Missouri legislature

The Missouri Supreme Court's ruling means the congressional map from 2022 will be in place for the November general election, giving longtime Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II a stronger chance to keep his seat.

Secretary of State Denny Hoskins said he would not stop election officials from placing a referendum on the ballot — or running the Nov. 3 election on an older congressional map. He tried, but failed, to get the Missouri Supreme Court to stay its ruling on Friday.

The Respect Missouri Voters plan would make it much harder for lawmakers to overturn voter-approved ballot initiatives.

Republican Thomas Ross allegedly asked his former campaign manager to place cocaine and Adderall in Louise Secker's purse or car, according to the FBI. Ross narrowly won the GOP nomination for the Joplin-area 161st House District last month.

The Missouri Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday on a trio of cases on referendums, including whether residents can vote on a congressional map. If it allows the measure to move forward for November, it could put in jeopardy Republicans’ plan to push out Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II.

Critics say a new Missouri law requiring schools and universities to define and report antisemitic behavior is too ambiguous. “There should be protection of Jewish students, but there can't be a Palestinian exception to the First Amendment,” said attorney Bill Freivogel.

Missouri's highest court will hear arguments Wednesday over whether voters can challenge the congressional map, with decades of constitutional rulings offering clues to how the judges may approach the case. Republicans have prevailed in every case around gerrymandering so far.

In November, Missourians will be asked whether they want to repeal the abortion rights amendment they approved in 2024 and reinstate an abortion ban. Unions and reproductive rights groups already worked together to defeat Amendments 4 and 5 in the August election.

Attorney General Catherine Hanaway defended her support for withholding Amendment 6 and a vote on Missouri's gerrymandered congressional map from the November ballot. There is no exception in the constitution prohibiting a referendum on redistricting — but there's no explicit permission either.

The law mirrors rules implemented by Attorney General Catherine Hanaway last year. As a result of those rules, Pornhub has already shut down operations in the state.

The death of Korbin Papadopoulos, a 17-year-old with type 1 diabetes and autism who was placed 300 miles away from home, sharpened questions about who is responsible when the state cannot find a safe foster placement.

Laws that require age verification to access certain websites and allow armed rangers in public schools, among others passed during Missouri's most recent legislative session, go into effect later this week.