State Auditor Nicole Galloway issued a subpoena to Clay County to require the county to turn over documents associated with a citizen mandated audit. An Oct. 24 court ruling confirmed the Auditor’s legal authority to conduct performance audits and dismissed the County Commission’s lawsuit against the Auditor. Clay County officials have yet to produce documentation […]
Historically, most of the bills passed during the Missouri Legislature’s regular session become law on August 28. Of the roughly 2,100 measures filed this year, 144 proposals made it across the finish line. Dozens of proposals become official today. Here is a snapshot of 10 key measures taking effect: Education funding In the fiscal year […]
Two groups are suing Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft alleging that he robbed Missourians of a public vote about new abortion regulations. The American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri and the No Bans on Choice Committee say Ashcroft refused to issue the ballot language needed to start collecting signatures. Tony Rothert with the ACLU opposes […]
A judge has temporarily blocked implementation of Missouri’s Senate Bill 391 that was to take effect in a week. It prohibits counties from passing ordinances stricter than state laws governing concentrated animal feeding operations – CAFOs. Two county boards (Cooper and Cedar), two property owners and the nonprofit Friends of Responsible Agriculture requested the stay […]
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt says the number of people who die every day from opioid overdoses should have some national and statewide urgency. Schmitt says one in every 65 Missouri deaths is from an opioid overdose. He says that figure should have some statewide urgency – prompting his office to sue three […]
Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union are suing Missouri over a contentious eight-week abortion ban bill. In a complaint filed Tuesday evening, the organizations argue Missouri’s heartbeat ban violates U.S. Supreme Court precedent that protects access to abortion. The policy would ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, except in […]
A wrongful death suit has been filed in Grundy County regarding an accident on Highway 6 in Trenton May 31st in which a motor vehicle struck a horse and buggy. Joe Hostetler of Spickard filed the suit against Christina Airey of Trenton. Hostetler’s wife, Elizabeth Hostetler, drove the buggy and died as a result of […]
The Missouri American Civil Liberties Union says it will see Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft in court. Ashcroft has denied two referendum petitions opposing new abortion regulations because he says the part of the bill has already become law – making the petitions unconstitutional. As soon as the governor signed the bill, the […]
On Friday, abortions could end in Missouri. Planned Parenthood President Leana Wen says it has filed a lawsuit today against the state attempting to preserve its right to provide abortions in St. Louis. She says the state “refuses to renew its license” at the St. Louis clinic by “insisting seven of its doctors be interrogated […]
The Trenton R-9 Board of Education rescinded its selection of United Healthcare for employee health insurance coverage and the cap for next school year at a special meeting Thursday afternoon. This happened after President Doug Franklin explained that after the board’s special meeting Monday, Blue Cross told the district it would offer the same premiums […]
A judge has dismissed a case against the Missouri State Auditor’s Office and the Putnam County Hospital Board brought by Hospital Partners, Incorporated. Inc. In 2017, Galloway released an audit that found a $90 million billing scheme being perpetrated by the company at the rural hospital. The case was filed in April 2018 by Hospital […]
Branson’s duck boats are taking the season off. Alisa Nelson with Missourinet files this report. Ride The Ducks Branson boats are staying docked this tourist season. The company announced on its website that ongoing investigations into last summer’s fatal boat sinking has led to its decision not to offer the boat tours this […]
A Missouri Department of Corrections employee has won a $600,000 settlement from the state after she alleged male co-workers at two state prisons regularly harassed her. The St. Louis Post Dispatch reports the taxpayer-funded payout, approved in January, included just over $297,000 to prison caseworker Jennifer LaFleur and more than $303,000 to attorneys […]
A class-action lawsuit seeking major reforms of Missouri’s parole system just got the go-ahead from a federal judge in St. Louis. The case, Gasca vs. Precythe, alleges that the Missouri Board of Probation and Parole violates people’s due-process rights by not sufficiently educating them about their right to a hearing, and not screening them quickly or […]
Missourians are frequently subjected to aggressive collection efforts by air ambulance providers totaling tens of thousands of dollars in a practice called balance billing, according to a detailed report released today by the Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration (DIFP). To assess the scope of the problem, the DIFP initiated a data call for […]
Missouri Republican Senator-elect Josh Hawley plans to reintroduce Senator Claire McCaskill’s duck boat legislation in the new Congress. Hawley released a statement Wednesday announcing his intention. McCaskill, a two-term Democrat who was defeated by Hawley in November’s election, filed her bill in August after 17 people died in July when a duck boat […]
The Missouri Department of Corrections has changed its execution witness-selection policy as part of a lawsuit settlement. The change in policy led to the formal dismissal of the federal suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union in 2016 on behalf of BuzzFeed News journalist Chris against former Department of Corrections Director George […]
Missouri Governor Mike Parson signed an executive order Tuesday to make some changes to a previous order issued by former Governor Eric Greitens. The revisions apply to an executive order which adopted a code of conduct for employees within the office of the governor and the executive branch. The new document builds on […]
Missouri Governor Mike Parson has named State Treasurer Eric Schmitt to replace outgoing Attorney General and U.S. Senator-elect Josh Hawley. Parson said he has trust and respect for Schmitt and has confidence in how he’ll handle the new position. Governor Parson said it would be too early to comment on the high-profile lawsuits […]
The captain of the duck boat that sank at Table Rock Lake last summer, resulting in the deaths of 17 people, was indicted by a federal grand jury. “Our entire community was shocked and saddened by the loss of 17 lives in this tragic event last summer,” U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison said. “Today’s indictment alleges […]
