BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Five of the six southwest Kansas counties reporting measles cases have seen kindergarten vaccination rates drop, one showing a 24 percentage point dip over a four-year period.

Vaccination rates are one focus of many Kansas county health officers and medical experts as they work to educate against misinformation about vaccines in the hopes of staving off a growing measles outbreak. As of April 2, Kansas has 24 confirmed measles cases in Grant, Gray, Haskell, Kiowa, Morton and Stevens counties, with one case added in the last week.

For herd immunity to be achieved — the point where enough people are vaccinated that those who are unvaccinated will be protected — 95% of a population must be vaccinated against measles, according to the World Health Organization. The Kansas measles immunization rate of kindergarteners dropped from 94.47% in 2019 to 90.21% in 2023, Kansas Department of Health and Environment data shows.

Jennifer Bacani McKenney, a family physician and county health officer in Wilson County, said she saw vaccine hesitancy increase after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“COVID made it more OK for people to decline vaccines for themselves and for children,” she said.

The idea, though, that some counties are seeing kindergarten vaccination rates drop — such as Gray County, where the rate declined from 85% in 2019 to 61% in 2023 — is concerning, Bacani McKenney said.

“When we’re getting to those points when barely the majority are vaccinated, that’s when these diseases have a chance to come back,” she said. “We know vaccines work. Polio is still probably the No. 1 example. For the longest time, so was measles, and now we’re at the point where we can’t use measles as an example.

“We are very voluntarily not protecting ourselves against a very preventable illness,” Bacani McKenney said. “The people who are suffering are really not us adults. It’s going to be our children.”

Haskell County also hit a double-digit drop in vaccination rates, with 21% fewer kindergarteners being vaccinated over that same four-year period.

Vaccinations are required for school in Kansas unless there is a religious or medical exemption. KDHE and the Kansas State Department of Education track the percentage of kindergarteners who have vaccine exemptions, and those rates are increasing too — in Haskell County from 11% in 2019 to over 25% in 2023 and in Gray County jumping from about 2% to 11%.

In Barton County, where kindergarten immunization rates dropped by nearly 7 percentage points from 2019 to 2023, Karen Winkelman, a registered nurse and director of the Barton County Health Department said she is receiving numerous questions from parents about vaccine safety. She said her team made the decision to be proactive once they heard that measles cases were reappearing nationwide.

Winkelman stresses having productive, positive conversations.

“We need to take a positive approach on this and hold down that hysteria,” she said. “We know this disease. We know the vaccine. We have something available for protection.”

It isn’t like the COVID-19 pandemic, she said, where the vaccine information changed frequently. They are disseminating information carefully, using only reliable sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, KDHE, the American Academy of Family Physicians and others.

“We are going with factual information. The more we can educate and provide the factual, the better it is,” Winkelman said. “We’re never going to be able to control on social media or in normal conversations what is being said. We just have to really focus on those organizations that are reliable and accurate.”

The Barton County Health Department is holding an immunization clinic from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, outside of their regular business hours, to make sure staff is available to answer questions and offer vaccinations, Winkelman said.

“We’re not going to force anyone to get the vaccine,” she said. “I just want to have all of those things available to the public for them to make an educated decision. It might be a conversation with their primary care also.”

Stevens County, which was the first Kansas county to report a measles case on March 13, currently has had six measles cases. Cammie Heaton, administrator for the county’s health department, is taking the same approach as Barton County — educate and be available to answer questions.

“We’re actually, knock on wood, sitting better now than we were three weeks ago. We are hopeful that we aren’t going to have any more,” she said. “We’re still monitoring some susceptible individuals.”

Like Barton County, her staff have offered walk-in clinics for measles vaccinations or boosters. Stevens County, according to KDHE data, has seen its vaccination rate among kindergarteners drop by 14 percentage points, from 87% in 2019 to 73% in 2023.

All measles cases in Stevens County were in unvaccinated individuals, Heaton said.

Dana Hawkinson, an internal medicine and infectious disease physician, spoke about the measles outbreak at a recent University of Kansas Health System news briefing.

“I think people should be concerned, particularly if they’re in communities that have decreased vaccination rates,” he said. “Measles is probably the most infectious viral disease that we know of. It is spread through airborne means, so people will express it into the air when they cough or breathe. Measles can linger in the air in a room for two hours.”

Combatting misinformation about the disease is critical, Hawkinson said, pointing to social media algorithms that can play into the information people receive online. But there are other factors, as well.

“We know misinformation is significant but we can’t be myopic in thinking that is the only thing we need to understand,” he said. “There are other factors in play as well.”

Those include people seeking less medical care after the pandemic, states offering increased options for vaccine exemptions, significant mistrust of science and public health medicine, as well as mistrust of physicians, Hawkinson said.

“All of these things are playing a role now to increase the risk of an individual and a community against things like this which were otherwise vaccine preventable,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743085628490.png" alt="Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Five of the six southwest Kansas counties reporting measles cases have seen kindergarten vaccination rates drop, one showing a 24 percentage point dip over a four-year period.Vaccination rates are one focus of many Kansas county health officers and medical experts as they work to educate against misinformation about vaccines in the hopes of staving off a growing measles outbreak. As of April 2, Kansas has 24 confirmed measles cases in Grant, Gray, Haskell, Kiowa, Morton and Stevens counties, with one case added in the last week.For herd immunity to be achieved — the point where enough people are vaccinated that those who are unvaccinated will be protected — 95% of a population must be vaccinated against measles, according to the World Health Organization. The Kansas measles immunization rate of kindergarteners dropped from 94.47% in 2019 to 90.21% in 2023, Kansas Department of Health and Environment data shows.Jennifer Bacani McKenney, a family physician and county health officer in Wilson County, said she saw vaccine hesitancy increase after the COVID-19 pandemic.“COVID made it more OK for people to decline vaccines for themselves and for children,” she said.The idea, though, that some counties are seeing kindergarten vaccination rates drop — such as Gray County, where the rate declined from 85% in 2019 to 61% in 2023 — is concerning, Bacani McKenney said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743693382314.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“When we’re getting to those points when barely the majority are vaccinated, that’s when these diseases have a chance to come back,” she said. “We know vaccines work. Polio is still probably the No. 1 example. For the longest time, so was measles, and now we’re at the point where we can’t use measles as an example.“We are very voluntarily not protecting ourselves against a very preventable illness,” Bacani McKenney said. “The people who are suffering are really not us adults. It’s going to be our children.”Haskell County also hit a double-digit drop in vaccination rates, with 21% fewer kindergarteners being vaccinated over that same four-year period.Vaccinations are required for school in Kansas unless there is a religious or medical exemption. KDHE and the Kansas State Department of Education track the percentage of kindergarteners who have vaccine exemptions, and those rates are increasing too — in Haskell County from 11% in 2019 to over 25% in 2023 and in Gray County jumping from about 2% to 11%.In Barton County, where kindergarten immunization rates dropped by nearly 7 percentage points from 2019 to 2023, Karen Winkelman, a registered nurse and director of the Barton County Health Department said she is receiving numerous questions from parents about vaccine safety. She said her team made the decision to be proactive once they heard that measles cases were reappearing nationwide.Winkelman stresses having productive, positive conversations.“We need to take a positive approach on this and hold down that hysteria,” she said. “We know this disease. We know the vaccine. We have something available for protection.”It isn’t like the COVID-19 pandemic, she said, where the vaccine information changed frequently. They are disseminating information carefully, using only reliable sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, KDHE, the American Academy of Family Physicians and others.“We are going with factual information. The more we can educate and provide the factual, the better it is,” Winkelman said. “We’re never going to be able to control on social media or in normal conversations what is being said. We just have to really focus on those organizations that are reliable and accurate.”The Barton County Health Department is holding an immunization clinic from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, outside of their regular business hours, to make sure staff is available to answer questions and offer vaccinations, Winkelman said.“We’re not going to force anyone to get the vaccine,” she said. “I just want to have all of those things available to the public for them to make an educated decision. It might be a conversation with their primary care also.”Stevens County, which was the first Kansas county to report a measles case on March 13, currently has had six measles cases. Cammie Heaton, administrator for the county’s health department, is taking the same approach as Barton County — educate and be available to answer questions.“We’re actually, knock on wood, sitting better now than we were three weeks ago. We are hopeful that we aren’t going to have any more,” she said. “We’re still monitoring some susceptible individuals.”Like Barton County, her staff have offered walk-in clinics for measles vaccinations or boosters. Stevens County, according to KDHE data, has seen its vaccination rate among kindergarteners drop by 14 percentage points, from 87% in 2019 to 73% in 2023.All measles cases in Stevens County were in unvaccinated individuals, Heaton said.Dana Hawkinson, an internal medicine and infectious disease physician, spoke about the measles outbreak at a recent University of Kansas Health System news briefing.“I think people should be concerned, particularly if they’re in communities that have decreased vaccination rates,” he said. “Measles is probably the most infectious viral disease that we know of. It is spread through airborne means, so people will express it into the air when they cough or breathe. Measles can linger in the air in a room for two hours.”Combatting misinformation about the disease is critical, Hawkinson said, pointing to social media algorithms that can play into the information people receive online. But there are other factors, as well.“We know misinformation is significant but we can’t be myopic in thinking that is the only thing we need to understand,” he said. “There are other factors in play as well.”Those include people seeking less medical care after the pandemic, states offering increased options for vaccine exemptions, significant mistrust of science and public health medicine, as well as mistrust of physicians, Hawkinson said.“All of these things are playing a role now to increase the risk of an individual and a community against things like this which were otherwise vaccine preventable,” he said.

