,000 people have been enrolled in expanded Medicaid in Missouri, according to the Department of Social Services.     In 2020, a majority of Missouri voters passed a ballot measure to expand the government-funded health insurance to about 275-thousand low-income adult residents. The benefits include primary and preventive care, emergency services, prescription drugs, […]

Spickard School

Spickard Board of Education declines the use of “Test to Stay” COVID protocol

The Spickard R-2 Board of Education voted October 18, 2021, to DECLINE the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education COVID-19 Test to Stay option for students and staff. The board accepted a bid from Ace Roofing for cafeteria roof repairs for $11,172. A Princeton bus mechanic proposal was approved. Superintendent Erica Eakes reports the Princeton […]

Abortion news graphic

Missouri Supreme Court mulls challenge to laws that blocked abortion bill vote

(Missouri Independent) – Making people who want to force a statewide vote on newly passed laws wait while the Secretary of State writes a ballot title undermines the constitutional right of referendum, attorneys for an abortion-rights group argued Wednesday to the Missouri Supreme Court. A ballot title was “not necessary for most of Missouri history,” […]

Abortion Graphic

Audio: Missouri Supreme Court to hear case about referendum process, effort to overturn eight-week abortion ban

The Missouri Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for next week about the state’s referendum process and an effort to overturn an eight-week abortion ban. Last December, a Cole County Circuit Court ruled that Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft unconstitutionally delayed the American Civil Liberties Union’s collection of signatures attempting to overturn the 2019 regulations. […]

Voter Suppression news graphic

Groups see Missouri proposals as voter-suppression attempts

As lawmakers in Congress work to expand access to voting, members of the Missouri Legislature are proposing laws their critics say would limit people’s ability to vote. State legislative committees on elections convened last week to discuss measures that would impose a stricter voter ID law, require election officials to purge voter rolls more frequently, and others. Luz […]

Voter ID Law

Missouri Republicans vow to push again for voter ID law

(Missouri Independent) – With several months to go before state lawmakers return for the 2022 legislative session, Republicans are promising to once again push to require photo identification to vote. Committees in the Missouri House and Senate held hearings Tuesday dominated by discussions of requiring a government-issued ID for both in-person and absentee voting. Secretary […]