State Government

Missouri lawmakers finalized a plan to set aside $500 million of the state’s general revenue to return to taxpayers through a tax credit, Gov. Parson vetoed the line item on Thursday as he took action on the state’s budget. Individual income filers would have receive up to $500 under the now-vetoed plan, while joint filers […]

Update (Nov. 18, 2022): Missouri became the 21st state to legalize recreational marijuana on Nov. 8, 2022. The Beacon broke down Missouri’s next steps as the state begins the process of transitioning medical marijuana licenses to recreational licenses. Those hoping to see adult-use cannabis legalized in Missouri through legislative action may be out of luck this year, […]

Since 2016, the state of Missouri has relied on a federal grant to help purchase and distribute naloxone, often known as Narcan, a life-saving treatment that can reverse potentially fatal overdoses. That grant has expired, leaving treatment providers without a centralized resource to turn to for the medicine. With no long-term replacement for the same […]

Update (May 4, 2022): The joint committee responsible for finalizing Missouri’s 2023 budget passed both proposals. With just weeks to go until the Missouri legislature must approve the state’s budget, the outcome looks brighter for teachers and school districts. A joint committee of House and Senate members took another step toward finalizing the Fiscal Year […]

The advocates who successfully campaigned for a constitutional amendment to legalize medical marijuana in Missouri in 2018 are continuing to push the state toward recreational legalization of cannabis, but sharp disagreements have arisen over fairness in the market. The House Rules Committee on Tuesday afternoon advanced HB2704, called the Cannabis Freedom Act. It awaits full […]

Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a ban on transgender female athletes on Friday, striking down the hot-button issue for the second year and setting up a possible showdown with supporters of the measure when the legislature returns to the Kansas Statehouse next week.  This year is the third in a row that a bill proposing restrictions […]

Update (April 21, 2022): This story has been updated to reflect the House’s passage of the bill. A $46 billion budget package passed out of the Missouri House earlier this month, after federal funds left the state flush with cash. The Republican-led House sent the Senate a budget proposal that leaves nearly $2 billion unspent […]

Nearly nine in 10 of the Missouri Children’s Division caseworkers who serve in the Kansas City region will have left the job by the end of the year, far outpacing the statewide rate, a state official predicted last week.  Caseworkers are critical to the success of the state’s child protection system, but low pay, high […]

A ban on so-called “sanctuary cities” and proposed changes to redistricting could impact Wyandotte County.