Missouri

Mike Moon leaves committee so abortion ban can advance in MO Senate with rape exception

Published

1 year ago

March 7, 2025

Mike Moon leaves committee so abortion ban can advance in MO Senate with rape exception

Anna Spoerre and Jason Hancock
| Missouri Independent

A proposed constitutional amendment reinstating Missouri’s abortion ban cleared a Senate committee Wednesday after a GOP lawmaker who opposes the inclusion of rape and incest exceptions asked to be removed from the panel to avoid sinking the bill’s chances.

Sponsored by state Sen. Adam Schnelting, a Republican from St Charles, the proposed amendment would ban abortion but allow exceptions up to 12 weeks gestation for survivors of rape and incest who first reported the assault to police.

Last week, state Sen. Mike Moon, a Republican from Ash Grove, said he opposed any legislation that would leave the door open for abortions not medically necessary during an emergency. Specifically, he pointed to the rape and incest exceptions as unacceptable.

The bill was assigned to the Senate Families, Seniors and Health Committee, where Republicans hold four of the panel’s six seats. If Moon voted against the measure, it would die on a 3-3 tie.

Moon sent a letter to Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin on Tuesday requesting his removal from the committee, saying that while he understands the need to respond to the legalization of abortion last November, he “cannot support the creation of a subhuman group.”

“Republicans, and some Democrats, profess to be ‘protectors’ of life. I claim to be one of them,” he continued. “Because of this, I cannot support an effort which does not recognize all life as precious and worth saving and protecting.”

O’Laughlin, a Republican from Shelbina, granted Moon’s request. State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Harrisonville Republican, replaced Moon on the committee and the bill was approved Wednesday morning on a party-line vote.

It now heads to the full Senate for debate.

Schnelting on Wednesday said while he agrees with Moon that those conceived in rape are “just as valuable as any other human being,” he believes a ban with an exception for survivors has the best chance of winning at the ballot box.

“So my goal is to maximize human life as much as I possibly can, working pragmatically within that framework,” he said.

Moon could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday, but Schnelting said he believes his colleague stepped down from the committee of his own accord.

“(Moon) gave me his word that he wouldn’t kill the bill,” Schnelting said. “But at the same time he didn’t want to vote for something with exceptions.”

Moon has remained a staunch opponent of any abortion exceptions and has filed legislation to impose criminal penalties on women who end their pregnancies. Last year, he also opposed Democrats’ attempt to introduce rape and incest exceptions into what was then a near-total ban on the procedure.

Another proposed constitutional amendment approved by the Senate committee on Wednesday was sponsored by Moon that would define a “person” as “every human being with a unique DNA code regardless of age, including every in utero human child at every stage of biological development from the moment of conception until birth.”

Legislation similar to Schnelting’s — filed in the House by GOP state Rep. Melanie Stinnett of Springfield — is still awaiting a vote in the House Children and Families committee. Both Schnelting and Stinnett’s bills would also ban gender-affirming health care for minors and allow abortions during an ectopic pregnancy.

Schnelting said he doesn’t know how Moon plans to vote once the bill reaches the Senate floor, but noted that the revised legislation that was passed out of committee Wednesday included a severability clause that was suggested by Moon.

The clause could allow the rape and incest exceptions in the amendment to be challenged in federal court as being discriminatory and in violation of the 14th Amendment.

During a press conference last week, Moon said he was open to any abortion bans going before voters.

“There are some other measures that are out there, and I’m hoping that all of them can make it,” Moon said. “So the voters can decide on either one, two or all the ones that are put before them.”

While the GOP-led legislature continues to prioritize abortion access, Planned Parenthood started offering procedural abortions for the first in nearly three years after a judge struck down many of the state’s abortion regulations, citing them as discriminatory.

If any of the proposed amendments banning abortion make it to the ballot and are approved by a simple majority of voters, the new law would be in direct conflict with an amendment narrowly approved in November that protects the right to reproductive health care, including abortion up to the point of fetal viability.

The first elective abortion to take place in Missouri since 2022 happened in mid-February at the Planned Parenthood clinic in Kansas City. On Monday, four more abortions took place, this time at the clinic in Columbia, which hadn’t performed the procedure since 2018.

This story was first published at missouriindependent.com.

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Missouri

Thousands show up to protest current administration at ‘No Kings’ rally in Kansas City, Missouri

Published

2 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Thousands show up to protest current administration at ‘No Kings’ rally in Kansas City, Missouri

KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.

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Thousands showed up to Mill Creek Park on Saturday in Kansas City, Missouri, in a wave of protests across the country criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration.

