Missouri

Missouri lawmakers are going after voter-approved abortion rights. Voters will likely reelect them

Published

12 months ago

January 19, 2025

Missouri lawmakers are going after voter-approved abortion rights. Voters will likely reelect them

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Voters in Missouri last election approved a constitutional amendment that promised to undo the state’s near-total abortion ban. The same day, they reelected a Republican supermajority to the state Legislature, including several of the same lawmakers who passed the abortion ban in 2019.

Now, GOP lawmakers are working to roll back some, if not all, of the abortion rights protected under the new amendment.

“Time and time again, the supermajority will spend taxpayer money on trying to undo the will of the voters,” said Missouri Democratic Rep. Emily Weber, who has been filing abortion-rights legislation for the past four years.

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Some Republicans have said enacting restrictions under the measure still adheres to voters’ wishes.

“I haven’t heard anyone seriously discuss taking away the rape and incest exception,” Republican House Speaker Jonathan Patterson said. “To regulate it as the amendment asks us to do, I think it’s an appropriate thing to do.”

Any changes to directly undo the amendment passed by voters would need to go back on the ballot, he said.

Republicans likely won’t face any pushback at the polls for once again going after abortion and could benefit politically in conservative states like Missouri, experts said.

Lawmakers from rural GOP strongholds have backing from their constituents to pursue such legislation and also face pressure to take a strong stand against abortion in order to survive primaries, said Mary Ziegler, a historian at the University of California, Davis, School of Law who studies abortion.

“If you are a legislator from a conservative district in Missouri, you feel absolutely no threat from Democrats and you feel a considerable threat potentially from your right if you aren’t conservative enough on abortion,” Ziegler said.

The seemingly contradictory dynamic between the abortion policies voters support and the candidates they elect is not unique to Missouri.

Ohio voters added a right to abortion to their state’s constitution in November 2023, overriding a ban on abortions after cardiac activity is detected, about six weeks into pregnancy and before many women know they’re pregnant.

Abortion rights advocates sued to have the ban invalidated, and the state’s Republican attorney general pushed back, seeking to keep elements of the 2019 law, including a parental notification provision and a requirement that people seeking an abortion make two in-person visits to their provider, wait 24 hours for the procedure and have their abortion recorded and reported.

It took until October 2024 for a court to strike down the ban, though enforcement had previously been on hold.

In Arizona, where voters also approved a right to abortion in 2024, health care providers have asked a court to strike down a previous ban on abortion after the first 15 weeks of pregnancy, with limited exceptions. There, Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat, has filed court papers saying she won’t enforce the old ban until after the lawsuit to invalidate it is resolved.

Proposed laws in Missouri would outlaw abortion completely, only allow it in cases of medical emergencies, ban most abortions once cardiac activity is detected or ban it after fetal viability.

Republicans say there is room to act without violating the abortion-rights amendment, which allows lawmakers to enact restrictions after viability except when necessary to “protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant person.” Patterson and others see a need for legislation that would define terms in the amendment, such as viability.

Viability is a term used by health care providers to describe whether a pregnancy is expected to continue developing normally or whether a fetus might survive outside the uterus. Though there’s no defined time frame, doctors say it is sometime after the 21st week of pregnancy.

Republican state Rep. Brian Seitz said the “political reality” is that most Missouri voters likely would not vote for an amendment in line with his belief that life begins at conception. But Seitz also said he thinks many voters approved last year’s ballot measure because it was the only way to allow abortion access for cases of rape, incest and medical emergencies. And he said there is support among voters for some restrictions beyond that.

“We can chip away at Amendment 3,” Seitz said. “I don’t think repeal is what’s going to happen in the short term.”

A total repeal would need voter approval.

University of Central Missouri political scientist Robynn Kuhlmann said a lack of competition between Democrats and Republicans insulates lawmakers from backlash at the polls.

In Missouri, Kuhlmann estimated that roughly 95% of House seats were won by at least a 5% margin in 2024.

And for more and more voters, she said “party seems to be taking precedence regardless of what actions have been occurring in the legislative arena.”

“What may only matter at that point in time for the voter is whether or not there’s an R or a D behind the candidates’ names,” Kuhlmann said.

Missouri’s abortion-rights amendment passed by a narrow margin — with close to 51% of the vote. Most support came from Kansas City, St. Louis, the college town of Columbia and surrounding areas.

But counties throughout the rest of the state, particularly in rural areas, voted against the measure.

Seitz, who is from the southwestern Missouri tourist destination of Branson, said people from his district, as well as his conscience, “declares that I should be doing something as an elected representative to promote life.”

