Missouri

Missouri legislature finishes chaotic session amid paralyzed Senate

Published

2 years ago

May 17, 2024

Missouri legislature finishes chaotic session amid paralyzed Senate

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KFVS) – Missouri saw a chaotic end to the 2024 legislative session Friday after a stalled Senate skipped the final day of work.

The hotly-debated resolution to make constitutional amendments more difficult to pass on the ballot upended debate and became a “hot potato” between the House and Senate. Each chamber repeatedly referred the measure to the other, the Senate asking for a conference committee to work out the differences and the House refusing to recede from its position.

Senate leaders on Friday said this session revealed a vast difference between lawmakers who want to find compromises with colleagues and those who want to battle to impose their political will.

In the end, Democrats and the majority of Republicans sent a message that the Missouri General Assembly, particularly the Senate, must remain a place of compromise, where lawmakers find a way to work together.”

“My theory is, if you treat people with respect, you’re willing to listen to them, and you’re willing to work with them, that you can get done the things you need to get done,” said Senate Majority Floor Leader Cindy O’Laughlin.

The five-member “Freedom Caucus” faction of Republicans, led by Harrisonville senator Rick Brattin, called their party’s leaders “cowardly.”

“The Republican party has turned into feckless, spineless, ambassadors of nothing, and not fighting for what’s right,” Brattin said.

Outgoing Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo, D-Independence, said decency and democracy ultimately overcame division and distrust.

“I think that decorum won, I think the bullies lost,” Rizzo said. “I don’t think that matters if you have a ‘D’ or an ‘R’ by your name. I think the [Senate] pushed back on being pushed around all year in the last throes of session.”

With the senate adjourned, the Missouri House spent Friday finishing several bills including a major public safety omnibus package.

That bill includes tougher penalties for hurting or killing a law enforcement dog, making it a felony to run from police, and outlawing celebratory gunfire.

But some major bipartisan bills failed to pass including open enrollment in public schools, a ban on child marriage, and Governor Parson’s top priority of new child care tax credits.

“Just because we didn’t pass legislation doesn’t mean that the issue has gone away,” said State Sen. Lauren Arthur, D-Kansas City. “If anything, it’s going to get worse, because there hasn’t been legislative action taken.”

Governor Parson declined to say whether he’ll call lawmakers back for a special session this summer, though many lawmakers predict he will do so for the general assembly to craft a supplemental budget.

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Missouri

10 pounds of meth found during I-70 traffic stop, Callaway County Sheriff’s Office says

Published

2 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

10 pounds of meth found during I-70 traffic stop, Callaway County Sheriff’s Office says

Callaway County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested two Mexico, Missouri, residents on suspicion of possession of 10 pounds of methamphetamine, according to a social media post from the Callaway County Sheriff’s Office.

Around 10:18 p.m. on Wednesday, deputies conducted traffic stops on Interstate 70 regarding an ongoing narcotics investigation by the Sheriff’s Office investigators assigned to the MUSTANG Drug Task Force, according to the social media post.

Deputies made contact with Louetta Dorsey, 43, and Brian Wilson, 41, of Mexico, in their vehicles during the investigation, according to the social media post. The two suspects were in separate vehicles, and one was allegedly acting as a decoy vehicle for the other, according to court documents.

During the traffic stops, deputies located approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine. Dorsey and Wilson were arrested and taken to the Callaway County Jail, according to the social media post.

Dorsey has been charged with second-degree drug trafficking and possession of a controlled substance, according to court records. Charges for Wilson were not appearing in Missouri’s online court record system as of Friday afternoon.

A probable cause statement filed in Dorsey’s case indicates that both she and Wilson were under investigation on suspicion of distributing large amounts of methamphetamine throughout Audrain, Boone and Callaway counties.

Members of the MUSTANG Drug Task Force worked with the Audrain County Sheriff’s Office, East Central Drug Task Force and the Boone County Sheriff’s Office-MO to execute additional narcotics related search warrants, according to the social media post.

The results of the search warrants revealed firearms and drug paraphernalia commonly used for drug trafficking, according to the social media post.

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Missouri

What’s closed on Juneteenth in Missouri? Check trash, libraries, banks

Published

12 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

What’s closed on Juneteenth in Missouri? Check trash, libraries, banks

Juneteenth is marking five years since it was officially recognized as a federal holiday.

Given the holiday’s relatively recent federal designation, it may not be clear to many what will be open/closed on Juneteenth. Will the post office be open? Will my trash get collected? Can I go to the Department of Motor Vehicles to renew my license?

Here’s a guide to what is open and closed on Juneteenth in Missouri.

When is Juneteenth 2026?

This year, Juneteenth will be celebrated on Friday, June 19. The holiday is also often celebrated on the third Saturday of June, with many events taking place on that day.

Communities use this day to honor resilience, culture and progress through various events, gatherings and activities. These can include church services, picnics, barbecues, parades and festivals, to name a few.

Are federal or Missouri state offices open on Juneteenth?

Given that Juneteenth is a federal holiday, non-essential federal offices will be closed.

It’s also a state holiday in Missouri, so all local governments and state offices will be closed, as well.

Will major retailers be open on Juneteenth?

Most major retailers, grocery stores, warehouse clubs and restaurants should be open on Juneteenth, but you may want to check with your local stores to confirm business hours, as they can vary by location.

Is the post office open on Juneteenth? Will mail be delivered?

All post offices will be closed, and mail will not be delivered on Juneteenth, according to the U.S. Postal Service’s website.

FedEx and UPS will operate more or less as usual, and their stores will be open.

Are banks open on Juneteenth?

Most banks will be closed on Juneteenth, as most follow the Federal Reserve’s holiday schedule.

Is the stock market open on Juneteenth?

Both the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Stock Market will be closed on Juneteenth.

Will trash pickup happen on Juneteenth?

Trash pickup on Juneteenth varies from city to city, so it’s best to check with your local waste management service to see whether they observe the holiday.

Trash pickup can be delayed by one day if the scheduled pickup falls on a federal holiday.

Columbia will have normal trash pickup on Friday, according to the city’s website. Each hauler in Springfield sets its own holiday schedule. Ozark Refuse, Republic Services and Waste Management are not delayed for the holiday.

Are libraries and DMV offices open on Juneteenth?

Holiday hours can vary among Missouri’s libraries, so it’s best to check whether the ones in your area will be open on Juneteenth.

The Daniel Boone Regional Library network in Columbia and Springfield-Greene County Library District branches will be closed.

All Missouri Department of Revenue offices will be closed on Juneteenth, including driver examination stations. With that being said, some license offices will be operating during the holiday, so check the Missouri License Office Locator to see if your local office is open.

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Missouri

Missouri judge strikes down nearly all state abortion regulations

Published

23 hours ago

June 18, 2026

Press Room

Missouri judge strikes down nearly all state abortion regulations

Nearly all of Missouri’s abortion regulations, including laws that Planned Parenthood said made it impossible for providers to prescribe medication abortion, were struck down in a ruling Thursday by a Jackson County judge. One of the regulations most widely condemned by abortion rights supporters, a 72-hour waiting period between an initial consultation and an abortion, […]

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