Thousands show up to protest current administration at KCMO ‘No Kings’ rally

Multiple protesters told KSHB 41 News they participated in the protest because they feel like it is the only way their voices can be heard.

Chris Morrison/KSHB

Sharon

“Congress is not working for us,” said Sharon, a protester at Mill Creek Park. “I have called my Congress people numerous times.”

It was the third wave of ‘No Kings’ protests across the country since June 2025.

“I’ve been here for each of the ‘No Kings,’ and I’ll admit that I’m frustrated that I have to be back here again,” protester Carter Taylor said.

Taylor is a teacher for Kansas City Public Schools with AFT Local 691, and she said she showed up to represent her students.

“I hope that everyone here doesn’t just stay here today — that they donate to food banks, that they check in on their public schools,” Taylor said.

Screenshot 2026-03-28 at 5.35.36 PM.png — Protesters marched on the Country Club Plaza in a wave of No Kings protests across the country on March 28, 2026.

Protesters held signs critiquing the current administration’s stances on tariffs, ongoing wars and immigration enforcement, among other things.

Screenshot 2026-03-28 at 5.24.48 PM.png — Lonnie Beattle

“It means that people care,” protester Lonnie Beattle said. “People care about what’s going on in this country, and people are not happy with what’s going on in the country.”

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Missouri

Missouri Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 winning numbers for March 27, 2026

Published

14 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

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

Here’s a look at March 27, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from March 27 drawing

13-27-28-41-62, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 27 drawing

Midday: 1-2-5

Midday Wild: 5

Evening: 1-5-9

Evening Wild: 6

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 27 drawing

Midday: 4-9-8-1

Midday Wild: 7

Evening: 6-7-3-3

Evening Wild: 6

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from March 27 drawing

Early Bird: 10

Morning: 10

Matinee: 03

Prime Time: 15

Night Owl: 09

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from March 27 drawing

08-15-18-25-29

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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Missouri

Boone Health files lawsuit against Missouri Heart Center, alleging contract breaches, data misuse

Published

1 day ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Boone Health files lawsuit against Missouri Heart Center, alleging contract breaches, data misuse

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Boone Health is suing a Columbia-based cardiology group, alleging breaches of contract, misuse of confidential information and plans to engage in unlawful competition.

The lawsuit, filed in Boone County Circuit Court, targets Missouri Cardiovascular Specialists LLP, also known as the Missouri Heart Center or MO Heart, which has provided cardiology services to Boone Health for more than a decade. According to court documents, a renewed agreement was signed in 2021 covering professional services and management of Boone Health’s cardiology operations.

Boone Health alleges it paid the cardiology group millions of dollars under those agreements for staffing, administrative oversight and revenue cycle management, which included access to sensitive financial and patient-related data. In return, MO Heart and its physicians agreed to noncompete and confidentiality provisions designed to protect Boone Health’s business interests.

The health system claims MO Heart violated those agreements by preparing to launch a competing cardiology practice in the Columbia area, potentially as soon as the contracts expire on May 6, 2026. The lawsuit alleges the new venture would fall within a restricted geographic area and time frame outlined in the noncompete clause, which Boone Health argues is enforceable under Missouri law.

Boone Health also accuses MO Heart of disclosing or misusing confidential information, including billing rates, reimbursement data and strategic business details during its transition to new partnerships with outside organizations. Boone Health alleges in the lawsuit those actions could cause “severe and irreparable injury.”

In addition, Boone Health claims MO Heart obstructed access to critical systems and data. The lawsuit alleges the cardiology group cut off Boone Health’s access to a key billing and patient information platform and stopped sharing necessary data, raising concerns about continuity of patient care.

Boone Health alleged that MO Heart indicated that it intends to operate independently and has taken the position that the noncompete provisions are unenforceable, according to the filing.

Boone Health is asking a judge to rule the noncompete agreements that MO Heart signed are valid, as well as having MO Heart return or destroy confidential information, and delay starting a competing practice until May 2027.

A jury trial has been requested.

A spokesperson for Boone Health told ABC 17 News that it would provide additional details early next week.

Dr. James T. Elliott of MO Heart disagreed with allegations in the lawsuit through a written statement.

“For months, we have tried to meet with leadership team at Boone Health to work constructively towards a new, collaborative arrangement that would preserve access to and expand high‑quality care for our patients and for the entire community. Unfortunately, Boone refused to engage with us in any meaningful way. Instead, we have been met with a series of escalating legal threats, culminating in today’s filing,” the statement reads.

“Earlier today Boone Health filed a lawsuit against Missouri Heart Center. We disagree with the lawsuit’s allegations and believe those claims are both legally and factually incorrect. This litigation does not change our commitment to caring for patients.”

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