President Donald Trump spoke to GOP state senators during a caucus meeting and later in the day they moved to shut down debate over new rules intended to make it easier to pass a new congressional map

BY:&nbsp;&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>

Just hours after hearing from President Donald Trump during a caucus meeting, Republicans in the Missouri Senate showed they are&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/25/trump-white-house-pressing-missouri-republicans-to-redraw-congressional-map/">ready to please him</a>&nbsp;by shoving a new congressional district map to passage over opposition from Democrats.

The General Assembly is meeting in special session to revise the state’s eight congressional districts so Republicans are likely to win seven instead of the six they currently hold. The Missouri House has&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/09/missouri-house-passes-gerrymandered-congressional-map-limits-on-initiative-petitions/">already approved the map</a>&nbsp;sought by Trump, who on Tuesday demanded on social media that the Senate do the same.

“The Missouri Senate must pass this Map now, AS IS, to deliver a gigantic Victory for Republicans in the ‘Show Me State,’ and across the Country,” Trump wrote.

To push the bill to final passage by Friday, Republicans had to get the two bills passed in the House into position for committee hearings on Thursday. But before that could take place, the chamber had to vote on rules for the session and Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin rolled out revisions intended to make House bills the Senate’s top priority.

And to get those revisions passed, they voted to shut off debate — using a once-rare motion known as the previous question. This year saw a major break from tradition, when Republicans used the motion to slam through partisan priorities at the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/14/missouri-republicans-shut-down-senate-debate-to-pass-abortion-ban-repeal-sick-leave-law/">end of the regular session</a>&nbsp;in May.

It was the first time since 2017 when the previous question was used during a regular session.

The proposed rule changes triggered a Democratic-led debate that consumed two hours before Republicans forced a vote.

For about two hours, Democrats accused the Republicans of cheating by substituting the new rules instead of using the rules used&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/webPDFs/RuleBook.pdf" target="_blank">during this year’s regular session</a>&nbsp;— and for the veto session that took place just minutes before the chamber convened for the special session.

“For those of you that are going to be here for a few years, why would you give away your power just to make today a little bit easier?” said state Sen. Stephen Webber, a Democrat from Columbia. “That doesn’t make any sense, and it really saddens me, because I don’t know where it stops.”

The new rules were not distributed before the session convened and many Republicans were not informed in advance the changes were coming.

State Sen. Joe Nicola, a Republican from Independence, said he was given the new rules and the bill on congressional maps&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/09/missouri-house-passes-gerrymandered-congressional-map-limits-on-initiative-petitions/">approved in the Missouri House</a>&nbsp;with the expectation he would be an automatic vote in favor of both. But Webber’s point was valid, he said, and he’s not ready to go along.

“I’m nobody’s puppet. I will never be anybody’s puppet,” Nicola said. “I’m not going to come down here and be expected to rubber stamp anything. That is not what I was elected to do.”

But when the chamber voted on the previous question, Nicola went along.

The previous question motion is used commonly in the Missouri House, but until this year it was considered a last resort in the Senate. When the votes were held, Democrats started calling the presiding officer of the Senate “Speaker” instead of “President.”

“There are no speakers in the Missouri Senate,” said state Sen. Jason Bean of Holcomb, who was presiding at the time.

Following the vote, the House bills were read and the Senate will meet at 9 a.m. Thursday to move them to committees for hearings later in the day.

The Republicans’ target is the 5th Congressional District, currently held by U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City, a Democrat who has been in office since 2005. The map being considered would split the district into pieces, putting portions in the 4th and 6th districts and adding enough Republican votes to what remains to flip the district to the GOP.

Gov. Mike Kehoe also wants lawmakers to pass a state constitutional amendment&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/08/missouri-house-advances-bill-to-make-it-harder-for-voters-to-amend-state-constitution/">raising the majority requirement</a>&nbsp;for passing constitutional amendments proposed by initiative petition.&nbsp;

Instead of a statewide majority deciding the questions, initiative proposals would have to win majorities statewide and in every congressional district. That would allow&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/04/as-few-as-5-of-voters-could-defeat-initiative-petitions-under-missouri-gop-legislation/">as few as 5% of voters</a>&nbsp;to decide the question.

But it is Trump’s insistence on a new congressional map to shore up the GOP’s shaky majority in the U.S. House that is the main focus of the special session.

During a caucus of the Republican senators Wednesday, Trump called Kehoe and spoke to the members through the governor’s phone.

State Sen. Nick Schroer, a Republican from Defiance, insisted in an interview that the special session was not called just because Trump wanted it. The proposed new map puts all of Schroer’s county into the 3rd Congressional District — it is now split between the 3rd and the 2nd districts — and he said that will keep a community together in the same district.

But when asked whether Kansas City, which is almost entirely in the 5th District but would have its population split among three in the proposed map, deserved the same consideration, Schroer said it did not.

“Donald Trump is encouraging Republicans to grow a spine, and stop bending the knee to the Democrats to avoid filibusters like we did in 2022,” Schroer said. “It’s really helped and it’s binding the Republican Party back together.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757550296708.png" alt=" Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, D-Affton, speaks against proposed Senate rule changes Wednesday during the special session for redistricting (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, D-Affton, speaks against proposed Senate rule changes Wednesday during the special session for redistricting (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>President Donald Trump spoke to GOP state senators during a caucus meeting and later in the day they moved to shut down debate over new rules intended to make it easier to pass a new congressional map</h2>BY:&nbsp;&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>Just hours after hearing from President Donald Trump during a caucus meeting, Republicans in the Missouri Senate showed they are&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/25/trump-white-house-pressing-missouri-republicans-to-redraw-congressional-map/">ready to please him</a>&nbsp;by shoving a new congressional district map to passage over opposition from Democrats.The General Assembly is meeting in special session to revise the state’s eight congressional districts so Republicans are likely to win seven instead of the six they currently hold. The Missouri House has&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/09/missouri-house-passes-gerrymandered-congressional-map-limits-on-initiative-petitions/">already approved the map</a>&nbsp;sought by Trump, who on Tuesday demanded on social media that the Senate do the same.“The Missouri Senate must pass this Map now, AS IS, to deliver a gigantic Victory for Republicans in the ‘Show Me State,’ and across the Country,” Trump wrote.To push the bill to final passage by Friday, Republicans had to get the two bills passed in the House into position for committee hearings on Thursday. But before that could take place, the chamber had to vote on rules for the session and Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin rolled out revisions intended to make House bills the Senate’s top priority.And to get those revisions passed, they voted to shut off debate — using a once-rare motion known as the previous question. This year saw a major break from tradition, when Republicans used the motion to slam through partisan priorities at the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/05/14/missouri-republicans-shut-down-senate-debate-to-pass-abortion-ban-repeal-sick-leave-law/">end of the regular session</a>&nbsp;in May.It was the first time since 2017 when the previous question was used during a regular session.The proposed rule changes triggered a Democratic-led debate that consumed two hours before Republicans forced a vote.For about two hours, Democrats accused the Republicans of cheating by substituting the new rules instead of using the rules used&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/webPDFs/RuleBook.pdf" target="_blank">during this year’s regular session</a>&nbsp;— and for the veto session that took place just minutes before the chamber convened for the special session.“For those of you that are going to be here for a few years, why would you give away your power just to make today a little bit easier?” said state Sen. Stephen Webber, a Democrat from Columbia. “That doesn’t make any sense, and it really saddens me, because I don’t know where it stops.”The new rules were not distributed before the session convened and many Republicans were not informed in advance the changes were coming.State Sen. Joe Nicola, a Republican from Independence, said he was given the new rules and the bill on congressional maps&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/09/missouri-house-passes-gerrymandered-congressional-map-limits-on-initiative-petitions/">approved in the Missouri House</a>&nbsp;with the expectation he would be an automatic vote in favor of both. But Webber’s point was valid, he said, and he’s not ready to go along.“I’m nobody’s puppet. I will never be anybody’s puppet,” Nicola said. “I’m not going to come down here and be expected to rubber stamp anything. That is not what I was elected to do.”But when the chamber voted on the previous question, Nicola went along.The previous question motion is used commonly in the Missouri House, but until this year it was considered a last resort in the Senate. When the votes were held, Democrats started calling the presiding officer of the Senate “Speaker” instead of “President.”“There are no speakers in the Missouri Senate,” said state Sen. Jason Bean of Holcomb, who was presiding at the time.Following the vote, the House bills were read and the Senate will meet at 9 a.m. Thursday to move them to committees for hearings later in the day.<h2>Flipping the 5th District</h2>The Republicans’ target is the 5th Congressional District, currently held by U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City, a Democrat who has been in office since 2005. The map being considered would split the district into pieces, putting portions in the 4th and 6th districts and adding enough Republican votes to what remains to flip the district to the GOP.Gov. Mike Kehoe also wants lawmakers to pass a state constitutional amendment&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/08/missouri-house-advances-bill-to-make-it-harder-for-voters-to-amend-state-constitution/">raising the majority requirement</a>&nbsp;for passing constitutional amendments proposed by initiative petition.&nbsp;Instead of a statewide majority deciding the questions, initiative proposals would have to win majorities statewide and in every congressional district. That would allow&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/04/as-few-as-5-of-voters-could-defeat-initiative-petitions-under-missouri-gop-legislation/">as few as 5% of voters</a>&nbsp;to decide the question.But it is Trump’s insistence on a new congressional map to shore up the GOP’s shaky majority in the U.S. House that is the main focus of the special session.During a caucus of the Republican senators Wednesday, Trump called Kehoe and spoke to the members through the governor’s phone.State Sen. Nick Schroer, a Republican from Defiance, insisted in an interview that the special session was not called just because Trump wanted it. The proposed new map puts all of Schroer’s county into the 3rd Congressional District — it is now split between the 3rd and the 2nd districts — and he said that will keep a community together in the same district.But when asked whether Kansas City, which is almost entirely in the 5th District but would have its population split among three in the proposed map, deserved the same consideration, Schroer said it did not.“Donald Trump is encouraging Republicans to grow a spine, and stop bending the knee to the Democrats to avoid filibusters like we did in 2022,” Schroer said. “It’s really helped and it’s binding the Republican Party back together.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757550223525.png" alt="State Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, D-Kansas City, compares the State Senate to the House, remarking about the lack of debate allowed (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, D-Kansas City, compares the State Senate to the House, remarking about the lack of debate allowed (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>

After hearing from Trump, Missouri GOP muscle redistricting map forward in state Senate

Tomorrow Northwest Missouri State University will honor lives lost in the tragic events of 9/11  

The university will host a stair climb at Bearcat Stadium, to give students and community members the opportunity to honor the lives lost on that day.  

Coordinator for the Disaster and Emergency Management program at Northwest Travis Surprise says events like this are important to not only remember, but to help teach younger students  

"This is what happened and this is a really bad day inside of our lives that we lived through and then faced the consequences, not with just losing the firefighters and the first responders, but just also the chaos that ensued afterwards with 20 years of the global war on terrorism and all the other stuff that came along with it and the changes to our policy,” Surprise tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  “Basically, everything that’s happened now and in your life is somehow affected by what happened on that tragic day in 2001.” 

Additionally, Missouri Western State University is doing a stair climb at Spratt Stadium tomorrow  as well, challenging participants to climb the equivalent of the 110 flights of stairs found in the World Trade Centers, to honor the 3,000  lives lost on that tragic day.

Angie Osborn with the MoWest Military and Veteran's Office says it’s not only important to remember the event for its history, but also for the way Americans responded by coming together 

"There’s a lot of emotion that went into planning this event and trying to make sure that we’re honoring obviously all of the victims, but also all of the heroes that were there that day and continue to work on that site for months to come,” Osborn explains. 

During the stair climb, both universities will do special thing to pay tribute to the lives lost during the attacks on September 11th, 2001.  

Surprise says as students walk, the news ceremony from the day of the attack will play on the scoreboard at Bearcat Stadium. 

"And it’s really sombering to watch some of these kids who have never seen this before, and even some adults who have forgot, to watch and be like oh man those feelings I felt were real and I remember exactly what I was doing and how I felt that day,” Surprise says. 

