Missouri constitution

The lawsuit filed on behalf of two longtime police reform advocates says the takeover violates a ban on special laws and amounts to an unfunded mandate. Multiple lawsuits have previously challenged Missouri's control of Kansas City Police.

Missouri House Speaker Jon Patterson, who represents Lee's Summit, says next year's vote on whether to ban abortion again might not be the end of efforts around how the state regulates the procedure.

Voters will likely see the issue on the ballot in 2026. The amendment would ban most abortions, with limited exceptions before 12 weeks of pregnancy, and also includes language banning gender-affirming care for minors — something that's already in state law.

Just months after Missouri voters approved an amendment to legalize abortion, Republican lawmakers are one vote away from putting abortion back on the ballot. The resolution would reinstate a statewide ban with some exceptions.

A Jackson County judge halted a number of Missouri's abortion restrictions after voters passed Amendment 3. But this week, Gov. Mike Kehoe signed a bill that gives the attorney general the right to appeal temporary pauses against state laws or constitutional provisions.

A new Missouri law allows the attorney general to challenge temporary injunctions, a move inspired by a pending abortion-rights case. But a lawsuit filed Friday argues that the law violates the constitution in multiple ways.

A new Missouri law gives a state board control over the St. Louis Police Department, instead of the mayor, similar to the system in Kansas City. The lawsuit calls it an unfunded mandate because it requires the city to spend a certain percentage of its budget on police.

The Missouri House is expected to pass a state budget bill that falls short of fully funding public schools. A committee is also slated to advance a proposed constitutional amendment that overturns parts of Amendment 3, the voter-passed measure that enshrined abortion rights in the state constitution.

The Republican-led legislature is considering changing or repealing some voter-approved measures, including abortion legalization and the minimum wage hike. Lawmakers also need to pass a budget, which may look much smaller than previous years.

Missouri voters approved Proposition A by a martin of 15% and more than 445,000 votes. But business groups argue that the ballot measure violates state law.

Republican state Rep. Peggy McGaugh wants to allow someone to serve up to 16 years in either the House or the Senate. Currently, most legislators can serve up to eight years in the House and eight in the Senate.

Temporary orders have allowed abortion care to resume in Missouri for the first time in years. But a trial will need to take place to overturn the state's ban permanently.