___

Associated Press writer Geoff Mulvihill contributed to this report from Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

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Missouri

Missouri Lottery Pick 3, Pick 4 winning numbers for Jan. 8, 2026

Published

10 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 8, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

Midday: 3-5-3

Midday Wild: 9

Evening: 6-3-9

Evening Wild: 3

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

Midday: 7-1-3-4

Midday Wild: 4

Evening: 9-6-9-8

Evening Wild: 9

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash4Life numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

27-28-39-47-58, Cash Ball: 04

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

Early Bird: 14

Morning: 07

Matinee: 06

Prime Time: 07

Night Owl: 11

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from Jan. 8 drawing

02-26-28-29-34

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

Missouri Democrats vow to fight increased taxes on sales or services

Published

22 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Missouri Democrats vow to fight increased taxes on sales or services

Jason Hancock and Steph Quinn
| Missouri Independent

Missouri lawmakers returned to work Wednesday, Jan. 7, to kick off the 2026 legislative session, with Republicans determined to eliminate the state income tax and Democrats vowing to oppose any effort to replace it with increased taxes on sales or services.

Missing from the first day were the partisan fireworks that defined the end of last year’s session and a special session in September. Instead, both the House and Senate functioned normally on Wednesday, quickly running through motions of a first-day and adjourning with little fanfare.

But the partisan schism simmered under the surface.

Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe is pushing for elimination of the state’s income tax and is expecting to lay out his plan next week when he speaks to a joint session of the legislature for his annual State of the State address.

Democrats — still smarting from last year’s GOP moves to cut off debate to pass bills repealing expanded paid sick leave, gerrymander the state congressional map, change the initiative petition process and reimpose an abortion ban — said they are withholding judgment until they see the details of Kehoe’s plan.

But they note the income tax represents 65% of last year’s $13.4 billion in state revenue.

Democrats will not support raising taxes that disproportionately impact lower-income Missourians to pay to eliminate the income tax, said Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, an Affton Democrat.

“People are already having a really hard time making ends meet in this state,” Beck said. “People are living paycheck to paycheck. So if anyone wants to raise taxes on those folks, that is unacceptable to us. As Democrats, we say there should be no new taxes.”

House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat, said that while the possible elimination of the income tax is “being sold as … getting rid of your taxes,” most Missourians will see little benefit.

“What they’re not telling you is how much more you’ll have to spend every time you swipe your card,” Aune said, adding: “The next time you have an expensive car repair or costly emergency visit from a plumber to fix a broken pipe, you’ll also be paying double digit sales taxes on that bill. Struggling to pay your rent? The struggle will get even harder when Republicans add a sales tax onto that.”

Democrats will lay out their own income tax proposal next week, Aune said, that will offer “targeted tax relief for those who need it most.”

State Rep. Mark Boyko, the Kirkwood Democrat who will sponsor the measure, said that while Missourians earning over $250,000 could end up paying more under the Democrats’ tax plan, it would generate much-needed revenue.

The proposal, Boyko said, “will actually lower your costs.”

Senate President Cindy O’Laughlin, a Shelbina Republican, urged her colleagues in an opening day speech to work together to “find solutions that move Missouri forward.”

While tax cuts weren’t directly mentioned in her speech, O’Laughlin left little doubt where she stood.

“Taxes, regulations, red tape and bureaucracy do not make Missouri better,” she said. “In every case, they take from Missouri families, they also take from Missouri small businesses. And our job is to reduce that impact. We must make sure what we take is as limited as possible.”

Missouri families want results, O’Laughlin said.

“They want better roads, better schools,” she said. “They want more private home ownership. They want safe streets and neighborhoods. They want better jobs and stronger job skills. They want thriving communities, and they want less dependence on the government at all levels.”

Hovering over the income tax debate is a state budget picture looking gloomier than it has in years.

General revenue is projected to be $400 million below estimates made a year ago. Part of the reason is that a capital gains tax cut passed last year that was estimated to reduce revenue by $111 million annually is now believed to cost as much as $500 million the first year and $360 million a year moving forward.

Beck said that while Democrats decided against using procedural maneuvers to gum up the Senate on the first day, the chamber will move much more slowly this year — not only in response to last year’s GOP moves quash Democratic filibusters, but also to avoid mistakes like the cost of the capital gains tax cut.

“When you shut off debate or refuse to engage with the other side to just rush things through, mistakes happen,” he said. “We were screaming from the hilltop that the capital gains cuts were going to cost way more. But we went too fast, and senators weren’t allowed to do their jobs.”

This story was first published at missouriindependent.com.

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Missouri

Missouri Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 winning numbers for Jan. 7, 2026

Published

1 day ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 7, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Jan. 7 drawing

15-28-57-58-63, Powerball: 23, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Jan. 7 drawing

Midday: 7-2-8

Midday Wild: 2

Evening: 7-4-8

Evening Wild: 8

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Jan. 7 drawing

Midday: 6-0-8-6

Midday Wild: 7

Evening: 7-8-2-6

Evening Wild: 6

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash4Life numbers from Jan. 7 drawing

01-07-30-41-56, Cash Ball: 01

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Jan. 7 drawing

Early Bird: 04

Morning: 08

Matinee: 13

Prime Time: 08

Night Owl: 10

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from Jan. 7 drawing

03-05-09-10-36

Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Jan. 7 drawing

28-41-50-61-68, Powerball: 05

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

Ticket Redemption

Missouri Lottery

P.O. Box 7777

Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777

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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