JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KY3) -A new Missouri law going into effect later this month will allow the state to raise the maximum speed limit to 75 miles per hour on select highways.

The Missouri State Highway Commission will have the authority to raise the speed limit by 5 miles per hour on Interstates 35, 44, 55 and 70 starting August 28.

Urban areas with posted speed limits currently under 70 miles per hour will be permitted to keep those lower limits. This does not automatically raise speed limits; the Highway Commission has to enact the new limits where they see fit.

The current speed limit on most parts of the Missouri Interstate system is 70 miles per hour. Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Chase Fox said drivers most often exceed that limit by a modest margin.

“I think more frequently we see a range between 5 to 10 over the posted speed limit,” Fox said.

Fox noted that hundreds of active construction zones on the affected interstates are adding complexity to speed enforcement. Speed limits along much of Interstate 70 currently vary between 50 and 70 miles per hour due to construction activity. Fox encourages drivers to stay aware of posted limits.

“Fortunately, when they have the time and resources, we do high-visibility projects where an aircraft will come up and monitor speed for us to assist us in speed enforcement in construction zones,” Fox said.

Fox says increased speeds can lead to more unsafe situations.

“Increased speed does now also require greater braking distance and stuff like that, and when you’re talking about seconds to react out on a highway, I think those two factors correlate with one another,” Fox said. “So yeah, I think speed is a contributing factor to crashes.”

The Missouri Department of Transportation declined an on-camera interview but provided a written statement saying they’re evaluating the eligible locations.

“MoDOT has the responsibility to set speed limits that are reasonably safe considering the various factors of each roadway, such as traffic volume,” a department spokesperson said. “The passage of this bill allows the department to increase that limit in areas where it’s determined to be reasonably safe to do so.”

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Missouri and Illinois are kicking off their annual back-to-school sales tax holidays on Friday, giving shoppers a chance to save money when they purchase clothing, school supplies and certain electronics. But the two states’ tax holidays differ in timing, discounts and which items qualify.

Missouri

The state’s tax-free holiday runs Aug. 7-9. Purchases that qualify will be exempt from all state and local sales taxes during that time period.

Anyone who makes a qualified purchase, not just those shopping for students, can take advantage of the discount. Also, you don’t need to be a Missouri resident to purchase tax-exempt items during the holiday.

Missouri’s cities and municipalities were once able to opt out of the sales tax exemption. However, a 2021 change required all governments to participate and waive their local sales taxes.

The Missouri Department of Revenue has published a full list of the items that qualify, as well as a frequently asked questions section. Here’s a closer look at what items are eligible:

Clothing

Missouri’s tax holiday applies to most clothing and footwear, including fabric used to make school uniforms. It does not cover accessories such as jewelry, watches, handbags, umbrellas, scarves, ties or belt buckles. An article of clothing cannot exceed a taxable value of $100.

Personal computers

Shoppers can also save on qualifying personal computers, including desktop and laptop systems, as well as many computer components and accessories designed for use with them, like keyboards, monitors, printers, scanners and software costing $350 or less. The price of a computer cannot exceed $1,500.

School supplies

The exemption covers many classroom essentials, including textbooks, notebooks, paper, pencils and pens, crayons, art supplies, rulers, backpacks, maps, globes and calculators. It does not apply to items such as headphones, sporting equipment, office furniture, telephones or copiers. Qualifying graphing calculators priced at $150 or less are also included.

Illinois

The back-to-school sales tax holiday runs Aug. 7-16. Unlike Missouri, Illinois doesn’t offer full relief from sales taxes. Instead, the state sales tax rate will be reduced from 6.25% to 1.25%. Also, local sales taxes in Illinois will still apply to any purchases made during that time.

Clothing items, including shoes, that cost less than $125 qualify for the lower sales tax rate. There is no price limit on school supplies. In Illinois, computers and computer supplies do not get a discount.

A full list of what qualifies in Illinois, and what doesn’t, can be found here.

Despite a 5-0 start to kick off the 2025 college football season, the Missouri Tigers slipped in the second half as the team looks to find more consistency entering a new year.

The Tigers capped off the season with an appearance in the Gator Bowl.

SHOP: 2026 Missouri college football tickets

Despite the end to the season, Missouri is sure to be in the thick of things again with the addition of former Ole Miss quarterback Austin Simmons and the return of stout running back Ahmad Hardy, who finished last year with the second-most rushing yards in the country.

With the increasing excitement of seeing game action at Faurot Field in just a few days, now’s the perfect time to make plans as tickets for every Tigers game are available now.

Below, you’ll learn more about the full Missouri schedule and see ticket prices for every game on the Tigers’ schedule this season.

Shop Missouri college football tickets

Missouri 2026 college football tickets

All Missouri home games this season will be played at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Mo. Tickets for every home and away game are available now.

Missouri football home opponents

Missouri will host seven teams during the 2026 college football regular season, including: