(Radio Iowa) - The pheasant season opens this Saturday and D-N-R Wildlife Biologist Todd Bogenshutz says hunters will likely not duplicate last year. 

It was one of the better years in the last two decades with just shy of 600-thousand roosters tkaen. The roadside survey shows the wet spring did have some impact on bird numbers, but Bogenshutz there could be close to 400-thousand birds taken. 

Most of the soybeans have been harvested and large portion of corn as well, which Bogenshutz says will help hunters as they have better success when there are less standing crops for the birds to utilize for cover. The pheasant season runs through January 10th.

(Radio Iowa) - The pheasant season opens this Saturday and D-N-R Wildlife Biologist Todd Bogenshutz says hunters will likely not duplicate last year. It was one of the better years in the last two decades with just shy of 600-thousand roosters tkaen. The roadside survey shows the wet spring did have some impact on bird numbers, but Bogenshutz there could be close to 400-thousand birds taken. Most of the soybeans have been harvested and large portion of corn as well, which Bogenshutz says will help hunters as they have better success when there are less standing crops for the birds to utilize for cover. The pheasant season runs through January 10th.

Pheasant Season Opens Saturday

(Radio Iowa) - All four Republicans who represent Iowa in the U-S House are seeking reelection, including fourth district Congressman Randy Feenstra.

 Feenstra's 2024 race is a General Election rematch with Ryan Melton, a Democrat from Webster City. Feenstra's Republican opponent in the June Primary got 40 percent of the vote and that candidate -- Kevin Virgil -- endorsed Melton in August. The primary reason? Melton and Virgil both oppose the use of eminent domain to seize land for a carbon pipeline. Feenstra says he's also opposed to eminent domain, but the pipeline is a state issue, not a federal issue. Melton says he expects to get some protest votes from Republicans. 

However, there are 90-thousand more registered Republicans than Democrats in the district and Iowa State University political science professor Dave Peterson says that's a big advantage for Feenstra.

(Radio Iowa) - All four Republicans who represent Iowa in the U-S House are seeking reelection, including fourth district Congressman Randy Feenstra. Feenstra's 2024 race is a General Election rematch with Ryan Melton, a Democrat from Webster City. Feenstra's Republican opponent in the June Primary got 40 percent of the vote and that candidate -- Kevin Virgil -- endorsed Melton in August. The primary reason? Melton and Virgil both oppose the use of eminent domain to seize land for a carbon pipeline. Feenstra says he's also opposed to eminent domain, but the pipeline is a state issue, not a federal issue. Melton says he expects to get some protest votes from Republicans. However, there are 90-thousand more registered Republicans than Democrats in the district and Iowa State University political science professor Dave Peterson says that's a big advantage for Feenstra.

Feenstra-Melton rematch in Iowa's fourth congressional district

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">JASON HANCOCK</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

A reporter for a Kansas City television station was struck by a bullet fragment Tuesday while covering a shooting range campaign event for Democrat Lucas Kunce.

Kunce, a Marine veteran hoping to unseat U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, provided first aid to KSHB reporter Ryan Gamboa after a bullet fragment ricocheted off a target and struck him in the arm.

<a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/kshb-41-reporter-injured-at-lucas-kunce-campaign-event" target="_blank">KSHB reports</a>&nbsp;Gamboa’s injuries were minor and he was released from the hospital on Tuesday.

Kunce was holding an event at a shooting range near Kansas City with former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican. After the event, Kunce released a statement on social media reminding shooters to “<a href="https://x.com/LucasKunceMO/status/1848886246749184008" target="_blank">always have your first aid kit handy</a>.”

“Shrapnel can always fly when you hit a target like today,” Kunce said, “and you’ve got to be ready to go. We had four first aid kits, so we were able to take care of the situation, and I’m glad Ryan is okay and was able to continue reporting.”

Hawley was quick to&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HawleyMO/status/1848884106077127065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1848884106077127065%7Ctwgr%5Ee19a1ddce1021972d3df84fa37f490823eff4b4b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.komu.com%2Fnews%2Fstate%2Ftv-reporter-struck-by-bullet-fragment-at-lucas-kunce-campaign-event%2Farticle_b74dd53a-90dc-11ef-9bfb-53ccc95f1294.html" target="_blank">mock Kunce for the shooting range incident</a>, jokingly posting on social media: “I condemn all acts of violence against reporters and call on Kunce never to shoot another one.”

<a href="https://x.com/HawleyMO/status/1848906167130493056" target="_blank">He added</a>: “I know the Kunce campaign needed a shot in the arm, but this is taking it a little far.”

Kunce later responded by sharing&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/LucasKunceMO/status/1848887386840686785" target="_blank">video footage of Hawley fleeing from a mob of rioters</a>&nbsp;after they breached the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021, trying to block the certification of the 2020 presidential election.

“The last time Josh Hawley saw a gun,” Kunce wrote,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/abigailmarone/status/1848887632509481230" target="_blank">garnering a response</a>&nbsp;from Hawley’s spokeswoman: “You just shot someone, relax.”

Every public poll of the race has shown Hawley in the lead, with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2024/missouri/hawley-vs-kunce" target="_blank">most putting the Republican up by double digits</a>. And Missouri hasn’t elected a Democrat to statewide office since 2018.

But Kunce has c<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/16/democrat-lucas-kunce-outraises-missouri-republican-sen-josh-hawley/">onsistently outraised Hawley</a>, including in the last quarter where he reported raising $7.6 million compared to around $4 million for Hawley and a supportive political action committee. But Hawley ended the quarter with more cash on hand, finishing September with $2.6 million for the campaign’s homestretch compared with $1.5 million for Kunce.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729709021542.png" alt=" Lucas Kunce applies first aid to KSHB reporter Ryan Gamboa after a bullet fragment ricocheted off a target and struck him in the arm while former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger looks on (photo: Lucas Kunce for Missouri)." />
 <figcaption> Lucas Kunce applies first aid to KSHB reporter Ryan Gamboa after a bullet fragment ricocheted off a target and struck him in the arm while former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger looks on (photo: Lucas Kunce for Missouri).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">JASON HANCOCK</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>A reporter for a Kansas City television station was struck by a bullet fragment Tuesday while covering a shooting range campaign event for Democrat Lucas Kunce.Kunce, a Marine veteran hoping to unseat U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, provided first aid to KSHB reporter Ryan Gamboa after a bullet fragment ricocheted off a target and struck him in the arm.<a href="https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/kshb-41-reporter-injured-at-lucas-kunce-campaign-event" target="_blank">KSHB reports</a>&nbsp;Gamboa’s injuries were minor and he was released from the hospital on Tuesday.Kunce was holding an event at a shooting range near Kansas City with former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican. After the event, Kunce released a statement on social media reminding shooters to “<a href="https://x.com/LucasKunceMO/status/1848886246749184008" target="_blank">always have your first aid kit handy</a>.”“Shrapnel can always fly when you hit a target like today,” Kunce said, “and you’ve got to be ready to go. We had four first aid kits, so we were able to take care of the situation, and I’m glad Ryan is okay and was able to continue reporting.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My grandma is a better shot than Lucas Kunce <a href="https://t.co/rSjnBTlWeh">pic.twitter.com/rSjnBTlWeh</a>&mdash; Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/HawleyMO/status/1848891356942344506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Hawley was quick to&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HawleyMO/status/1848884106077127065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1848884106077127065%7Ctwgr%5Ee19a1ddce1021972d3df84fa37f490823eff4b4b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.komu.com%2Fnews%2Fstate%2Ftv-reporter-struck-by-bullet-fragment-at-lucas-kunce-campaign-event%2Farticle_b74dd53a-90dc-11ef-9bfb-53ccc95f1294.html" target="_blank">mock Kunce for the shooting range incident</a>, jokingly posting on social media: “I condemn all acts of violence against reporters and call on Kunce never to shoot another one.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I condemn all acts of violence against reporters and call on Kunce never to shoot another one 😂😂😂&mdash; Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/HawleyMO/status/1848884106077127065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://x.com/HawleyMO/status/1848906167130493056" target="_blank">He added</a>: “I know the Kunce campaign needed a shot in the arm, but this is taking it a little far.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Will Kamala condemn the gun violence by Kunce and Kinzinger?&mdash; Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/HawleyMO/status/1848905255511331049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Kunce later responded by sharing&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/LucasKunceMO/status/1848887386840686785" target="_blank">video footage of Hawley fleeing from a mob of rioters</a>&nbsp;after they breached the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021, trying to block the certification of the 2020 presidential election.“The last time Josh Hawley saw a gun,” Kunce wrote,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/abigailmarone/status/1848887632509481230" target="_blank">garnering a response</a>&nbsp;from Hawley’s spokeswoman: “You just shot someone, relax.”Every public poll of the race has shown Hawley in the lead, with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/general/2024/missouri/hawley-vs-kunce" target="_blank">most putting the Republican up by double digits</a>. And Missouri hasn’t elected a Democrat to statewide office since 2018.But Kunce has c<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/16/democrat-lucas-kunce-outraises-missouri-republican-sen-josh-hawley/">onsistently outraised Hawley</a>, including in the last quarter where he reported raising $7.6 million compared to around $4 million for Hawley and a supportive political action committee. But Hawley ended the quarter with more cash on hand, finishing September with $2.6 million for the campaign’s homestretch compared with $1.5 million for Kunce.

TV reporter injured by bullet fragment at Lucas Kunce campaign event

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>

This is one in a series of States Newsroom reports on the major policy issues in the presidential race.

WASHINGTON — Democrats have increasingly cried out for new rules for the nation’s highest court, and the 2024 presidential election reflects a clear party divide over how Supreme Court justices should behave and whether they should remain on the bench for life.

The erasure of a nearly 50-year-old national right to abortion, the granting of wide latitude for former presidents to escape criminal accountability and several ethics scandals magnified these questions. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are giving voters very different answers.

Harris’&nbsp;<a href="https://kamalaharris.com/issues/" target="_blank">platform</a>&nbsp;calls for “common-sense” reforms that include term limits for justices and an enforceable ethics code that mirrors the rules that apply to lower federal judges.

When President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-urges-term-limits-us-supreme-court-justices-new-ethics-rules" target="_blank">announced</a>&nbsp;his proposals for Supreme Court ethics reform roughly one week after dropping his bid for reelection, Harris issued a statement reinforcing the need to “restore confidence” in the court.

“That is why President Biden and I are calling on Congress to pass important reforms — from imposing term limits for Justices’ active service, to requiring Justices to comply with binding ethics rules just like every other federal judge. And finally, in our democracy, no one should be above the law. So we must also ensure that no former President has immunity for crimes committed while in the White House,” she said.

While Harris’ campaign did not provide additional details on her platform, Harris has a record of supporting such measures. As a senator in 2019, Harris co-sponsored a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/393?s=4&amp;r=476" target="_blank">bill</a>&nbsp;to enforce a uniform ethics code at every level of the federal judiciary, including the Supreme Court.

When asked for comment about Trump’s stance on enforceable ethics rules or term limits at the Supreme Court, Trump campaign Senior Advisor Brian Hughes responded: “President Trump has said that, apart from matters of war and peace, the nomination of a Supreme Court justice is the most important decision an American President can make. As president, he appointed constitutionalist judges who interpret the law as written, and he will do so again when voters send him back to the White House.”

The former president has made his opposition to change known on social media.

Nearly two weeks before Biden’s speech in July to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/07/29/joe-biden-reform-supreme-court-presidential-immunity-plan-announcement/" target="_blank">roll out</a>&nbsp;his ideas for improving the court, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/112798594310559815" target="_blank">wrote</a>&nbsp;on Truth Social that the “Radical Left Democrats are desperately trying to ‘Play the Ref’ by calling for an illegal and unConstitutional attack on our SACRED United States Supreme Court.”

“The reason that these Communists are so despondent is that their unLawful Witch Hunts are failing everywhere. The Democrats are attempting to interfere in the Presidential Election, and destroy our Justice System, by attacking their Political Opponent, ME, and our Honorable Supreme Court. We have to fight for our Fair and Independent Courts, and protect our Country. MAGA2024!” he continued, randomly capitalizing words as he often does.

The Republican National Committee stated in its&nbsp;<a href="https://rncplatform.donaldjtrump.com/?_gl=1*1rfs4mg*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3Mjc3MDk0MDAuQ2owS0NRandtT20zQmhDOEFSSXNBT1NiYXBWZlV5WUV5Z0VCSlVrdS1UUFhsSzlBdFlzU1d0cUxVSEJ6Y0dNaEEyaFNrR2NsTm5GOU9TNGFBamVlRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*MTc2MjY5MTQ3Ny4xNzI1Mzc2OTQwLjg5MTAzNzIyNy4xNzI4Mzk4NzIwLjE3MjgzOTg5MDQ.&amp;_ga=2.5949424.2129307976.1729440058-1161412080.1725376940&amp;_gac=1.186981850.1727709400.Cj0KCQjwmOm3BhC8ARIsAOSbapVfUyYEygEBJUku-TPXlK9AtYsSWtqLUHBzcGMhA2hSkGclNnF9OS4aAjeeEALw_wcB" target="_blank">platform</a>&nbsp;that the party unequivocally opposes any changes to the number of Supreme Court justices.

“We will maintain the Supreme Court as it was always meant to be, at 9 Justices. We will not allow the Democrat Party to increase this number, as they would like to do, by 4, 6, 8, 10, and even 12 Justices. We will block them at every turn.”

At the Economic Club of Chicago on Oct. 15, Trump appeared to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?539131-1/president-trump-interview-economic-club-chicago" target="_blank">accuse</a>&nbsp;Democrats of wanting to add up to 25 new justices to the Supreme Court bench.

Harris’ 2024 campaign position on the Supreme Court does not include a plan to change the number of justices. During her 2020 presidential run, Harris expressed an openness to expanding the court, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/07/31/harris-biden-supreme-court-reform-00172010?is_magic_link=true&amp;template_id=OTJIR2CRKUD6&amp;template_variant_id=OTVPXN5JGTYRX" target="_blank">Politico</a>&nbsp;and other reports. Biden, at the time, remained&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NewsHour/status/1320842408549093378" target="_blank">opposed</a>&nbsp;to changes, including justice term limits.

When Trump was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/fueled-lies-trump-charged-seeking-overturn-2020-election-6" target="_blank">charged</a>&nbsp;with federal fraud and obstruction crimes for his attempts to subvert the 2020 presidential election results, he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-asks-us-supreme-court-pause-federal-trial-over-presidential-immunity-question" target="_blank">escalated</a>&nbsp;his appeal for presidential immunity all the way to the Supreme Court.

On July 1, the justices issued a 6-3&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/23-939_e2pg.pdf" target="_blank">opinion</a>&nbsp;granting former presidents criminal immunity for “core constitutional” duties and presumptive immunity for actions on the “outer perimeter” of official duties, but none for unofficial, personal acts.

Two of the justices who joined the conservative majority ruling — Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh — were Trump appointees. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, also appointed during Trump’s time in the Oval Office, joined them, concurring in part.

Trump’s case was delayed for the better part of 2024, tied up in the high court process as he campaigned for a second presidency. The delay ultimately closed the door on a trial before November’s election.

The high-profile case not only highlighted the fact that Trump was being judged by his own appointees, but also that two other justices had been recently exposed in ethics scandals involving Republican donors and appearing to show support for Trump’s false claims that he won the 2020 election.

In April 2023, ProPublica&nbsp;<a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-scotus-undisclosed-luxury-travel-gifts-crow" target="_blank">uncovered</a>&nbsp;that Justice Clarence Thomas had been accepting luxury travel and other big ticket gifts from Republican billionaire donor Harlan Crow.

In May of this year, the New York Times&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/16/us/justice-alito-upside-down-flag.html" target="_blank">published</a>&nbsp;photos of an upside-down American flag flying outside the home of Justice Samuel Alito following the violent riot by Trump supporters at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The upside-down flag, a general symbol of protest, had been adopted by Trump supporters who believed the 2020 election was stolen.

All parties have denied any wrongdoing, and Alito&nbsp;<a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Letter%20from%20Justice%20Alito%20to%20Senators%20Durbin%20and%20Whitehouse.pdf" target="_blank">declined</a>&nbsp;to recuse himself from Trump’s 2020 election subversion case, and another&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/divided-us-supreme-court-wrestles-case-pennsylvania-man-who-joined-jan-6-mob" target="_blank">case</a>&nbsp;brought by a Jan. 6 defendant.

While the Thomas and Alito scandals attracted the most attention, observers of the court say many of the justices’ actions raise ethics questions.

Gabe Roth, founder of the nonpartisan nonprofit Fix the Court, said “no justice has totally behaved ethically.”

Roth cited transgressions by both conservative and liberal justices: socializing with litigants who argue before the court, the use of government resources to promote a personal book and instances of justices not recusing themselves from cases in which they appear to have a stake.

“It hasn’t been to the scale of the things that ProPublica uncovered, but no justice is fully pure when it comes to ethics issues, which is not to say that they’re all corrupt or they’re all compromised by any means. It’s just more, to me, a fact that the whole institution needs to focus more on ethical leadership,” Roth said.

ProPublica&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/propublica-work-joshua-kaplan-justin-elliott-brett-murphy-alex-mierjeski-and-kirsten-berg" target="_blank">published</a>&nbsp;numerous stories in 2023 detailing gifts Thomas never disclosed, as well as a luxury fishing expedition Alito took with a Republican billionaire who argued before the court.

The Supreme Court currently polices itself with its own&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/Code-of-Conduct-for-Justices_November_13_2023.pdf" target="_blank">code</a>&nbsp;of conduct and maintains justices already follow rules that apply to lower federal judges.

Congressional Democrats have introduced several bills aiming to impose ethics rules on the justices and limit life-time appointments, for example to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/4423/text?s=1&amp;r=1&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22supreme+court+term+limits%22%7D" target="_blank">18 years</a>.

A bill led by Senate Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/ethics-rules-supreme-court-justices-approved-party-line-vote-us-senate-panel" target="_blank">passed</a>&nbsp;the Democratic-led Senate Committee on the Judiciary in July 2023.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/359/text?s=1&amp;r=4&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22supreme+court+ethics%22%5D%7D" target="_blank">legislation</a>&nbsp;aimed to mandate an enforceable ethics code, tighten recusal and gift disclosure requirements, and establish a complaints process similar to that of the lower courts.

An&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1djxXNlOjOkGZ" target="_blank">attempt</a>&nbsp;at unanimous consent passage on the Senate floor in June was blocked by Senate Judiciary’s top Republican, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.

“Let’s be clear, this is not about improving the court, this is about undermining the court,” Graham said on the floor.

Roth said no matter who wins the presidency and which party takes control of the Senate, the longtime fight for an ethics overhaul and term limits at the high court will continue — and that it shouldn’t be partisan.

“If they’re done right, it doesn’t favor one party or another or one ideology or another. It’s a bit weird that one side is saying they don’t love ethics right now,” Roth continued. “I don’t get it.”

