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Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri IndependentA judge ordered Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins to rewrite the ballot language for an anti-abortion ballot measure, calling it "insufficient and unfair” because it failed to mention the amendment would repeal abortion rights. Hoskins' new language still doesn't mention the ban. -
Leah and Lane HensleyLatinos are expected to be 70% of net new homeowners in the U.S. by 2040. Several local programs — mostly in Spanish, but some in English — are designed to help Latinos jump the hurdles that can stand between them and homeownership.
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The state has been given a July 30 deadline to respond to the federal government's latest request. -
The members say the Herzog Charitable Foundation, a Missouri-based organization dedicated to "advancing Christian education," has triggered scrutiny of their political beliefs and personal lives. That’s resulted in professional consequences, social media harassment and an investigation from Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office. -
The money lets Kansas train more than 1,500 firefighters per year across the state and helps get trucks, generators and hand-tools for rural fire departments. -
A Missouri House interim committee met last week and will hold four hearings around the state to listen to concerns and hear ideas for overhauling the system. -
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County legislators met Friday morning to override White's veto. The election, which follows years of frustration with White from county legislators and community members, is scheduled for Aug. 26. -
GOP lawmakers are trying again to exclude millions of non-U.S. citizens living in the states from census counts that the 14th Amendment says must include the "whole number of persons in each state." Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt and Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall are co-sponsors of one of the bills. -
Frank White Jr., a former star second baseman for the Kansas City Royals who won eight Golden Glove Awards during his career, infuriated county legislators and a citizens group with his veto. "Eight Golden Gloves mean nothing!" said the Rev. Dr. Vernon Percy Howard, leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. "Bench Frank White!" -
The Senate voted to approve the $9 billion rescission package early Thursday. -
The Board of Commissioners of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas voted to allow property taxes to increase next year. But the county's financial issues remain and commissioners agreed there is waste to cut from the budget. -
The Senate voted by a razor-thin margin late Tuesday to advance debate on a package of funding cuts requested by President Trump that would claw back $1.1 billion previously allocated to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. -
Signed 35 years ago this month, the ADA was the world’s first comprehensive civil rights law for people with disabilities — guaranteeing equal opportunity in public accommodations, employment, and more. But it likely wouldn't have passed without the relentless pressure of grassroots activists and Kansas Republican Bob Dole.
Government
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TOPEKA, Kansas — Gov. Laura Kelly appointed lawyer Keynen “KJ” Wall to the Kansas Supreme Court on Wednesday.Wall will fill the seat of former Justice… -
TOPEKA, Kansas — The state lost 13% of its public defenders over the past year.That’s actually an improvement. Nearly a fourth of the state’s public… -
A federal judge in Washington state issued a temporary injunction on Friday blocking Trump administration rule changes that could allow people to share… -
Kansas health officials say the state is ready to deal with the new coronavirus now that Kansans are starting to get sick.Lawmakers still aren’t ready to… -
TOPEKA, Kansas — A pressure campaign led by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly aims to force Republican Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle to drop her blockade… -
TOPEKA, Kansas — Kansas has one of the highest rates of suspended drivers in the country, and the majority of those more than 215,000 licenses are… -
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas is rethinking some of his proposed budget cuts.The budget Lucas announced earlier this month included major cuts to arts,… -
Kansas lawmakers sped through dozens of bills this past week to keep them alive past a “turn around” deadline marking the midpoint of the session.Measures… -
TOPEKA, Kansas — From 2000 to 2019, the women’s prison population in Kansas rose by 60%. Over the same time period, the men’s population rose by only… -
Conservative Republicans at the Kansas Statehouse are attempting to block passage of Medicaid expansion until lawmakers send a constitutional amendment on…
Elections
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Democrat Andrew Mall and Republican Sen. Mike Thompson squared off on issues important to Johnson County in a debate on KCUR's Up To Date. The tight race could help determine the fate of the Kansas Legislature's GOP supermajority. -
A 2020 Census survey found that 2.4% of potential voters didn’t cast a ballot because they couldn’t get to the polls. To address this problem, a number of local organizations are offering free or discounted rides for this Tuesday’s election. -
As nativist rhetoric hits a fever pitch ahead of the 2024 election, immigrants and refugees in Kansas City question their safety, and their future, in the U.S. -
Missouri voters will soon decide whether GOP lawmakers went too far by banning most abortion in the state. We'll go inside the high-stakes battle over Amendment 3. Plus: That and other ballot issues have been drawing millions of dollars in campaign funds from outside the state. -
Johnson County Election Commissioner Fred Sherman discusses how his office has handled high early voting turnout, and how they plan to prepare for a busy Nov. 5. -
The Midwest Newsroom analyzed the funders behind high-profile proposed ballot measures and the amount they’re spending. Abortion and sports betting campaigns are the leading targets for out-of-state money. -
Kansas City resident Nathan Kline is the Green Party's candidate for the U.S. Senate race in Missouri. He is running on a platform focused heavily on campaign finance reform. -
With early voting well underway and Election Day next Tuesday, KCUR's Up To Date breaks down what you need to know about some of the biggest races in Missouri and Kansas. -
Jackson County voters will elect a new county prosecutor in just over one week. Republican Tracey Chappell and Democrat Melesa Johnson met for a debate on KCUR's Up To Date about how they’d approach criminal justice.
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Democrat Patty Lewis and Republican Joey LaSalle are running for Missouri Senate District 7 in western Jackson County. Both candidates joined KCUR's Up To Date to debate who would best represent voters.