Vaccination rates down in most Kansas counties where measles cases reported

Trivia and pizza
will be featured during a fundraiser tonight for the Patee House and
Jesse James Home, featuring a local celebrity.

JoeTown 107.5’s
Gregg Lynn will host the trivia night at Geno’s Pizza in downtown St. Joseph.

It takes 10 bucks
to enter the trivia contest. Additional donations are welcome.

The trivia night
at Geno’s begins at six o’clock. Guests are encouraged to arrive early and grab
a slice of pizza before the games begin.

Click <a href="http://www.ponyexpressjessejames.com/">HERE</a> for
more information on the museums along with information on how to donate and
volunteer.

All proceeds from
the event go directly toward the preservation and upkeep of the Patee House and
Jesse James Home.

Geno’s Pizza &amp;
Pub is located at 809 Francis Street in St Joseph.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743698577566.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostTrivia and pizza
will be featured during a fundraiser tonight for the Patee House and
Jesse James Home, featuring a local celebrity.JoeTown 107.5’s
Gregg Lynn will host the trivia night at Geno’s Pizza in downtown St. Joseph.It takes 10 bucks
to enter the trivia contest. Additional donations are welcome.The trivia night
at Geno’s begins at six o’clock. Guests are encouraged to arrive early and grab
a slice of pizza before the games begin.Click <a href="http://www.ponyexpressjessejames.com/">HERE</a> for
more information on the museums along with information on how to donate and
volunteer.All proceeds from
the event go directly toward the preservation and upkeep of the Patee House and
Jesse James Home.Geno’s Pizza &amp;
Pub is located at 809 Francis Street in St Joseph.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Trivia contest tonight to raise money for Patee House - Jesse James museums

Northwest Missouri
State University will honor the late Dean Hubbard Friday morning with a celebration
of his life.

Hubbard died March
23rd at the age of 85.

Hubbard was
Northwest’s longest-serving president, leading the university from 1984 to
2009.

A celebration of
Hubbard’s life will begin at 10:30 Friday morning the 4th in the
Mary Linn Auditorium at the Ron Huston Center for Performing Arts on the Maryville
campus. Doors open at 9:30am. A slideshow begins at 10. The celebration is open
to the public.

A private family
luncheon is planned prior to a bell ringing ceremony at 1:30pm at the Bell of ’48.
The campus landmark, donated by the class of 1948 and located south of the
Administration Building, is rung to herald Northwest celebrations and to honor
the passing of students, faculty and staff.

In lieu of
flowers, the Hubbard family requests contributions to the Dean and Aleta
Hubbard Scholarship at Northwest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742850179738.jpeg" alt="Dean L. Hubbard/ Photo courtesy of Northwest Missouri State University" />
 <figcaption>Dean L. Hubbard/ Photo courtesy of Northwest Missouri State University</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostNorthwest Missouri
State University will honor the late Dean Hubbard Friday morning with a celebration
of his life.Hubbard died March
23rd at the age of 85.Hubbard was
Northwest’s longest-serving president, leading the university from 1984 to
2009.A celebration of
Hubbard’s life will begin at 10:30 Friday morning the 4th in the
Mary Linn Auditorium at the Ron Huston Center for Performing Arts on the Maryville
campus. Doors open at 9:30am. A slideshow begins at 10. The celebration is open
to the public.A private family
luncheon is planned prior to a bell ringing ceremony at 1:30pm at the Bell of ’48.
The campus landmark, donated by the class of 1948 and located south of the
Administration Building, is rung to herald Northwest celebrations and to honor
the passing of students, faculty and staff.In lieu of
flowers, the Hubbard family requests contributions to the Dean and Aleta
Hubbard Scholarship at Northwest.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Northwest Missouri State to honor President Hubbard Friday

(Radio Iowa) - A Senate committee has overhauled a wide-ranging bill that key House members said would -- in their words -- "clean up the mess" the Iowa Utilities Commission created by granting a pipeline permit to Summit Carbon Solutions. 

Republican Senator Mike Bousselot of Ankeny has proposed a 34-page alternative and it got support from the other Republicans on the Senate Commerce Committee. Bousselot says over the past few years, House legislation sought to protect certain classes of landowners or was simply intended to attack a particular project. 

The bill is now eligible for debate in the full Senate, which has never considered any pipeline-related bill since Summit's project was first proposed in 2022. This year's original House bill would have set a 25 year limit on the operation of a carbon pipeline. That limitation is not in Bousselot's alternative.

(Radio Iowa) - A Senate committee has overhauled a wide-ranging bill that key House members said would -- in their words -- "clean up the mess" the Iowa Utilities Commission created by granting a pipeline permit to Summit Carbon Solutions. Republican Senator Mike Bousselot of Ankeny has proposed a 34-page alternative and it got support from the other Republicans on the Senate Commerce Committee. Bousselot says over the past few years, House legislation sought to protect certain classes of landowners or was simply intended to attack a particular project. The bill is now eligible for debate in the full Senate, which has never considered any pipeline-related bill since Summit's project was first proposed in 2022. This year's original House bill would have set a 25 year limit on the operation of a carbon pipeline. That limitation is not in Bousselot's alternative.

Iowa Senate may debate a pipeline-related bill

WASHINGTON –&nbsp;Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, chairman of the Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation on Wednesday questioned Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg about the steps the company is taking to ensure public safety on their aircrafts and what the future of Boeing looks like in Kansas.

“Boeing is in the process of acquiring Spirit AeroSystems - the largest private employer in Kansas, employing about 12,000 people,”&nbsp;continued Sen. Moran. “We have hundreds of small businesses who do work for Boeing and work with Spirit. It’s not just one company, it’s a whole system by which Kansas aerospace and aviation – the Air Capital of the World – operates.”

“It was indicated to me that without the acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems the new generation of any aircraft developed by Boeing would not involve work in Wichita or work in Kansas,”&nbsp;continued Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“With the acquisition, the statement was made, that the work could more likely occur in Kansas. You are going to build a new aircraft someday, what’s the plan for where that work will take place?”

Mr. Ortberg discussed future plans for aviation development and assured Sen. Moran of Boeing’s commitment to keep jobs in Kansas.

“Let me just assure you that Spirit AeroSystems and the work we do in Kansas is critically important,”&nbsp;said Mr. Ortberg.&nbsp;“We are spending a significant amount of our capital to acquire that company, and we are not going to do that and move work out of Kansas. The work that we are doing there is going to stay there. In fact, I am very hopeful that once we get the acquisition closed, we will find opportunities to do even more work.”

WASHINGTON –&nbsp;Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, chairman of the Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation on Wednesday questioned Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg about the steps the company is taking to ensure public safety on their aircrafts and what the future of Boeing looks like in Kansas.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NyaKq-lucBw?si=IZRYaxf9yLhAH6wG" 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>“Boeing is in the process of acquiring Spirit AeroSystems - the largest private employer in Kansas, employing about 12,000 people,”&nbsp;continued Sen. Moran. “We have hundreds of small businesses who do work for Boeing and work with Spirit. It’s not just one company, it’s a whole system by which Kansas aerospace and aviation – the Air Capital of the World – operates.”“It was indicated to me that without the acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems the new generation of any aircraft developed by Boeing would not involve work in Wichita or work in Kansas,”&nbsp;continued Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“With the acquisition, the statement was made, that the work could more likely occur in Kansas. You are going to build a new aircraft someday, what’s the plan for where that work will take place?”Mr. Ortberg discussed future plans for aviation development and assured Sen. Moran of Boeing’s commitment to keep jobs in Kansas.“Let me just assure you that Spirit AeroSystems and the work we do in Kansas is critically important,”&nbsp;said Mr. Ortberg.&nbsp;“We are spending a significant amount of our capital to acquire that company, and we are not going to do that and move work out of Kansas. The work that we are doing there is going to stay there. In fact, I am very hopeful that once we get the acquisition closed, we will find opportunities to do even more work.”

🎥Moran questions Boeing CEO on future of Kan. aviation manufacturing

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shanelagesse/">SHANE LAGESSE</a>

The Missouri House on Monday advanced legislation that would reinstate state-run presidential preference primaries and extend the no-excuse absentee voting period from two to six weeks.

Supporters of&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB126&amp;year=2025&amp;code=R" target="_blank">House Bill 126</a>&nbsp;cited a widespread positive response to the recently enacted no-excuse voting period as a motivating factor. They also noted negative feedback on the 2024 party-run caucuses, which replaced the state-run primaries after they were eliminated as part of a law passed in 2022.