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>This is one in a series of States Newsroom reports on the major policy issues in the presidential race.WASHINGTON — Democrats have increasingly cried out for new rules for the nation’s highest court, and the 2024 presidential election reflects a clear party divide over how Supreme Court justices should behave and whether they should remain on the bench for life.The erasure of a nearly 50-year-old national right to abortion, the granting of wide latitude for former presidents to escape criminal accountability and several ethics scandals magnified these questions. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are giving voters very different answers.Harris’&nbsp;<a href="https://kamalaharris.com/issues/" target="_blank">platform</a>&nbsp;calls for “common-sense” reforms that include term limits for justices and an enforceable ethics code that mirrors the rules that apply to lower federal judges.When President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-urges-term-limits-us-supreme-court-justices-new-ethics-rules" target="_blank">announced</a>&nbsp;his proposals for Supreme Court ethics reform roughly one week after dropping his bid for reelection, Harris issued a statement reinforcing the need to “restore confidence” in the court.“That is why President Biden and I are calling on Congress to pass important reforms — from imposing term limits for Justices’ active service, to requiring Justices to comply with binding ethics rules just like every other federal judge. And finally, in our democracy, no one should be above the law. So we must also ensure that no former President has immunity for crimes committed while in the White House,” she said.While Harris’ campaign did not provide additional details on her platform, Harris has a record of supporting such measures. As a senator in 2019, Harris co-sponsored a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/393?s=4&amp;r=476" target="_blank">bill</a>&nbsp;to enforce a uniform ethics code at every level of the federal judiciary, including the Supreme Court.<h2>Trump position</h2>When asked for comment about Trump’s stance on enforceable ethics rules or term limits at the Supreme Court, Trump campaign Senior Advisor Brian Hughes responded: “President Trump has said that, apart from matters of war and peace, the nomination of a Supreme Court justice is the most important decision an American President can make. As president, he appointed constitutionalist judges who interpret the law as written, and he will do so again when voters send him back to the White House.”The former president has made his opposition to change known on social media.Nearly two weeks before Biden’s speech in July to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/07/29/joe-biden-reform-supreme-court-presidential-immunity-plan-announcement/" target="_blank">roll out</a>&nbsp;his ideas for improving the court, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/112798594310559815" target="_blank">wrote</a>&nbsp;on Truth Social that the “Radical Left Democrats are desperately trying to ‘Play the Ref’ by calling for an illegal and unConstitutional attack on our SACRED United States Supreme Court.”“The reason that these Communists are so despondent is that their unLawful Witch Hunts are failing everywhere. The Democrats are attempting to interfere in the Presidential Election, and destroy our Justice System, by attacking their Political Opponent, ME, and our Honorable Supreme Court. We have to fight for our Fair and Independent Courts, and protect our Country. MAGA2024!” he continued, randomly capitalizing words as he often does.The Republican National Committee stated in its&nbsp;<a href="https://rncplatform.donaldjtrump.com/?_gl=1*1rfs4mg*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3Mjc3MDk0MDAuQ2owS0NRandtT20zQmhDOEFSSXNBT1NiYXBWZlV5WUV5Z0VCSlVrdS1UUFhsSzlBdFlzU1d0cUxVSEJ6Y0dNaEEyaFNrR2NsTm5GOU9TNGFBamVlRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*MTc2MjY5MTQ3Ny4xNzI1Mzc2OTQwLjg5MTAzNzIyNy4xNzI4Mzk4NzIwLjE3MjgzOTg5MDQ.&amp;_ga=2.5949424.2129307976.1729440058-1161412080.1725376940&amp;_gac=1.186981850.1727709400.Cj0KCQjwmOm3BhC8ARIsAOSbapVfUyYEygEBJUku-TPXlK9AtYsSWtqLUHBzcGMhA2hSkGclNnF9OS4aAjeeEALw_wcB" target="_blank">platform</a>&nbsp;that the party unequivocally opposes any changes to the number of Supreme Court justices.“We will maintain the Supreme Court as it was always meant to be, at 9 Justices. We will not allow the Democrat Party to increase this number, as they would like to do, by 4, 6, 8, 10, and even 12 Justices. We will block them at every turn.”At the Economic Club of Chicago on Oct. 15, Trump appeared to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?539131-1/president-trump-interview-economic-club-chicago" target="_blank">accuse</a>&nbsp;Democrats of wanting to add up to 25 new justices to the Supreme Court bench.Harris’ 2024 campaign position on the Supreme Court does not include a plan to change the number of justices. During her 2020 presidential run, Harris expressed an openness to expanding the court, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/07/31/harris-biden-supreme-court-reform-00172010?is_magic_link=true&amp;template_id=OTJIR2CRKUD6&amp;template_variant_id=OTVPXN5JGTYRX" target="_blank">Politico</a>&nbsp;and other reports. Biden, at the time, remained&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NewsHour/status/1320842408549093378" target="_blank">opposed</a>&nbsp;to changes, including justice term limits.<h2>Immunity ruling</h2>When Trump was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/fueled-lies-trump-charged-seeking-overturn-2020-election-6" target="_blank">charged</a>&nbsp;with federal fraud and obstruction crimes for his attempts to subvert the 2020 presidential election results, he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-asks-us-supreme-court-pause-federal-trial-over-presidential-immunity-question" target="_blank">escalated</a>&nbsp;his appeal for presidential immunity all the way to the Supreme Court.On July 1, the justices issued a 6-3&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/23-939_e2pg.pdf" target="_blank">opinion</a>&nbsp;granting former presidents criminal immunity for “core constitutional” duties and presumptive immunity for actions on the “outer perimeter” of official duties, but none for unofficial, personal acts.Two of the justices who joined the conservative majority ruling — Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh — were Trump appointees. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, also appointed during Trump’s time in the Oval Office, joined them, concurring in part.Trump’s case was delayed for the better part of 2024, tied up in the high court process as he campaigned for a second presidency. The delay ultimately closed the door on a trial before November’s election.The high-profile case not only highlighted the fact that Trump was being judged by his own appointees, but also that two other justices had been recently exposed in ethics scandals involving Republican donors and appearing to show support for Trump’s false claims that he won the 2020 election.In April 2023, ProPublica&nbsp;<a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-scotus-undisclosed-luxury-travel-gifts-crow" target="_blank">uncovered</a>&nbsp;that Justice Clarence Thomas had been accepting luxury travel and other big ticket gifts from Republican billionaire donor Harlan Crow.In May of this year, the New York Times&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/16/us/justice-alito-upside-down-flag.html" target="_blank">published</a>&nbsp;photos of an upside-down American flag flying outside the home of Justice Samuel Alito following the violent riot by Trump supporters at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The upside-down flag, a general symbol of protest, had been adopted by Trump supporters who believed the 2020 election was stolen.All parties have denied any wrongdoing, and Alito&nbsp;<a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Letter%20from%20Justice%20Alito%20to%20Senators%20Durbin%20and%20Whitehouse.pdf" target="_blank">declined</a>&nbsp;to recuse himself from Trump’s 2020 election subversion case, and another&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/divided-us-supreme-court-wrestles-case-pennsylvania-man-who-joined-jan-6-mob" target="_blank">case</a>&nbsp;brought by a Jan. 6 defendant.<h2>The call for a new ethics code</h2>While the Thomas and Alito scandals attracted the most attention, observers of the court say many of the justices’ actions raise ethics questions.Gabe Roth, founder of the nonpartisan nonprofit Fix the Court, said “no justice has totally behaved ethically.”Roth cited transgressions by both conservative and liberal justices: socializing with litigants who argue before the court, the use of government resources to promote a personal book and instances of justices not recusing themselves from cases in which they appear to have a stake.“It hasn’t been to the scale of the things that ProPublica uncovered, but no justice is fully pure when it comes to ethics issues, which is not to say that they’re all corrupt or they’re all compromised by any means. It’s just more, to me, a fact that the whole institution needs to focus more on ethical leadership,” Roth said.ProPublica&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/propublica-work-joshua-kaplan-justin-elliott-brett-murphy-alex-mierjeski-and-kirsten-berg" target="_blank">published</a>&nbsp;numerous stories in 2023 detailing gifts Thomas never disclosed, as well as a luxury fishing expedition Alito took with a Republican billionaire who argued before the court.The Supreme Court currently polices itself with its own&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/Code-of-Conduct-for-Justices_November_13_2023.pdf" target="_blank">code</a>&nbsp;of conduct and maintains justices already follow rules that apply to lower federal judges.Congressional Democrats have introduced several bills aiming to impose ethics rules on the justices and limit life-time appointments, for example to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/4423/text?s=1&amp;r=1&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22supreme+court+term+limits%22%7D" target="_blank">18 years</a>.A bill led by Senate Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/ethics-rules-supreme-court-justices-approved-party-line-vote-us-senate-panel" target="_blank">passed</a>&nbsp;the Democratic-led Senate Committee on the Judiciary in July 2023.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/359/text?s=1&amp;r=4&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22supreme+court+ethics%22%5D%7D" target="_blank">legislation</a>&nbsp;aimed to mandate an enforceable ethics code, tighten recusal and gift disclosure requirements, and establish a complaints process similar to that of the lower courts.An&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1djxXNlOjOkGZ" target="_blank">attempt</a>&nbsp;at unanimous consent passage on the Senate floor in June was blocked by Senate Judiciary’s top Republican, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.“Let’s be clear, this is not about improving the court, this is about undermining the court,” Graham said on the floor.Roth said no matter who wins the presidency and which party takes control of the Senate, the longtime fight for an ethics overhaul and term limits at the high court will continue — and that it shouldn’t be partisan.“If they’re done right, it doesn’t favor one party or another or one ideology or another. It’s a bit weird that one side is saying they don’t love ethics right now,” Roth continued. “I don’t get it.”

