Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed a motion to renew and enforce the preliminary injunction in his lawsuit against St. Louis County following County Executive Page’s attempt to illegally impose a second mask mandate. The motion was filed in the existing case against St. Louis County and asks the court to apply the existing preliminary […]
(Missouri Independent) – Shawndra Taylor had just 12 hours notice when the first truck canceled. The truck contained food to help prepare the 3,000 meals served each day in her school district in Eldon — including items she needed to make dinner for students. Her supplier, Kohl Wholesale in Quincy, Illinois, was too short-staffed. Taylor, […]
(Missouri Independent) – Face masks will stay on for students and teachers in districts requiring them, a Boone County judge ruled Tuesday, handing Attorney General Eric Schmitt a defeat in his efforts to use the courts to block mask mandates. Circuit Judge Brouck Jacobs denied Schmitt’s effort to use a single case, filed against Columbia […]
A new Missouri law bans the state’s school districts from preventing parents or guardians from recording certain meetings. State Attorney General Eric Schmitt says the Moberly School District is violating state law by requiring parents to sign a consent form to record meetings used to determine accommodations for students with special needs. Superintendent, Dr. Dustin […]
After an audit last year determined the former city clerk of Center misappropriated more than $300,000, State Auditor Nicole Galloway has issued a follow-up report measuring the progress made to implement the audit’s recommendations. While officials in the Ralls County town of 500 have taken some measures to better safeguard public funds, the follow-up report […]
(Missouri Independent) – Orders requiring school children to wear masks in class will be tested in court next week when a Boone County judge will be asked to decide if Attorney General Eric Schmitt can sue every district in the state in a single case. Circuit Judge Brouck Jacobs has set a hearing for 9 […]
Missouri will no longer be the only state in the nation without a statewide prescription drug monitoring program. A new state law has begun that will allow the creation of the database – for doctors to check for cases of suspected drug misuse. State Senator Holly Rehder has sponsored the legislation for nine years. Rehder, […]
(Missouri Independent) – Agricultural groups and farm-state lawmakers notched a significant win when U.S. House Democrats chose not to touch a big tax break for inherited property, avoiding, for now, a confrontation. But opponents remain wary that the idea could come back at any time as Democrats shape their massive $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package, and […]
(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 […]
A report from State Auditor Nicole Galloway finds that Monroe City has implemented some recommendations from a 2020 audit, but that other concerns remain. The June 2020 audit of Monroe City was initiated through a citizen petition, which required 200 valid signatures of qualified voters in the city. That audit highlighted concerns in several areas, including city […]
A Trenton man was placed on probation after receiving a prison sentence when he pleaded guilty to a charge of second-degree statutory rape of a girl that authorities said was 15 years old at the time of the offense last year. Michael Wilson, who was 25 years old at the time of his arrest in […]
(Missouri Independent) – Under a new state law that went into effect late last month, Missouri will become the final state to enforce a federal law designed to ensure mental health care is covered by insurance providers the same as treatments for physical ailments. The provisions were included in House Bill 604, an omnibus insurance bill […]
President Joe Biden stepped into the abortion battle in Texas Thursday, tasking federal agencies to see what steps can be taken to, in his words, “ensure that women in Texas have access to safe and legal abortions.” The law, which took effect Wednesday, bans most abortions after six weeks before most women know they are […]
(Missouri Independent) – Fireworks, this week over the sudden removal of an LGBTQ history exhibit from the museum in the Missouri Capitol caught the attention of John Cunning. For 24 years before he retired in 2018, Cunning oversaw the museum as part of his job at Missouri State Parks. So when he read Gov. Mike […]
A county judge has ruled against St. Louis City and St, Louis County – in their argument against the new state law known as the Second Amendment Preservation Act. The law is to stop local law enforcement from helping federal investigators if guns are seized in an operation: St. Louis argued that this […]
State Auditor Nicole Galloway has released an audit of Macon County, located in north-central Missouri. The report, which gives a rating of “fair,” makes several recommendations to improve efficiency in county government operations. “Audits help local governments better serve citizens by pointing out areas where taxpayer dollars can be more effectively used,” Auditor Galloway said. […]
(Missouri Independent) – The schools in Gov. Mike Parson’s hometown will continue to require students, teachers, and staff to wear masks indoors despite a lawsuit filed by the Missouri attorney general challenging public school mask mandates across the state. The Bolivar R-1 Board of Education in Polk County voted in a special meeting this month to […]
The superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, announces it will offer its first 15-week accelerated academy to law enforcement professionals interested in becoming a trooper. This accelerated training is the Patrol’s newest approach to hire the most qualified applicants for the position of trooper. To be eligible, candidates must possess an active Missouri Class […]
(Missouri Independent) – Legislative leaders of both parties said Tuesday that a special session is likely not needed to appropriate additional funds following a court order to begin covering Missourians who are eligible under voter-approved Medicaid expansion. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Dan Hegeman, R-Cosby, Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo, D-Independence, and Rep. Peter Merideth, D-St. Louis and […]
(Missouri Independent) – Unlicensed youth residential facilities across Missouri are expected to submit materials notifying the state of their existence by mid-October, but background checks for facility staff required under a new law likely won’t be completed by that time. That’s because the Department of Social Services (DSS) is still working to make hires in […]