Additionally, bells will toll from the center of campus at the four times planes crashed on that day.  

Osborn says climbers at Spratt Stadium will carry a picture of one of the people lost in the attacks 

"There’s a photo and it tells a little bit, a little clip about that person, and their age when they passed away,” Osborn says.  “And then we play some music as they climb.” 

Osborn says they will also pause at the time of each significant moment to talk about how America was feeling.  

MoWest's stair climb will begin with check in at 8am, the climb starting at 8:46 when the first plane struck.  Northwest's will go from 6 to 8pm.  Both are free to attend. 

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1756904178117.jpeg" alt="Northwest community members participate in the 9/11 stair climb last year at Bearcat Stadium. (Photo by Maria Nino-Elliott/Northwest Missouri State University)" />
 <figcaption>Northwest community members participate in the 9/11 stair climb last year at Bearcat Stadium. (Photo by Maria Nino-Elliott/Northwest Missouri State University)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE Tomorrow Northwest Missouri State University will honor lives lost in the tragic events of 9/11 The university will host a stair climb at Bearcat Stadium, to give students and community members the opportunity to honor the lives lost on that day. Coordinator for the Disaster and Emergency Management program at Northwest Travis Surprise says events like this are important to not only remember, but to help teach younger students "This is what happened and this is a really bad day inside of our lives that we lived through and then faced the consequences, not with just losing the firefighters and the first responders, but just also the chaos that ensued afterwards with 20 years of the global war on terrorism and all the other stuff that came along with it and the changes to our policy,” Surprise tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “Basically, everything that’s happened now and in your life is somehow affected by what happened on that tragic day in 2001.” Additionally, Missouri Western State University is doing a stair climb at Spratt Stadium tomorrow as well, challenging participants to climb the equivalent of the 110 flights of stairs found in the World Trade Centers, to honor the 3,000 lives lost on that tragic day.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757519496643.jpeg" alt="MoWest students and St. Joseph community members participate in the annual stair climb event honoring the attacks in New York on September 11th, 2001 at Spratt Stadium/ Photo courtesy of MoWest" />
 <figcaption>MoWest students and St. Joseph community members participate in the annual stair climb event honoring the attacks in New York on September 11th, 2001 at Spratt Stadium/ Photo courtesy of MoWest</figcaption>
 </figure>Angie Osborn with the MoWest Military and Veteran's Office says it’s not only important to remember the event for its history, but also for the way Americans responded by coming together "There’s a lot of emotion that went into planning this event and trying to make sure that we’re honoring obviously all of the victims, but also all of the heroes that were there that day and continue to work on that site for months to come,” Osborn explains. During the stair climb, both universities will do special thing to pay tribute to the lives lost during the attacks on September 11th, 2001. Surprise says as students walk, the news ceremony from the day of the attack will play on the scoreboard at Bearcat Stadium. "And it’s really sombering to watch some of these kids who have never seen this before, and even some adults who have forgot, to watch and be like oh man those feelings I felt were real and I remember exactly what I was doing and how I felt that day,” Surprise says. Additionally, bells will toll from the center of campus at the four times planes crashed on that day. Osborn says climbers at Spratt Stadium will carry a picture of one of the people lost in the attacks "There’s a photo and it tells a little bit, a little clip about that person, and their age when they passed away,” Osborn says. “And then we play some music as they climb.” Osborn says they will also pause at the time of each significant moment to talk about how America was feeling. MoWest's stair climb will begin with check in at 8am, the climb starting at 8:46 when the first plane struck. Northwest's will go from 6 to 8pm. Both are free to attend. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Annual stair climb events to honor victims of 9/11 attacks

Missouri Western
State University’s nursing program has received a prestigious honor.

<a href="https://www.registerednursing.org/state/missouri/">Registerednursing.org</a>
has ranked it the best nursing school in the state.

“Missouri Western
being ranked number one in Missouri and we obviously have some pretty tough competition
out here in Missouri. So, we’re super proud that we are considered number one,”
Chelsea Norton, Nursing and Health Professions Admissions and Advisement
Director at Missouri Western, tells KFEQmmunity, adding MoWest’s small class
sizes and remarkable performance on the licensure tests propelled the program
to the top.

Assistant
Professor, Laura Nold, points out 98.8% of Missouri Western nursing graduates
pass the national licensure test the first time.

“We strive for
100% pass rates and we have been successful in that several times, which is not
a very common thing for programs to achieve that,” Nold says during her joint
appearance with Norton on KFEQmmunity.

Norton says that
high a rate in passing the NCLEX-RN test on the first try just isn’t common. 

“So, the national average
on pass rates (is) typically high 80s, low 90s percent,” according to Norton. “So,
to have so many cohorts that every single student who graduated passed, 100%,
on that first try is huge.”

Nold says the
program emphasizes hands-on learning in which students practice on mannequins
before moving into clinical experience.

“So, we give them
that opportunity before going and interacting with real patients and then they
learn from that,” Nold says. “And I have students frequently tell me, hey, I
really messed this up, but I learned so much when we debriefed. And debriefing
is very important process in that learning. We are able to talk through what
went wrong, what went well, and how do we fix it next time.”

Norton says the
ranking will help as Missouri Western recruit students to its nursing program.

“We have something
really special here that not a lot of people know about,” Norton says. “So, to
finally have that recognition and it to be official and it’s out there, it
feels like we’re finally being recognized for the amazing program that we are.”

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757523199159.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of Missouri Western State University" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy of Missouri Western State University</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostMissouri Western
State University’s nursing program has received a prestigious honor.<a href="https://www.registerednursing.org/state/missouri/">Registerednursing.org</a>
has ranked it the best nursing school in the state.“Missouri Western
being ranked number one in Missouri and we obviously have some pretty tough competition
out here in Missouri. So, we’re super proud that we are considered number one,”
Chelsea Norton, Nursing and Health Professions Admissions and Advisement
Director at Missouri Western, tells KFEQmmunity, adding MoWest’s small class
sizes and remarkable performance on the licensure tests propelled the program
to the top.Assistant
Professor, Laura Nold, points out 98.8% of Missouri Western nursing graduates
pass the national licensure test the first time.“We strive for
100% pass rates and we have been successful in that several times, which is not
a very common thing for programs to achieve that,” Nold says during her joint
appearance with Norton on KFEQmmunity.Norton says that
high a rate in passing the NCLEX-RN test on the first try just isn’t common. “So, the national average
on pass rates (is) typically high 80s, low 90s percent,” according to Norton. “So,
to have so many cohorts that every single student who graduated passed, 100%,
on that first try is huge.”Nold says the
program emphasizes hands-on learning in which students practice on mannequins
before moving into clinical experience.“So, we give them
that opportunity before going and interacting with real patients and then they
learn from that,” Nold says. “And I have students frequently tell me, hey, I
really messed this up, but I learned so much when we debriefed. And debriefing
is very important process in that learning. We are able to talk through what
went wrong, what went well, and how do we fix it next time.”Norton says the
ranking will help as Missouri Western recruit students to its nursing program.“We have something
really special here that not a lot of people know about,” Norton says. “So, to
finally have that recognition and it to be official and it’s out there, it
feels like we’re finally being recognized for the amazing program that we are.”You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

MoWest gets big honor:  nursing program ranked #1 in Missouri

A 10-year-old
child suffered a gunshot wound while sleeping when gunmen opened fire in the
900 block of South 18th Street, hitting a duplex.

The St. Joseph
Police Department reports dispatchers received multiple shots fired reports at
approximately 3:20am Wednesday. Officers responded to the duplex on South 18th
and discovered it had been hit by gunfire. Officers located the 10-year-old,
who had been shot in the left thigh while asleep in an upstairs bedroom. First
aid was administered at the scene. Emergency crews transported the child to Mosaic
Life Care who is reported to be awake and in stable condition.

Officers recovered
more than 40 shell casings, from both a handgun and a rifle, across the street
southeast of the duplex. Gunfire also struck two vehicles parked on South 18th
Street.

Anyone with
information about this incident is encouraged to contact the St. Joseph Police
Department at (816) 271-4777 or submit an anonymous tip through the TIPS
Hotline at (816) 238-TIPS (8477) and receive up to a $1000 reward. 