Reforms at the U.S. Supreme Court: Where do Harris and Trump stand?

With wide receiver injuries plaguing the Chiefs all season long, General Manager Brett Veach has gone out and gotten a new weapon for superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes.&nbsp;

The Kansas City Chiefs and Tennessee Titans are finalizing a deal to send wide receiver Deandre Hopkins to the defending super bowl champions.&nbsp; In return The Titans will receive a 2025 fifth-round pick that would become a fourth-rounder if the Chiefs reach the Super Bowl and Hopkins plays 60% of the snaps with Kansas City, sources said. Tennessee also will pick up a portion of Hopkins' remaining $8 million salary this season.

Sources also said the deal is expected to be finalized on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The Chiefs have had a need at wide receiver. Rashee Rice suffered a right knee injury in Week 4 that required season-ending surgery, the team lost Marquise "Hollywood" Brown to a shoulder injury in the preseason, and just last week JuJu Smith-Schuster suffered a hamstring injury that has already ruled him out for Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Hopkins, a 12 year veteran, is in the final year of a two year deal he signed with the Titans.&nbsp; Hopkins suffered an MCL tear during the offseason, but recovered in time for the season opener, and has 15 catches for 173 yards and a touchdown this year.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The addition gives Mahomes another weapon, one week after Mahomes said he had extreme confidence in the Chiefs receiving corps when asked about wide receiver trades that happened last week, including Davante Adams to the Jets and Amari Cooper to the Bills.&nbsp;

However, what the top healthy receivers have shown this year has not been a lot, Xavier Worthy and Justin Watson have combined for just 22 catches through week seven.&nbsp;

Acquiring a wide receiver before the trade deadline has yielded results for the Chiefs in each of the past two seasons. They dealt with the New York Giants for Kadarius Toney in 2022. Toney scored one touchdown and set up another with a 65-yard punt return in the fourth quarter of the Chiefs' Super Bowl LVII win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Chiefs also traded with the New York Jets for Mecole Hardman last year. Hardman caught the winning touchdown in overtime of Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729699882413.jpeg" alt="Deandre Hopkins catches a pass during a game with the Tennessee Titans/ Photo courtesy of The Kingdom on X" />
 <figcaption>Deandre Hopkins catches a pass during a game with the Tennessee Titans/ Photo courtesy of The Kingdom on X</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostWith wide receiver injuries plaguing the Chiefs all season long, General Manager Brett Veach has gone out and gotten a new weapon for superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes.&nbsp;The Kansas City Chiefs and Tennessee Titans are finalizing a deal to send wide receiver Deandre Hopkins to the defending super bowl champions.&nbsp; In return The Titans will receive a 2025 fifth-round pick that would become a fourth-rounder if the Chiefs reach the Super Bowl and Hopkins plays 60% of the snaps with Kansas City, sources said. Tennessee also will pick up a portion of Hopkins' remaining $8 million salary this season.Sources also said the deal is expected to be finalized on Wednesday.&nbsp;The Chiefs have had a need at wide receiver. Rashee Rice suffered a right knee injury in Week 4 that required season-ending surgery, the team lost Marquise "Hollywood" Brown to a shoulder injury in the preseason, and just last week JuJu Smith-Schuster suffered a hamstring injury that has already ruled him out for Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders.Hopkins, a 12 year veteran, is in the final year of a two year deal he signed with the Titans.&nbsp; Hopkins suffered an MCL tear during the offseason, but recovered in time for the season opener, and has 15 catches for 173 yards and a touchdown this year.&nbsp;&nbsp;The addition gives Mahomes another weapon, one week after Mahomes said he had extreme confidence in the Chiefs receiving corps when asked about wide receiver trades that happened last week, including Davante Adams to the Jets and Amari Cooper to the Bills.&nbsp;However, what the top healthy receivers have shown this year has not been a lot, Xavier Worthy and Justin Watson have combined for just 22 catches through week seven.&nbsp;Acquiring a wide receiver before the trade deadline has yielded results for the Chiefs in each of the past two seasons. They dealt with the New York Giants for Kadarius Toney in 2022. Toney scored one touchdown and set up another with a 65-yard punt return in the fourth quarter of the Chiefs' Super Bowl LVII win over the Philadelphia Eagles.The Chiefs also traded with the New York Jets for Mecole Hardman last year. Hardman caught the winning touchdown in overtime of Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Chiefs acquiring new weapon for Mahomes trading for WR Deandre Hopkins from Titans

Infections so far led to one death in Colorado and 10 hospitalizations, three of those in the Omaha metro area

OMAHA — A multistate outbreak of E. coli so far has led to one death and 10 hospitalizations — with three of the people hospitalized reportedly from the Omaha metro area. The source has been linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers and onions.

In all, the outbreak has included 49 cases of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) in 10 states.

STEC can be spread through undercooked meat, raw milk, unpasteurized juices, contaminated water, and fruits and vegetables that have been contaminated with feces, said the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

Federal officials have said that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/outbreaks/where-people-got-sick-e-coli-o157-2024.html" target="_blank">most of the ill people&nbsp;</a>were in Colorado and Nebraska.

Twenty-six cases — including an older person with underlying conditions who died — were reported in Colorado.

Of the nine cases in Nebraska, area health departments said all but one occurred in Douglas and Sarpy Counties — the Omaha metropolitan area. Locally, those affected range in age from 22 to 75 years old.

“There are likely more cases that haven’t been identified yet,” said Justin Frederick, deputy director of the Douglas County Health Department. “We urge the public to contact their health care provider if they are experiencing symptoms and are concerned about a potential exposure.”

Other states reporting infections between Sept. 27 and Oct. 11 included Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

E. coli symptoms&nbsp;include diarrhea, severe stomach cramps, vomiting or a low fever and signs of dehydration, according to the Douglas County Health Department. Blood and urine may be present in stools. If someone is suffering from the symptoms for more than two days, health officials recommend contacting a doctor immediately.

State and county health officials in Nebraska say they are working closely with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to communicate with patients and identify other potential cases.

The CDC is not advising against eating McDonald’s food, however, saying that potentially contaminated items have been removed from the menu in affected states.

A statement&nbsp;<a href="https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/corpmcd/our-stories/article/always-putting-food-safety-first.html" target="_blank">from McDonald’s</a>&nbsp;said that out of “an abundance of caution,” it is temporarily removing the Quarter Pounder from restaurants in the impacted area that includes Colorado, Kansas, Utah and Wyoming as well as portions of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico and Oklahoma.

“We take food safety extremely seriously and it’s the right thing to do,” said the statement from Cesar Piña, the fast food restaurant’s North America chief supply chain officer.

McDonald’s said that initial findings indicate that a subset of illnesses may be linked to slivered onions used in the Quarter Pounder and sourced by a single supplier that serves three distribution centers.

It said local restaurants have been instructed to remove that product from their supply and that McDonald’s has paused the distribution of all slivered onions in the impacted area.

USDA is also looking into the beef patties on the Quarter Pounder hamburgers, Colorado officials reported.

McDonald’s said it was working with suppliers to replenish supply for the Quarter Pounder in the coming weeks. It said that other menu items are unaffected and available.

After being exposed to STEC, symptoms usually occur after three to four days but could take as little as one day and as long as 10 days, Nebraska health officials said.

STEC infections can make individuals of all ages sick. In some cases, especially in young kids, older adults or people with weakened immune systems, STEC can cause a serious condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can lead to kidney failure and other health problems, including death.

One of the persons infected in the outbreak developed hemolytic uremic syndrome. Symptoms include little or no urination, losing pink color in cheeks and inside the lower eyelids, unexplained bruising or rash of tiny red spots, blood in urine and decreased alertness.

The CDC said that the true number of sick people in the outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. The federal agency said that’s because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for E. coli.

In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.

More information can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/outbreaks/e-coli-O157.html" target="_blank">CDC’s website.</a>

Nebraska Examiner, a States Newsroom affiliate,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/22/nebraska-colorado-mostly-affected-in-multi-state-outbreak-of-e-coli/" target="_blank">produced this story</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729692566058.png" alt="Map shows where people in this E. coli outbreak live. The number is likely higher, as many people recover without medical care and are not tested. Image CDC" />
 <figcaption>Map shows where people in this E. coli outbreak live. The number is likely higher, as many people recover without medical care and are not tested. Image CDC</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Infections so far led to one death in Colorado and 10 hospitalizations, three of those in the Omaha metro area</h2>OMAHA — A multistate outbreak of E. coli so far has led to one death and 10 hospitalizations — with three of the people hospitalized reportedly from the Omaha metro area. The source has been linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers and onions.In all, the outbreak has included 49 cases of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) in 10 states.STEC can be spread through undercooked meat, raw milk, unpasteurized juices, contaminated water, and fruits and vegetables that have been contaminated with feces, said the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.Federal officials have said that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/outbreaks/where-people-got-sick-e-coli-o157-2024.html" target="_blank">most of the ill people&nbsp;</a>were in Colorado and Nebraska.Twenty-six cases — including an older person with underlying conditions who died — were reported in Colorado.Of the nine cases in Nebraska, area health departments said all but one occurred in Douglas and Sarpy Counties — the Omaha metropolitan area. Locally, those affected range in age from 22 to 75 years old.“There are likely more cases that haven’t been identified yet,” said Justin Frederick, deputy director of the Douglas County Health Department. “We urge the public to contact their health care provider if they are experiencing symptoms and are concerned about a potential exposure.”<h2>Removed from the menu</h2>Other states reporting infections between Sept. 27 and Oct. 11 included Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.E. coli symptoms&nbsp;include diarrhea, severe stomach cramps, vomiting or a low fever and signs of dehydration, according to the Douglas County Health Department. Blood and urine may be present in stools. If someone is suffering from the symptoms for more than two days, health officials recommend contacting a doctor immediately.State and county health officials in Nebraska say they are working closely with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to communicate with patients and identify other potential cases.The CDC is not advising against eating McDonald’s food, however, saying that potentially contaminated items have been removed from the menu in affected states.A statement&nbsp;<a href="https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/corpmcd/our-stories/article/always-putting-food-safety-first.html" target="_blank">from McDonald’s</a>&nbsp;said that out of “an abundance of caution,” it is temporarily removing the Quarter Pounder from restaurants in the impacted area that includes Colorado, Kansas, Utah and Wyoming as well as portions of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico and Oklahoma.“We take food safety extremely seriously and it’s the right thing to do,” said the statement from Cesar Piña, the fast food restaurant’s North America chief supply chain officer.McDonald’s said that initial findings indicate that a subset of illnesses may be linked to slivered onions used in the Quarter Pounder and sourced by a single supplier that serves three distribution centers.It said local restaurants have been instructed to remove that product from their supply and that McDonald’s has paused the distribution of all slivered onions in the impacted area.USDA is also looking into the beef patties on the Quarter Pounder hamburgers, Colorado officials reported.McDonald’s said it was working with suppliers to replenish supply for the Quarter Pounder in the coming weeks. It said that other menu items are unaffected and available.<h2>Infections likely higher than reported</h2>After being exposed to STEC, symptoms usually occur after three to four days but could take as little as one day and as long as 10 days, Nebraska health officials said.STEC infections can make individuals of all ages sick. In some cases, especially in young kids, older adults or people with weakened immune systems, STEC can cause a serious condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can lead to kidney failure and other health problems, including death.One of the persons infected in the outbreak developed hemolytic uremic syndrome. Symptoms include little or no urination, losing pink color in cheeks and inside the lower eyelids, unexplained bruising or rash of tiny red spots, blood in urine and decreased alertness.The CDC said that the true number of sick people in the outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. The federal agency said that’s because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for E. coli.In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.More information can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/outbreaks/e-coli-O157.html" target="_blank">CDC’s website.</a>Nebraska Examiner, a States Newsroom affiliate,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/10/22/nebraska-colorado-mostly-affected-in-multi-state-outbreak-of-e-coli/" target="_blank">produced this story</a>.

Nebraska, Colorado mostly affected in multi-state outbreak of E. coli

GOP’s two-thirds majorities in House, Senate important on veto overrides

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly expressed optimism a group of quality Democratic candidates and influence of her $2 million political action committee would break in the Nov. 5 election the partisan supermajorities held by Republicans in the both the House and Senate.

Democrats’ priority in this election cycle is picking up a total of five seats in the Legislature to end the GOP’s two-thirds advantage. The GOP supermajorities have been a thorn in the Democratic governor’s side whether the Legislature was voting on individual bills or attempted overrides of Kelly’s vetoes.

“I do think that we will get the two seats that we need in the House and the three that we need in the Senate. Would I like more? Sure, yeah,” Kelly said for the Kansas Reflector podcast.

“I do know that we have&nbsp;really superb candidates running in a lot of our targeted races. Many of them are based in Johnson County, and I think the road to breaking the supermajority will go through Johnson County,” the governor said.

The House is divided among 85 Republicans and 40 Democrats. A two-thirds majority in the House equals 84, meaning Democrats must snatch two seats from Republicans to move the partisan split below the supermajority threshold. Republicans have led the House with a supermajority since 2010.

House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said the Election Day clash over the supermajority was nothing new. He anticipated the GOP would hold onto their House seats and possibly knock off a couple Democrats to pad their margin heading into the 2025 legislative session.

Over in the Senate, there are 29 Republicans and 11 Democrats. A two-thirds majority would be 27, so Democrats set their sights on claiming three seats. Republicans have operated with a Senate supermajority since the election of 1992.

Kelly, who served in the Kansas Senate and is halfway through her second term as governor, said outcome of 2024 legislative elections would color her final two years in office.

“We’ve really been able to get a whole lot of things done, but there are other things that we’ve got to get done if Kansas is going to continue to move forward,” Kelly said. “If we don’t break the supermajority, then the Legislature is going to continue to pass bad bills that impact our ability in Kansas to really prosper and grow.”

The large numerical advantage of Republicans has blocked bills tied to medicinal marijuana and expansion of eligibility for Medicaid health benefits, she said.

She said if voters perpetuated GOP supermajorities in Kansas it would embolden Republicans to push for more restrictions on abortion, resume attacks on the LGBTQ community and advance questionable tax reform.

“I need Democrats in those seats now to help sustain vetoes on bad legislation,” Kelly said. “That way we’re more attractive for our own people to stay here …&nbsp;instead of leaving the state&nbsp;and much more attractive to businesses coming in.”

Kelly said the campaign work of Democrats in this election cycle was heightened because a cadre of Republican legislators who occasionally crossed party lines to sustain her vetoes decided not to seek reelection.

“If we break the supermajority, then it will require leadership in both the House and the Senate to work with us and with the Democrat caucus in their respective chambers,” Kelly said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729533905311.png" alt=" Gov. Laura Kelly predicts voters in the Nov. 5 election will enable Democrats to claim at least two more seats in the Kansas House and three more seats in the Kansas Senate to eliminate the two-thirds supermajority held by Republicans at the Statehouse. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Laura Kelly predicts voters in the Nov. 5 election will enable Democrats to claim at least two more seats in the Kansas House and three more seats in the Kansas Senate to eliminate the two-thirds supermajority held by Republicans at the Statehouse. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>GOP’s two-thirds majorities in House, Senate important on veto overrides</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly expressed optimism a group of quality Democratic candidates and influence of her $2 million political action committee would break in the Nov. 5 election the partisan supermajorities held by Republicans in the both the House and Senate.Democrats’ priority in this election cycle is picking up a total of five seats in the Legislature to end the GOP’s two-thirds advantage. The GOP supermajorities have been a thorn in the Democratic governor’s side whether the Legislature was voting on individual bills or attempted overrides of Kelly’s vetoes.“I do think that we will get the two seats that we need in the House and the three that we need in the Senate. Would I like more? Sure, yeah,” Kelly said for the Kansas Reflector podcast.“I do know that we have&nbsp;really superb candidates running in a lot of our targeted races. Many of them are based in Johnson County, and I think the road to breaking the supermajority will go through Johnson County,” the governor said.The House is divided among 85 Republicans and 40 Democrats. A two-thirds majority in the House equals 84, meaning Democrats must snatch two seats from Republicans to move the partisan split below the supermajority threshold. Republicans have led the House with a supermajority since 2010.House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said the Election Day clash over the supermajority was nothing new. He anticipated the GOP would hold onto their House seats and possibly knock off a couple Democrats to pad their margin heading into the 2025 legislative session.Over in the Senate, there are 29 Republicans and 11 Democrats. A two-thirds majority would be 27, so Democrats set their sights on claiming three seats. Republicans have operated with a Senate supermajority since the election of 1992.Kelly, who served in the Kansas Senate and is halfway through her second term as governor, said outcome of 2024 legislative elections would color her final two years in office.“We’ve really been able to get a whole lot of things done, but there are other things that we’ve got to get done if Kansas is going to continue to move forward,” Kelly said. “If we don’t break the supermajority, then the Legislature is going to continue to pass bad bills that impact our ability in Kansas to really prosper and grow.”The large numerical advantage of Republicans has blocked bills tied to medicinal marijuana and expansion of eligibility for Medicaid health benefits, she said.She said if voters perpetuated GOP supermajorities in Kansas it would embolden Republicans to push for more restrictions on abortion, resume attacks on the LGBTQ community and advance questionable tax reform.“I need Democrats in those seats now to help sustain vetoes on bad legislation,” Kelly said. “That way we’re more attractive for our own people to stay here …&nbsp;instead of leaving the state&nbsp;and much more attractive to businesses coming in.”Kelly said the campaign work of Democrats in this election cycle was heightened because a cadre of Republican legislators who occasionally crossed party lines to sustain her vetoes decided not to seek reelection.“If we break the supermajority, then it will require leadership in both the House and the Senate to work with us and with the Democrat caucus in their respective chambers,” Kelly said.

Gov. Kelly predicts Democrats will break Republican supermajorities in Kansas Legislature

Education officials previously predicted the payments to child care providers would be caught up by the end of October, but now expect an additional five weeks

BY:&nbsp;ANNELISE HANSHAW &nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>

A massive backlog of payments to Missouri child care providers will continue beyond October despite a previous pledge that the state will be caught up by the end of this month.

Pam Thomas, assistant commissioner for Missouri’s Office of Childhood, told the State Board of Education Tuesday that the department would not meet its October goal, explaining that the software company utilized for the child care subsidy program needs five more weeks because of missing data.

She is “cautiously optimistic” about the next few weeks and believes that the software is close to working as intended.

“The system today is not perfect,” Thomas said, “but I don’t know that a system ever is perfect. It seems there are always technology issues, but we are at the end or nearing the end of these major system issues.”&nbsp;

A change in the software that tracks eligibility and routes payment to providers began a burdensome process last December where families enrolling in the program and child care providers were not properly accounted for.

Providers&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/06/missouri-education-officials-apologize-for-ongoing-backlog-of-child-care-subsidy-payments/">began complaining that they were missing months of payment from the state</a>&nbsp;and were close to shuttering. The program supplements or pays for the daycare or preschool for children of low-income families. Some families were turned away because of a lack of payment from the state, providers said&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-education-officials-face-second-day-of-tough-questions-over-child-care-subsidy/">during hearings held by state lawmakers last month</a>.

There are just over 2,400 providers contracted to serve children with the subsidy. From January through May — when the software was having the most issues — 1,818 providers received at least one payment. Of those, half are under review to check the calculation of aid.

“The current payments that are being made to providers are being calculated correctly and are accurate,” Thomas said. “The issue is not current payments but what was paid earlier.”

Since the beginning of the year, 70 providers have left the child care subsidy program and 141 have applied to begin the program. It is not clear how many of those applications have been completed. There is a separate backlog of provider applications, both new to the system and renewals, that the office is addressing.

According to estimates produced by the software and presented to the education board Tuesday, there are nearly 400 provider applications pending review by the state. Thomas estimated it will take six weeks to reduce the pending applications to a goal of under 200, which she said is around what she expects to receive in a month in renewals.

The state is still over 400 providers short of what it had in the program in 2019, and the need for participating daycares remains high.

The department receives around 4,000 applications from families each month to receive aid for child care. For months, parents watched their applications sit in the queue and were unable to receive the subsidy after the new software went into effect.

The current waiting list of parent applications is akin to this time last year, but Thomas said this still isn’t ideal. She wants to cut the number to 500 applications at a time, which is about a week’s worth of work for the office, and she estimates that goal will be met in four to six weeks.

“We want to be working on cases that we’ve received in the past one to two weeks, but right now, we’re working on cases received in September and October,” she told the board.

Board President Charlie Shields, of St. Joseph, asked if there would be a way to automatically approve a portion of applicants.

Presumptive eligibility is allowed, Thomas said, but staff would still be required to verify income after a period of service.

“We have to have a supply of child care providers to serve them. We have to have the funding to serve them,” Thomas said. “So while I understand and appreciate that side of it, there might be some unintended consequences of that.”

Another board member recommended a risk assessment to estimate what would happen if the office had automatic approvals.

Some applications are rejected because the applicants didn’t supply the requested proof of identification or two pay stubs, Thomas said.

Board member Pamela Westbrooks-Hodge, of Pasadena Hills, said the application should prompt people for the complete information, blocking them from moving forward until every field is checked.

“It is better to get kicked out before you get into the pipeline, so you can go and get what you need,” she said.

A woman in the audience spoke quietly, “or they sit for six months.”

Thomas didn’t appear to consider a change in the application process. The state is not allowed to restrict people from applying, she said.

She is beginning to see signs of the system returning to normal, Thomas said, with the call center reporting that one of the top five questions is how to apply to become a provider. Other issues have overwhelmed the help center in past months, and callers have reported high wait times to receive answers.

Thomas said this process should be running smoother for program participants, with the average wait time dropping from an hour to 15 minutes in the past month.

“How do you feel about our providers and families, what are their current states of mind with us?” Kerry Casey, a board member from Chesterfield, asked.

“They are still frustrated that we don’t have all of them and we don’t have all of the payment requests cleared,” Thomas said. “And all the family applications are not cleared.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729687766510.png" alt="Commissioner of Education Karla Eslinger apologizes to child care providers for months-delayed payments during widespread problems with the child care subsidy program in September (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Commissioner of Education Karla Eslinger apologizes to child care providers for months-delayed payments during widespread problems with the child care subsidy program in September (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Education officials previously predicted the payments to child care providers would be caught up by the end of October, but now expect an additional five weeks</h2>BY:&nbsp;ANNELISE HANSHAW &nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>A massive backlog of payments to Missouri child care providers will continue beyond October despite a previous pledge that the state will be caught up by the end of this month.Pam Thomas, assistant commissioner for Missouri’s Office of Childhood, told the State Board of Education Tuesday that the department would not meet its October goal, explaining that the software company utilized for the child care subsidy program needs five more weeks because of missing data.She is “cautiously optimistic” about the next few weeks and believes that the software is close to working as intended.“The system today is not perfect,” Thomas said, “but I don’t know that a system ever is perfect. It seems there are always technology issues, but we are at the end or nearing the end of these major system issues.”&nbsp;A change in the software that tracks eligibility and routes payment to providers began a burdensome process last December where families enrolling in the program and child care providers were not properly accounted for.Providers&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/06/missouri-education-officials-apologize-for-ongoing-backlog-of-child-care-subsidy-payments/">began complaining that they were missing months of payment from the state</a>&nbsp;and were close to shuttering. The program supplements or pays for the daycare or preschool for children of low-income families. Some families were turned away because of a lack of payment from the state, providers said&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-education-officials-face-second-day-of-tough-questions-over-child-care-subsidy/">during hearings held by state lawmakers last month</a>.There are just over 2,400 providers contracted to serve children with the subsidy. From January through May — when the software was having the most issues — 1,818 providers received at least one payment. Of those, half are under review to check the calculation of aid.“The current payments that are being made to providers are being calculated correctly and are accurate,” Thomas said. “The issue is not current payments but what was paid earlier.”Since the beginning of the year, 70 providers have left the child care subsidy program and 141 have applied to begin the program. It is not clear how many of those applications have been completed. There is a separate backlog of provider applications, both new to the system and renewals, that the office is addressing.According to estimates produced by the software and presented to the education board Tuesday, there are nearly 400 provider applications pending review by the state. Thomas estimated it will take six weeks to reduce the pending applications to a goal of under 200, which she said is around what she expects to receive in a month in renewals.The state is still over 400 providers short of what it had in the program in 2019, and the need for participating daycares remains high.The department receives around 4,000 applications from families each month to receive aid for child care. For months, parents watched their applications sit in the queue and were unable to receive the subsidy after the new software went into effect.The current waiting list of parent applications is akin to this time last year, but Thomas said this still isn’t ideal. She wants to cut the number to 500 applications at a time, which is about a week’s worth of work for the office, and she estimates that goal will be met in four to six weeks.“We want to be working on cases that we’ve received in the past one to two weeks, but right now, we’re working on cases received in September and October,” she told the board.Board President Charlie Shields, of St. Joseph, asked if there would be a way to automatically approve a portion of applicants.Presumptive eligibility is allowed, Thomas said, but staff would still be required to verify income after a period of service.“We have to have a supply of child care providers to serve them. We have to have the funding to serve them,” Thomas said. “So while I understand and appreciate that side of it, there might be some unintended consequences of that.”Another board member recommended a risk assessment to estimate what would happen if the office had automatic approvals.Some applications are rejected because the applicants didn’t supply the requested proof of identification or two pay stubs, Thomas said.Board member Pamela Westbrooks-Hodge, of Pasadena Hills, said the application should prompt people for the complete information, blocking them from moving forward until every field is checked.“It is better to get kicked out before you get into the pipeline, so you can go and get what you need,” she said.A woman in the audience spoke quietly, “or they sit for six months.”Thomas didn’t appear to consider a change in the application process. The state is not allowed to restrict people from applying, she said.She is beginning to see signs of the system returning to normal, Thomas said, with the call center reporting that one of the top five questions is how to apply to become a provider. Other issues have overwhelmed the help center in past months, and callers have reported high wait times to receive answers.Thomas said this process should be running smoother for program participants, with the average wait time dropping from an hour to 15 minutes in the past month.“How do you feel about our providers and families, what are their current states of mind with us?” Kerry Casey, a board member from Chesterfield, asked.“They are still frustrated that we don’t have all of them and we don’t have all of the payment requests cleared,” Thomas said. “And all the family applications are not cleared.”

Missouri won’t meet deadline for clearing months-long backlog of child care subsidies

(Radio Iowa) - Parts of Iowa saw measurable rainfall early this morning for the first time in a long time. 

National Weather Service Meteorologist Brooke Hagenhoff says some precipitation is better than none, especially with about three-quarters of the state in moderate to extreme drought. Hagenhoff says it certainly won't be a drought buster, but any rain is welcome. In most areas of Iowa, the rain came well before dawn and lasted less than a half hour in many locations, with rain gauges only measuring a tenth of an inch or so. She says there's another chance of rain on Thursday. 

The U-S Drought Monitor shows more than 97-percent of the state with at least abnormally dry conditions or some level of drought, and less than two-and-a-half percent in the normal range.

(Radio Iowa) - Parts of Iowa saw measurable rainfall early this morning for the first time in a long time. National Weather Service Meteorologist Brooke Hagenhoff says some precipitation is better than none, especially with about three-quarters of the state in moderate to extreme drought. Hagenhoff says it certainly won't be a drought buster, but any rain is welcome. In most areas of Iowa, the rain came well before dawn and lasted less than a half hour in many locations, with rain gauges only measuring a tenth of an inch or so. She says there's another chance of rain on Thursday. The U-S Drought Monitor shows more than 97-percent of the state with at least abnormally dry conditions or some level of drought, and less than two-and-a-half percent in the normal range.

Parts of Iowa see soaking rainfall

By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

The largest electric utility in Kansas and western Missouri will add two natural gas plants by the end of 2030, the company announced Monday.

Evergy, which serves 1.6 million customers in the two states, plans to&nbsp;<a href="https://investors.evergy.com/news-releases/news-release-details/evergy-announces-two-new-705-mw-high-efficiency-natural-gas" target="_blank">build combined-cycle natural gas plants</a>&nbsp;— each with a 705-megawatt capacity — in two Kansas counties in 2029 and 2030, respectively.

David Campbell, Evergy’s CEO and chairman, said at a news conference in Hutchinson, Kansas, that the plants would “help maintain a diverse energy mix for our state,” ensuring “reliable, affordable, sustainable energy.”

“They’re flexible resources that can ramp production up and ramp production down based on the needs of the grid,” Campbell said, “so they pair very well with Kansas’ abundant renewable generation resources.”

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, lauded the announcement at the Hutchinson news conference, saying the construction of the plants would create 500 construction jobs and 165 permanent jobs. She said the plants would ensure reliable energy, including in emergencies or periods of high demand, like hot summer days.

“As Kansas continues to transition to more sustainable energy, we’re doing it responsibly,” Kelly said. “These plants are much cleaner than traditional coal plants.”

<a href="https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/natural-gas/natural-gas-and-the-environment.php" target="_blank">According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration</a>, burning natural gas to create electricity produces less carbon dioxide than coal. But natural gas leaks release its primary component, methane, into the atmosphere, accounting for more than one-third of U.S. methane emissions. Methane is a greenhouse gas 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The announcement marks an increasing reliance on natural gas generation by Evergy.

In its long-range plan filed with regulators in 2022, Evergy planned to exclusively add wind and solar facilities over the coming decade.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/06/16/evergy-slashes-planned-renewable-energy-additions-proposes-more-natural-gas/" target="_blank">A year later, it scaled back</a>&nbsp;those planned renewable energy facilities, forecasted plans to add natural gas plants and delayed the retirement of the Lawrence coal plant.

<a href="https://investors.evergy.com/2024IRPUpdate" target="_blank">Evergy’s latest update</a>, filed earlier this year, almost doubles the amount of natural gas generation the utility will add between now and the early 2030s. At the same time, it increased planned wind and solar additions compared to last year’s plan.

Zack Pistora, a lobbyist for the environmental nonprofit Sierra Club, questioned whether Evergy would be able to achieve its goals to reduce emissions given its planned investments in natural gas generation.

“I don’t know how a utility can claim that it’s affordable, reliable or sustainable,” he said, noting that gas prices can be volatile and natural gas outages contributed to rolling blackouts the Midwest experienced in 2021.

Beyond that, he said, burning gas is harmful to the environment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729533611500.jpeg" alt="Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce CEO Debra Teufel speaks to the crowd assembled at the Evergy announcement on Monday at the 1861 Club on the Kansas State Fairgrounds on October 21, 2024. Photo by Nick Gosnell." />
 <figcaption>Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce CEO Debra Teufel speaks to the crowd assembled at the Evergy announcement on Monday at the 1861 Club on the Kansas State Fairgrounds on October 21, 2024. Photo by Nick Gosnell.</figcaption>
 </figure>By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>The largest electric utility in Kansas and western Missouri will add two natural gas plants by the end of 2030, the company announced Monday.Evergy, which serves 1.6 million customers in the two states, plans to&nbsp;<a href="https://investors.evergy.com/news-releases/news-release-details/evergy-announces-two-new-705-mw-high-efficiency-natural-gas" target="_blank">build combined-cycle natural gas plants</a>&nbsp;— each with a 705-megawatt capacity — in two Kansas counties in 2029 and 2030, respectively.David Campbell, Evergy’s CEO and chairman, said at a news conference in Hutchinson, Kansas, that the plants would “help maintain a diverse energy mix for our state,” ensuring “reliable, affordable, sustainable energy.”“They’re flexible resources that can ramp production up and ramp production down based on the needs of the grid,” Campbell said, “so they pair very well with Kansas’ abundant renewable generation resources.”Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, lauded the announcement at the Hutchinson news conference, saying the construction of the plants would create 500 construction jobs and 165 permanent jobs. She said the plants would ensure reliable energy, including in emergencies or periods of high demand, like hot summer days.“As Kansas continues to transition to more sustainable energy, we’re doing it responsibly,” Kelly said. “These plants are much cleaner than traditional coal plants.”<a href="https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/natural-gas/natural-gas-and-the-environment.php" target="_blank">According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration</a>, burning natural gas to create electricity produces less carbon dioxide than coal. But natural gas leaks release its primary component, methane, into the atmosphere, accounting for more than one-third of U.S. methane emissions. Methane is a greenhouse gas 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.The announcement marks an increasing reliance on natural gas generation by Evergy.In its long-range plan filed with regulators in 2022, Evergy planned to exclusively add wind and solar facilities over the coming decade.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/06/16/evergy-slashes-planned-renewable-energy-additions-proposes-more-natural-gas/" target="_blank">A year later, it scaled back</a>&nbsp;those planned renewable energy facilities, forecasted plans to add natural gas plants and delayed the retirement of the Lawrence coal plant.<a href="https://investors.evergy.com/2024IRPUpdate" target="_blank">Evergy’s latest update</a>, filed earlier this year, almost doubles the amount of natural gas generation the utility will add between now and the early 2030s. At the same time, it increased planned wind and solar additions compared to last year’s plan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729533986696.png" alt="The plant site for the new Evergy plant is near South Hutchinson in Reno County. Graphic courtesy Evergy." />
 <figcaption>The plant site for the new Evergy plant is near South Hutchinson in Reno County. Graphic courtesy Evergy.</figcaption>
 </figure>Zack Pistora, a lobbyist for the environmental nonprofit Sierra Club, questioned whether Evergy would be able to achieve its goals to reduce emissions given its planned investments in natural gas generation.“I don’t know how a utility can claim that it’s affordable, reliable or sustainable,” he said, noting that gas prices can be volatile and natural gas outages contributed to rolling blackouts the Midwest experienced in 2021.Beyond that, he said, burning gas is harmful to the environment.Video of the press event is below.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y_sGnE26DzQ?si=_qHVqdwMkTDq5EQE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

Evergy plans to build two new natural gas plants in Kansas

Three attorneys general argue federal laws around the mifepristone make it difficult for states to enforce abortion bans

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Missouri’s attorney general has renewed a push to restrict access to the abortion pill mifepristone, arguing in a lawsuit filed this month that its availability hurt the state by decreasing teenage pregnancy.

The revised lawsuit was filed by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, alongside GOP attorneys general in Kansas and Idaho. It asks a judge in Texas to order the Federal Drug Administration to reinstate restrictions on mifepristone, one of two medications prescribed to induce chemical abortions.

The trio of attorneys general were forced to refile the litigation after&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/13/breaking-u-s-supreme-court-rejects-attempt-to-limit-access-to-abortion-pill/">the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the original lawsuit&nbsp;</a>after concluding the original plaintiffs — a group of anti-abortion doctors and medical organizations — did not have standing to sue because they couldn’t show they had been harmed.

In making the case that the states have standing this time, the attorneys general contend access to mifepristone has lowered “birth rates for teenaged mothers,” arguing it contributes to causing a population loss for the states along with “diminishment of political representation and loss of federal funds.”

“Younger women are more likely to navigate online abortion finders or websites ordering mail-order medication to self-manage abortions,” the filing argues.

Missouri’s teen pregnancy birth rate has steadily declined over the past several years, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/teen-births/teenbirths.htm" target="_blank">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,</a>&nbsp;though it still remains among the highest in the country.

The lawsuit demands the federal government restore its previous restrictions on mifepristone by requiring three in-person doctor visits, reducing the gestational period during which the medication can be taken from 10 weeks to seven and rolling back recent federal policy that allowed for the mailing of mifepristone and allowed for prescriptions to be made online or through pharmacies.

In a statement to The Independent, Bailey framed the lawsuit as an attempt to ensure “long-standing safety requirements” for use of mifepristone are put back in place.

“We are moving forward undeterred for the safety of women across the country,” Bailey said.

Molly Meegan, chief legal officer and general counsel with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said the latest legal attempt to reduce access to mifepristone is based on “out-of-date and unscientific federal restrictions.”

“Science has conclusively demonstrated that mifepristone is safe and effective, including when used as directed through telehealth, and that patients of any age who become pregnant and need medication abortion can safely use the combination regimen of mifepristone and misoprostol,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.acog.org/news/news-releases/2024/10/acog-comment-on-the-newest-judicial-attack-on-mifepristone" target="_blank">she said in a statement.&nbsp;</a>”Imposing needless barriers on mifepristone will make it harder for people to access this needed care—which of course is the point—and worsen existing health disparities.”

<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/questions-and-answers-mifepristone-medical-termination-pregnancy-through-ten-weeks-gestation#:~:text=When%20did%20the%20FDA%20approve,ten%20weeks%20gestation%20in%202016." target="_blank">According to the FDA, mifepristone is safe to use if taken as directed.</a>&nbsp;Cramping and bleeding are common side effects of the medication. Those prescribed mifepristone are urged to call their doctor&nbsp;<a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2023/020687Orig1s025Lbl.pdf#page=16" target="_blank">if they experience heavy bleeding, abdominal pain or a fever.&nbsp;</a>The same guidance applies to those who recently underwent surgical abortions, experienced miscarriages or delivered a baby.

Since the medication was approved for use 28 years ago, only 32 deaths have ever been reported associated with mifepristone, according to the FDA.

Bailey and his fellow GOP attorneys general, however, argue the drug is dangerous.

“The FDA has enabled online abortion providers to mail FDA-approved abortion drugs to women in states that regulate abortion — dispensing abortion drugs with no doctor care, no exam and no in-person follow-up care,” the attorneys general wrote in the amended lawsuit. “These dangerous drugs are now flooding states like Missouri and Idaho and sending women in these states to the emergency room.”&nbsp;

The filing also argues that the current regulations around mifepristone make it impossible to track and prevent medication abortions.&nbsp;

“All of this makes it difficult for state law enforcement to detect and deter state law violations and to give effect to state abortion laws,” the attorneys general wrote.&nbsp;

When the constitutional right to an abortion was overturned in June 2022, Missouri became the first state to enact a trigger law banning the procedure in all cases except for medical emergencies.

A decade ago, more than 5,000 abortions were performed in Missouri, according to data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. By 2020, that number dropped to 167 due to a series of “targeted regulation of abortion providers” laws enacted by the legislature, including a mandatory 72-hour waiting period between the initial appointment and a surgical abortion and mandatory pelvic exams for medication abortions.

Between June 2022 and March 2024, only 64 abortions were performed in Missouri under the state’s emergency exemption, according to health department data.

Despite these laws, thousands of Missourians have still accessed abortion in the past two years,<a href="https://guttmacherinstitute.github.io/provision-dashboard/" target="_blank">&nbsp;either by driving to clinics in Illinois and Kansas&nbsp;</a>or by ordering abortion medication through the mail.&nbsp;

In the six months after the Supreme Court’s abortion ruling, the number of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/25/more-than-26000-self-managed-abortions-may-have-occurred-post-dobbs-study-shows/">self-managed medication abortions rose&nbsp;</a>by more than 26,000 across the U.S. according to a<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/10.1001/jama.2024.4266?utm_campaign=articlePDF%26utm_medium=articlePDFlink%26utm_source=articlePDF%26utm_content=jama.2024.4266" target="_blank">&nbsp;study</a>&nbsp;published in JAMA, the American Medical Association’s journal.

The attorneys general in their filing attempt to estimate how many people may have undergone medication abortions in each state, and how many may have been on Medicaid.&nbsp;

Between April 2018 and August 2023, there were 438 abortion complication reports — including 186 from medication abortions — filed with Missouri’s health department, according to the litigation.&nbsp;

Bailey’s office estimates that just shy of 400,000 women and girls of reproductive age are eligible for Missouri Medicaid, and that about 13% of those individuals are enrolled in Medicaid.&nbsp;

Bailey raised these data points in an attempt to estimate how much abortion medication costs the state, noting that under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, public hospitals must treat anyone who comes in for emergency care, regardless of their ability to pay.&nbsp;

“If a public hospital provides medical services for complications stemming from chemical abortions,” the filing reads, “and the state’s Medicaid program does not cover the full portion of the bill, the outstanding balance is a loss to the public hospital, which is itself an instrumentality of the state.”

<h2>Three attorneys general argue federal laws around the mifepristone make it difficult for states to enforce abortion bans</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri’s attorney general has renewed a push to restrict access to the abortion pill mifepristone, arguing in a lawsuit filed this month that its availability hurt the state by decreasing teenage pregnancy.The revised lawsuit was filed by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, alongside GOP attorneys general in Kansas and Idaho. It asks a judge in Texas to order the Federal Drug Administration to reinstate restrictions on mifepristone, one of two medications prescribed to induce chemical abortions.The trio of attorneys general were forced to refile the litigation after&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/13/breaking-u-s-supreme-court-rejects-attempt-to-limit-access-to-abortion-pill/">the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the original lawsuit&nbsp;</a>after concluding the original plaintiffs — a group of anti-abortion doctors and medical organizations — did not have standing to sue because they couldn’t show they had been harmed.In making the case that the states have standing this time, the attorneys general contend access to mifepristone has lowered “birth rates for teenaged mothers,” arguing it contributes to causing a population loss for the states along with “diminishment of political representation and loss of federal funds.”“Younger women are more likely to navigate online abortion finders or websites ordering mail-order medication to self-manage abortions,” the filing argues.Missouri’s teen pregnancy birth rate has steadily declined over the past several years, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/teen-births/teenbirths.htm" target="_blank">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,</a>&nbsp;though it still remains among the highest in the country.The lawsuit demands the federal government restore its previous restrictions on mifepristone by requiring three in-person doctor visits, reducing the gestational period during which the medication can be taken from 10 weeks to seven and rolling back recent federal policy that allowed for the mailing of mifepristone and allowed for prescriptions to be made online or through pharmacies.In a statement to The Independent, Bailey framed the lawsuit as an attempt to ensure “long-standing safety requirements” for use of mifepristone are put back in place.“We are moving forward undeterred for the safety of women across the country,” Bailey said.Molly Meegan, chief legal officer and general counsel with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said the latest legal attempt to reduce access to mifepristone is based on “out-of-date and unscientific federal restrictions.”“Science has conclusively demonstrated that mifepristone is safe and effective, including when used as directed through telehealth, and that patients of any age who become pregnant and need medication abortion can safely use the combination regimen of mifepristone and misoprostol,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.acog.org/news/news-releases/2024/10/acog-comment-on-the-newest-judicial-attack-on-mifepristone" target="_blank">she said in a statement.&nbsp;</a>”Imposing needless barriers on mifepristone will make it harder for people to access this needed care—which of course is the point—and worsen existing health disparities.”<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/questions-and-answers-mifepristone-medical-termination-pregnancy-through-ten-weeks-gestation#:~:text=When%20did%20the%20FDA%20approve,ten%20weeks%20gestation%20in%202016." target="_blank">According to the FDA, mifepristone is safe to use if taken as directed.</a>&nbsp;Cramping and bleeding are common side effects of the medication. Those prescribed mifepristone are urged to call their doctor&nbsp;<a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2023/020687Orig1s025Lbl.pdf#page=16" target="_blank">if they experience heavy bleeding, abdominal pain or a fever.&nbsp;</a>The same guidance applies to those who recently underwent surgical abortions, experienced miscarriages or delivered a baby.Since the medication was approved for use 28 years ago, only 32 deaths have ever been reported associated with mifepristone, according to the FDA.Bailey and his fellow GOP attorneys general, however, argue the drug is dangerous.“The FDA has enabled online abortion providers to mail FDA-approved abortion drugs to women in states that regulate abortion — dispensing abortion drugs with no doctor care, no exam and no in-person follow-up care,” the attorneys general wrote in the amended lawsuit. “These dangerous drugs are now flooding states like Missouri and Idaho and sending women in these states to the emergency room.”&nbsp;The filing also argues that the current regulations around mifepristone make it impossible to track and prevent medication abortions.&nbsp;“All of this makes it difficult for state law enforcement to detect and deter state law violations and to give effect to state abortion laws,” the attorneys general wrote.&nbsp;<h2>Lost revenue and fewer teen mothers</h2>When the constitutional right to an abortion was overturned in June 2022, Missouri became the first state to enact a trigger law banning the procedure in all cases except for medical emergencies.A decade ago, more than 5,000 abortions were performed in Missouri, according to data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. By 2020, that number dropped to 167 due to a series of “targeted regulation of abortion providers” laws enacted by the legislature, including a mandatory 72-hour waiting period between the initial appointment and a surgical abortion and mandatory pelvic exams for medication abortions.Between June 2022 and March 2024, only 64 abortions were performed in Missouri under the state’s emergency exemption, according to health department data.Despite these laws, thousands of Missourians have still accessed abortion in the past two years,<a href="https://guttmacherinstitute.github.io/provision-dashboard/" target="_blank">&nbsp;either by driving to clinics in Illinois and Kansas&nbsp;</a>or by ordering abortion medication through the mail.&nbsp;In the six months after the Supreme Court’s abortion ruling, the number of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/25/more-than-26000-self-managed-abortions-may-have-occurred-post-dobbs-study-shows/">self-managed medication abortions rose&nbsp;</a>by more than 26,000 across the U.S. according to a<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/10.1001/jama.2024.4266?utm_campaign=articlePDF%26utm_medium=articlePDFlink%26utm_source=articlePDF%26utm_content=jama.2024.4266" target="_blank">&nbsp;study</a>&nbsp;published in JAMA, the American Medical Association’s journal.The attorneys general in their filing attempt to estimate how many people may have undergone medication abortions in each state, and how many may have been on Medicaid.&nbsp;Between April 2018 and August 2023, there were 438 abortion complication reports — including 186 from medication abortions — filed with Missouri’s health department, according to the litigation.&nbsp;Bailey’s office estimates that just shy of 400,000 women and girls of reproductive age are eligible for Missouri Medicaid, and that about 13% of those individuals are enrolled in Medicaid.&nbsp;Bailey raised these data points in an attempt to estimate how much abortion medication costs the state, noting that under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, public hospitals must treat anyone who comes in for emergency care, regardless of their ability to pay.&nbsp;“If a public hospital provides medical services for complications stemming from chemical abortions,” the filing reads, “and the state’s Medicaid program does not cover the full portion of the bill, the outstanding balance is a loss to the public hospital, which is itself an instrumentality of the state.”The attorney general’s office also noted the “loss of potential population” that resulted from an increase in access to medication abortions among Missourians.&nbsp;“Reflecting the ease of driving to another state to receive abortion drugs, it is estimated that just 2.4%of abortion-minded women were prevented from getting abortions in Missouri after Dobbs,” the attorneys general write in the filing.&nbsp;Fewer abortions would have occurred, the attorneys general argue, if the FDA’s previous requirements were still in place.Bailey made a similar argument last year while attempting to inflate the estimated cost of an abortion-rights ballot measure, saying it would&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/06/20/judge-missouri-ag-had-absolute-absence-of-authority-to-question-abortion-initiative-cost/">cost the state $6.9 trillion in lost revenue.&nbsp;</a>A judge rejected his claim.The filing also pointed to a November 2023 study that found abortion bans didn’t result in an increase in teenage pregnancies that ended in births for those between the ages of 15 and 19.The study attributed this in part to young people’s ability to find online abortion medication providers.&nbsp;“This study thus suggests that remote dispensing of abortion drugs by mail, common carrier, and interactive computer service is depressing expected birth rates for teenaged mothers in Plaintiff States, even if other overall birth rates may have been lower than otherwise was projected,” the attorneys general wrote.&nbsp;

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