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Missouri Attorney General files new lawsuit challenging Biden student debt relief plan

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2 years ago

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Missouri Attorney General files new lawsuit challenging Biden student debt relief plan


Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is seeking to squash a nearly eight-month-old program that has waived $1.2 billion in student loans for 153,000 borrowers and limited the payment amounts for 8 million others.

He is joined by the attorneys general from Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, North Dakota, Ohio and Oklahoma in a lawsuit filed Tuesday in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri challenging the U.S. Department of Education’s SAVE Plan, an income-driven repayment plan launched in August of last year and is set to be fully implemented in July.

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach filed his own legal challenge of the SAVE Plan at the end of March alongside 10 other states. Bailey said at the time that he was “extremely pleased” to see Kobach’s lawsuit, announcing the same day that he intended to file a similar motion.

He followed through on the promise Tuesday.

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“Between our two coalitions of states, we will get this matter in front of a judge even more quickly to deliver a win for the American people,” he said in a news release.

Bailey was part of a legal challenge of an earlier program for student-loan forgiveness, which culminated in the U.S. Supreme Court striking down the federal government’s plan last June.

In that lawsuit, the Department of Education had proposed using the Heroes Act to give widespread relief during the pandemic.

Included in Bailey’s argument in that lawsuit was that debt relief would hurt the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority, or MOHELA.

The quasi-governmental nonprofit did not consent to be part of the original lawsuit, and internal communications released last year showed some of the company’s employees expressing apprehension about being involved. .

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Bailey’s latest lawsuit also claims harm against MOHELA.

“By accelerating the forgiveness timeline for the typical borrower by as much as 15 years, the final rule imposes financial harm on MOHELA, and thus the State of Missouri, by depriving MOHELA of up to 15 years in servicing fees,” the attorneys general wrote in the lawsuit.

MOHELA did not respond to a request for comment.

Although some of the arguments remain, the department has used a different federal law to justify the SAVE Plan. This time around, the department is pulling its authority from the Higher Education Act, which was first enacted in 1965 but has been amended since.

The Higher Education Act authorizes need-based financial aid for college students, among other provisions.

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Bailey argues that, when Congress passed the Higher Education Act, they didn’t intend for it to be used as the SAVE Plan does.

The SAVE Plan, when fully implemented, would cap borrowers’ loan payments at 5% of their discretionary income. In February, the Department of Education announced that of the 7.5 million people that had enrolled in the program, 4.3 million had a $0 monthly payment.

The SAVE Plan also promises loan forgiveness within 10 years for those who borrowed $12,000 or less. For those who initially borrowed over $12,000, the department says it will relieve debts with an additional year for each $1,000 beyond $12,000 borrowed.

Bailey argues in Tuesday’s lawsuit that the 10-year period is problematic because of another federal program, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, or PSLF, which forgives student debt for those who have worked in public service for 10 years and made payments on their loans during that period.

“PSLF is so important for government agencies because, before the Final Rule, PSLF was comparatively much more generous than any other federal loan repayment program. That gave borrowers a sizeable incentive to work for public service employers,” the lawsuit says.

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Bailey repeatedly refers to the 10-year cost of loan forgiveness citing both the Congressional Budget Office’s estimate of $276 billion and the Penn-Wharton Budget Model’s $475 billion prediction.

The lawsuit mentions a debt-relief plan announced Monday by President Joe Biden but does not appear to explicitly challenge it.

The SAVE Plan is a component of the latest plan, which also relies on the Higher Education Act.

Solicitor General Josh Divine, who signed Tuesday’s lawsuit on behalf of Bailey’s office, was part of a rulemaking committee that shapes the latest debt-relief plan announced Monday. He stepped down from the committee after his peers rejected his proposal to bring in business leaders as a constituency group.

“There’s essentially no program for small business owners, people who didn’t go to college, people who went to trade schools or went through alternative career processes,” Divine told the committee in December.

