Rudi Keller

In a ruling Monday, Circuit Judge Jon Beetem wrote that the summaries crafted by Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft were "argumentative" or unfairly biased against the abortion rights ballot initiatives, and ignored their protections for contraceptives.. Beetem rewrote each of the six ballot summaries himself.

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft wrote in the official ballot language for a proposed abortion rights amendment that it would “allow for dangerous, unregulated, and unrestricted abortions." The ACLU sued, saying that the description was "misleading" and unfairly biased against the initiative.

The bipartisan bill, exempting Social Security benefits and public pension payments from income tax, would reduce state general revenue by an estimated $309 million annually.

The vetoed bill would have increased payments for Missouri prisoners who were freed after being found innocent, and expanded who is eligible for compensation. But Republican Gov. Mike Parson said the state should not have to pay for the mistakes of local prosecutors.

Gov. Mike Parson vetoed items large and small that were outside the budget he laid out to lawmakers in January.

Legislation directs social services, mental health departments to collaborate on solutions to clients being boarded in medical and mental health facilities ‘without medical justification’

In the ruling, a Cole County judge said that Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey had an "absolute absence of authority" in refusing to accept the state auditor's estimate for an abortion rights initiative petition and attempting to falsely inflate the cost. Bailey's office said it would appeal the decision.

The court ruled that the Missouri Conservation Commission — not lawmakers — has the power to spend appropriated funds. The decision could influence a pending Cole County case over how much Department of Transportation employees get paid.

A crime bill awaits action by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson. Shepherded to passage by Parkville Republican Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, it removes limits on payments to wrongly convicted people.

Rep. Doug Richey, a Republican from Excelsior Springs, is proposing a narrowed version of his amendment banning diversity, equity and inclusion programming as the Missouri budget debate moves to the Senate.