Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s attempt to increase the cost of an abortion-rights initiative petition was unprecedented and illegal, lawyers for the Missouri ACLU and state auditor’s office argued Wednesday in Cole County Court.

”No attorney general has ever attempted to exercise this level of discretion,” said Robert Tillman, deputy general counsel for Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick.

Meanwhile, the attorney general’s office contends it was simply exercising its authority under state law when it refused to sign off on a fiscal note summary crafted by the auditor that said the abortion-rights initiative petition would have no cost to state or local government.

St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell, a Democrat, announced Wednesday he is a candidate for U.S. Senate, setting up what could be an expensive intraparty battle to take on Republican incumbent Josh Hawley in November 2024.

In a launch video released Wednesday morning, Bell said, “We need leaders who try to help — unlike Josh Hawley, who’s in a rush to be famous and pretending to be tough while showing the world how weak he really is.”

Bell, 48, would face Democrat Lucas Kunce, who hauled in $1.1 million in the first fundraising quarter this year, in next year’s August primary.

Transgender minors and some adults in Missouri will soon be banned from accessing puberty blockers, hormones, and gender-affirming surgeries under a bill signed Wednesday by the state’s Republican governor.

Beginning Aug. 28, Missouri healthcare providers won’t be able to prescribe those gender-affirming treatments for teens and children. Most adults will still have access to transgender health care under the law, but Medicaid won’t cover it.

cross-posted from: https://midwest.social/post/611301

The most difficult part of the new rule is allowing parents to challenge the aged designation of any item in the library. Some libraries are receiving lists of 100 or more books and challenges overall are increasing, Moeller said.
“Most of the items being included in these lists relate to identity, race or sexual orientation,” she said. “What we really seeing is the ones that relate to identity are being called ‘inappropriate.’”

cross-posted from: https://midwest.social/post/609939

Missouri teachers who quit their jobs on short notice face increasingly severe consequences, as school districts facing staffing shortages impose financial penalties as high as $10,000 or seek to suspend the teaching licenses of teachers who break their contracts.

I can't say that I share her optimism, but I suppose it's always good to maintain hope that people here in MO will stop voting against their own interests.