Missouri government

Hundreds of Missourians are stuck in jail because they have been charged but not convicted of crimes, and were found incompetent to stand trial due to mental health disorders or cognitive disabilities. Now lawmakers are demanding solutions.

Opponents of Missouri's gerrymandered congressional map just submitted more than 305,000 signatures to force a vote on the plan. Secretary of State Denny Hoskins still has the chance to reject a referendum, but legal experts don't expect that move to succeed in court.

Quinton Lucas said the plan to split Kansas City could make the Republican-held 4th and 6th districts more competitive. The mayor, who is term-limited from running for reelection, said he may try to flip U.S. Rep. Mark Alford’s 4th District seat.

Missouri Democrats have accused their GOP colleagues of kowtowing to President Donald Trump, who is pressuring Republican-led states to redraw their maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Missouri lawmakers convened in Jefferson City Wednesday to begin the process of redistricting. Republicans — at the urging of President Trump — want to guarantee more representation in the U.S. House of Representatives. Under the proposed map, many Kansas Citians would change districts.

President Trump has been pressuring Gov. Mike Kehoe to call a special session for mid-decade redistricting. Republican lawmakers hope to gerrymander congressional lines around Kansas City, diluting Democratic voting power and making it harder for Rep. Emanuel Cleaver to win in the 2026 midterms.

More than 3,000 refugees in Kansas City have gotten help acclimating to their new homes since 2014 thanks to Della Lamb Community Services. Many of these new arrivals face unique health challenges, so a local crew of medical students from Kansas City University is volunteering their help.

The governor said Missouri is "always trying to make sure that we have as much Republican representation" as possible in Congress. President Trump is pressuring the state to redraw district lines around Kansas City and force out Rep. Emanuel Cleaver.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed into law a bill that eliminates the so-called "tampon tax" on menstrual products and diapers. But the law doesn't prevent local municipalities from imposing their own additional taxes.

During the bill signing ceremony, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe said the state decided to be proactive when it comes to preserving water.

The legislation takes aim at ordinances passed in Kansas City and other Missouri cities that protect tenants from discrimination based on the source of their income — especially tenants who use federal housing choice vouchers to pay rent.

Missouri state Reps. Marty Joe Murray and Colin Wellenkamp are part of the bipartisan "Missouri Future Caucus," which is looking into bills about the proliferation of artificial intelligence and disaster preparedness.