The no-excuse absentee voting period has been in effect since August 2022 and allows voters to cast their ballot in elections in person or by mail starting two weeks before Election Day.

Supporters of the bill said they hoped that extending the no-excuse voting period would further alleviate stress on election workers and encourage voters to cast their ballot.

The state of Missouri ran March presidential primaries from 2000 until 2020. A 2022 law signed by former Gov. Mike Parson eliminated them. In 2024, the Republican Party held in-person caucuses in Missouri to select their delegates, while Democrats opted for a hybrid caucus with in-person voting and a mail-in ballot.

Low participation in these caucuses, alongside vocal blowback from residents who preferred the state-run primaries, were cited as motivators for reinstating the primaries.

“I believe it’s a lot simpler for our residents of our state going to cast a ballot like they do it in every other way for their preference for the presidential primary,” said state Rep. Brad Banderman, a Republican St. Clair.

Under the bill primaries would be held on the first Tuesday of March during presidential election years. The estimated cost to the state for conducting the primaries is $8 million.

The bill’s supporters also noted that unlike previous years, where the primary results have not been binding to party delegates, both political parties have agreed to adhere to the results for the first ballot at their respective party conventions.

The House needs to approve the legislation one more time before it heads to the Senate.

This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/house-backs-return-to-presidential-primary/article_446ef326-a816-4f23-9049-c2e60bd38f92.html" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730402566267.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shanelagesse/">SHANE LAGESSE</a>The Missouri House on Monday advanced legislation that would reinstate state-run presidential preference primaries and extend the no-excuse absentee voting period from two to six weeks.Supporters of&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB126&amp;year=2025&amp;code=R" target="_blank">House Bill 126</a>&nbsp;cited a widespread positive response to the recently enacted no-excuse voting period as a motivating factor. They also noted negative feedback on the 2024 party-run caucuses, which replaced the state-run primaries after they were eliminated as part of a law passed in 2022.The no-excuse absentee voting period has been in effect since August 2022 and allows voters to cast their ballot in elections in person or by mail starting two weeks before Election Day.Supporters of the bill said they hoped that extending the no-excuse voting period would further alleviate stress on election workers and encourage voters to cast their ballot.The state of Missouri ran March presidential primaries from 2000 until 2020. A 2022 law signed by former Gov. Mike Parson eliminated them. In 2024, the Republican Party held in-person caucuses in Missouri to select their delegates, while Democrats opted for a hybrid caucus with in-person voting and a mail-in ballot.Low participation in these caucuses, alongside vocal blowback from residents who preferred the state-run primaries, were cited as motivators for reinstating the primaries.“I believe it’s a lot simpler for our residents of our state going to cast a ballot like they do it in every other way for their preference for the presidential primary,” said state Rep. Brad Banderman, a Republican St. Clair.Under the bill primaries would be held on the first Tuesday of March during presidential election years. The estimated cost to the state for conducting the primaries is $8 million.The bill’s supporters also noted that unlike previous years, where the primary results have not been binding to party delegates, both political parties have agreed to adhere to the results for the first ballot at their respective party conventions.The House needs to approve the legislation one more time before it heads to the Senate.This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/house-backs-return-to-presidential-primary/article_446ef326-a816-4f23-9049-c2e60bd38f92.html" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

Missouri House backs return to presidential primary

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743626000304.png" alt="President Trump announced global tariffs of 10-49 percent-image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>President Trump announced global tariffs of 10-49 percent-image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Foreign nations will finally be asked to pay for the privilege of access to our market — the biggest market in the world.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/GPbf7oITnX">pic.twitter.com/GPbf7oITnX</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1907532847704924329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;With today&#39;s actions, we&#39;re also standing up for our great farmers and ranchers who are brutalized by nations all over the world. Canada imposes a 250-300% tariff on many of our dairy products... Australia bans American beef. Yet, we imported $3B of Australian beef just… <a href="https://t.co/6xG6b4IKFw">pic.twitter.com/6xG6b4IKFw</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1907531382555029592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;From 1789-1913, we were a tariff-backed nation, and the United States was proportionally the wealthiest it has ever been -- Then in 1913, for reasons unknown to mankind, they established the income tax -- We are going to start being smart and we are going to start being… <a href="https://t.co/Si7gD5KKHm">pic.twitter.com/Si7gD5KKHm</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1907531004765679680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: The United States can no longer produce enough antibiotics to treat our sick. We import virtually all of our computers, phones, televisions, and electronics. A single shipyard in China now produces more ships in one year than all the American shipyards combined. Chronic… <a href="https://t.co/CVR7VhBaYY">pic.twitter.com/CVR7VhBaYY</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1907532241925722350?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
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See the full list of Trump’s just announced reciprocal tariffs

(Radio Iowa) - The federal Institute of Museum and Library Services placed all 70 members of its staff on administrative leave and leaders of Iowa organizations fear how it will affect their funding.

 The agency allotted the State Library of Iowa more than ten-million dollars in the past five years for various projects, while the Dubuque Museum of Art was awarded nearly 75-thousand dollars last year to hire and train staff and facilitate school visits. Because the money is reimbursed, executive director Gary Stoppelman says they may now be stuck with the bill. Stoppelman says the museum relies on the agency for a significant portion of its annual funding, adding, it literally provides jobs and educational experiences. 

President Trump issued an executive order last month to dismantle seven federal agencies, including the I-M-L-S.

(Radio Iowa) - The federal Institute of Museum and Library Services placed all 70 members of its staff on administrative leave and leaders of Iowa organizations fear how it will affect their funding. The agency allotted the State Library of Iowa more than ten-million dollars in the past five years for various projects, while the Dubuque Museum of Art was awarded nearly 75-thousand dollars last year to hire and train staff and facilitate school visits. Because the money is reimbursed, executive director Gary Stoppelman says they may now be stuck with the bill. Stoppelman says the museum relies on the agency for a significant portion of its annual funding, adding, it literally provides jobs and educational experiences. President Trump issued an executive order last month to dismantle seven federal agencies, including the I-M-L-S.

Iowa libraries, museums feel the impact of federal budget cuts

(Radio Iowa) - Governor Kim Reynolds has signed the bill that will make it illegal to handle a smart phone while driving, starting July 1st. 

Reynolds was surrounded by dozens of people for the bill signing ceremony, including the families of Iowans who have died in accidents caused by distracted drivers. Roland Taylor of Terril was killed by a distracted driver on April 2nd -- of 2023 -- and his daughter says the law is important because it will save lives and provide justice for those who've been killed or injured by a distracted driver. 

The father of a woman who was killed near Charles City by a distracted driver says it's been frustrating that it took lawmakers so long to pass this law -- and when he and his wife learned the Iowa House had finally passed it, they cried.

(Radio Iowa) - Governor Kim Reynolds has signed the bill that will make it illegal to handle a smart phone while driving, starting July 1st. Reynolds was surrounded by dozens of people for the bill signing ceremony, including the families of Iowans who have died in accidents caused by distracted drivers. Roland Taylor of Terril was killed by a distracted driver on April 2nd -- of 2023 -- and his daughter says the law is important because it will save lives and provide justice for those who've been killed or injured by a distracted driver. The father of a woman who was killed near Charles City by a distracted driver says it's been frustrating that it took lawmakers so long to pass this law -- and when he and his wife learned the Iowa House had finally passed it, they cried.

Iowa joins 30 states to ban handling a cell phone while driving

The U.S. Trade Representative recently held hearings on a proposal to impose million-dollar port call fees on Chinese vessels. The U.S. Meat Export Federation joined more than 300 other organizations in saying the fees would hurt U.S. exports. USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom supports the intent of the proposal to incentivize U.S. shipbuilding. “The reality is it’s not feasible right now,” Halstrom said. “It’s going to take some time to become viable, and we don’t want to have our exporters get penalized by other countries while we wait for this to happen.” 

Shippers have already indicated they would reduce port calls, including a key port for the red meat industry. “The Port of Oakland represents about 40 percent of our waterborne exports on the beef side,” Halstrom added. “We’ve had some companies publicly say that Oakland would be a candidate to stop service to, if this current policy were installed.”

By NATHAN STUEDLESt. Joseph PostThe U.S. Trade Representative recently held hearings on a proposal to impose million-dollar port call fees on Chinese vessels. The U.S. Meat Export Federation joined more than 300 other organizations in saying the fees would hurt U.S. exports. USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom supports the intent of the proposal to incentivize U.S. shipbuilding. “The reality is it’s not feasible right now,” Halstrom said. “It’s going to take some time to become viable, and we don’t want to have our exporters get penalized by other countries while we wait for this to happen.” Shippers have already indicated they would reduce port calls, including a key port for the red meat industry. “The Port of Oakland represents about 40 percent of our waterborne exports on the beef side,” Halstrom added. “We’ve had some companies publicly say that Oakland would be a candidate to stop service to, if this current policy were installed.”

