Connect with us

Missouri

Capitol Perspectives: Ignoring Missouri's Constitution • Missouri Independent

Published

on

Capitol Perspectives: Ignoring Missouri's Constitution • Missouri Independent


As Missouri legislators begin their 2024 session, they might want to consider a recent Missouri Supreme Court decision striking down a significant bill lawmakers passed in 2022.

The decision, issued just days before the 2024 legislative session, invalidated the 2022 law because state lawmakers and the governor violated a pretty simple restriction in the state’s Constitution.

Lawmakers should not have been surprised. The constitutional restriction is completely clear and has been upheld in previous Supreme Court decisions.

The issue involves a prohibition on the legislature passing a bill that gets amended beyond the bill’s original topic. The Constitution provides that “No bill shall contain more than one subject which shall be clearly expressed in its title.”

Advertisement

Seems pretty simple. But lawmakers in the 2022 legislative session ignored that restriction as they have so often in the past.

The bill in question, HB 1606, began as a pretty simple proposal to expand the requirement for counties to publish annual financial statements in local newspapers.

But in the Senate the process went off the deep end adding a pile of unrelated issues.

Missouri Supreme Court strikes down law banning sleeping on public land

The final version included restrictions on local government banning sleeping or camping on sidewalks, requiring martial status on deeds, banning local governments from COVID-19 vaccines requirements for their employees, limiting property condemnation awards, restricting local government regulations on refrigerants, exempting World Cup soccer tournament ticket sales from the sales tax, expanding local government power to expand employee retirement benefits and a pile of other unrelated provisions.

Advertisement

This long list of unrelated issues illustrates how the legislature went off the rails.

In the closing weeks of a legislative session, it’s not unusual for legislators to attach completely unrelated issues pushed by various special interests and lobbyists.

But legislative leaders have not enforced the state Constitution’s requirement that a bill be limited to the original topic by ruling a bloated bill out of order.

Surprising to me is that the governor signed that 2022 bill the Supreme Court struck down when in the same year, Gov. Mike Parson had vetoed two other bills in which he cited violation of the single-topic constitutional requirement.

A 1997 Missouri Supreme Court decision cited the importance of the single-subject constitutional restriction because “these constitutional limitations function in the legislative process to facilitate orderly procedure, avoid surprise, and prevent ‘logrolling’ in which several matters that would not individually command a majority vote are rounded up into a single bill to ensure passage.”

Advertisement

Although the court allowed the law in question to stand, finding the bill related to a single subject, I found that comment insightful.

In the final weeks of a legislative session, the process to win approval in the second chamber can be almost like blackmail requiring agreement of the original chamber’s sponsor to accept the unrelated provisions added by the second chamber.

This absence of discipline enforcing the state constitutional restriction could become even worse in the 2024 legislative session when legislators push amendments unrelated to the original bill to gain bragging rights for their upcoming campaigns or at the urging of special interests.

That likely was the case with the 2022 bill in which the House passed a simple single-topic bill only to see the Senate bloat what began as a simple seven-page bill into a 64 page quagmire.

Legislative and gubernatorial violation of a state constitutional single-topic restriction extends well beyond the lawmaking process itself. It interferes with governmental transparency and can obscure your understanding of the actions of your elected officials.

Advertisement

A bill containing completely unrelated topics makes it almost impossible for voters to understand and more difficult for reporters to describe the bill in a simple sentence.

Beyond that, a bill with a nearly incomprehensible number of topics allows a legislative leader or local legislator to focus their descriptions on just the most politically popular element rather than all of the more complicated and controversial issues inserted into a bill.

With the impending 2024 primaries and general election, this legislative practice only serves to foster confusion and obscurity for voters.



Source link

Advertisement

Missouri

Missouri Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 winning numbers for Jan. 5, 2026

Published

on


The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 5, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Jan. 5 drawing

04-18-24-51-56, Powerball: 14, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Jan. 5 drawing

Midday: 2-4-6

Advertisement

Midday Wild: 4

Evening: 2-4-5

Evening Wild: 1

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Jan. 5 drawing

Midday: 6-0-7-3

Advertisement

Midday Wild: 1

Evening: 8-9-9-5

Evening Wild: 4

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash4Life numbers from Jan. 5 drawing

01-15-50-55-57, Cash Ball: 02

Advertisement

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Jan. 5 drawing

Early Bird: 06

Morning: 02

Matinee: 11

Prime Time: 15

Advertisement

Night Owl: 03

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from Jan. 5 drawing

01-02-22-27-33

Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Jan. 5 drawing

15-22-39-41-62, Powerball: 09

Advertisement

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

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

Missouri

Missouri man’s alleged cryptocurrency scheme may have Ankeny victims

Published

on

Missouri man’s alleged cryptocurrency scheme may have Ankeny victims


play

The Ankeny Police Department is asking anyone from Ankeny and across the Des Moines metro to come forward if they think they may be a victim of a Missouri man who is accused of running a cryptocurrency investment scam.

Charles Spencer Burri of Columbia, Missouri, was arrested and charged with financial exploitation of an elder and stealing $750 or more. The Columbia Police Department alleged Burri — owner and operator of Burri Asset Management LLC — has solicited thousands of dollars for cryptocurrency investments but stopped responding to victims after he received their money.

Advertisement

Columbia police reported to Ankeny they had uncovered evidence Burri possibly met with people in Ankeny and the Des Moines metro in July 2025, according to a news release Friday, Jan. 2.

Ankeny police believe there may be additional victims in the area who have not been identified, according to the release. Sgt. Trevor McGraw in Ankeny said Monday that no victims had come forward over the weekend.

Anyone who Burri or Burri Asset Management LLC may have contacted, or who has experienced financial loss through a cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme, is encouraged to contact the Ankeny Police Department through its non-emergency line at 515-286-3333, extension 5, and file a report.

Phillip Sitter covers the suburbs for the Des Moines Register. Phillip can be reached via email at PSitter@usatodayco.com. Find out more about him online in the Register’s staff directory. 



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Missouri

Missouri Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 winning numbers for Jan. 4, 2026

Published

on


The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 4, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Jan. 4 drawing

Midday: 3-8-4

Midday Wild: 4

Evening: 9-3-4

Advertisement

Evening Wild: 3

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Jan. 4 drawing

Midday: 4-0-8-5

Midday Wild: 7

Evening: 7-2-6-4

Advertisement

Evening Wild: 7

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash4Life numbers from Jan. 4 drawing

03-34-45-51-60, Cash Ball: 01

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Jan. 4 drawing

Early Bird: 08

Advertisement

Morning: 12

Matinee: 05

Prime Time: 12

Night Owl: 13

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Advertisement

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from Jan. 4 drawing

08-19-26-33-35

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:

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

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.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending