Missouri
Missouri lawmakers want to restrict cellphone use in high schools statewide
Missouri lawmakers are hoping to reduce cellphone usage in schools with bipartisan legislation that would require school districts make a policy restricting mobile devices during instructional time.
State Reps. Kathy Steinhoff, a Columbia Democrat, and Jamie Gragg, a Republican from Ozark, presented similar bills in the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee Wednesday afternoon. The committee’s chair, GOP state Rep. Ed Lewis of Moberly, also has legislation that is nearly identical to Steinhoff’s.
“This is not a partisan issue,” Steinhoff told committee members. “When you look around our country, there are eight states that have initiated some kind of restriction on cellphones already. Some of them are red states. Some of them are blue states.”
According to Education Week, three states have a law restricting cellphone use during instructional time, and five states have requirements that districts set policies restricting use. An additional 11 states have recommended policies and incentive programs for districts to establish restrictions.
Steinhoff and Gragg plan to combine their bills into a version that recommends or requires school districts to set policies prohibiting cellphone use during instructional hours while allowing exceptions, like for students who use a mobile device for health reasons.
“I do believe in local control,” Gragg said. “I believe our school districts are all unique in their own special way, just like our communities are, and they need to make the policy that fits them the best.”
Gragg said he heard from teachers that have cellphone policies in their classrooms that test scores improved.
Steinhoff, a retired math teacher, believes the bill will lead to “better engagement.”
“As somebody who was leading a classroom just two years ago, I can attest to the fact that some of our students really are almost addicted to their cellphones,” she said.
Administrators from the Cape Girardeau School District told committee members they established a zero-tolerance policy for cellphones in high schools in 2024.
James Russell, assistant superintendent of academic services for the district, said it has provided a “culture shift.”
“This year, after a full year of implementation at the high school, kids really came back ready to learn,” he said.
Lewis said the districts who have already established the policies can assist others.
“We aren’t going to be the ones that are going to be telling what policies those local school districts should implement,” Lewis said. “We’ve already got multiple pilots around the state that are already doing this, and that’s where they’re going to get those pilot policies from.”
State Rep. Ann Kelley, a Republican from Lamar, said the state should allow the districts leniency to create their own policies while giving support when needed.
“It needs to be in the school district’s hands. It should not be the state dictating anything, just offering a suggestion that they have a plan in place and offering them that support,” she said. “Because it is a big thing whenever school districts do this, and they get a lot of grief from parents and students.”
State Rep. Kem Smith, a Democrat from Florissant and a former English teacher, said parents often have valid points, like security concerns in case of a school shooting.
“I’ve been on lockdown with students who have survived that, and their parents have wanted to talk to them while we were in lockdown,” she said.
Gragg said schools would be able to decide “what they feel is best for their community,” so cellphones do not necessarily have to be out of the students’ possession.
The committee plans to combine the three lawmakers’ bills before voting to send them to the full House in a future hearing.
This story was first published at missouriindependent.com.
The Missouri sports betting market is in full swing, and this weekend a college basketball rivalry aligns perfectly for new bettors to wager on.
Those in the Ozark State can get in on the action using the exclusive DraftKings Sportsbook Missouri promo: Bet $5 and get $300 instantly in bonus bets!
The offer is live for new players in Missouri, but excludes anybody who has already activated a pre-registration offer at DraftKings.
The No. 21 Kansas Jayhawks take on the Missouri Tigers on Sunday, Dec. 7. Missouri residents can make use of the DraftKings Sportsbook Missouri promo to place a bet on the “Border War.”
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This DraftKings Sportsbook Missouri promo also applies to other professional sports events taking place this weekend, including the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Houston Texans at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday.
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Several other sportsbooks were given the green light to launch in Missouri this week, including BetMGM and FanDuel.
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See below for other Missouri Sportsbook promo details.
Want updates on the latest that’s happening with Missouri’s sports betting launch? Follow the NYPost’s live blog for everything from the best offers and up to the minute news.
What our Post expert thinks about Missouri vs. Kansas
All eyes will be on the Jayhawks’ injury report this weekend, as freshman Darryn Peterson seems to be inching closer to a return. The consensus No. 2 player in the class of 2025 has missed the last seven games with a hamstring injury.
The Tigers’ unbeaten streak came to an end on Tuesday with a 76-71 loss to Notre Dame. Despite the loss, Mark Mitchell notched a season-high 26 points. Missouri was off to an impressive 8-0 start.
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Why Trust New York Post Betting
Mike Turay is a sports journalist and editor who closely follows the NBA, NFL, college sports and UFC. He has demonstrated expertise in both NBA and NFL player prop bets for nearly three years. Mike is also highly knowledgeable about the sportsbook offer landscape, frequently trying and reviewing the latest apps and sites.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Missouri earned a “Danger” rating and Kansas received “Caution” in a new highway safety report.
According to Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety Missouri ranked among just nine 9 states to earn the failing grade. Kansas joined 36 other states with the “Caution” rating, which indicates significant gaps in safety.
The report paints a grim picture of American roadways:
- 112 people die daily on U.S. roads
- More than 4,600 roadway deaths occurred in 2023
- Traffic fatalities have jumped 26% since 2011’s historic low
- 2.44 million people were injured in crashes in 2023
- Crashes cost $439 billion in 2023
The group noted that states earn ratings based on their adoption of 18 essential safety laws, including speeding, red-light violations, seatbelt usage and more.
“The Roadmap to Safety is a call to action for our elected officials to address the ongoing crisis of motor vehicle crashes,” said Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety president Cathy Chase.
Chase noted that the report targeted gaps lawmakers need to address in the upcoming legislative session. She emphasized the urgency: “It is go-time for safer roads.”
The organization unveiled the report on Wednesday, Dec. 3, alongside Congress members, state lawmakers and parents who lost children in traffic collisions.
Copyright 2025 KCTV. All rights reserved.
Missouri
BetMGM Missouri bonus code POSTBET: Get a 20% first deposit match up to $1,600 for Missouri vs. Kansas
Missouri sports betting is officially live, and new bettors in the Show-Me State can activate a welcome offer right now. Using the BetMGM bonus code NYPDM1600, new users can get a 20% first deposit match up to $1,600.
Bettors can take advantage of this offer ahead of Sunday’s college basketball matchup between Mizzou and Kansas in Las Vegas.
BetMGM Missouri bonus code NYPDM1600
Bettors in the Show-Me State can use the BetMGM bonus code on any sport of their choosing, but a rivalry game between Missouri and Kansas is sure to be at the top of the list.
With the BetMGM bonus code NYPDM1600, new users can get a 20% first deposit match up to $1600.
In order to draw the full $1,600 in bonus value, you would have to deposit $8,000.
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Does BetMGM have promos for existing customers?
Yes, BetMGM’s offers extend to users who’ve maintained accounts with the sportsbook. Bettors can take advantage of same game parlay boosts for football, basketball or any other sports.
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You can also get cash back if you bet a player to score the first touchdown and they end up scoring the second touchdown of the game instead.
What our Post expert thinks about Missouri vs. Kansas
This is a game many Tigers fans are looking forward to after they jumped out to a hot start in their non conference play.
Kansas is the first ranked team on their schedule and it doesn’t hurt that they’ll get to measure themselves against potential No. 1 NBA Draft pick Darryn Peterson if he’s able to suit up (Peterson has missed seven games with a hamstring injury).
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Why Trust New York Post Betting
Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He’s a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and combat sports. He spends his weeknights in the winter looking for edges on plus-money NBA player props.
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