USMEF says shipbuilding idea not feasible

Improved economic conditions in many regions, together with ongoing high prices for other proteins, make poultry an attractive option for worldwide consumers. Rabobank says global consumption growth is predicted to reach 2.5 to three percent this year. This marks the second year of above-average market growth, which led to significant improvements in margin performance. However, dealing with avian influenza remains a significant challenge for the U.S. poultry industry and one of its biggest concerns. 

Additionally, the supply of parent stock remains tight, and hatching egg prices are still high, restricting growth. Aside from the ongoing flu risk, rising geopolitical tensions and competition pose the biggest challenges for global trade. The geopolitical tension includes U.S. tariffs on imports and retaliatory tariffs on U.S. poultry from affected regions, which could lead to a trade war and shifting global trade flows. 

Improved economic conditions in many regions, together with ongoing high prices for other proteins, make poultry an attractive option for worldwide consumers. Rabobank says global consumption growth is predicted to reach 2.5 to three percent this year. This marks the second year of above-average market growth, which led to significant improvements in margin performance. However, dealing with avian influenza remains a significant challenge for the U.S. poultry industry and one of its biggest concerns. Additionally, the supply of parent stock remains tight, and hatching egg prices are still high, restricting growth. Aside from the ongoing flu risk, rising geopolitical tensions and competition pose the biggest challenges for global trade. The geopolitical tension includes U.S. tariffs on imports and retaliatory tariffs on U.S. poultry from affected regions, which could lead to a trade war and shifting global trade flows. -NAFB

Poultry markets strong but face headwinds

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/kelcie-moseley-morris/">KELCIE MOSELEY-MORRIS</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

More than 1 million people seeking care such as contraception or testing for sexually transmitted diseases and cancer could be affected by the Trump administration withholding more than $27 million in Title X funding to Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide, according to estimates from the Guttmacher Institute.

Planned Parenthood state affiliates said they were notified that the funding they receive under the Title X family-planning program would be temporarily frozen,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/31/trump-admin-cuts-tens-of-millions-from-planned-parenthood-00261763" target="_blank">Politico</a>&nbsp;first reported Monday night.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for managing and distributing Title X funds, told States Newsroom via email that it is reviewing all Title X grant recipients to make sure they comply with federal law and President Donald Trump’s executive orders. The department is concerned about “the compliance of several awardees” that together receive $27.5 million, according to an HHS spokesperson, who added, “HHS expects all recipients of federal funding to comply with federal law.”

Letters received by some affiliates detailed possible violations of federal civil rights laws and executive orders recently issued by Trump, including the administration’s efforts to prohibit diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and provide care regardless of a person’s immigration status.

“It is difficult to overstate how ridiculous it is that the administration is premising this funding freeze on a ‘DEI review,’” said Amy Friedrich-Karnik, Guttmacher’s director of federal policy, in a statement. “The entire point of the Title X program is to address disparities in access to contraception and other sexual and reproductive health care, including serving people with low incomes and those from other historically underserved communities. We need to see this for what it is — a direct attack on health equity.”

The Title X program was established in 1970 to provide reproductive health care for anyone who needs it. Federal law prohibits use of federal funds for abortion. Planned Parenthood clinics offer a broad range of non-abortion services.

No final decisions have been made regarding Title X funding for Planned Parenthood.

Affiliates in Alaska, California, Idaho, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah and others reported receiving the notification, representing thousands of people served at each clinic every year and millions in funds. Guttmacher’s data shows that 83% of people who visited Title X-funded clinics in 2023 had family incomes at or below 250% of the federal poverty level.

In Missouri and Oklahoma alone, Title X funding totals nearly $8.5 million, according to a news release from Missouri Family Health Council.

“Withholding these critical funds, even temporarily, threatens the essential sexual and reproductive health care communities depend on,” said Michelle Trupiano, executive director of the council.

Kat Mavengere, spokesperson for Maine Family Planning, said the agency also<a href="https://mainemorningstar.com/2025/04/01/providers-say-trump-title-x-freeze-will-have-devastating-impact-on-tens-of-thousands-of-mainers/" target="_blank">&nbsp;received notice</a>&nbsp;of a freeze affecting $1.92 million in funds. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England is a sub-grantee of Maine Family Planning. Mavengere told States Newsroom the notice from HHS identified two items on their website “related to documents that detail our commitment to health equity” as reasons for the funding review.

Nicole Clegg, CEO of the Northern New England Planned Parenthood affiliate, said it receives about $900,000 in funds between Maine and New Hampshire from the family-planning organization.

If people can’t seek basic reproductive health services at no cost, including wellness exams, Clegg said they go without.

“We’ve seen that. When Planned Parenthoods leave communities, the data just speaks to increases in STI transmission, increases in unintended pregnancy … there are very real consequences to a community when we’re no longer there,” Clegg said.&nbsp;

A&nbsp;<a href="https://perryundem.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/PerryUndem-Opinion-toward-Planned-Parenthood-.pdf" target="_blank">recent poll</a>&nbsp;conducted by Perry Undem showed 77% of respondents were opposed to the idea of the Trump administration cutting funding for services like birth control for people with low incomes.

During his first term, Trump also cut Title X funds to clinics that provided abortions or referred people for abortions in 2019, causing one-third of participating providers to leave the program,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/issue-brief/rebuilding-the-title-x-network-under-the-biden-administration/" target="_blank">according to KFF</a>. The Biden administration reversed the policy two years later.

The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments Wednesday in a<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/planned-parenthood-medicaid-funding-case-supreme-court-could-limit-patients-choices" target="_blank">&nbsp;case that will determine</a>&nbsp;whether South Carolina government officials can remove Planned Parenthood clinics from the state’s Medicaid program because the organization provides abortions. If the court rules in South Carolina’s favor, other states that have tried to drain the organization’s funding for decades may follow suit.

Anti-abortion organizations celebrated the news of the Title X freeze for some Planned Parenthood clinics on Tuesday, including Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, which has been pushing efforts to “defund” Planned Parenthood in recent weeks in its fundraising emails. SBA was also involved in the drafting of the Heritage Foundation’s blueprint for the next conservative presidency, Project 2025, and identified this action as a priority.

“This is a big step in the right direction,” President Marjorie Dannenfelser told States Newsroom in a statement. “We thank President Trump for this bold action and urge further steps to eliminate all taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood.”

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/kelcie-moseley-morris/">KELCIE MOSELEY-MORRIS</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a> More than 1 million people seeking care such as contraception or testing for sexually transmitted diseases and cancer could be affected by the Trump administration withholding more than $27 million in Title X funding to Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide, according to estimates from the Guttmacher Institute.Planned Parenthood state affiliates said they were notified that the funding they receive under the Title X family-planning program would be temporarily frozen,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/31/trump-admin-cuts-tens-of-millions-from-planned-parenthood-00261763" target="_blank">Politico</a>&nbsp;first reported Monday night.The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for managing and distributing Title X funds, told States Newsroom via email that it is reviewing all Title X grant recipients to make sure they comply with federal law and President Donald Trump’s executive orders. The department is concerned about “the compliance of several awardees” that together receive $27.5 million, according to an HHS spokesperson, who added, “HHS expects all recipients of federal funding to comply with federal law.”Letters received by some affiliates detailed possible violations of federal civil rights laws and executive orders recently issued by Trump, including the administration’s efforts to prohibit diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and provide care regardless of a person’s immigration status.“It is difficult to overstate how ridiculous it is that the administration is premising this funding freeze on a ‘DEI review,’” said Amy Friedrich-Karnik, Guttmacher’s director of federal policy, in a statement. “The entire point of the Title X program is to address disparities in access to contraception and other sexual and reproductive health care, including serving people with low incomes and those from other historically underserved communities. We need to see this for what it is — a direct attack on health equity.”The Title X program was established in 1970 to provide reproductive health care for anyone who needs it. Federal law prohibits use of federal funds for abortion. Planned Parenthood clinics offer a broad range of non-abortion services.No final decisions have been made regarding Title X funding for Planned Parenthood.Affiliates in Alaska, California, Idaho, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah and others reported receiving the notification, representing thousands of people served at each clinic every year and millions in funds. Guttmacher’s data shows that 83% of people who visited Title X-funded clinics in 2023 had family incomes at or below 250% of the federal poverty level.In Missouri and Oklahoma alone, Title X funding totals nearly $8.5 million, according to a news release from Missouri Family Health Council.“Withholding these critical funds, even temporarily, threatens the essential sexual and reproductive health care communities depend on,” said Michelle Trupiano, executive director of the council.Kat Mavengere, spokesperson for Maine Family Planning, said the agency also<a href="https://mainemorningstar.com/2025/04/01/providers-say-trump-title-x-freeze-will-have-devastating-impact-on-tens-of-thousands-of-mainers/" target="_blank">&nbsp;received notice</a>&nbsp;of a freeze affecting $1.92 million in funds. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England is a sub-grantee of Maine Family Planning. Mavengere told States Newsroom the notice from HHS identified two items on their website “related to documents that detail our commitment to health equity” as reasons for the funding review.Nicole Clegg, CEO of the Northern New England Planned Parenthood affiliate, said it receives about $900,000 in funds between Maine and New Hampshire from the family-planning organization.If people can’t seek basic reproductive health services at no cost, including wellness exams, Clegg said they go without.“We’ve seen that. When Planned Parenthoods leave communities, the data just speaks to increases in STI transmission, increases in unintended pregnancy … there are very real consequences to a community when we’re no longer there,” Clegg said.&nbsp;A&nbsp;<a href="https://perryundem.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/PerryUndem-Opinion-toward-Planned-Parenthood-.pdf" target="_blank">recent poll</a>&nbsp;conducted by Perry Undem showed 77% of respondents were opposed to the idea of the Trump administration cutting funding for services like birth control for people with low incomes.During his first term, Trump also cut Title X funds to clinics that provided abortions or referred people for abortions in 2019, causing one-third of participating providers to leave the program,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/issue-brief/rebuilding-the-title-x-network-under-the-biden-administration/" target="_blank">according to KFF</a>. The Biden administration reversed the policy two years later.The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments Wednesday in a<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/planned-parenthood-medicaid-funding-case-supreme-court-could-limit-patients-choices" target="_blank">&nbsp;case that will determine</a>&nbsp;whether South Carolina government officials can remove Planned Parenthood clinics from the state’s Medicaid program because the organization provides abortions. If the court rules in South Carolina’s favor, other states that have tried to drain the organization’s funding for decades may follow suit.Anti-abortion organizations celebrated the news of the Title X freeze for some Planned Parenthood clinics on Tuesday, including Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, which has been pushing efforts to “defund” Planned Parenthood in recent weeks in its fundraising emails. SBA was also involved in the drafting of the Heritage Foundation’s blueprint for the next conservative presidency, Project 2025, and identified this action as a priority.“This is a big step in the right direction,” President Marjorie Dannenfelser told States Newsroom in a statement. “We thank President Trump for this bold action and urge further steps to eliminate all taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood.”

Trump admin. move could cost Missouri millions in family-planning funding

(Radio Iowa) - The U-S-D-A is ending two local food programs this month, which is a financial blow to some eastern Iowa farmers. 

The programs helped connect regional food producers with food banks and schools statewide. Funding for the Local Food Purchase Assistance and Local Food for Schools programs was approved under the Biden administration, but is now being cut off. The total revenue for producers in both programs was 360-thousand dollars. 

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said they were COVID-era programs that needed to be eliminated. Emma Johnson, an owner of Buffalo Ridge Orchard in Central City, says local food will become more expensive without the programs. Johnson says her orchard has roughly 50-thousand pounds of apples that she needs to find a new way to sell.

(Radio Iowa) - The U-S-D-A is ending two local food programs this month, which is a financial blow to some eastern Iowa farmers. The programs helped connect regional food producers with food banks and schools statewide. Funding for the Local Food Purchase Assistance and Local Food for Schools programs was approved under the Biden administration, but is now being cut off. The total revenue for producers in both programs was 360-thousand dollars. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said they were COVID-era programs that needed to be eliminated. Emma Johnson, an owner of Buffalo Ridge Orchard in Central City, says local food will become more expensive without the programs. Johnson says her orchard has roughly 50-thousand pounds of apples that she needs to find a new way to sell.

Iowa farmers feel the impact of local food programs being eliminated

(Radio Iowa) - Iowa's economy saw a significant upward bounce during the past month, but analysts fear the volatility of the current international trade climate will mean a big drop is likely for the month -- and months -- ahead. 

The latest Creighton University survey of supply managers in Iowa and eight other Midwestern states during March showed the best overall numbers since July of 2022, but Creighton economist Ernie Goss says fears over a looming trade war cloud everything. More tariffs are expected to be announced by President Trump on Wednesday, which Goss says are "really, really causing issues for the manufacturers." 

The survey gauges the economy on a zero-to-100 scale, with 50 being growth neutral. The overall index for Iowa in March exceeded 56, a tremendous jump from around 44 in February. While it was a big leap upward, Goss says he expects we'll have to pay for it in the next month when it comes down.

(Radio Iowa) - Iowa's economy saw a significant upward bounce during the past month, but analysts fear the volatility of the current international trade climate will mean a big drop is likely for the month -- and months -- ahead. The latest Creighton University survey of supply managers in Iowa and eight other Midwestern states during March showed the best overall numbers since July of 2022, but Creighton economist Ernie Goss says fears over a looming trade war cloud everything. More tariffs are expected to be announced by President Trump on Wednesday, which Goss says are "really, really causing issues for the manufacturers." The survey gauges the economy on a zero-to-100 scale, with 50 being growth neutral. The overall index for Iowa in March exceeded 56, a tremendous jump from around 44 in February. While it was a big leap upward, Goss says he expects we'll have to pay for it in the next month when it comes down.

Iowa economy sees best month in years, but expert fears a big drop looms

Members of
Congress who represent agricultural interests brace for impact as they expect
retaliatory tariffs if President Trump follows through with his threats against
U.S. trade partners.

Trump has called
today “Liberation Day,” promising reciprocal tariffs against countries imposing
tariffs on U.S. products.

Northern Missouri
Congressman Sam Graves, a Republican and Trump supporter, claims Trump’s tough
stand has already reaped benefits with Canada and Mexico.

“You know, the
president’s for free trade and I think we all are, free and open trade,” Graves
tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “But just by putting this out there we’ve already
got two of our biggest trading partners back at the table and they’re trying to
fix this. I think it’s all going to work out in the end and ultimately, it’s
going to be good for everyone.”

Graves has concerns
about the impact increasing tariffs might have on his 6th
Congressional District, which relies heavily on agriculture.

“You always worry
about that a little bit, but I think we have to see what happens,” Graves says.
“And, obviously, that’s my livelihood – is farming – and, obviously we depend
heavily on exports.”

Again, though, Graves
insists that threatened tariffs brought Canada and Mexico to the negotiating
table.

“But I think just
being tough on this stuff, it’ll bring countries right back to the table,”
Graves says. “And, again, our two biggest trading partners are at the table. I
think it’s all going to work out.”

Less sure is Iowa
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, a Republican who worries about retaliation by
countries President Trump targets for increased tariffs.

"It's very apt to be against agricultural products. It
wouldn't be the only products probably that they'd put on a retaliatory tariff,
but at least some," Grassley tells reporters during a conference call,
"and then you'd have to know the financial impact of that before you would
say how much money." 

Agriculture
Secretary Brooke Rollins, during a visit to Iowa, attempted to assure farmers
President Trump is playing the long game, slapping on tariffs to reduce a trade
imbalance that the president believes has hurt the U.S.

"He believes very sincerely that for the long term that
this is the right move for the country, that ultimately the economy will thrive
and all Americans will be better off," Rollins said during her tour of Iowa
farm country, "but we have some, you know, maybe a couple of weeks, maybe
a few months while we're working all of that out."

The trade-related
payments to American farmers during the first Trump administration were spread
over three years. Those payments surpassed $23 billion. Rollins told reporters
the president's next set of tariffs policies are still "to be
determined," but she's begun planning for payments to farmers should the
tariffs impact ag commodities.

President Trump is
adamant that the United States has been shortchanged in trade deals. He calls
this “Liberation Day,” a day when the country fights back against those that
impose tariffs and restrictions on American products. The president plans to
unveil his tariffs and their targets after the Stock Market closes this afternoon.

Trading partners
aren’t waiting. China has already responded with tariffs on U.S. agricultural
goods. The European Union has also announced it will target American beef,
poultry, peanut butter, and bourdon if the U.S. follows through.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostMembers of
Congress who represent agricultural interests brace for impact as they expect
retaliatory tariffs if President Trump follows through with his threats against
U.S. trade partners.Trump has called
today “Liberation Day,” promising reciprocal tariffs against countries imposing
tariffs on U.S. products.Northern Missouri
Congressman Sam Graves, a Republican and Trump supporter, claims Trump’s tough
stand has already reaped benefits with Canada and Mexico.“You know, the
president’s for free trade and I think we all are, free and open trade,” Graves
tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “But just by putting this out there we’ve already
got two of our biggest trading partners back at the table and they’re trying to
fix this. I think it’s all going to work out in the end and ultimately, it’s
going to be good for everyone.”Graves has concerns
about the impact increasing tariffs might have on his 6th
Congressional District, which relies heavily on agriculture.“You always worry
about that a little bit, but I think we have to see what happens,” Graves says.
“And, obviously, that’s my livelihood – is farming – and, obviously we depend
heavily on exports.”Again, though, Graves
insists that threatened tariffs brought Canada and Mexico to the negotiating
table.“But I think just
being tough on this stuff, it’ll bring countries right back to the table,”
Graves says. “And, again, our two biggest trading partners are at the table. I
think it’s all going to work out.”Less sure is Iowa
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, a Republican who worries about retaliation by
countries President Trump targets for increased tariffs."It's very apt to be against agricultural products. It
wouldn't be the only products probably that they'd put on a retaliatory tariff,
but at least some," Grassley tells reporters during a conference call,
"and then you'd have to know the financial impact of that before you would
say how much money." Agriculture
Secretary Brooke Rollins, during a visit to Iowa, attempted to assure farmers
President Trump is playing the long game, slapping on tariffs to reduce a trade
imbalance that the president believes has hurt the U.S."He believes very sincerely that for the long term that
this is the right move for the country, that ultimately the economy will thrive
and all Americans will be better off," Rollins said during her tour of Iowa
farm country, "but we have some, you know, maybe a couple of weeks, maybe
a few months while we're working all of that out."The trade-related
payments to American farmers during the first Trump administration were spread
over three years. Those payments surpassed $23 billion. Rollins told reporters
the president's next set of tariffs policies are still "to be
determined," but she's begun planning for payments to farmers should the
tariffs impact ag commodities.President Trump is
adamant that the United States has been shortchanged in trade deals. He calls
this “Liberation Day,” a day when the country fights back against those that
impose tariffs and restrictions on American products. The president plans to
unveil his tariffs and their targets after the Stock Market closes this afternoon.Trading partners
aren’t waiting. China has already responded with tariffs on U.S. agricultural
goods. The European Union has also announced it will target American beef,
poultry, peanut butter, and bourdon if the U.S. follows through.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Agriculture braces for backlash if Trump follows through with tariff threats

A Swiss chemical
company has announced completion of its renovation of a fertilizer plant in
Wathena, Kansas.

