The Supreme Court has agreed to hear two cases in the fall that test state laws banning transgender women and girls from participating in sports at publicly funded institutions. Both Missouri and Kansas have passed simii restrictions.

More than 100 news laws are taking effect in Kansas this month. Here's a review of some of them.

The Republican leaders overcame objections from within their own party, marking a victory in their quest to fulfill President Trump's campaign promises. All of the Republican representatives from Kansas and Missouri voted to pass the bill, while the Democrats joined their party against it.

November's vote is the culmination of a years-long debate in Prairie Village, which began as a fight over zoning and housing and wound up in a legal battle over city governance. But even if voters agree to "abandon" the current structure, there's no plan for replacing it with a different model.

Andrew Bailey said the investigation was prompted by reports from Columbia residents alleging racial discrimination. His office requested public records about the use of terms like “racial equity toolkit,” “racial equity lens” and “equity” in city operations.

The case centers on a student in the Blue Springs School District. A 5-2 ruling from the state's highest court recently found that the Missouri Human Rights Act “does not cover claims based on gender identity," but it used a definition of "sex" that's more than two decades old.

The final Senate version of the so-called "Big Beautiful Bill" contains restrictions on medical provider taxes that alarmed Missouri health experts — and Sen. Josh Hawley. But he voted for the bill anyways, after adding $50 billion in funding for rural hospitals.

County Legislator Sean Smith helped lead the recall effort of Jackson County Executive Frank White, which local election officials confirmed had enough signatures Monday to go to a vote. White has accused Smith of illegally using taxpayer-funded staff to promote the petition campaign.

The Republican megabill cuts trillions in taxes, while scaling back spending on Medicaid and other federal programs. It now heads to the House, where some GOP lawmakers are signaling major objections.

The governor's office cited some unexpected budget items, and a recently passed bill eliminating Missouri's capital gains tax, as reasons for reducing spending. His largest veto was over $1 billion for a road construction program.

Pay raises approved unanimously by the Kansas Board of Regents range from 4% to 12% and come as most Kansas colleges have cut budgets and raised tuition to address projected enrollment declines.

Missouri is one of two states where a judge can hand down death when juries cannot agree unanimously on a sentence. Since the law changed in 1984, at least 18 people have been sentenced to death by a judge, and four have been executed.