State Government

In February, Missouri was awarded $458 million in a settlement from the nation’s top opioid producers. Now, as lawmakers and state departments prepare to receive and distribute those funds, advocates hope Missouri will use the money wisely to respond to an opioid crisis that has taken thousands of lives.  The $26 billion legal settlement – […]

Lawmakers who call themselves “pro-school choice” think public school money should be spent in ways that allow families to choose the best schools for their children. Opponents say their remedies would harm school districts.

Elections have been top of mind for lawmakers since 2000, when races for many seats, including the U.S. presidency, were close and highly polarized, and the pandemic raised concerns about the safety of in-person voting.  Since then, some elected officials have been seeking ways to expand access to the ballot box, while others are calling for more restrictions.

While legislators from Kansas City say they are frustrated by the acrimony in the General Asseme, that is only one of their concerns.

All residents are represented by a member of the state Senate and a member of the House of Representatives.

Legislators introduced several bills in the opening weeks of the legislative session that would bring reform to the Kansas criminal justice system, such as prohibiting the use of restraints on children in hearings and setting a new standard for search warrants. The 2022 legislative session opened on Jan. 10. The Wichita Beacon is highlighting several […]

Every weekday, pediatricians see patients at Gender Pathway Services of Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City and the Transgender Center of the St. Louis Children’s Hospital. For the young patients, an appointment can mark a turning point in their lives. Transgender children visit the clinics at the onset of puberty to receive puberty blockers. These […]

In 2020, medical marijuana dispensaries in Missouri generated nearly $30 million in state tax revenue. That same year, 10,650 Missourians were arrested for marijuana possession, according to FBI crime data.  The growing disconnect in a state that reaps profits from the sale of marijuana for medical purposes while also prosecuting residents for possessing it is […]