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA 10-year-old
child suffered a gunshot wound while sleeping when gunmen opened fire in the
900 block of South 18th Street, hitting a duplex.The St. Joseph
Police Department reports dispatchers received multiple shots fired reports at
approximately 3:20am Wednesday. Officers responded to the duplex on South 18th
and discovered it had been hit by gunfire. Officers located the 10-year-old,
who had been shot in the left thigh while asleep in an upstairs bedroom. First
aid was administered at the scene. Emergency crews transported the child to Mosaic
Life Care who is reported to be awake and in stable condition.Officers recovered
more than 40 shell casings, from both a handgun and a rifle, across the street
southeast of the duplex. Gunfire also struck two vehicles parked on South 18th
Street.This investigation
is ongoing.Anyone with
information about this incident is encouraged to contact the St. Joseph Police
Department at (816) 271-4777 or submit an anonymous tip through the TIPS
Hotline at (816) 238-TIPS (8477) and receive up to a $1000 reward. You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

St. Joseph 10-year-old shot and wounded while asleep in bedroom (UPDATE)

Applications are
being accepted for the Cotillion for Achievement.

The Cotillion is entering
its 39th year, offering scholarships, enrichment opportunities, and
leadership training for high school seniors pursuing college or other post-secondary
education.

Scholarship
applications approved by the state are being distributed to public and private
high schools throughout the area.

A student can
receive an application from their school counselor. Information can also be
obtained by visiting the Cotillion for Achievement website:
<a href="https://www.cotillionforachievement.org/">https://cotillionforachievement.org/</a>. Applications are due Friday, October 17th
5pm. Applications postmarked on that date will be accepted as well.

Applications will
be scored on each student’s scholastic achievement, extracurricular activities,
community involvement, plus a written essay.&nbsp;
A panel of five community leaders will review the applications. Finalists
are eligible for a $1,000 scholarship. They will be recognized at a reception
on December 7th.

Finalists will
participate in three Adventure in Achievement seminars during January 2026, promoting
leadership skills, self-image, communication abilities, and community
engagement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757518546966.jpeg" alt="Cotillion for Achievement Awards night 2024/Photo courtesy of Cotillion for Achievement" />
 <figcaption>Cotillion for Achievement Awards night 2024/Photo courtesy of Cotillion for Achievement</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostApplications are
being accepted for the Cotillion for Achievement.The Cotillion is entering
its 39th year, offering scholarships, enrichment opportunities, and
leadership training for high school seniors pursuing college or other post-secondary
education.Scholarship
applications approved by the state are being distributed to public and private
high schools throughout the area.A student can
receive an application from their school counselor. Information can also be
obtained by visiting the Cotillion for Achievement website:
<a href="https://www.cotillionforachievement.org/">https://cotillionforachievement.org/</a>. Applications are due Friday, October 17th
5pm. Applications postmarked on that date will be accepted as well.Applications will
be scored on each student’s scholastic achievement, extracurricular activities,
community involvement, plus a written essay.&nbsp;
A panel of five community leaders will review the applications. Finalists
are eligible for a $1,000 scholarship. They will be recognized at a reception
on December 7th.Finalists will
participate in three Adventure in Achievement seminars during January 2026, promoting
leadership skills, self-image, communication abilities, and community
engagement.You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Applications being accepted for Cotillion for Achievement

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/2NthRhsQlxKe9T9VQIUmWI?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

KFEQ Morning Sports

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/71gU4cAjPQQDZwIv2Xedmd?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

KFEQ Morning News

St. Joseph Mayor
John Josendale will run for a second term.

Josendale, along
with St. Joseph city councilmembers, Madison Davis, Marty Novak, and Randy Schultz,
have picked up petitions at city hall, signaling their intent to run for
re-election during municipal elections next year.

Both Novak and
Schultz are at-large members on the St. Joseph City Council. Davis represents
District One.

Newcomer, Collin
Clibon, has picked up a petition to run for an at-large seat.

Tuesday was the
first day candidates for mayor, city council, and municipal judge could pick up
petitions to start the process of running for office.