Omya,
a worldwide mineral processing company, says the Wathena plant will allow it to
expand into the Midwest and the Great Plains. Omya says it will produce
fertilizer in Wathena for use in row and specialty crops as well as on lawns.

Omya bought the
Wathena plant in 2022 and made $6 million in renovations to produce specialty
fertilizer products made from limestone, gypsum and dolomitic lime.

The plant’s
director of operations, Olav Bergset praised the effort, calling it an
investment in the community’s future.

“This
revitalization project is a success because a lot of critical upgrades came
together and added up to improve the overall work environment for our employees
and make the facility what Omya’s world-class standards require it to be—a safe
and efficient producer of consistently high-quality products,” Bergset said in
a written statement released by the company.

Omya Kansas plans
additional upgrades to the facility for 2025 as the company continues its
Midwest expansion.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743602276820.jpeg" alt="Omya Kansas Plant/Photo courtesy of Omya" />
 <figcaption>Omya Kansas Plant/Photo courtesy of Omya</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA Swiss chemical
company has announced completion of its renovation of a fertilizer plant in
Wathena, Kansas.Omya,
a worldwide mineral processing company, says the Wathena plant will allow it to
expand into the Midwest and the Great Plains. Omya says it will produce
fertilizer in Wathena for use in row and specialty crops as well as on lawns.Omya bought the
Wathena plant in 2022 and made $6 million in renovations to produce specialty
fertilizer products made from limestone, gypsum and dolomitic lime.The plant’s
director of operations, Olav Bergset praised the effort, calling it an
investment in the community’s future.“This
revitalization project is a success because a lot of critical upgrades came
together and added up to improve the overall work environment for our employees
and make the facility what Omya’s world-class standards require it to be—a safe
and efficient producer of consistently high-quality products,” Bergset said in
a written statement released by the company.Omya Kansas plans
additional upgrades to the facility for 2025 as the company continues its
Midwest expansion.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

$6M renovation of Wathena fertilizer plant completed

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

The spending proposal will go to the Senate with uncertainty looming over possible federal cuts to Medicaid, other programs

Democrats failed on Tuesday to win major changes in the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/25/republicans-block-push-to-increase-funding-for-schools-child-care-in-missouri-budget/">$47.9 billion state budget plan</a>&nbsp;during Missouri House debate, suffering defeat on proposals to shift money to the school funding formula and increase payments to child care providers.

Few Republicans broke ranks with party leadership on those or any other proposal put forth by Democrats, leading one lawmaker to wonder out loud why the chamber was bothering with debates.

“Why take us through this dog and pony show?” said state Rep. Marlene Terry, a Democrat from Bellefontaine Neighbors.

Democrats did win a few minor changes to the budget, but the biggest difference between the plan&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/25/republicans-block-push-to-increase-funding-for-schools-child-care-in-missouri-budget/">approved in the House Budget Committee</a>&nbsp;last month and the bills given first round approval Monday were made by Republican amendments. In the Medicaid program, for example, the House cut about $50 million in general revenue matches to federal funds, arguing the funds were not needed because enrollment is not meeting earlier expectations.

A final series of votes on the 13 spending bills funding state operations will be held Thursday to send the budget to the state Senate. Three more bills, allocating money to capital improvements, are awaiting action in the House Budget Committee.

While the House worked on the budget, the state Senate debated a bill&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-moves-quickly-on-capital-gains-tax-cut/">exempting long-term capital gains</a>&nbsp;from state income tax. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Lincoln Hough, a Republican from Springfield, said during debate that federal budget cuts could force Missouri to spend more state tax dollars on Medicaid.

Hough questioned whether a tax cut of about $335 million in the coming fiscal year was prudent. If the federal match rate for low-income adults&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/07/22/missouri-supreme-court-rules-voter-approved-medicaid-expansion-is-constitutional/">added to the rolls since 2021</a>&nbsp;is changed from 90% to 80%, Hough said, it would require $300 million in additional general revenue.

&nbsp;“That is a fairly scary financial forecast,” Hough said.

Hough has said he intends to use cash balances to fully fund the foundation formula and that he will support the increase for child care providers.&nbsp;

The possibility of cuts in national spending — federal funds provide about 45% of Missouri’s budget — was also raised in the House.

“Our entire budget will be blown to bits if we lose federal funding,” said state Rep. Stephanie Hein, a Democrat from Springfield.

The state had a substantial balance of $3.8 billion in the general revenue fund as of Monday, down from historic high of about $5.7 billion set in 2023. The budget for the coming year anticipates leaving about $1.9 billion unspent.

Missouri received $13.4 billion in general revenue in the year that ended June 30 and the budget anticipates $13.5 billion for the coming fiscal year.&nbsp;

The budget plan debated by the House cuts almost $800 million in general revenue and $2.1 billion overall less than the operating budget&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/01/28/gov-mike-kehoe-dips-deeply-into-surplus-as-missouri-budget-grows-to-nearly-54-billion/">proposed by Gov. Mike Kehoe in January</a>. The spending proposal achieves those savings in part by cutting appropriations that had no funding available, by reducing Medicaid to match expected enrollment and by slicing Kehoe’s plan for state employee pay raises in half.

Instead of a raise of 1% for every two years in a state job, capped at 10%, the House pay plan is to provide a raise of 1% for every two years in a state job but capped at 5%.

Additions to the budget proposed by Kehoe include 105 earmarked items, including nine added Monday, with a total cost of $170 million. The House also added $28 million that will be distributed to state colleges and universities for deferred building maintenance.

The two biggest clashes of the day bookended the five-hour debate.

Only one Republican joined Democrats on a failed amendment to shift $50 million in general revenue from a tax credit program supporting&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/07/05/major-corporations-wealthy-donors-fuel-growth-of-missouri-private-school-scholarship/">private school tuition scholarships</a>&nbsp;to the foundation formula.&nbsp;

Democrats argued that the budget shortchanges public schools by failing to meet the new&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/18/rudi-splains-it-the-state-adequacy-target/">state adequacy target</a>, which is a measure of how much high-performing districts spend per student. The House plan allows for a state adequacy target of $6,760 per student instead of the $7,145 that resulted from the calculation mandated by state law.&nbsp;

To boost foundation formula funding, state Rep. Betsy Fogle, a Springfield Democrat, tried to strip out $50 million for the MOScholars program, which was supposed to be funded by donations tied to tax credits.

Too many of the private schools participating in the scholarship program won’t accept students with developmental disabilities or who won’t participate in religious instruction, Fogle said.“I can’t think of anything more frustrating to me, personally, than my tax dollars going to a school that wouldn’t have educated me, that wouldn’t have educated a lot of people in this body,” she said.

Defending the set-aside for the scholarship program, Republicans said the influx of state cash will help hundreds more students.

“This is a historic investment in our children’s future, fostering flexibility around parental involvement and educational freedom for our kids,” said state Rep. Ben Baker, a Republican from Neosho.

While the budget plan accepted Kehoe’s proposal for scholarships, it did not include his $107 million plan for child care subsidies. The system for delivering payments has been&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/06/missouri-education-officials-apologize-for-ongoing-backlog-of-child-care-subsidy-payments/">plagued by mistakes and delays</a>&nbsp;and some providers have closed as a result.

Hein sought to restore about $85 million of the cut.

“We have the opportunity to fix the situation and bring the state into compliance with federal rules,” Hein said. “We can stabilize the child care industry and help our workforce.”

Republicans, however, said the expense will have to be paid from general revenue in the future and it is too costly. The problems with the payment system are solved, said House Budget Committee Chairman Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Noel, and a change now could cause problems to resurface.

