Connect with us

Missouri

A Missouri law forbids pregnant women from divorce. A proposed bill looks to change that.

Published

on

A Missouri law forbids pregnant women from divorce. A proposed bill looks to change that.



A bill aims to protect pregnant women who may be in domestic violence situations. Those facing domestic abuse can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text “START” to 88788.

A controversial law in Missouri doesn’t allow pregnant women to get divorced. The legislation has been in place for 50 years, but there is now a push by a Democratic state representative to overturn it.

The state’s law was initially meant to “prevent what the courts consider the ‘bastardization’ of a child,” Missouri House Rep. Ashley Aune, a Democrat who represents the 14th district in Kansas City, told USA TODAY.

The law was aimed at protecting families and basically made it illegal for pregnant couples to get a divorce before the mother gives birth.

Advertisement

Aune sponsored House Bill 2402. The bill has bipartisan support and is co-sponsored by Rep. Richard Brown (Democrat, 27 District), Rep. Jeff Farnan (Republican, 1 District) and Rep. Sherri Gallick (Republican, 62 District).

The bill would allow “the court to enter a judgment of dissolution of marriage or legal separation if a person is pregnant.” In layman’s terms, it would give pregnant woman the ability to get a divorce finalized.

“Women are terrified for a million other reasons, let’s not give them one more,” said Aune. “Let’s give [women] a break.”

Law could lead to dangerous domestic violence situations

Aune says the issue was brought to her attention by Synergy Services, a Missouri shelter that provides women and their families a safe haven from violent situations.

Advertisement

“The intents [of the law] were noble and I can respect where they came from, however when we know better, we do better,” said Aune. “We know domestic violence is all too common, and one really distressing type of domestic violence is reproductive coercion, and often what that looks like is either an insistence or denial of pregnancy termination and sabotaging birth control.”

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists defines reproductive coercion as “behavior that interferes with contraception use and pregnancy.” It is also commonly called “baby trapping” and can happen to both women and men.

Domestic violence: Minnesota shooting highlights dangers on calls for first responders and victims

Domestic violence advocate says the law gives abusers an advantage

Sara Brammer, the VP of Domestic Violence Services at Synergy Services in Kansas City, said that abusers are very conscious of this law and can use it to keep their spouses from divorcing them.

Advertisement

Brammer is responsible for Synergy’s domestic violence shelter and domestic violence housing program. She also directs Synergy’s Offender Intervention Program.

Around 80% of the people in the program were referred to the program via the court. The time spent in it ranges from 26 to 58 weeks and varies based on how high a survivor’s risk of death is from the violence they experienced. The program consists of seven groups made up of 12 to 15 people each that meet each week.

“I have heard it on both sides that both women feel coerced and not able to divorce, and men are conscious to the fact that [women] can’t get divorced when they’re pregnant,” Brammer told USA TODAY. “And they use that against their partner.”

Brammer said one of the men who was in the program tracked his wife’s ovulation cycle on his cell phone so he could make sure she was always pregnant while she was with him.

Advertisement

“We’re talking about something that is absolutely very coercive and manipulative,” said Brammer. “And there’s a law that supports that.”

She continues on to say that the law not only makes it more difficult for people to leave abusive situations, but it makes the people in those situations feel “powerless.”

Proposed bill is a way out of ‘bad situations’ for women and men, Rep. Aune says

“I have seen friends whose partners [were] incredible partners until they got pregnant, and then all of a sudden they became monsters,” said Aune

Aune said it’s time to give people another option to get out of marriages like the examples she gave. She believes this house bill will help men and women get out of “bad situations” that they are stuck in because of a pregnancy.

Aune said that since this bill gained publicity, men on Reddit are speaking up and saying that this law prevented them from getting out of their marriages.

Advertisement

One example Aune gave was a man whose wife became pregnant when he was deployed overseas.

“There’s obviously no way he was the father,” said Aune. “He was overseas, but he couldn’t divorce his wife.”

According to Aune, if a man’s wife is pregnant, he can’t leave her because the state automatically assumes he is the baby’s father because of their marriage.

A different Reddit user said that despite being separated from his wife, he wasn’t able to divorce her when she got pregnant with the man she was living with at the time of the separation. He says they weren’t allowed to divorce until the baby was born.

Next steps for the proposed bill that would overturn Missouri divorce law

The bill now heads to a House committee for a vote in order to advance. If that happens, next steps in the legislative process will include approval by the full state House and full state Senate. From there, it would end up on the governor’s desk awaiting his signature to officially become a law.

Advertisement

What other states have a divorce law like Missouri’s?

Currently, four states have bans that prevent pregnant women from getting divorced:

  • Arkansas
  • Arizona
  • Missouri
  • Texas

Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered various topics, from local businesses and government in her hometown, Miami, to tech and pop culture. You can follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz.





Source link

Missouri

American Idol Crowns Missouri Native Winner of Season 24

Published

on

American Idol Crowns Missouri Native Winner of Season 24


American Idol‘s latest installment has come to end. After a notable season that brought contestants to Hawaii and featured a tribute to Taylor Swift, Season 24 wrapped with a three-hour long episode that saw hopefuls Jordan McCullough, Hannah Harper, and Keyla Richardson compete for the final spot.