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Bailey, who was appointed to his position by Gov. Mike Parson, is running for a full term in office this year.

This story was originally published in the Missouri Independent.





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Kansas City, Missouri, City Council voted Thursday to approve the city’s $2.6 billion budget for 2026-27

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11 hours ago

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March 26, 2026

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Kansas City, Missouri, City Council voted Thursday to approve the city’s .6 billion budget for 2026-27


KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council voted Thursday to approve a $2.6 billion budget for the city’s fiscal year of 2026-27.

The budget includes $744 million in spending for public safety, including $26.3 million for a new Department of Community Safety and $4.2 million to hire 50 new KCMO Police Department officers, along with 10 call takers and 10 dispatchers.

“Our budget respects the strong fiscal foundation the taxpayers have helped Kansas City build, maintaining a rainy-day fund of over $200 million, increasing road resurfacing, hiring more public safety and city workers, and investing in all Kansas City neighborhoods,” Mayor Quinton Lucas said in a news release from the city. “In a city that can walk and chew gum, we are proud to welcome the world while delivering strong basic services for Kansas City’s families.” 

The council voted to spend $83.8 million for the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority to provide bus services, but the KCATA may have to make cuts in bus services even with a $6 million boost in funding from the city.

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In addition, the council approved spending $39.4 million for citywide street resurfacing and $1.5 million for tearing down dangerous buildings.
 
“This budget reflects a collaborative effort across the city, and provides a clear path for Kansas City to keep moving forward with discipline, accountability and a focus on service,” City Manager Mario Vasquez said in the news release. “Thank you to the council for its thoughtful deliberation and input in crafting this budget.” 

More information on the fiscal year 2026-27 budget can be found on the city’s website.

—





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Missouri Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 winning numbers for March 25, 2026

Published

23 hours ago

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March 26, 2026

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

Here’s a look at March 25, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from March 25 drawing

07-21-55-56-64, Powerball: 26, Power Play: 4

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 25 drawing

Midday: 3-2-0

Midday Wild: 7

Evening: 0-0-5

Evening Wild: 5

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 25 drawing

Midday: 2-6-3-9

Midday Wild: 4

Evening: 9-5-6-8

Evening Wild: 1

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Cash Pop numbers from March 25 drawing

Early Bird: 07

Morning: 09

Matinee: 04

Prime Time: 14

Night Owl: 07

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Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from March 25 drawing

12-14-22-26-28

Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from March 25 drawing

35-38-41-43-62, Powerball: 08

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

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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

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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 AG orders 13 unlicensed Kansas City dispensaries to stop selling products

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1 day ago

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March 25, 2026

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Missouri AG orders 13 unlicensed Kansas City dispensaries to stop selling products


KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Dozens of dispensaries have been ordered to close after Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said they are selling without licenses.

The AG’s office sent cease-and-desist letters to 33 dispensaries. Of those, 13 are in the Kansas City area, according to information provided by the state.

Each location is accused of selling cannabis or marijuana products without a state license, or selling other products deceptively marketed as marijuana, according to Hanaway.

Hanaway’s office also said testing found some products contained things such as lead, arsenic, and ethanol. They also used deceptive labeling and packaging, including designs that may target children, according to a news release.

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Here are the locations named by the AG’s office:

  • Big Chiefs Kush Waldo (Kansas City)
  • Dr. Smoke (Kansas City)
  • It’s A Dream (Kansas City)
  • KC Kush (Kansas City)
  • Main Smoke Shop KC (Kansas City)
  • Mr. Niceguy (Kansas City)
  • Prohibition Cannabis (Kansas City)
  • Center Smoke Shop (Independence)
  • Gray Area Cannabis (Independence)
  • Herb Depot (Independence)
  • Sacred Leaf (Independence)
  • Super E Cig Smoke Shop (St. Joseph)
  • Vapor Maven (Cameron)

The letters demand each of the above the businesses stop selling the products in question.

The full letter sent to the businesses is below.

Copyright 2026 KCTV. All rights reserved.



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