“Changing how you pay providers from attendance to enrollment is not just flipping a switch over at the Department of Elementary Secondary Education,” he said. “There are substantial software changes that have to be made.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743589691820.png" alt="House Budget Committee Chairman Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Noel, speaks during a Jan. 30 news conference with House Speaker Jon Patterson. (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)" />
 <figcaption>House Budget Committee Chairman Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Noel, speaks during a Jan. 30 news conference with House Speaker Jon Patterson. (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a><h2>The spending proposal will go to the Senate with uncertainty looming over possible federal cuts to Medicaid, other programs</h2>Democrats failed on Tuesday to win major changes in the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/25/republicans-block-push-to-increase-funding-for-schools-child-care-in-missouri-budget/">$47.9 billion state budget plan</a>&nbsp;during Missouri House debate, suffering defeat on proposals to shift money to the school funding formula and increase payments to child care providers.Few Republicans broke ranks with party leadership on those or any other proposal put forth by Democrats, leading one lawmaker to wonder out loud why the chamber was bothering with debates.“Why take us through this dog and pony show?” said state Rep. Marlene Terry, a Democrat from Bellefontaine Neighbors.Democrats did win a few minor changes to the budget, but the biggest difference between the plan&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/25/republicans-block-push-to-increase-funding-for-schools-child-care-in-missouri-budget/">approved in the House Budget Committee</a>&nbsp;last month and the bills given first round approval Monday were made by Republican amendments. In the Medicaid program, for example, the House cut about $50 million in general revenue matches to federal funds, arguing the funds were not needed because enrollment is not meeting earlier expectations.A final series of votes on the 13 spending bills funding state operations will be held Thursday to send the budget to the state Senate. Three more bills, allocating money to capital improvements, are awaiting action in the House Budget Committee.While the House worked on the budget, the state Senate debated a bill&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-moves-quickly-on-capital-gains-tax-cut/">exempting long-term capital gains</a>&nbsp;from state income tax. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Lincoln Hough, a Republican from Springfield, said during debate that federal budget cuts could force Missouri to spend more state tax dollars on Medicaid.Hough questioned whether a tax cut of about $335 million in the coming fiscal year was prudent. If the federal match rate for low-income adults&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/07/22/missouri-supreme-court-rules-voter-approved-medicaid-expansion-is-constitutional/">added to the rolls since 2021</a>&nbsp;is changed from 90% to 80%, Hough said, it would require $300 million in additional general revenue.&nbsp;“That is a fairly scary financial forecast,” Hough said.Hough has said he intends to use cash balances to fully fund the foundation formula and that he will support the increase for child care providers.&nbsp;The possibility of cuts in national spending — federal funds provide about 45% of Missouri’s budget — was also raised in the House.“Our entire budget will be blown to bits if we lose federal funding,” said state Rep. Stephanie Hein, a Democrat from Springfield.The state had a substantial balance of $3.8 billion in the general revenue fund as of Monday, down from historic high of about $5.7 billion set in 2023. The budget for the coming year anticipates leaving about $1.9 billion unspent.Missouri received $13.4 billion in general revenue in the year that ended June 30 and the budget anticipates $13.5 billion for the coming fiscal year.&nbsp;The budget plan debated by the House cuts almost $800 million in general revenue and $2.1 billion overall less than the operating budget&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/01/28/gov-mike-kehoe-dips-deeply-into-surplus-as-missouri-budget-grows-to-nearly-54-billion/">proposed by Gov. Mike Kehoe in January</a>. The spending proposal achieves those savings in part by cutting appropriations that had no funding available, by reducing Medicaid to match expected enrollment and by slicing Kehoe’s plan for state employee pay raises in half.Instead of a raise of 1% for every two years in a state job, capped at 10%, the House pay plan is to provide a raise of 1% for every two years in a state job but capped at 5%.Additions to the budget proposed by Kehoe include 105 earmarked items, including nine added Monday, with a total cost of $170 million. The House also added $28 million that will be distributed to state colleges and universities for deferred building maintenance.The two biggest clashes of the day bookended the five-hour debate.Only one Republican joined Democrats on a failed amendment to shift $50 million in general revenue from a tax credit program supporting&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/07/05/major-corporations-wealthy-donors-fuel-growth-of-missouri-private-school-scholarship/">private school tuition scholarships</a>&nbsp;to the foundation formula.&nbsp;Democrats argued that the budget shortchanges public schools by failing to meet the new&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/18/rudi-splains-it-the-state-adequacy-target/">state adequacy target</a>, which is a measure of how much high-performing districts spend per student. The House plan allows for a state adequacy target of $6,760 per student instead of the $7,145 that resulted from the calculation mandated by state law.&nbsp;To boost foundation formula funding, state Rep. Betsy Fogle, a Springfield Democrat, tried to strip out $50 million for the MOScholars program, which was supposed to be funded by donations tied to tax credits.Too many of the private schools participating in the scholarship program won’t accept students with developmental disabilities or who won’t participate in religious instruction, Fogle said.“I can’t think of anything more frustrating to me, personally, than my tax dollars going to a school that wouldn’t have educated me, that wouldn’t have educated a lot of people in this body,” she said.Defending the set-aside for the scholarship program, Republicans said the influx of state cash will help hundreds more students.“This is a historic investment in our children’s future, fostering flexibility around parental involvement and educational freedom for our kids,” said state Rep. Ben Baker, a Republican from Neosho.While the budget plan accepted Kehoe’s proposal for scholarships, it did not include his $107 million plan for child care subsidies. The system for delivering payments has been&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/06/missouri-education-officials-apologize-for-ongoing-backlog-of-child-care-subsidy-payments/">plagued by mistakes and delays</a>&nbsp;and some providers have closed as a result.Hein sought to restore about $85 million of the cut.“We have the opportunity to fix the situation and bring the state into compliance with federal rules,” Hein said. “We can stabilize the child care industry and help our workforce.”Republicans, however, said the expense will have to be paid from general revenue in the future and it is too costly. The problems with the payment system are solved, said House Budget Committee Chairman Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Noel, and a change now could cause problems to resurface.“Changing how you pay providers from attendance to enrollment is not just flipping a switch over at the Department of Elementary Secondary Education,” he said. “There are substantial software changes that have to be made.”

Few changes made in $48B state budget during Missouri House debate

(Radio Iowa) - Bills to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs in higher education as well as local governments have been debated in the legislature this year, but so far none have become law. 

Early Tuesday morning, a House subcommittee approved a Senate bill that would ban D-E-I offices and staff in city and county governments. A lobbyist for the Iowa Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers told lawmakers ending D-E-I initiatives doesn't make discrimination go away. Republican Representative Skyler Wheeler of Hull says D-E-I is extremely unpopular and he encouraged his political opponents to continue to defend D-E-I programs. 

Late Tuesday afternoon, a Senate subcommittee will review a House-passed bill to forbid D-E-I programs at private colleges that enroll students who receive Iowa Tuition Grants from the state.

(Radio Iowa) - Bills to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs in higher education as well as local governments have been debated in the legislature this year, but so far none have become law. Early Tuesday morning, a House subcommittee approved a Senate bill that would ban D-E-I offices and staff in city and county governments. A lobbyist for the Iowa Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers told lawmakers ending D-E-I initiatives doesn't make discrimination go away. Republican Representative Skyler Wheeler of Hull says D-E-I is extremely unpopular and he encouraged his political opponents to continue to defend D-E-I programs. Late Tuesday afternoon, a Senate subcommittee will review a House-passed bill to forbid D-E-I programs at private colleges that enroll students who receive Iowa Tuition Grants from the state.

House and Senate D.E.I. bills still under review in legislature

U.S. farmers will plant nearly 5 million more corn acres in 2025 compared with last year. In its 2025 Prospective Plantings report released Monday, the agency pegged corn acres for the 2025/2026 crop year at 95.3 million. This was up 5% from last year and above the average trade expectation. Soybean acres projected below last year at 83.5 million acres, below both last year and the average trade expectation. 

By NATHAN STUEDLESt. Joseph PostU.S. farmers will plant nearly 5 million more corn acres in 2025 compared with last year. In its 2025 Prospective Plantings report released Monday, the agency pegged corn acres for the 2025/2026 crop year at 95.3 million. This was up 5% from last year and above the average trade expectation. Soybean acres projected below last year at 83.5 million acres, below both last year and the average trade expectation.

USDA says corn acres up 5% in 2025

Extreme weather events, such as drought, jointly impact agricultural production and rural infrastructure, including transportation infrastructure. An important part of this transportation infrastructure is the Mississippi River. It serves as one of the most critical networks for moving agricultural commodities. Soybeans, the leading U.S. agricultural export, rely heavily on barge transportation, with 53 percent of exports moved by barge. 

Despite this reliance on barges for moving U.S. grain, little is known about the link between extreme weather, rural transportation infrastructure, and crop prices. Record-low water levels increased transportation costs and barge freight rates. Higher transportation costs are transmitted to row crop producers through lower cash bids or a weakening of local crop basis. Historic lows in Mississippi River levels during the fall harvest of the last three years have highlighted the need to measure the impact of these low river levels on rural infrastructure and communities. 

