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The initiative petition process, used by Missourians to independently check special interests and bring issues to the voters for 115 years, is under attack by our Missouri Legislature. The supermajority in the legislature, with no counterbalancing weight within their chambers, is leading the charge to undermine the initiative petition process. To carry out their scheme, politicians and lobbyists are […]

The post Missouri’s initiative petition process is at risk appeared first on Missouri Independent.

WASHINGTON — U.S. House members in a hearing on Tuesday questioned the head of a federal agency in charge of unaccompanied migrant children about multiple reports of their exploitation as workers in U.S. meatpacking plants and elsewhere. Republicans and Democrats on the House Oversight & Accountability Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs agreed that […]

The post Labor exploitation of unaccompanied migrant children probed at U.S. House hearing appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson appointed three new members to the University of Missouri System Board of Curators on Monday. Robert Blitz, Robert Fry and Jeanne Sinquefield must be confirmed by the state Senate before joining the board, which meets Thursday. They are not included in a list of nominations to be considered by the Senate’s Gubernatorial […]

The post Governor appoints 3 new members to University of Missouri System Board of Curators appeared first on Missouri Independent.

If the case seeking to oust St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner gets to trial, she will argue that only corrupt and intentional refusal to do her job, not disagreement about prosecutions or mistakes by subordinates, are sufficient to remove her. In a motion to dismiss the ouster case, Gardner cites the only two instances […]

The post Missouri AG faces ‘high bar’ in effort to oust St. Louis prosecutor for neglect of duties appeared first on Missouri Independent.

If the Missouri budget becomes law with language banning state spending on diversity initiatives, Gov. Mike Parson’s administration says it would disrupt routine government operations as small as purchasing gas and as large as the Medicaid managed care program. In the days after the Missouri House approved spending bills with anti-diversity, equity and inclusion provisions […]

The post Missouri agencies say ban on diversity initiatives in budget would disrupt operations appeared first on Missouri Independent.

MONTROSE, Mo. — It took Samantha Lesmeister’s family four months to find a medical professional who could see that she was struggling with something more than her Down syndrome. The young woman, known as Sammee, had become unusually sad and lethargic after falling in the shower and hitting her head. She lost her limited ability […]

The post People with Down syndrome are living longer, but the health system still treats many as kids appeared first on Missouri Independent.

They didn’t know it at the time, but Dec. 3, 2020, was the start of a nightmare for Wandrea Moss and her mother, Ruby Freeman. Both were election workers in Atlanta, and that was the day Rudy Giuliani — ex-New York mayor and adviser to former President Donald Trump — testified to a state Senate […]

The post As Fox News case heads to trial, far right St. Louis site faces its own defamation suit appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Three years after the start of the pandemic, millions of working age people still suffer from long COVID-19 and some lawmakers and advocates, including people with long COVID, say not enough is being done to protect their well-being and ensure they can continue to be employed. Proposed federal legislation, better workplace accommodations, and more federal […]

The post Long COVID is hurting business. Workplace accommodations could help appeared first on Missouri Independent.

In times of a major crisis, discord, division or a crossroads situation where a country or society finds itself at the precipice of what will define its future, a committed leader with a commanding voice emerges. Who will be that leader — that strong, dedicated and unifying voice to lead us to a solution to […]

The post Strong leaders with unwavering voices are required for major changes in our society appeared first on Missouri Independent.

WASHINGTON — As illicit fentanyl seizures reach record numbers, the Biden administration on Friday announced “government-wide efforts” to counter narcotics trafficking, including criminally charging members of the Sinaloa Cartel operating out of Mexico, and sanctioning Chinese producers of the chemicals used to make the synthetic drug. The Department of Justice unsealed indictments alleging fentanyl trafficking, […]

The post Mexican cartel targeted by Biden administration in multiple fentanyl indictments appeared first on Missouri Independent.

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration and a company that manufactures the abortion pill on Friday both called on the U.S. Supreme Court to preserve access to mifepristone while a closely watched lawsuit works its way through the appeals process. The U.S. solicitor general wrote in the Department of Justice appeal that allowing  lower courts’ rulings […]

The post DOJ warns Supreme Court of ‘significant chaos’ in health care if abortion pill rulings stand appeared first on Missouri Independent.

As he was checking out at a convenience store one day, state Rep. Kurtis Gregory said he looked down and saw “delta-8 THC” products being sold. He had no idea THC, the intoxicating component mostly associated with marijuana, could be sold openly outside of dispensaries.  “I messaged a few folks and to my surprise, yep, […]

The post Missouri lawmakers take aim at unregulated ‘delta-8 THC’ hemp products appeared first on Missouri Independent.

He’s recovering from a back injury, but Brandon Owens still needs a job. And on Wednesday the Jefferson City resident joined dozens of others at a job fair intended to fill the thousands of open jobs in state government. Owens’ ideas for the kind of job were fairly vague – he’s generally done factory work […]

The post Missouri uses job fair to tackle vacancy issues plaguing state agencies appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Differences between the House and Senate on how strict a ban on certain transgender health care could spell trouble for the proposal’s chances as the Missouri legislative session nears completion. Republican leaders in both chambers told reporters on Thursday that they wanted their versions passed and sent to the governor. The Senate passed a version […]

The post Ban on transgender care passes Missouri House, setting up possible clash with Senate appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey released details of an emergency rule Thursday seeking to make it harder for transgender children and adults to access certain medical procedures, calling them “experimental” and arguing they need “substantial guardrails.”  The rule, once filed with the Secretary of State, would be in effect from April 27 to Feb. 6, […]

The post Emergency rule seeks to limit access to certain procedures for transgender Missourians appeared first on Missouri Independent.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Justice Department announced Thursday it will ask the Supreme Court on an emergency basis to keep access to the abortion medication mifepristone exactly as it is now, amid the appeals process in a much-watched case out of Texas. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement the department “strongly disagrees” with […]

The post U.S. Justice Department to ask Supreme Court to reject limits on access to abortion pill appeared first on Missouri Independent.

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden announced Thursday that he will direct his administration to allow undocumented people in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to enroll in Medicaid or private insurance provided under the Affordable Care Act. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will issue a proposed rule on the policy by […]

The post DACA recipients to gain health coverage under new plan from Biden administration appeared first on Missouri Independent.

A prohibition on diversity curriculum in public schools was the focus of debate Wednesday in a Missouri House committee, as lawmakers heard testimony on the Senate version of “parents bill of rights” legislation. Sen. Andrew Koenig, a Manchester Republican and the bill’s sponsor, said the legislation doesn’t explicitly ban “critical race theory” but instead describes […]

The post Missouri House hearing on ‘parents bill of rights’ centers on diversity education appeared first on Missouri Independent.

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is trying to enhance the federal law that guards patient privacy to further protect those who seek legal abortion care and other reproductive health care services. The announcement comes amid two major ongoing federal court cases dealing with access to the abortion pill and fears that the pill’s U.S. Food […]

The post Biden administration proposes to strengthen patient privacy for those seeking abortions appeared first on Missouri Independent.

Discussion of proposed legislation combating a possible landfill near Kansas City drew over 60 people to the Missouri Capitol on Tuesday to support bills establishing stricter restrictions regarding solid waste disposal permits. Bold, black letters spelling out “kill the fill” contrasted against the bright, white shirts of several community members filling seats in the Senate […]

The post Tensions rise at Missouri Senate hearing over proposed Kansas City landfill appeared first on Missouri Independent.