speech

Missouri schools will be required to outline prohibited antisemitic behavior in their codes of conduct. Most opposition came from Democrats who voiced concerns the bill would discourage debate about conflict in the Middle East.

Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed dozens of bills, but Republicans overrode a majority to force the measures into law — including restrictions on student protesters, funding for anti-abortion centers, and more power for landlords.

The Kansas Legislature approved a provision to clamp down on public school protests by requiring students to receive parental permission before participating, and hitting districts with penalties as high as $100,000 per day for failing to enforce restrictions.

The Kansas House and Senate both voted by a two-thirds majority to put the "Kansas Intellectual Rights and Knowledge Act" into law. The bill addresses free speech on college campuses and honors Kirk, a political activist killed by a gunman in September while speaking at a college event.

A new study from the University of Missouri-Kansas City reveals that people are actually speaking fewer words each day — and the loss is even greater among people under 25 years old. But engaging in small, everyday conversations can help strengthen connections and improve communication skills over time.

The university cited a July 2025 Department of Justice memo as motivation to cut funding. However, memos are not federal law. Groups for Asian American, Black, Latino and queer students were all targeted.

Missouri lawmakers are debating new internet laws aimed at keeping minors safe online, but critics warn the rules could threaten privacy and free speech.

The legislation would require schools to use a working definition of antisemitism that would include comparing Israel’s contemporary policies to those of Nazis. Critics say the measure will discourage debate about Israel and Palestine.

A KCUR investigation discovered the department used the city’s license plate readers to track the writer’s movements and it issued a “be on the lookout” for him.

Abortion is Murder, a Christian group known for protesting with graphic signs, was permitted to protest inside the Kansas Statehouse just a few months after the Satanic Grotto was blocked from doing the same. The group says it is planning a counterprotest.

The University of Missouri is investigating the use of the phrase "From the river to the sea" by Mizzou Students for Justice in Palestine as a potential Title VI violation. The student group is currently suing the university over alleged free speech violations by President Mun Choi.

Marion County also approved agreements with Eric Meyer, the owner and editor of the Marion County Record, and Ruth Herbel, the Marion city councilor whose home was raided in tandem with the newspaper office.