In the end, Missouri native Harper took the crown. In the first round of the finale, Alicia Keys stepped in as a guest mentor for contestants, and Harper performed a bluegrass rendition of the Grammy winner’s chart-topping hit, “No One.” In the second turn, Harper sang a song she wrote herself, titled “Married Into This Town,” and reprised “String Cheese,” another song she penned and memorably sang for her audition, for the last round.

During a previous interview with Music Mayhem, Harper said that she grew up playing “bluegrass gospel music in churches every single weekend from age nine until I was 16.” She was drawn to singers like Dolly Parton and Shania Twain, who impacted her approach to music.

“I was raised super conservative, and so I knew of Dolly Parton, and we didn’t listen to a bunch of her music, but she was definitely somebody that I was drawn to. So extravagant. It’s so fun. And she’s such a good showman,” Harper said. “But I was a big Shania Twain fan, like early ‘90s Shania. That was the one tape that we had on, on the regular that my mom let me listen to.”

Advertisement

Trending Stories


This year’s season saw judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan relocate the famous “Hollywood Week” for contestants who make it past auditions — trading Los Angeles for Nashville. There was also a special Ohana round in Hawaii that brought 30 finalists before an “industry” panel that included Kelly Sutton, the first female full-time host of the Grand Ole Opry, and Cheryl Porter, a vocal coach and Broadway star, and Rolling Stone‘s own Co-Editor-in-Chief, Shirley Halperin.

Halperin wrote about the experience, while detailing how the show has evolved since its debut over two decades ago. “Each hopeful brought their A game and looked fabulous doing it. How were we to choose? As it turned out, the ones who took the biggest risk — by performing an original song — had an edge,” Halperin noted. “As for our panel, we discussed the contestants’ ages and how they handled the stress of competing. We took note of their backstories, and were inspired by them. We recognized unique voices and range. But in the end, we favored musicianship over potential.”





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Missouri

Judge denies Missouri AG’s bid to immediately halt 7-OH kratom sales by American Shaman

Published

on

Judge denies Missouri AG’s bid to immediately halt 7-OH kratom sales by American Shaman


A Jackson County judge on Friday denied Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway’s attempt to immediately stop Kansas City-based CBD American Shaman and several affiliated companies from selling kratom products.

The motion for a temporary restraining order, which was filed alongside the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, took particular aim at the more potent 7-OH products, which Hanaway argues are “hazardous opioids” banned by state and federal law.

Jackson County Circuit Judge Charles McKenzie’s ruling Friday stated there are “competing affidavits” from experts on both sides of the argument, following a hearing on the motion earlier this week.

“The court cannot find, based on the oral argument of the parties, the respective competing affidavits presented and the pleadings, whether the plaintiff is likely to succeed on the merits at this juncture in the proceedings in order for the court to grant relief in the form of a temporary restraining order,” McKenzie’s order states.

Advertisement

Hanaway’s argument was backed by sworn statements from an undercover narcotics officer with the highway patrol who said 7-OH is being used to cut fentanyl and a woman whose brother died from a kratom overdose.

Her office also submitted an FDA report that points to 7-OH as “a potent opioid that poses an emerging public health threat” and states health data showing synthetic 7-OH was involved in at least 197 Missouri deaths.

American Shaman submitted statements of its own from five toxicology and addiction experts, who largely said there wasn’t enough evidence to show that 7-OH and kratom posed a public health risk. One who researched narcotics said she had never heard of 7-OH being used to cut fentanyl.

Company owner Vince Sanders’ statement detailed how he came up with the idea to create 7-OH products, which now have an “enormous” demand, particularly among people who need pain management.

Sanders could not be reached for comment about the ruling on Friday.

Advertisement

McKenzie denied a temporary restraining order “without prejudice,” meaning that he would like to see more evidence.

“It is because of this finding that the court determines it necessary to hold an additional hearing,” he wrote, “where it can consider the parties’ respective positions with the potential of testimonial evidence and other properly introduced evidence, all as more fully developed by the parties, in order to further analyze these issues.”

The judge will consider “other injunctive relief sought in the pleadings at a future hearing to consider the issues,” the order states.

Hanaway filed a similar lawsuit Thursday against Relax Relief Rejuvenate Trading LLC, and its owners Dustin Robinson and Ajaykumar Patel.

The group received a warning letter from the FDA for producing 7-OH products last year, similar to one received by Shaman Botanicals.

Advertisement

“This is another step in our ongoing crackdown on kratom manufacturers who flout the law and try to justify endangering Missourians in the name of profit,” Hanaway said in a press release Thursday.

“Our mission is to safeguard Missourians from unregulated and addictive substances, and we will continue to pursue every legal tool available to protect public health and safety.”



Source link

Continue Reading

Missouri

Missouri Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 winning numbers for May 10, 2026

Published

on


The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at May 10, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Pick 3 numbers from May 10 drawing

Midday: 7-2-5

Midday Wild: 7

Advertisement

Evening: 9-6-8

Evening Wild: 7

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 10 drawing

Midday: 7-1-9-9

Midday Wild: 1

Advertisement

Evening: 6-9-8-9

Evening Wild: 2

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from May 10 drawing

Early Bird: 02

Morning: 11

Advertisement

Matinee: 10

Prime Time: 12

Night Owl: 11

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from May 10 drawing

09-18-23-31-39

Advertisement

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

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

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.



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending