Democrat Lucas Kunce stumps in St. Joseph, this time as the
Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, attempting to unseat first term Republican
Josh Hawley.

Kunce accuses Hawley of neglecting Missouri, failing at the
most basic level in the Senate, bringing federal money back to the state.

“We need a U.S. Senator who’s going to bring money back to our
state, which we don’t currently have,” Kunce tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post before
his rally in downtown St. Joseph. “We used to have that in Roy Blunt, he
brought $300 million a year back to this state. Josh Hawley brings nothing.
People see that. Our neighborhoods are falling apart. The one I grew up in fell
apart. We need someone with a record of service who is going to change that.”

Kunce is a 13-year Marine veteran who now lives in
Independence. He grew up in Hartsburg and Jefferson City.

Kunce addressed a packed crowd at the IBEW Local Union 545
Hall in St. Joseph Tuesday evening, his first campaign rally since winning the
Democratic primary.

Kunce considers returning federal dollars to the state an
investment in Missouri.

“Josh Hawley literally marks zero dollars for our state every
year. We can’t afford another six years of Josh Hawley,” Kunce says. “We’re
struggling to make ends meet here and he’s making hundreds of thousands of
dollars in his book deal, selling his office out so that he can get rich while
we suffer. If he’s vulnerable anywhere its on the fact that he refuses to
invest in us.”

Kunce says he will work to bring federal money back to the
state if elected.

“My goal is to bring that investment back to Missouri, put us
first in the next generation of energy and manufacturing, and take care of
places like St. Joe,” Kunce says. “I love coming here. I’m going to be back
here. We’ve been here a bunch. And this is what I’m talking about; these are
the types of places that I want to take care of when I’m a U.S. Senator.”

You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726681654399.jpeg" alt="Lucas Kunce/file photo" />
 <figcaption>Lucas Kunce/file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostDemocrat Lucas Kunce stumps in St. Joseph, this time as the
Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, attempting to unseat first term Republican
Josh Hawley.Kunce accuses Hawley of neglecting Missouri, failing at the
most basic level in the Senate, bringing federal money back to the state.“We need a U.S. Senator who’s going to bring money back to our
state, which we don’t currently have,” Kunce tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post before
his rally in downtown St. Joseph. “We used to have that in Roy Blunt, he
brought $300 million a year back to this state. Josh Hawley brings nothing.
People see that. Our neighborhoods are falling apart. The one I grew up in fell
apart. We need someone with a record of service who is going to change that.”Kunce is a 13-year Marine veteran who now lives in
Independence. He grew up in Hartsburg and Jefferson City.Kunce addressed a packed crowd at the IBEW Local Union 545
Hall in St. Joseph Tuesday evening, his first campaign rally since winning the
Democratic primary.Kunce considers returning federal dollars to the state an
investment in Missouri.“Josh Hawley literally marks zero dollars for our state every
year. We can’t afford another six years of Josh Hawley,” Kunce says. “We’re
struggling to make ends meet here and he’s making hundreds of thousands of
dollars in his book deal, selling his office out so that he can get rich while
we suffer. If he’s vulnerable anywhere its on the fact that he refuses to
invest in us.”Kunce says he will work to bring federal money back to the
state if elected.“My goal is to bring that investment back to Missouri, put us
first in the next generation of energy and manufacturing, and take care of
places like St. Joe,” Kunce says. “I love coming here. I’m going to be back
here. We’ve been here a bunch. And this is what I’m talking about; these are
the types of places that I want to take care of when I’m a U.S. Senator.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726681939736.png" alt="Lucas Kunce addresses the crowd at IBEW Local Union 545, St. Joseph/Photo courtesy of Kunce campaign" />
 <figcaption>Lucas Kunce addresses the crowd at IBEW Local Union 545, St. Joseph/Photo courtesy of Kunce campaign</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Democrat Kunce brings US Senate campaign to St. Joseph

(Radio Iowa) - An asteroid is approaching the Earth which the experts say will come close enough to be caught in our planet's gravity well, technically becoming a second moon, at least for a few months. 

University of Iowa physics and astronomy Professor Casey DeRoo says this asteroid will be captured by the Earth's gravitational pull around September 29th. The asteroid known as "20-24 P-T-5" is only about 33 feet in diameter, or about as big across as a school bus. While it will come relatively close to Earth, close in astronomical terms, DeRoo says there's no chance the asteroid will hit us. 

If you're hoping to catch a glimpse of this wandering space rock, you're wishing on the wrong star, because it'll still be many tens of millions of miles away. The asteroid will slingshot out of orbit around November 25th, after about 56 days as our looming moon.

(Radio Iowa) - An asteroid is approaching the Earth which the experts say will come close enough to be caught in our planet's gravity well, technically becoming a second moon, at least for a few months. University of Iowa physics and astronomy Professor Casey DeRoo says this asteroid will be captured by the Earth's gravitational pull around September 29th. The asteroid known as "20-24 P-T-5" is only about 33 feet in diameter, or about as big across as a school bus. While it will come relatively close to Earth, close in astronomical terms, DeRoo says there's no chance the asteroid will hit us. If you're hoping to catch a glimpse of this wandering space rock, you're wishing on the wrong star, because it'll still be many tens of millions of miles away. The asteroid will slingshot out of orbit around November 25th, after about 56 days as our looming moon.

UI astronomer: Approaching asteroid will become temporary second moon

(Radio Iowa) - A northwest Iowa judge has affirmed that the Lyon County Sheriff will be able to seek reelection -- as a Libertarian Party candidate. 

Lyon County Sheriff Sheriff Stewart Vander Stoep (STOOP) ran as a Republican in the June Primary, but lost the G-O-P nomination to Iowa State Trooper Brian Hilt. One person wrote the sheriff's name on the Libertarian Party's Primary ballot, so the sheriff became the Libertarian Party's nominee instead. Hilt -- the Republican who beat the sheriff in the G-O-P primary -- asked a judge to reverse a Lyon County Objection Panel's decision that the sheriff had qualified for the November ballot. 

The judge, in his decision, said the trooper's argument that the sheriff shouldn't win the Libertarian Party's nomination was arguably supported by common sense -- since he got it by a single write-in vote, but the judge said that conclusion is not supported by state law.

(Radio Iowa) - A northwest Iowa judge has affirmed that the Lyon County Sheriff will be able to seek reelection -- as a Libertarian Party candidate. Lyon County Sheriff Sheriff Stewart Vander Stoep (STOOP) ran as a Republican in the June Primary, but lost the G-O-P nomination to Iowa State Trooper Brian Hilt. One person wrote the sheriff's name on the Libertarian Party's Primary ballot, so the sheriff became the Libertarian Party's nominee instead. Hilt -- the Republican who beat the sheriff in the G-O-P primary -- asked a judge to reverse a Lyon County Objection Panel's decision that the sheriff had qualified for the November ballot. The judge, in his decision, said the trooper's argument that the sheriff shouldn't win the Libertarian Party's nomination was arguably supported by common sense -- since he got it by a single write-in vote, but the judge said that conclusion is not supported by state law.

Judge rules one write-in vote puts Lyon County Sheriff on November's ballot

Inspector general points to staffing problems, chronic mail delivery delays

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

TOPEKA — Three Missouri and two Kansas members of Congress serving constituents in the greater Kansas City area forwarded a joint letter Tuesday to the U.S. Postal Service demanding action to rectify problems with missing or delayed mail and protracted periods in which no mail was delivered at all.

Republicans Sam Graves and Mark Alford, both of Missouri, and Jake LaTurner of Kansas as well as Democrats Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri and Sharice Davids of Kansas forwarded the letter to USPS postmaster general Louis DeJoy.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uspsoig.gov/reports/audit-reports/kansas-missouri-district-delivery-operations" target="_blank">They pointed to the July federal audit</a>&nbsp;of the&nbsp;Kansas City Postal and Distribution Center in Kansas City, Missouri, and stations in Hickman Mills in Missouri as well as in Mission and Kansas City on the Kansas side of the border.

Deficiencies at the distribution center touched on mail clearance times,&nbsp;delayed mail, late cancellations and dock scanning during an inspection period in May, USPS auditors said. The report said challenges at the three stations included document scanning, delayed mail and property conditions.

The inspector general concluded USPS ought to address problems with employee staffing and recommended supervisors prepare better for staff absences in the Kansas City region.

“The audit makes clear that the&nbsp;USPS&nbsp;must do more to ensure Kansans receive reliable, timely mail delivery,” said Davids, who is seeking reelection in the 3rd District of Johnson and Wyandotte counties. “I will keep working across the aisle with my colleagues in the KC area to help fix these issues and ensure our&nbsp;postal&nbsp;service&nbsp;meets the needs of our communities.”

In recent months, the letter said, all five congressional offices received a growing number of complaints regarding inadequate mail service.

“It is unacceptable that these facilities … are failing to keep up with the USPS standard of service,” the bipartisan letter from U.S. House members said. “We wholeheartedly urge the leadership of the Postal Service to roll out the recommendations of the USPS office of the inspector general immediately.”

The federal lawmakers said USPS ought to implement strategies to mitigate mail delays, ensure compliance with processing procedures, improve delivery logistics, and upgrade safety and security policies for staff at the mail facilities.

The representatives said residents of communities across Kansas and Missouri relied on consistent mail service and deserved better support from USPS management.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598029796323.jpeg" alt="A bipartisan group of two Kansas and three Missouri members of Congress sign a joint letter urging the U.S. Postal Service to address persistent problems with mail delivery in the greater Kansas City area. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>A bipartisan group of two Kansas and three Missouri members of Congress sign a joint letter urging the U.S. Postal Service to address persistent problems with mail delivery in the greater Kansas City area. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Inspector general points to staffing problems, chronic mail delivery delays</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Three Missouri and two Kansas members of Congress serving constituents in the greater Kansas City area forwarded a joint letter Tuesday to the U.S. Postal Service demanding action to rectify problems with missing or delayed mail and protracted periods in which no mail was delivered at all.Republicans Sam Graves and Mark Alford, both of Missouri, and Jake LaTurner of Kansas as well as Democrats Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri and Sharice Davids of Kansas forwarded the letter to USPS postmaster general Louis DeJoy.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uspsoig.gov/reports/audit-reports/kansas-missouri-district-delivery-operations" target="_blank">They pointed to the July federal audit</a>&nbsp;of the&nbsp;Kansas City Postal and Distribution Center in Kansas City, Missouri, and stations in Hickman Mills in Missouri as well as in Mission and Kansas City on the Kansas side of the border.Deficiencies at the distribution center touched on mail clearance times,&nbsp;delayed mail, late cancellations and dock scanning during an inspection period in May, USPS auditors said. The report said challenges at the three stations included document scanning, delayed mail and property conditions.The inspector general concluded USPS ought to address problems with employee staffing and recommended supervisors prepare better for staff absences in the Kansas City region.“The audit makes clear that the&nbsp;USPS&nbsp;must do more to ensure Kansans receive reliable, timely mail delivery,” said Davids, who is seeking reelection in the 3rd District of Johnson and Wyandotte counties. “I will keep working across the aisle with my colleagues in the KC area to help fix these issues and ensure our&nbsp;postal&nbsp;service&nbsp;meets the needs of our communities.”In recent months, the letter said, all five congressional offices received a growing number of complaints regarding inadequate mail service.“It is unacceptable that these facilities … are failing to keep up with the USPS standard of service,” the bipartisan letter from U.S. House members said. “We wholeheartedly urge the leadership of the Postal Service to roll out the recommendations of the USPS office of the inspector general immediately.”The federal lawmakers said USPS ought to implement strategies to mitigate mail delays, ensure compliance with processing procedures, improve delivery logistics, and upgrade safety and security policies for staff at the mail facilities.The representatives said residents of communities across Kansas and Missouri relied on consistent mail service and deserved better support from USPS management.

Five Missouri, Kansas members of Congress send tough critique of troubled mail service to D.C.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a> State's Newsroom

WASHINGTON — The closely divided U.S. Senate gridlocked Tuesday over the best way to provide nationwide protections for in vitro fertilization, despite lawmakers from both political parties maintaining they want to do so.

Republicans voted against advancing a Democratic bill that could have prevented states from enacting “harmful or unwarranted limitations” on the procedure and bolstered access for military members and veterans. Two Republicans voted with Democrats — Maine’s Susan Collins and Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski.

That came just a short time after Senate Democrats — who narrowly control the chamber — in a procedural move blocked a GOP bill from Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Katie Britt of Alabama that would have barred Medicaid funding from going to any state that bans IVF.

The 51-44 vote that prevented Democrats’ legislation from moving toward a final vote followed numerous floor speeches and press conferences, including by the Harris-Walz presidential campaign, that sought to elevate the issue ahead of the November elections. The measure needed 60 votes to advance.

“This is a chance for my colleagues across the aisle to put their votes where their mouths have been,” said Illinois Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth, the bill’s sponsor and a mom of two children born as a result of IVF. “They say they support IVF. Here you go — vote on this.”

Duckworth said the legislation would provide critical IVF services to U.S. military members and veterans, many of whom experience infertility or experience difficulty having children due to their service.

“It allows our military men and women, prior to a deployment into a combat zone, to preserve and freeze their genetic material; so that should they come home with injuries that result in them becoming infertile, they will have already preserved their genetic material so that they can, themselves, start those beautiful families they wanted,” Duckworth said.

Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris released a written statement following the vote rebuking GOP senators for blocking the bill.

“Every woman in every state must have reproductive freedom,” Harris wrote. “Yet, Republicans in Congress have once again made clear that they will not protect access to the fertility treatments many couples need to fulfill their dream of having a child.”

Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-republicans-reject-democrats-bill-ivf-protections" target="_blank">blocked Democrats’ bill earlier this year</a>. But Senate leadership scheduled another vote after Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-says-wants-make-ivf-treatments-paid-government-insurance-compani-rcna168804" target="_blank">reignited the issue</a>&nbsp;in August when he said his administration would mandate health insurance companies pay for IVF — a significant break with how the GOP has approached the issue.

“We are going to be, under the Trump administration, we are going to be paying for that treatment,” Trump said during an interview with NBC News. “We’re going to be mandating that the insurance company pay.”

Democrats began speaking at length about preserving access to IVF earlier this year after the Alabama state Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://alabamareflector.com/2024/02/19/alabama-supreme-court-ruling-could-end-ivf-treatments-in-state/" target="_blank">issued an opinion</a>&nbsp;in February that frozen embryos constitute children under state law.

That ruling forced all the state’s IVF clinics to halt their work until the state legislature&nbsp;<a href="https://alabamareflector.com/2024/03/06/alabama-legislature-gives-final-approval-to-in-vitro-fertilization-bill/" target="_blank">passed a bill</a>&nbsp;providing criminal and civil protections for those clinics.

Democrats have since argued that legislating the belief life begins at conception, which is championed by most conservative Republicans, is at odds with access to IVF, which typically freezes more embryos than would be implanted.

Those frozen embryos can be preserved or discarded, depending on the patient’s wishes, the clinic’s policies and state law. Some conservatives believe that discarding shouldn’t be legal or are opposed to the process altogether.

The Southern Baptist Convention, for example,<a href="https://kentuckylantern.com/2024/06/12/republican-ivf-bill-fails-in-u-s-senate/" target="_blank">&nbsp;voted earlier this year to oppose IVF</a>, writing in a resolution that couples should consider adoption and that the process “engages in dehumanizing methods for determining suitability for life.”

“We grieve alongside couples who have been diagnosed with infertility or are currently struggling to conceive, affirm their godly desire for children, and encourage them to consider the ethical implications of assisted reproductive technologies as they look to God for hope, grace, and wisdom amid suffering,” it stated.

Senate Democrats’ press for IVF protections has gone hand-in-hand with their efforts to bolster other reproductive rights, like access to birth control and abortion.

The issues could play a significant role in determining the outcome of the presidential election this November as well which political party controls the House and Senate.

Republican vice presidential nominee and Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance missed Tuesday’s vote, but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1182/vote_118_2_00197.htm" target="_blank">voted against advancing Democrats’ IVF bill</a>&nbsp;when it was on the floor in June.

Before the Senate held a vote on Democrats’ bill, Cruz asked for quick approval of an IVF bill he and Britt&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-sen-katie-britt-introduces-bill-end-states-medicaid-funding-if-it-blocks-ivf" target="_blank">introduced earlier this year</a>.

Washington state Democratic Sen. Patty Murray blocked his unanimous consent request.

During debate on that bill, Britt questioned why Democrats haven’t scheduled a recorded vote on her legislation, saying it could get the 60 votes needed to advance toward final passage.

“Today, we have an opportunity to act quickly and overwhelmingly to protect continued nationwide IVF access for loving American families,” Britt said. “Our bill is the only bill that protects IVF access while safeguarding religious liberty.”

The Britt-Cruz legislation has three co-sponsors, including Wyoming Sen. Cynthia Lummis, Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall and Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker.

Murray said the Britt-Cruz bill didn’t address what would happen in states that legislate fetal personhood, which she called “the biggest threat to IVF.”

“It is silent on whether states can demand that an embryo be treated the same as a living, breathing person,” Murray said. “Or whether parents should be allowed to have clinics dispose of unused embryos, something that is a common, necessary part of the IVF process.”

Cruz tried to pass his legislation through the unanimous consent process, which allows any one senator to ask for approval. Any one senator can then block that request from moving forward — as Murray did. There is no recorded vote as part of the UC process.

Cruz previously&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/republican-ivf-bill-fails-us-senate" target="_blank">asked for unanimous consent to pass the bill in June</a>, but was blocked then as well.

Democrats’&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/4445/text" target="_blank">64-page bill</a>&nbsp;would have provided legal protections for anyone seeking fertility treatment, including IVF, and for the health care professionals providing that type of care.

It would have barred state and federal governments from “enacting harmful or unwarranted limitations or requirements” on IVF access.

The legislation would have bolstered fertility treatment coverage for members of the military and veterans, as well as their spouses, partners, or gestational surrogates.

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine supports Democrats’ legislation. Chief Advocacy and Policy Officer Sean Tipton wrote in a statement released this week that Democrats’ IVF bill would “protect the rights of Americans to seek the medical services they may need to have children and ensure no healthcare provider faces legal consequences for trying to help their patients as they seek to build their families.”

“This legislation also increases access to IVF treatments for all Americans by mandating that employer-sponsored insurance plans and other public insurance plans cover fertility treatment,” Tipton wrote. “Significantly, it would ensure the federal government does right by its own employees by providing coverage for active-duty military, veterans, and civilian staff.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726604617334.png" alt="Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (center) casting his no vote on Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (center) casting his no vote on Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a> State's NewsroomWASHINGTON — The closely divided U.S. Senate gridlocked Tuesday over the best way to provide nationwide protections for in vitro fertilization, despite lawmakers from both political parties maintaining they want to do so.Republicans voted against advancing a Democratic bill that could have prevented states from enacting “harmful or unwarranted limitations” on the procedure and bolstered access for military members and veterans. Two Republicans voted with Democrats — Maine’s Susan Collins and Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski.That came just a short time after Senate Democrats — who narrowly control the chamber — in a procedural move blocked a GOP bill from Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Katie Britt of Alabama that would have barred Medicaid funding from going to any state that bans IVF.The 51-44 vote that prevented Democrats’ legislation from moving toward a final vote followed numerous floor speeches and press conferences, including by the Harris-Walz presidential campaign, that sought to elevate the issue ahead of the November elections. The measure needed 60 votes to advance.“This is a chance for my colleagues across the aisle to put their votes where their mouths have been,” said Illinois Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth, the bill’s sponsor and a mom of two children born as a result of IVF. “They say they support IVF. Here you go — vote on this.”Duckworth said the legislation would provide critical IVF services to U.S. military members and veterans, many of whom experience infertility or experience difficulty having children due to their service.“It allows our military men and women, prior to a deployment into a combat zone, to preserve and freeze their genetic material; so that should they come home with injuries that result in them becoming infertile, they will have already preserved their genetic material so that they can, themselves, start those beautiful families they wanted,” Duckworth said.Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris released a written statement following the vote rebuking GOP senators for blocking the bill.“Every woman in every state must have reproductive freedom,” Harris wrote. “Yet, Republicans in Congress have once again made clear that they will not protect access to the fertility treatments many couples need to fulfill their dream of having a child.”Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-republicans-reject-democrats-bill-ivf-protections" target="_blank">blocked Democrats’ bill earlier this year</a>. But Senate leadership scheduled another vote after Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-says-wants-make-ivf-treatments-paid-government-insurance-compani-rcna168804" target="_blank">reignited the issue</a>&nbsp;in August when he said his administration would mandate health insurance companies pay for IVF — a significant break with how the GOP has approached the issue.“We are going to be, under the Trump administration, we are going to be paying for that treatment,” Trump said during an interview with NBC News. “We’re going to be mandating that the insurance company pay.”<h2>Alabama ruling</h2>Democrats began speaking at length about preserving access to IVF earlier this year after the Alabama state Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://alabamareflector.com/2024/02/19/alabama-supreme-court-ruling-could-end-ivf-treatments-in-state/" target="_blank">issued an opinion</a>&nbsp;in February that frozen embryos constitute children under state law.That ruling forced all the state’s IVF clinics to halt their work until the state legislature&nbsp;<a href="https://alabamareflector.com/2024/03/06/alabama-legislature-gives-final-approval-to-in-vitro-fertilization-bill/" target="_blank">passed a bill</a>&nbsp;providing criminal and civil protections for those clinics.Democrats have since argued that legislating the belief life begins at conception, which is championed by most conservative Republicans, is at odds with access to IVF, which typically freezes more embryos than would be implanted.Those frozen embryos can be preserved or discarded, depending on the patient’s wishes, the clinic’s policies and state law. Some conservatives believe that discarding shouldn’t be legal or are opposed to the process altogether.The Southern Baptist Convention, for example,<a href="https://kentuckylantern.com/2024/06/12/republican-ivf-bill-fails-in-u-s-senate/" target="_blank">&nbsp;voted earlier this year to oppose IVF</a>, writing in a resolution that couples should consider adoption and that the process “engages in dehumanizing methods for determining suitability for life.”“We grieve alongside couples who have been diagnosed with infertility or are currently struggling to conceive, affirm their godly desire for children, and encourage them to consider the ethical implications of assisted reproductive technologies as they look to God for hope, grace, and wisdom amid suffering,” it stated.Senate Democrats’ press for IVF protections has gone hand-in-hand with their efforts to bolster other reproductive rights, like access to birth control and abortion.The issues could play a significant role in determining the outcome of the presidential election this November as well which political party controls the House and Senate.Republican vice presidential nominee and Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance missed Tuesday’s vote, but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1182/vote_118_2_00197.htm" target="_blank">voted against advancing Democrats’ IVF bill</a>&nbsp;when it was on the floor in June.<h2>IVF bill from Cruz, Britt</h2>Before the Senate held a vote on Democrats’ bill, Cruz asked for quick approval of an IVF bill he and Britt&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-sen-katie-britt-introduces-bill-end-states-medicaid-funding-if-it-blocks-ivf" target="_blank">introduced earlier this year</a>.Washington state Democratic Sen. Patty Murray blocked his unanimous consent request.During debate on that bill, Britt questioned why Democrats haven’t scheduled a recorded vote on her legislation, saying it could get the 60 votes needed to advance toward final passage.“Today, we have an opportunity to act quickly and overwhelmingly to protect continued nationwide IVF access for loving American families,” Britt said. “Our bill is the only bill that protects IVF access while safeguarding religious liberty.”The Britt-Cruz legislation has three co-sponsors, including Wyoming Sen. Cynthia Lummis, Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall and Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker.Murray said the Britt-Cruz bill didn’t address what would happen in states that legislate fetal personhood, which she called “the biggest threat to IVF.”“It is silent on whether states can demand that an embryo be treated the same as a living, breathing person,” Murray said. “Or whether parents should be allowed to have clinics dispose of unused embryos, something that is a common, necessary part of the IVF process.”Cruz tried to pass his legislation through the unanimous consent process, which allows any one senator to ask for approval. Any one senator can then block that request from moving forward — as Murray did. There is no recorded vote as part of the UC process.Cruz previously&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/republican-ivf-bill-fails-us-senate" target="_blank">asked for unanimous consent to pass the bill in June</a>, but was blocked then as well.<h2>Legal protections</h2>Democrats’&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/4445/text" target="_blank">64-page bill</a>&nbsp;would have provided legal protections for anyone seeking fertility treatment, including IVF, and for the health care professionals providing that type of care.It would have barred state and federal governments from “enacting harmful or unwarranted limitations or requirements” on IVF access.The legislation would have bolstered fertility treatment coverage for members of the military and veterans, as well as their spouses, partners, or gestational surrogates.The American Society for Reproductive Medicine supports Democrats’ legislation. Chief Advocacy and Policy Officer Sean Tipton wrote in a statement released this week that Democrats’ IVF bill would “protect the rights of Americans to seek the medical services they may need to have children and ensure no healthcare provider faces legal consequences for trying to help their patients as they seek to build their families.”“This legislation also increases access to IVF treatments for all Americans by mandating that employer-sponsored insurance plans and other public insurance plans cover fertility treatment,” Tipton wrote. “Significantly, it would ensure the federal government does right by its own employees by providing coverage for active-duty military, veterans, and civilian staff.”

In vitro fertilization bills from both Democrats and GOP blocked in U.S. Senate

(Radio Iowa) - The Des Moines City Council voted last (Monday) night for a ban on camping and sleeping on public property that targets homeless people. 

The council also approved lowering the notice time before removing tents and shelters from ten days to three. After each ordinance passed, crowds outside the chamber booed and chanted in dissent. 

Under the new bans, people who do not agree to move to a shelter can be arrested, charged with a simple misdemeanor and fined 15-dollars. The council does not have a timeline yet for when the bans will go into effect.

(Radio Iowa) - The Des Moines City Council voted last (Monday) night for a ban on camping and sleeping on public property that targets homeless people. The council also approved lowering the notice time before removing tents and shelters from ten days to three. After each ordinance passed, crowds outside the chamber booed and chanted in dissent. Under the new bans, people who do not agree to move to a shelter can be arrested, charged with a simple misdemeanor and fined 15-dollars. The council does not have a timeline yet for when the bans will go into effect.

Targeting homeless camps, Des Moines leaders ban camping, sleeping in public

(Radio Iowa) - Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says U-S House Speaker Mike Johnson is doing a "wonderful job," despite growing frustrations among other Senate Republicans as the deadline nears for a solution to prevent a federal government shutdown. 

Johnson is having trouble getting the votes needed to avoid the shutdown at month's end, and some in the Senate say if the House can't act by Thursday, they'll do it themselves. Grassley is offering Johnson a leeway, but says, "if the majority party doesn't stick together, you don't run the show." 

Grassley fears the type of message it would send to voters if Congress can't find a way to cooperate, saying the public may decide to "turn it over to the Democrats." He anticipates there will be a "continuing resolution" that would prevent a shutdown, or at least push back the anticipated date.

(Radio Iowa) - Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says U-S House Speaker Mike Johnson is doing a "wonderful job," despite growing frustrations among other Senate Republicans as the deadline nears for a solution to prevent a federal government shutdown. Johnson is having trouble getting the votes needed to avoid the shutdown at month's end, and some in the Senate say if the House can't act by Thursday, they'll do it themselves. Grassley is offering Johnson a leeway, but says, "if the majority party doesn't stick together, you don't run the show." Grassley fears the type of message it would send to voters if Congress can't find a way to cooperate, saying the public may decide to "turn it over to the Democrats." He anticipates there will be a "continuing resolution" that would prevent a shutdown, or at least push back the anticipated date.

Grassley: If House can't prevent gov't shutdown, GOP won't 'run the show'

Missouri has added two more port authorities to the 17 it
already had, adding to the communities attempting to make the most out of an
ancient transportation hub:&nbsp; the Missouri
and Mississippi Rivers.

Administrator of Freight and Waterways for MoDOT, Levi Woods,
says upgrades made to the infrastructure of the Missouri River channel by the
Army Corps of Engineers have made that notoriously difficult river more
navigable.

“I think the reliability has been some of the concerns of the
shippers on the river,” Woods tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “The work they’re
doing to increase resiliency, I think, is much appreciated by the navigation
community.”

Woods says ports, such as the St. Joseph Port Authority, have
a big impact on the state economy. 

“Missouri public ports support nearly 290,000 jobs annually in
the state of Missouri,” according to Woods. “That results in roughly $15.7
billion in labor income and over $100 million in annual economic activity.”

Port authorities and the barge traffic they support has a
bigger impact on the Missouri economy than most people think.

“And also, approximately 34% of Missouri’s economy, one out of
every 10 jobs in Missouri, is supported by Missouri ports,” Woods says.

Barge traffic on the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers makes a
difference.

“So, as those economic impact study numbers show, it does have
an effect on Missouri’s economy,” Woods says.

Barge traffic also has an indirect impact by providing an
alternative to rail traffic, which helps to keep transportation costs lower.

Woods says the state is undergoing an extensive study on the
economic impact of Missouri port authorities and hopes to have updated numbers by
the end of the year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726595773064.jpeg" alt="Loading a barge with grain at the St. Joseph Port Authority/file photo" />
 <figcaption>Loading a barge with grain at the St. Joseph Port Authority/file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostMissouri has added two more port authorities to the 17 it
already had, adding to the communities attempting to make the most out of an
ancient transportation hub:&nbsp; the Missouri
and Mississippi Rivers.Administrator of Freight and Waterways for MoDOT, Levi Woods,
says upgrades made to the infrastructure of the Missouri River channel by the
Army Corps of Engineers have made that notoriously difficult river more
navigable.“I think the reliability has been some of the concerns of the
shippers on the river,” Woods tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “The work they’re
doing to increase resiliency, I think, is much appreciated by the navigation
community.”Woods says ports, such as the St. Joseph Port Authority, have
a big impact on the state economy. “Missouri public ports support nearly 290,000 jobs annually in
the state of Missouri,” according to Woods. “That results in roughly $15.7
billion in labor income and over $100 million in annual economic activity.”Port authorities and the barge traffic they support has a
bigger impact on the Missouri economy than most people think.“And also, approximately 34% of Missouri’s economy, one out of
every 10 jobs in Missouri, is supported by Missouri ports,” Woods says.Barge traffic on the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers makes a
difference.“So, as those economic impact study numbers show, it does have
an effect on Missouri’s economy,” Woods says.Barge traffic also has an indirect impact by providing an
alternative to rail traffic, which helps to keep transportation costs lower.Woods says the state is undergoing an extensive study on the
economic impact of Missouri port authorities and hopes to have updated numbers by
the end of the year.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Port authorities, such as in St. Joseph, make a big economic impact

Eagle Produce LLC Scottsdale, Arizona is initiating a recall of 224 cases of whole cantaloupe because they have the potential to be contaminated with&nbsp;Salmonella, according to a statement from the FDA.

Salmonella&nbsp;is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people may experience fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (which may be bloody), and abdominal pain. In rare cases the organism can get into the bloodstream and produce more severe illness such as arterial infections (i.e. infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

The cantaloupe subject to the recall include

The products were distributed between August 13th - 17th in Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, Texas and Virginia and sold in various retail supermarkets. The cantaloupes are identified with a red and white sticker with KANDY across the top and UPC number code, 4050 No other products or lot code dates are affected by this recall.

There have been no reported illnesses attributed to the recalled items to date.

The recall is the result of routine sample testing conducted by the State of Michigan which reveled the presence of&nbsp;Salmonella&nbsp;in cantaloupe sold at retail.

Customers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume the products and should dispose of them. Consumers may contact Eagle Produce LLC for further information at 1-800-627-8674 Monday – Friday 9 AM – 5PM PST. Consumers with concerns about an illness from consumption of this product should contact a health care provider.

The company is cooperating with the FDA regarding this recall.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726415960149.png" alt="-FDA image" />
 <figcaption>-FDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>Eagle Produce LLC Scottsdale, Arizona is initiating a recall of 224 cases of whole cantaloupe because they have the potential to be contaminated with&nbsp;Salmonella, according to a statement from the FDA.Salmonella&nbsp;is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people may experience fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (which may be bloody), and abdominal pain. In rare cases the organism can get into the bloodstream and produce more severe illness such as arterial infections (i.e. infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.The cantaloupe subject to the recall include<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726415779663.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The products were distributed between August 13th - 17th in Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, Texas and Virginia and sold in various retail supermarkets. The cantaloupes are identified with a red and white sticker with KANDY across the top and UPC number code, 4050 No other products or lot code dates are affected by this recall.There have been no reported illnesses attributed to the recalled items to date.The recall is the result of routine sample testing conducted by the State of Michigan which reveled the presence of&nbsp;Salmonella&nbsp;in cantaloupe sold at retail.Customers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume the products and should dispose of them. Consumers may contact Eagle Produce LLC for further information at 1-800-627-8674 Monday – Friday 9 AM – 5PM PST. Consumers with concerns about an illness from consumption of this product should contact a health care provider.The company is cooperating with the FDA regarding this recall.

Cantaloupe brand recalled over possible salmonella contamination

While the 2024 Farm Bill has been stalled for multiple months, the legislative logjam is showing a few signs of breaking after key ag groups took to Capitol Hill last week to share the economic reality facing farmers and ranchers. In a letter last week to House Ag Committee Democrats, Ranking Member David Scott said, “We all know that Congress needs pressure to act. That’s why Chairman Thompson, Chairwoman Stabenow, Ranking Member Boozman, and I agree that we are better off without another extension at this point.” 

After he met with farmers, Scott said if it looks like Congress won’t be able to pass a farm bill, they asked him if Congress would consider doing a two-year ad hoc package that would bolster the safety net for the 2024 and 2025 crop years. Scott added, “Farmers need the certainty and support, and we need to step up to this challenge.”

While the 2024 Farm Bill has been stalled for multiple months, the legislative logjam is showing a few signs of breaking after key ag groups took to Capitol Hill last week to share the economic reality facing farmers and ranchers. In a letter last week to House Ag Committee Democrats, Ranking Member David Scott said, “We all know that Congress needs pressure to act. That’s why Chairman Thompson, Chairwoman Stabenow, Ranking Member Boozman, and I agree that we are better off without another extension at this point.” After he met with farmers, Scott said if it looks like Congress won’t be able to pass a farm bill, they asked him if Congress would consider doing a two-year ad hoc package that would bolster the safety net for the 2024 and 2025 crop years. Scott added, “Farmers need the certainty and support, and we need to step up to this challenge.”-NAFB

Cracks showing in the farm bill logjam

(Radio Iowa) - Leaders of the Iowa Medical Society say the state faces a workforce crisis in the health care sector.

 Iowa already ranks 45th in doctor-to-patient ratio. Iowa Medical Society C-E-O Steve Churchill says the group will ask the 2025 Iowa Legislature to provide state funding to significantly increase the residency slots for medical students at Iowa hospitals and academic centers. 

The group will also recommend expanding state programs that erase college debt for physicians who choose to practice in Iowa after getting their medical license.

(Radio Iowa) - Leaders of the Iowa Medical Society say the state faces a workforce crisis in the health care sector. Iowa already ranks 45th in doctor-to-patient ratio. Iowa Medical Society C-E-O Steve Churchill says the group will ask the 2025 Iowa Legislature to provide state funding to significantly increase the residency slots for medical students at Iowa hospitals and academic centers. The group will also recommend expanding state programs that erase college debt for physicians who choose to practice in Iowa after getting their medical license.

Iowa Medical Society says Iowa faces worsening physician shortage

A new report from Pew Charitable Trusts shows revenue growth in most states is below inflation after two years of abundant tax receipts

By RUDI KELLER&nbsp; <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Missouri’s general revenue has lagged behind inflation for two years in a row. And with that gap widening, the next few months could determine whether state revenue will see a year-over-year decline for the first time in more than a decade.&nbsp;

“September is a good sort of bellwether one for us, because that’s where we get quarterly payments from both individuals and corporations,” Dan Haug, Gov. Mike Parson’s budget director, said in an interview with The Independent last week. “There’s not a lot of significant due dates in July and August, so we try not to even really look at what trends are until we get through the end of September.”

Through Friday, general revenue receipts are down more than 3% compared to the same period in fiscal 2024.

Revenue grew 2.74% in fiscal 2023, while inflation was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2023/consumer-prices-up-3-0-percent-over-the-year-ended-june-2023.htm" target="_blank">calculated at 3%</a>&nbsp;by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fiscal 2024, which ended June 30, revenue grew 1.47%, while inflation was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2024/consumer-prices-up-3-0-percent-from-june-2023-to-june-2024.htm#:~:text=The%20Consumer%20Price%20Index%20for,on%20a%2012%2Dmonth%20basis." target="_blank">again pegged at 3%</a>.

Missouri isn’t the only state suffering from sluggish revenue growth, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2024/08/how-a-pandemic-era-surge-in-tax-collections-drove-a-revenue-wave" target="_blank">recent report</a>&nbsp;from Pew Charitable Trusts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many states — including Missouri — enjoyed a surge of revenue that drove new spending and tax cuts.

Missouri enjoyed double-digit revenue growth for two years, a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/12/06/economic-slowdown-tax-cuts-likely-to-limit-missouri-revenue-growth-officials-say/">trend that ended</a>&nbsp;in early 2023. Nationally since the start of fiscal 2023, the report states, state government revenues have fallen below inflation rates and below the growth trend seen before the pandemic. That is the first time in 40 years that has happened outside of an economic recession.

“There’s less fiscal flexibility, but it’s unclear whether states will be really under strain or not, but it’s going to be more difficult than before,” said Alexandre Fall, a senior associate with Pew who was the main author of the report.

As they wrote this year’s budget in the spring, the Republican-led legislature tried to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/27/state-budget-loaded-with-earmarks-nears-deadline-for-action-by-missouri-gov-mike-parson/">limit ongoing general revenue spending</a>&nbsp;to the anticipated revenue of $13.2 billion. But even after Gov. Mike Parson vetoed $1 billion, the budget anticipates spending $15.1 billion in general revenue, dipping into surpluses accumulated during the surge in 2021 and 2022.

House Budget Committee Vice Chairman Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Noel, said lawmakers must continue to limit ongoing spending to new revenue.

“If revenue is lower in the future we will have to look carefully at core spending items to make sure the state budget is on a sustainable path and Missouri is well positioned to balance the budget year after year,” Deaton said.

State revenue was down in the early part of fiscal 2024 but ended up with modest growth, Deaton noted.

State Rep. Peter Merideth of St. Louis, the ranking Democrat on the Budget Committee, said future legislatures should commit to meeting state needs instead of hanging on to surpluses. Merideth is not returning to the House due to term limits.

Any spending cuts tied to the flow of revenue, rather than to the state’s total available resources, will fall heavily on education programs, Merideth predicted.

“We will cut education further,” he said. “Maybe it’s on the transportation line, or maybe it’s somewhere else, and we will cut higher education because those are about the only two slightly discretionary places that the legislature has to cut with large sums of money.”

On June 30, the general revenue fund held $4.8 billion, down $960 million from the balance a year earlier. That is still the third-highest year-end balance in state history.

Some of that money is committed to multi-year building projects, such as a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/05/missouri-lawmakers-approve-largest-budget-in-state-history-almost-51-billion/">$300 million mental health hospital</a>&nbsp;in Kansas City, but most of it is unencumbered.

Other surplus money was stashed elsewhere. The state is holding $2.4 billion transferred from general revenue for major projects including rebuilding Interstate 70 and expanding the state Capitol Building.&nbsp;

Another $1.8 billion was held in accounts that can be spent like general revenue.

The question for lawmakers and state officials is how to spend from surplus funds without exhausting them, said Liz Farmer, a fiscal policy writer at Pew.

“States are spending down balance dollars at a rapid rate,” Farmer said.&nbsp;

The budget presented by Parson in January anticipated an unencumbered general revenue balance of $1.9 billion on June 30, 2025.&nbsp;

Along with major projects, in the past two years lawmakers have used the surplus to fund smaller items in their districts. Parson has vetoed many of those items as he cut&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/06/30/despite-8-billion-surplus-missouri-governor-vetoes-550-million-in-state-spending/">$550 million from the budget</a>&nbsp;in 2023 and $1 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/28/missouri-governor-slashes-1-billion-from-state-budget-approved-by-lawmakers/">approved this year</a>.&nbsp;

Future lawmakers need to resist the urge to earmark funds for their district, Merideth said. Stagnant or declining state revenue should mean extra funds are reserved for filling shortfalls in important programs.

“We have a surplus to work with in the short term but we haven’t hit an economic crash, which at some point will happen in the future,” Merideth said. “That’s when we’re going to be in real trouble.”

During the recession that began in 2008, revenues fell from about $8 billion annual to $6.7 billion a few years later. Haug, who has worked for both the legislature and the executive branch, said the state is in good shape in case of a recession.

“We’ve got a very healthy fund balance to help us get through a minor downturn, if there is one, although I’m not sure that there even will be one,” Haug said. “We’re in a lot better spot to weather this kind of stuff than we’ve been probably in any of the time I’ve been here.”

There are structural changes in the cost of state government that are permanent, thanks to the surge of revenue.&nbsp;

The pay of every state worker hired before the beginning of 2022 has increased at least 20.7% under pay raise plans proposed by Parson. Some workers have received much larger percentage boosts, from a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/24/gov-mike-parson-proposes-record-52-7-billion-missouri-state-budget/">longevity pay plan</a>&nbsp;approved this year,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-state-employee-pay-raise-heads-to-governors-desk/">increases in night pay</a>&nbsp;for workers in prisons, mental health hospitals and other custodial institutions and approval of a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/12/06/missouri-gov-parson-proposes-15-minimum-pay-for-state-employees/">minimum salary of $15</a>&nbsp;an hour for all state jobs.

With state agency staff vacancy rates averaging more than 10%, the cost of running the state will go up as workers are added.

“Increased state employee pay and salaries, as well as permanent tax cuts, were two very popular policy choices that were made across states and were made in Missouri,” Fall said. “But now that we’re seeing all this excess revenue kind of pull back, and states are seeing decreased flexibility, it’s unclear what comes next.”

Missouri has passed two large permanent tax cuts, with income tax rate cuts enacted in a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/29/legislature-sends-764-million-income-tax-cut-to-missouri-governor/">special session in 2022</a>, and a bill&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/bill-exempting-social-security-from-missouri-income-tax-heading-to-governor/">exempting Social Security</a>&nbsp;benefits from state income tax in 2023.

Together, that legislation will reduce state revenue by $1 billion or more annually. The next step in the phased-in tax cut passed in 2022 will take effect on Jan. 1, cutting the top income tax rate to 4.7%.

Those cuts will generate economic activity that will sustain revenues, Deaton said.

“Missouri has made very clear through our tax policy we are more interested in growing the bank accounts of the people as opposed to growing the amount of monies coming to Jefferson City,” he said.

With a new governor coming into office in January and new legislative leadership, tapping the surplus could be a temptation.

“Whoever is sitting in that governor’s mansion and whoever is sitting in the budget committee chair will make a significant difference and it’s hard to predict,” Merideth said.

In the last full fiscal year before the pandemic, the Missouri general revenue fund took in $9.6 billion. In the fiscal year that ended June 30, the total was $13.4 billion, 1.47% more than in the previous year.

Two of the main sources of state revenue — personal and corporate income taxes — saw a decline in collections in fiscal 2024. So far this year, the decline in revenue received so far has extended to sales tax collections.

The surge in revenue coincided with the highest inflation rates in 40 years and sales tax growth led the way, thanks to consumers spending federal pandemic relief aid along with higher wages and prices.

There is no evidence in the Missouri economy that would show the current decline in sales tax collections is anything but temporary, Haug said.

“People may be pulling back a little bit temporarily to pay off debt and things like that, but eventually the fundamentals are what’s going to drive it,” Haug said.&nbsp;

Missouri added&nbsp;<a href="https://meric.mo.gov/missouri-monthly-jobs-report" target="_blank">62,400 jobs</a>&nbsp;from July 2023 to July 2024 and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bea.gov/news/2024/gross-domestic-product-state-and-personal-income-state-1st-quarter-2024" target="_blank">personal income</a>&nbsp;grew at an annual rate of 6.7% in the first quarter of the year. State GDP is up 1.6% on an annual basis and inflation,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/09/11/nx-s1-5108607/inflation-consumer-prices-economy-interest-rates" target="_blank">while slowing</a>, continues, with prices nationally about 2.5% higher than a year ago.

“Long term, that’s what’s going to drive our revenues, and I think that’s still what’s going to drive our revenues,” Haug said.

With the end of pandemic restrictions, consumers are spending more on non-taxed services and travel, Farmer said, as well as substituting cheaper goods when they make purchases.

Missouri estimates its revenue each December for the remainder of the fiscal year and the coming year. A longer horizon for budget outlooks would make the state better prepared for possible trouble, she said.

“That is one of our key benchmarks for state fiscal health, and something that could be really helpful for assessing what these impacts on personal income tax and those cuts look like for the state down the line for revenue,” she said.

A longer-term outlook may be helpful, Deaton said, but experience shows that the short-term estimates aren’t particularly accurate.

“There have been times they were very close and other years when estimates missed badly,” Deaton said. “The further you extend out, the greater the margin of error.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726575308777.png" alt=" House Budget Chair Cody Smith, R-Carthage, summarizes his budget proposal to reporters in March. State revenues fell in the first portion of the fiscal year, raising concerns about future tax receipts. (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> House Budget Chair Cody Smith, R-Carthage, summarizes his budget proposal to reporters in March. State revenues fell in the first portion of the fiscal year, raising concerns about future tax receipts. (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>A new report from Pew Charitable Trusts shows revenue growth in most states is below inflation after two years of abundant tax receipts</h2>By RUDI KELLER&nbsp; <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri’s general revenue has lagged behind inflation for two years in a row. And with that gap widening, the next few months could determine whether state revenue will see a year-over-year decline for the first time in more than a decade.&nbsp;“September is a good sort of bellwether one for us, because that’s where we get quarterly payments from both individuals and corporations,” Dan Haug, Gov. Mike Parson’s budget director, said in an interview with The Independent last week. “There’s not a lot of significant due dates in July and August, so we try not to even really look at what trends are until we get through the end of September.”Through Friday, general revenue receipts are down more than 3% compared to the same period in fiscal 2024.Revenue grew 2.74% in fiscal 2023, while inflation was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2023/consumer-prices-up-3-0-percent-over-the-year-ended-june-2023.htm" target="_blank">calculated at 3%</a>&nbsp;by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fiscal 2024, which ended June 30, revenue grew 1.47%, while inflation was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2024/consumer-prices-up-3-0-percent-from-june-2023-to-june-2024.htm#:~:text=The%20Consumer%20Price%20Index%20for,on%20a%2012%2Dmonth%20basis." target="_blank">again pegged at 3%</a>.Missouri isn’t the only state suffering from sluggish revenue growth, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2024/08/how-a-pandemic-era-surge-in-tax-collections-drove-a-revenue-wave" target="_blank">recent report</a>&nbsp;from Pew Charitable Trusts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many states — including Missouri — enjoyed a surge of revenue that drove new spending and tax cuts.Missouri enjoyed double-digit revenue growth for two years, a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/12/06/economic-slowdown-tax-cuts-likely-to-limit-missouri-revenue-growth-officials-say/">trend that ended</a>&nbsp;in early 2023. Nationally since the start of fiscal 2023, the report states, state government revenues have fallen below inflation rates and below the growth trend seen before the pandemic. That is the first time in 40 years that has happened outside of an economic recession.“There’s less fiscal flexibility, but it’s unclear whether states will be really under strain or not, but it’s going to be more difficult than before,” said Alexandre Fall, a senior associate with Pew who was the main author of the report.As they wrote this year’s budget in the spring, the Republican-led legislature tried to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/27/state-budget-loaded-with-earmarks-nears-deadline-for-action-by-missouri-gov-mike-parson/">limit ongoing general revenue spending</a>&nbsp;to the anticipated revenue of $13.2 billion. But even after Gov. Mike Parson vetoed $1 billion, the budget anticipates spending $15.1 billion in general revenue, dipping into surpluses accumulated during the surge in 2021 and 2022.House Budget Committee Vice Chairman Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Noel, said lawmakers must continue to limit ongoing spending to new revenue.“If revenue is lower in the future we will have to look carefully at core spending items to make sure the state budget is on a sustainable path and Missouri is well positioned to balance the budget year after year,” Deaton said.State revenue was down in the early part of fiscal 2024 but ended up with modest growth, Deaton noted.State Rep. Peter Merideth of St. Louis, the ranking Democrat on the Budget Committee, said future legislatures should commit to meeting state needs instead of hanging on to surpluses. Merideth is not returning to the House due to term limits.Any spending cuts tied to the flow of revenue, rather than to the state’s total available resources, will fall heavily on education programs, Merideth predicted.“We will cut education further,” he said. “Maybe it’s on the transportation line, or maybe it’s somewhere else, and we will cut higher education because those are about the only two slightly discretionary places that the legislature has to cut with large sums of money.”<h2>Sitting on a surplus</h2>On June 30, the general revenue fund held $4.8 billion, down $960 million from the balance a year earlier. That is still the third-highest year-end balance in state history.Some of that money is committed to multi-year building projects, such as a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/05/missouri-lawmakers-approve-largest-budget-in-state-history-almost-51-billion/">$300 million mental health hospital</a>&nbsp;in Kansas City, but most of it is unencumbered.Other surplus money was stashed elsewhere. The state is holding $2.4 billion transferred from general revenue for major projects including rebuilding Interstate 70 and expanding the state Capitol Building.&nbsp;Another $1.8 billion was held in accounts that can be spent like general revenue.The question for lawmakers and state officials is how to spend from surplus funds without exhausting them, said Liz Farmer, a fiscal policy writer at Pew.“States are spending down balance dollars at a rapid rate,” Farmer said.&nbsp;The budget presented by Parson in January anticipated an unencumbered general revenue balance of $1.9 billion on June 30, 2025.&nbsp;Along with major projects, in the past two years lawmakers have used the surplus to fund smaller items in their districts. Parson has vetoed many of those items as he cut&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/06/30/despite-8-billion-surplus-missouri-governor-vetoes-550-million-in-state-spending/">$550 million from the budget</a>&nbsp;in 2023 and $1 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/28/missouri-governor-slashes-1-billion-from-state-budget-approved-by-lawmakers/">approved this year</a>.&nbsp;Future lawmakers need to resist the urge to earmark funds for their district, Merideth said. Stagnant or declining state revenue should mean extra funds are reserved for filling shortfalls in important programs.“We have a surplus to work with in the short term but we haven’t hit an economic crash, which at some point will happen in the future,” Merideth said. “That’s when we’re going to be in real trouble.”During the recession that began in 2008, revenues fell from about $8 billion annual to $6.7 billion a few years later. Haug, who has worked for both the legislature and the executive branch, said the state is in good shape in case of a recession.“We’ve got a very healthy fund balance to help us get through a minor downturn, if there is one, although I’m not sure that there even will be one,” Haug said. “We’re in a lot better spot to weather this kind of stuff than we’ve been probably in any of the time I’ve been here.”There are structural changes in the cost of state government that are permanent, thanks to the surge of revenue.&nbsp;The pay of every state worker hired before the beginning of 2022 has increased at least 20.7% under pay raise plans proposed by Parson. Some workers have received much larger percentage boosts, from a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/24/gov-mike-parson-proposes-record-52-7-billion-missouri-state-budget/">longevity pay plan</a>&nbsp;approved this year,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-state-employee-pay-raise-heads-to-governors-desk/">increases in night pay</a>&nbsp;for workers in prisons, mental health hospitals and other custodial institutions and approval of a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/12/06/missouri-gov-parson-proposes-15-minimum-pay-for-state-employees/">minimum salary of $15</a>&nbsp;an hour for all state jobs.With state agency staff vacancy rates averaging more than 10%, the cost of running the state will go up as workers are added.“Increased state employee pay and salaries, as well as permanent tax cuts, were two very popular policy choices that were made across states and were made in Missouri,” Fall said. “But now that we’re seeing all this excess revenue kind of pull back, and states are seeing decreased flexibility, it’s unclear what comes next.”Missouri has passed two large permanent tax cuts, with income tax rate cuts enacted in a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/29/legislature-sends-764-million-income-tax-cut-to-missouri-governor/">special session in 2022</a>, and a bill&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/bill-exempting-social-security-from-missouri-income-tax-heading-to-governor/">exempting Social Security</a>&nbsp;benefits from state income tax in 2023.Together, that legislation will reduce state revenue by $1 billion or more annually. The next step in the phased-in tax cut passed in 2022 will take effect on Jan. 1, cutting the top income tax rate to 4.7%.Those cuts will generate economic activity that will sustain revenues, Deaton said.“Missouri has made very clear through our tax policy we are more interested in growing the bank accounts of the people as opposed to growing the amount of monies coming to Jefferson City,” he said.With a new governor coming into office in January and new legislative leadership, tapping the surplus could be a temptation.“Whoever is sitting in that governor’s mansion and whoever is sitting in the budget committee chair will make a significant difference and it’s hard to predict,” Merideth said.<h2>Revenue picture</h2>In the last full fiscal year before the pandemic, the Missouri general revenue fund took in $9.6 billion. In the fiscal year that ended June 30, the total was $13.4 billion, 1.47% more than in the previous year.Two of the main sources of state revenue — personal and corporate income taxes — saw a decline in collections in fiscal 2024. So far this year, the decline in revenue received so far has extended to sales tax collections.The surge in revenue coincided with the highest inflation rates in 40 years and sales tax growth led the way, thanks to consumers spending federal pandemic relief aid along with higher wages and prices.There is no evidence in the Missouri economy that would show the current decline in sales tax collections is anything but temporary, Haug said.“People may be pulling back a little bit temporarily to pay off debt and things like that, but eventually the fundamentals are what’s going to drive it,” Haug said.&nbsp;Missouri added&nbsp;<a href="https://meric.mo.gov/missouri-monthly-jobs-report" target="_blank">62,400 jobs</a>&nbsp;from July 2023 to July 2024 and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bea.gov/news/2024/gross-domestic-product-state-and-personal-income-state-1st-quarter-2024" target="_blank">personal income</a>&nbsp;grew at an annual rate of 6.7% in the first quarter of the year. State GDP is up 1.6% on an annual basis and inflation,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/09/11/nx-s1-5108607/inflation-consumer-prices-economy-interest-rates" target="_blank">while slowing</a>, continues, with prices nationally about 2.5% higher than a year ago.“Long term, that’s what’s going to drive our revenues, and I think that’s still what’s going to drive our revenues,” Haug said.With the end of pandemic restrictions, consumers are spending more on non-taxed services and travel, Farmer said, as well as substituting cheaper goods when they make purchases.Missouri estimates its revenue each December for the remainder of the fiscal year and the coming year. A longer horizon for budget outlooks would make the state better prepared for possible trouble, she said.“That is one of our key benchmarks for state fiscal health, and something that could be really helpful for assessing what these impacts on personal income tax and those cuts look like for the state down the line for revenue,” she said.A longer-term outlook may be helpful, Deaton said, but experience shows that the short-term estimates aren’t particularly accurate.“There have been times they were very close and other years when estimates missed badly,” Deaton said. “The further you extend out, the greater the margin of error.”

Missouri tax revenues declining in first months of fiscal year, raising concerns

Two Missouri OB-GYNs said family planning has become increasingly anxiety-inducing for many patients, especially those with high-risk pregnancies, since abortion was outlawed in 2022

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>

Dr. Betsy Wickstrom says she’s still lacking clarity on what constitutes a medical emergency under Missouri’s abortion ban, despite the law having been in place for more than two years.&nbsp;

In Missouri, health care providers who perform abortions not deemed necessary emergencies can be charged with a class B felony, which means up to 15 years in prison. Their medical license can also be suspended or revoked.

So Wickstrom, a high-risk obstetrician in Kansas City more than three decades into her career, must first consult a team of lawyers.

“When we have something that looks like it’s skirting the line and there’s a flicker of a heartbeat, but someone is desperately ill, sure I can call up the attorney,” she told reporters Monday. “But they’re not going to put the hospital’s licensure on the line. They’re going to say ‘you know, good thing you live next to Kansas.’”

Dr. Jennifer Smith, an OB-GYN in St. Louis, agreed.&nbsp;

“I don’t think that many hospitals feel comfortable testing this law because the government hasn’t provided us any clarity on it,” Smith said.&nbsp;

Wickstrom and Smith are among more than 500 physicians and more than 300 other medical professionals who signed a letter in support of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/13/missouri-abortion-rights-campaign-doubles-fundraising-fairness-project/">Amendment 3.</a>&nbsp;If approved by a majority of Missourians on Nov. 5, the amendment would overturn Missouri’s near-total abortion ban and legalize the procedure up until the point of fetal viability.&nbsp;

Missouri became<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/24/2-year-anniversary-missouri-abortion-ban/">&nbsp;the first state to enact a trigger law banning abortion&nbsp;</a>except for cases of medical emergencies following the fall of Roe v. Wade in June 2022. There are no exceptions for survivors of rape or incest.

“As a result, Missourians are being denied abortions and forced to continue life-threatening pregnancies, risking their health and lives,” the medical professionals wrote in a letter through the Committee to Protect Health Care. “Doctors can’t treat patients with heartbreaking pregnancy complications until they are on the brink of death. Otherwise, they could be put in jail.”

The situation in Missouri leaves&nbsp;pregnant patients with few options, the group of physicians contend.

“It forces many to leave the state to receive care,” the letter continues, “while others are forced to carry a pregnancy against their will. No one should ever have their health deteriorate or need to flee to receive care, nor should anyone have to carry a pregnancy against their will.”

Between June 2022 and March 2024, 64 abortions were performed in Missouri under the state’s emergency exemption, according to data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

Wickstrom said she often has difficult conversations with women about growing their families — conversations made more difficult by the ban.&nbsp;

She has patients diagnosed with cancer who were advised not to start chemotherapy while pregnant. And she has patients with heart disease who might not survive another pregnancy.&nbsp;

“But can I do anything about that in Missouri?” Wickstrom said. “No. These are people that have to find their way out of the state to get life-saving care.”&nbsp;

Smith, who has been an OB-GYN in eastern Missouri for more than 20 years, said the questions she’s hearing from patients now are unlike any she’s heard in the past.&nbsp;

“People are very hesitant to start their families and expand their families in this environment,” she said.&nbsp;

In the past two years Smith said she’s had men ask her to promise to save their partner before their baby if something were to go wrong during a wanted pregnancy.&nbsp;

Patients planning their families face similar fears.

“Do you think that it’s safe to be pregnant here? What if I have an ectopic? What if I have a miscarriage?” Smith said she hears often from patients. “What if something’s wrong with the pregnancy? What if something’s wrong with me?”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726521462460.png" alt="Dr. Jennifer Smith, an OB-GYN in St. Louis, was among 800 Missouri medical professionals who signed a letter in support of Amendment 3, which would legalize abortion up to the point of fetal viability (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Dr. Jennifer Smith, an OB-GYN in St. Louis, was among 800 Missouri medical professionals who signed a letter in support of Amendment 3, which would legalize abortion up to the point of fetal viability (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Two Missouri OB-GYNs said family planning has become increasingly anxiety-inducing for many patients, especially those with high-risk pregnancies, since abortion was outlawed in 2022</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>Dr. Betsy Wickstrom says she’s still lacking clarity on what constitutes a medical emergency under Missouri’s abortion ban, despite the law having been in place for more than two years.&nbsp;In Missouri, health care providers who perform abortions not deemed necessary emergencies can be charged with a class B felony, which means up to 15 years in prison. Their medical license can also be suspended or revoked.So Wickstrom, a high-risk obstetrician in Kansas City more than three decades into her career, must first consult a team of lawyers.“When we have something that looks like it’s skirting the line and there’s a flicker of a heartbeat, but someone is desperately ill, sure I can call up the attorney,” she told reporters Monday. “But they’re not going to put the hospital’s licensure on the line. They’re going to say ‘you know, good thing you live next to Kansas.’”Dr. Jennifer Smith, an OB-GYN in St. Louis, agreed.&nbsp;“I don’t think that many hospitals feel comfortable testing this law because the government hasn’t provided us any clarity on it,” Smith said.&nbsp;Wickstrom and Smith are among more than 500 physicians and more than 300 other medical professionals who signed a letter in support of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/13/missouri-abortion-rights-campaign-doubles-fundraising-fairness-project/">Amendment 3.</a>&nbsp;If approved by a majority of Missourians on Nov. 5, the amendment would overturn Missouri’s near-total abortion ban and legalize the procedure up until the point of fetal viability.&nbsp;Missouri became<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/24/2-year-anniversary-missouri-abortion-ban/">&nbsp;the first state to enact a trigger law banning abortion&nbsp;</a>except for cases of medical emergencies following the fall of Roe v. Wade in June 2022. There are no exceptions for survivors of rape or incest.“As a result, Missourians are being denied abortions and forced to continue life-threatening pregnancies, risking their health and lives,” the medical professionals wrote in a letter through the Committee to Protect Health Care. “Doctors can’t treat patients with heartbreaking pregnancy complications until they are on the brink of death. Otherwise, they could be put in jail.”The situation in Missouri leaves&nbsp;pregnant patients with few options, the group of physicians contend.“It forces many to leave the state to receive care,” the letter continues, “while others are forced to carry a pregnancy against their will. No one should ever have their health deteriorate or need to flee to receive care, nor should anyone have to carry a pregnancy against their will.”Between June 2022 and March 2024, 64 abortions were performed in Missouri under the state’s emergency exemption, according to data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.Wickstrom said she often has difficult conversations with women about growing their families — conversations made more difficult by the ban.&nbsp;She has patients diagnosed with cancer who were advised not to start chemotherapy while pregnant. And she has patients with heart disease who might not survive another pregnancy.&nbsp;“But can I do anything about that in Missouri?” Wickstrom said. “No. These are people that have to find their way out of the state to get life-saving care.”&nbsp;Smith, who has been an OB-GYN in eastern Missouri for more than 20 years, said the questions she’s hearing from patients now are unlike any she’s heard in the past.&nbsp;“People are very hesitant to start their families and expand their families in this environment,” she said.&nbsp;In the past two years Smith said she’s had men ask her to promise to save their partner before their baby if something were to go wrong during a wanted pregnancy.&nbsp;Patients planning their families face similar fears.“Do you think that it’s safe to be pregnant here? What if I have an ectopic? What if I have a miscarriage?” Smith said she hears often from patients. “What if something’s wrong with the pregnancy? What if something’s wrong with me?”

More than 800 Mo. medical professionals sign letter in support of abortion amendment

TOPEKA—The FBI is investigating suspicious mail delivered to a state office building in Topeka. Just after 2:30 p.m. Monday, the Topeka Police Department’s&nbsp; bomb unit responded to a suspicious mail call at Memorial Hall 120 SW 10th Street in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols. 

It was reported that several pieces of mail had an unknown substance on them. The Topeka Fire Department’s Hazmat team responded in addition to an ambulance from American Medical Response and the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

A field test found no hazardous materials. Further testing will be conducted.

TOPEKA —Fire and law enforcement officials are investigating the contents of two suspicious packages at a state office building in Topeka.

Just after 2 p.m. Monday, crews from the Topeka Fire Department (TFD) responded to a reported suspicious package at the Memorial Building located at 120 SW 10th Avenue, according to Fire Department spokesperson Rosie Nichols

 It was reported that two pieces of mail contained unknown substances. the Topeka Fire Department’s Hazardous Materials team, one engine company, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and an American Medical Response ambulance responded. Crews located two packages with unknown substances in them. 

Several personnel in the Secretary of State and Attorney General’s offices were exposed and are being medically monitored.

TFD crews are currently on scene working to determine the substances. are.&nbsp;&nbsp;Since 2000, Memorial Hall has served as headquarters for the&nbsp;Kansas Attorney General&nbsp;and&nbsp;Kansas Secretary of State.

Check the Post for additional details as they are available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726521879166.png" alt="First responders on the scene Monday afternoon -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene Monday afternoon -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA—The FBI is investigating suspicious mail delivered to a state office building in Topeka. Just after 2:30 p.m. Monday, the Topeka Police Department’s&nbsp; bomb unit responded to a suspicious mail call at Memorial Hall 120 SW 10th Street in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols. It was reported that several pieces of mail had an unknown substance on them. The Topeka Fire Department’s Hazmat team responded in addition to an ambulance from American Medical Response and the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.A field test found no hazardous materials. Further testing will be conducted.-------------TOPEKA —Fire and law enforcement officials are investigating the contents of two suspicious packages at a state office building in Topeka.Just after 2 p.m. Monday, crews from the Topeka Fire Department (TFD) responded to a reported suspicious package at the Memorial Building located at 120 SW 10th Avenue, according to Fire Department spokesperson Rosie Nichols It was reported that two pieces of mail contained unknown substances. the Topeka Fire Department’s Hazardous Materials team, one engine company, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and an American Medical Response ambulance responded. Crews located two packages with unknown substances in them. Several personnel in the Secretary of State and Attorney General’s offices were exposed and are being medically monitored.TFD crews are currently on scene working to determine the substances. are.&nbsp;&nbsp;Since 2000, Memorial Hall has served as headquarters for the&nbsp;Kansas Attorney General&nbsp;and&nbsp;Kansas Secretary of State.Check the Post for additional details as they are available.

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