Lilley Halloran

Following hours of testimony last week, a Missouri House committee on approved bills that would cement the state's restrictions on transgender athletes and health care for transgender minors.

At a protest in the state Capitol on Wednesday, hundreds of Missourians urged lawmakers to respect their will on reproductive rights and paid sick leave — two measures that voters passed in 2024 but the legislature moved to reverse immediately after.

Gender-affirming healthcare for transgender minors and participating on sports teams that align with trans athletes' gender identity are currently prohibited in Missouri. Those bans are set to expire in 2027, unless the state legislature opts to extend them indefinitely.

In his 2026 State of the State address, Gov. Mike Kehoe said he wants a statewide vote in November on his plan to phase out the state income tax and allow for taxes on things like monthly subscriptions and digital services. Democrats have questioned whether that's possible without wrecking future budgets.

From 2013-2023, overall enrollment at the University of Missouri fell about 10%, while Black student enrollment declined almost 34%. That's in stark contrast to other state universities around the country — and Black students at Mizzou have much to say about why.

Owen Ramsingh, a green card holder and longtime Columbia resident, faces deportation proceedings due to a drug conviction back when he was a teenager. His absence has taken an emotional toll on the community, which is working to raise awareness.

Owen Ramsingh, a legal permanent resident who lives in Columbia, was detained by ICE in Chicago last Tuesday after flying home from a three-week visit to the Netherlands. Authorities are citing past drug convictions from the 1990s.

If adopted, the policy would restrict permits for amplified sound during the week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Permits would also only be issued for stationary activities, to prevent disruption caused by marches. But a lawyer says the policy is "overbroad" and can't be justified.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services appears poised to cut a $56 million annual grant program that pays for some of Missouri's overdose reversal medication and training.

More than 400,000 of Missouri's nearly 1.4 million Medicaid recipients lost coverage after the end of the COVID public health emergency. Almost half were children — one of the highest rates in the nation.