Missouri
Missouri lawmakers pass bill requiring age verification for porn sites
A bill requiring pornography websites to conduct age checks before granting access is headed to Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe.
Commercial websites and platforms must already verify that users are at least 18 if more than a third of their content is sexually explicit as part of a rule enforced by Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway since December.
The bill, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Sherri Gallick of Belton, would codify that rule in state law, requiring websites to use third-party age verification providers.
“One of the things that was really compelling to me is that a lot of people growing up in today’s age look at a phone or they look at a computer, and they think that is reality,” Gallick told The Independent. “It’s very demeaning to women and to children.”
Sites that don’t comply would be subject to civil penalties, including fines up to $10,000 per day in violation of the law and an additional $250,000 if at least one minor accessed sexually explicit content. Sites could be charged $10,000 per violation of a provision prohibiting age verification providers from retaining users’ identifiable information.
The House passed the bill 112-25 Wednesday, May 13, with 20 Democrats and 5 Republicans in opposition and 11 Democrats voting “present.” The Senate passed the bill 32-0 on Tuesday, May 12, sending it back to the House for approval of a minor amendment.
The bill got initial House approval last year but was dropped from the calendar before getting a formal vote due to a challenge in the U.S. Supreme Court to a similar Texas law.
“The fear was, ‘Okay, what if they don’t uphold that? Then we would have to make some changes,’” Gallick said.
The court sided with Texas in July 2025, ruling that the state’s requirement that users prove their age by showing government-issued identification did not violate adults’ right to access constitutionally-protected content.
During House debate in March, Democratic lawmakers questioned the potential effectiveness of the bill and raised the possibility of unintended consequences.
Democratic state Rep. Eric Woods of Kansas City said young people are likely to find ways around age verification requirements.
“Kids are smart,” Woods said. “There are VPNs. There are browser settings that allow you to skirt around some of this stuff.”
House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat, argued that age verification requirements could lead more prominent porn websites to block access in Missouri, driving traffic to less scrupulous sites with fewer content safeguards.
“The websites that are less inclined to follow the rules also tend to be the types of websites that are filled with child sexual assault material, that include nonconsensual sex acts,” Aune said.
The porn industry’s largest website, Pornhub, blocked access in Missouri after Hanaway announced her office’s rule, issuing a statement calling the new rule ineffective and raising data privacy concerns.
Gallick said that while she realizes some young people will still access sexually explicit material, putting age verification requirements in state law is an important step to protect children. She said pornography can be used by bad actors to “groom” children to engage in sexual activity.
“When there’s a leak in your house you turn the water off,” Gallick said. “When there’s pests that come into your house, an exterminator comes in and cuts off the source. This is the source. Children do not need to view pornography.”
This story was first published at missouriindependent.com.
The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 13, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from July 13 drawing
05-25-36-40-48, Powerball: 03, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from July 13 drawing
Midday: 4-1-4
Midday Wild: 8
Evening: 7-2-7
Evening Wild: 0
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from July 13 drawing
Midday: 7-3-3-5
Midday Wild: 3
Evening: 2-4-9-3
Evening Wild: 6
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from July 13 drawing
Early Bird: 12
Morning: 03
Matinee: 04
Prime Time: 03
Night Owl: 10
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Show Me Cash numbers from July 13 drawing
07-09-26-28-35
Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from July 13 drawing
01-17-31-39-43, Powerball: 22
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.
To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:
Ticket Redemption
Missouri Lottery
P.O. Box 7777
Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777
For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.
For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.
When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
- Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
- Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
- Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
- Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.
St. Louis could see major downtown renovation in the coming years helped by legislation signed into Missouri law by Gov. Mike Kehoe on Monday.
Kehoe signed a large economic development bill that includes incentivizing the conversion of vacant or underused properties into new housing.
For St. Louis, that could mean changes to the AT&T tower and Railway Exchange building.
Through the legislation, cities could apply for an area to become a Missouri innovation zone and be able to use incentives distributed by the state Department of Economic Development.
Cities must include proposed district boundaries, identify vacant and underutilized properties as well as provide projections of anticipated housing and employment growth in their application. Cities may only establish one of those districts.
Additionally, the legislation allows for up to $50 million annually in tax credits toward the conversion of buildings into residential spaces.
Sen. Steve Roberts, D-St. Louis, said the legislation will ultimately lead to more people living in downtown St. Louis.
“The passage of House Bill 3231 was critical in our efforts to continue revitalizing Missouri’s main streets, central business districts, and downtowns,” Kehoe said in a statement.
The governor signed seven other bills into law Monday, including a wide-reaching health care bill that contains several policies related to reproductive health.
The nearly 200-page bill allows for Missourians on private insurance to obtain 12 months’ worth of birth control pills at once.
It also expands Medicaid coverage to doula services. It would apply to more care before, during and after a pregnancy. The state health department must also create and operate a registry of available doula services.
Additionally, the bill requires insurance companies to cover blood pressure monitors for pregnant and postpartum mothers.
The bill also requires Missouri to track and report cases of Lyme disease and alpha-gal syndrome. Alpha-gal is a tick-borne disease that creates an allergy to mammalian products like meat.
Any identifiable information on the blood test could only be shared between patient and physician.
The legislation also:
- Allows patients to begin their care through telemedicine, as opposed to a physical examination whenever possible.
- Permits the sale of ivermectin, a drug that’s grown in popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic, over the counter. It also expands the types of vaccines pharmacists can administer.
- Prevents insurance companies from capping payment for anesthesia by imposing time limits.
- Permits schools and daycares to provide epinephrine either via injection or orally to treat allergic reactions.
Additionally, Kehoe signed a bill that provides rights to “a child born alive during or after an abortion or attempted abortion.”
The legislation is called the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. Anyone who would kill or attempt to kill a fetus born alive after an abortion attempt could be prosecuted for first-degree murder under the bill.
Those against the bill say the focus on abortion causes consequences regarding maternal care in Missouri.
Fetal viability, or the point when a fetus would be able to survive outside the womb, is generally around 24 weeks of pregnancy.
According to KFF health research, abortions at or after 21 weeks of pregnancy are uncommon, representing 1% of all abortions in the country.
Kehoe said in a statement that he was proud to sign bills that will improve health care services across the state.
“I would like to thank the members of the House and Senate for their work to protect our most vulnerable, hold insurance companies accountable, and change the landscape of healthcare access and outcomes in communities across the state,” Kehoe said.
The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 12, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Pick 3 numbers from July 12 drawing
Midday: 7-1-3
Midday Wild: 0
Evening: 9-6-1
Evening Wild: 3
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from July 12 drawing
Midday: 0-9-0-9
Midday Wild: 8
Evening: 2-9-7-1
Evening Wild: 4
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from July 12 drawing
Early Bird: 05
Morning: 04
Matinee: 05
Prime Time: 04
Night Owl: 09
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Show Me Cash numbers from July 12 drawing
05-16-21-27-39
Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.
To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:
Ticket Redemption
Missouri Lottery
P.O. Box 7777
Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777
For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.
For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.
When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
- Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
- Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
- Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
- Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
- Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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