By NATHAN STUEDLESt. Joseph PostExtreme weather events, such as drought, jointly impact agricultural production and rural infrastructure, including transportation infrastructure. An important part of this transportation infrastructure is the Mississippi River. It serves as one of the most critical networks for moving agricultural commodities. Soybeans, the leading U.S. agricultural export, rely heavily on barge transportation, with 53 percent of exports moved by barge. Despite this reliance on barges for moving U.S. grain, little is known about the link between extreme weather, rural transportation infrastructure, and crop prices. Record-low water levels increased transportation costs and barge freight rates. Higher transportation costs are transmitted to row crop producers through lower cash bids or a weakening of local crop basis. Historic lows in Mississippi River levels during the fall harvest of the last three years have highlighted the need to measure the impact of these low river levels on rural infrastructure and communities.

Impact of low Mississippi River levels on soybean basis

The amendment, which could be debated by the Missouri House next week, would outlaw abortion with a limited set of exemptions

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

A revamped constitutional amendment moving forward in the Missouri House would ban nearly all abortions in Missouri. But most voters likely wouldn’t know that just by reading the drafted ballot language.&nbsp;

<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HJR54" target="_blank">The Republican-backed amendment</a>, if passed out of the legislature and approved by voters, would outlaw abortion with limited exceptions for medical emergencies and survivors of rape and incest prior to 12 weeks gestation.

The amendment seeks to overturn an&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/06/missouri-abortion-access-planned-parenthood-lawsuit-amendment-3/">abortion-rights amendment approved by voters&nbsp;</a>in November that legalize abortions up until the point of fetal viability. This made Missouri the first state to overturn an abortion ban after lawmakers enacted a trigger law in 2022 that banned the procedure with exceptions only for medical emergencies.&nbsp;

While the proposed ballot language would ask voters if they want to repeal Article I, Section 36 of the constitution —the current abortion-rights amendment — it does not directly ask voters if they want to ban or outlaw most abortions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1743531428363.png" alt="Stickers saying “repeal and replace Amendment 3” are distributed during Missouri Right to Life advocacy day at the Missouri State Capitol Wednesday (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Stickers saying “repeal and replace Amendment 3” are distributed during Missouri Right to Life advocacy day at the Missouri State Capitol Wednesday (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The amendment, which could be debated by the Missouri House next week, would outlaw abortion with a limited set of exemptions</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>A revamped constitutional amendment moving forward in the Missouri House would ban nearly all abortions in Missouri. But most voters likely wouldn’t know that just by reading the drafted ballot language.&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HJR54" target="_blank">The Republican-backed amendment</a>, if passed out of the legislature and approved by voters, would outlaw abortion with limited exceptions for medical emergencies and survivors of rape and incest prior to 12 weeks gestation.The amendment seeks to overturn an&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/06/missouri-abortion-access-planned-parenthood-lawsuit-amendment-3/">abortion-rights amendment approved by voters&nbsp;</a>in November that legalize abortions up until the point of fetal viability. This made Missouri the first state to overturn an abortion ban after lawmakers enacted a trigger law in 2022 that banned the procedure with exceptions only for medical emergencies.&nbsp;While the proposed ballot language would ask voters if they want to repeal Article I, Section 36 of the constitution —the current abortion-rights amendment — it does not directly ask voters if they want to ban or outlaw most abortions.Instead, it would ask voters if they want to “guarantee access to care for medical emergencies, ectopic pregnancies, and miscarriages,” a right that is already guaranteed under the current constitutional amendment.&nbsp;Missourians would also be asked if they want to “ensure women’s safety during abortion,” “ensure parental consent for minors,” allow abortions for medical emergencies, fetal anomalies, rape and incest” and “protect children from gender transitions.”If approved by both the House and Senate, Missourians could be asked to weigh in on reinstating an abortion ban as soon as a special election the governor could call this year, or during the 2026 midterm election.&nbsp;The legislation approved by a House committee Monday, is the second iteration of legislation filed by state Rep. Melanie Stinnett, a Republican from Springfield.&nbsp;Stinnett’s initial language included a criticized police reporting requirement for survivors of sexual violence. Two out of every three sexual assaults are not reported to police, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://rainn.org/statistics/criminal-justice-system" target="_blank">Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network&nbsp;</a>and the Bureau of Justice Statistics.&nbsp;That requirement was removed in Monday’s version.&nbsp;On Thursday, House Speaker Jon Patterson, a Republican from Lee’s Summit, said while he anticipates the GOP will continue to refine the exact language to put before voters, he doesn’t foresee the rape and incest exceptions being cut out in later debate.&nbsp;“That’s something that the people spoke on,” Patterson said. “That’s something that all the legislators recognize is something that we have to keep.”The new legislation, like its predecessor, proposes a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/16/missouri-abortion-gender-affirming-health-care-amendment-3/">ban on gender-affirming health care for minors.</a>&nbsp;It also seeks to reinstate state regulations on abortion providers and facilities, including admitting privileges at a local hospital, licensing requirements and inspections.&nbsp;The amendment would allow abortions in cases of fetal anomaly, which the legislation defines as “a structural or functional abnormality in the unborn child’s gestational development that would make life outside the womb impossible.”&nbsp;The bill specifies that this would include ectopic pregnancies but exclude a fetal diagnosis of a disability.&nbsp;State Rep. Raychel Proudie, a Democrat from Ferguson, raised concerns with this language on Monday. She questioned how the amendment would apply to a fetal diagnosis where a newborn could survive birth, but would die shortly after, including in cases of anencephaly, a fetal birth defect in which part of the brain or skull don’t develop properly.&nbsp;The new proposal also looks to require that any legal challenges to the state law around reproductive health care be heard in Cole County.&nbsp;After the abortion-rights amendment passed in November,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/14/missouri-judge-blocks-discriminatory-abortion-clinics-rules-blamed-for-lack-of-access/">Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Missouri sued the state</a>, arguing several abortion regulations on the books were now unconstitutional. That case is being tried in Jackson County, where one of the state’s several Planned Parenthood clinics is located.&nbsp;Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has been unable to convince the judge to move the case to Cole County, where a judge last year&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/10/missouri-supreme-court-rules-amendment-legalizing-abortion-will-remain-on-ballot/">attempted to remove the abortion-rights amendment&nbsp;</a>from the ballot.During Monday’s hearing, state Rep. Pattie Mansur, a Democrat from Kansas City, said she found it noteworthy that in Missouri, a 17-year-old girl could be legally married but would still need permission from her parents for an abortion.&nbsp;The House Committee on Children and Families previously spent four hours debating the initial bill, including testimony from Missourians&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/05/missouri-abortion-ban-constitutional-amendment-stinnett-rape-incest-exception/">who accused lawmakers of attempting to overturn the will of the people</a>.Republicans have continued to defend their decision to spend much of the legislative session on an abortion amendment by arguing that Missourians were misinformed on what they were voting on in November — a reasoning that continues to draw fury from abortion-right supporters both in the legislature and in their districts.&nbsp;“The most disappointing piece of that is the Republican’s consistent insistence on defying the will of the voters in this state,” House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Democrat from Kansas City, told reporters last week. “Whether it’s on abortion or paid sick leave and minimum wage, the first order of business this year has been to undo what Missourians went to the ballot box to vote for.”Aune also took notice of how late into session the proposed amendment was making its way out of committee.&nbsp;“It seems to me that the reason this has been slow rolled is that there simply is not consensus on the other side of the aisle on what language to end up with, how far to go or not, what they think that they can get passed by the voters or not,” Aune said Thursday. “That is likely causing a lot of contention in their caucus right now, and I’m not mad about that.”But there didn’t seem to be much disagreement come Monday between GOP members of the House Committee on Children and Families who passed the revised language after just a few minutes of discussion.&nbsp;“It was time to get this moving,” state Rep. Holly Jones, a Republican from Eureka who chairs the committee, told her colleagues Monday.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=186" target="_blank">Senate version of the legislation</a>, sponsored by state Sen. Adam Schnelting, a Republican from St Charles,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/05/abortion-ban-missouri-senate-mike-moon-rape-exceptions/">passed out of committee in early March</a>&nbsp;but has yet to be heard on the Senate floor.&nbsp;Abortion within the state remains out of reach for many Missourians, despite voters in November codifying the right to reproductive health care in the state constitution.&nbsp;This includes the most common type of abortion.&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/28/missouri-rejects-planned-parenthood-medication-abortion-plan/">Medication abortions remain inaccessible</a>&nbsp;through Planned Parenthood in Missouri after the state rejected complication plans submitted by the clinics outlining continued care for patients in the case they had any adverse effects from the medication.&nbsp;The rejection notice sent by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services was based on criteria set in an emergency rule published Thursday by the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office that included a requirement that clinics must provide the names of any physicians who prescribe abortion medication.&nbsp;In response, Planned Parenthood on Friday filed a motion asking that a Jackson County judge block the state statute that requires the clinics submit an abortion medication plan.&nbsp;As of Monday, three Planned Parenthood clinics — in Kansas City,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/04/abortion-returns-columbia-missouri-planned-parenthood-clinic/">Columbia</a>&nbsp;and St. Louis —&nbsp;had started seeing some patients for procedural abortions again.

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