Petitions can be
filed with the city clerk between October 7th and October 28th.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757511478036.jpeg" alt="St. Joseph Mayor John Josendale/file photo" />
 <figcaption>St. Joseph Mayor John Josendale/file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph Mayor
John Josendale will run for a second term.Josendale, along
with St. Joseph city councilmembers, Madison Davis, Marty Novak, and Randy Schultz,
have picked up petitions at city hall, signaling their intent to run for
re-election during municipal elections next year.Both Novak and
Schultz are at-large members on the St. Joseph City Council. Davis represents
District One.Newcomer, Collin
Clibon, has picked up a petition to run for an at-large seat.Tuesday was the
first day candidates for mayor, city council, and municipal judge could pick up
petitions to start the process of running for office.Petitions can be
filed with the city clerk between October 7th and October 28th.You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

St. Joseph mayor, councilmembers make 1st step toward re-election bid

Click <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/4fd3ae1f-7384-4ecd-ad3c-b173af227c8c">HERE</a> for an update to this story.

A St. Joseph juvenile
has been struck and wounded after shots were fired into a house in the 900
block of South 18th early Wednesday morning.

St. Joseph police
report the shooting took place around three o’clock this morning. The wound,
according to police, does not appear to be life-threatening. &nbsp;An investigation is underway. 

Police report
several shots were fired into the house. The juvenile was the only person
harmed.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostClick <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/4fd3ae1f-7384-4ecd-ad3c-b173af227c8c">HERE</a> for an update to this story.A St. Joseph juvenile
has been struck and wounded after shots were fired into a house in the 900
block of South 18th early Wednesday morning.St. Joseph police
report the shooting took place around three o’clock this morning. The wound,
according to police, does not appear to be life-threatening. &nbsp;An investigation is underway. Police report
several shots were fired into the house. The juvenile was the only person
harmed.You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

St. Joseph juvenile wounded in early morning shooting

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

The effort would repeal the 41-page constitutional amendment that legalized recreational marijuana in 2022.

A coalition of Missouri hemp business leaders and advocates formally filed four initiative petitions Tuesday that would ask voters to allow marijuana and intoxicating hemp products to be sold in the same stores as alcohol and tobacco.

The goal of the effort, led by Kansas-City-based hemp business American Shaman, is to repeal the 41-page constitutional amendment that legalized recreational marijuana in 2022.&nbsp;

Each version of the proposed initiative petition would replace the marijuana legalization amendment with language that instructs Missouri lawmakers to create regulations that are “no more burdensome than what we already have for alcohol and tobacco,” said Eapen Thampy, a longtime hemp lobbyist.

“Marijuana and hemp are one plant,” Thampy said in an interview Tuesday. “They should be regulated in the same way. It should be a free, fair and regulated market.”

The effort is being organized under a new political action committee called&nbsp;<a href="https://mec.mo.gov/MEC/Campaign_Finance/CommInfo.aspx?MECID=C253534#gsc.tab=0" target="_blank">Missourians for a Single Market</a>.

The four petitions differ slightly, but they each would take out criminal offenses for possessing too much marijuana. They’d also retain the current taxes on the products for at least the next 10 years, and allow businesses to obtain licenses to sell the products through a similar process as they do with alcohol and tobacco products.&nbsp;

Currently marijuana facility licenses are limited and highly regulated, but businesses don’t need a license to sell intoxicating hemp products — despite numerous legislative attempts to outright ban them.&nbsp;

“Legislative efforts to ban hemp products allow the illegal market to flourish,” said Gary Wiegert, a retired St. Louis City police sergeant, in the group’s Tuesday press release announcing the initiative petition campaign. “Regulating these products and preserving legal access to the market ensures public safety by allowing business owners to serve the consumer market instead.”

In many ways, it’s the latest showdown between the marijuana industry, which has operated legally in Missouri since 2018 but is still outlawed federally,&nbsp; and the hemp industry, whose products were legalized by the 2018 Farm Bill.

At the end of the day, what’s the difference between intoxicating hemp products and intoxicating marijuana products?

Hemp and marijuana are essentially terms the government uses to distinguish between the part of the cannabis plant that has high amounts of THC, or their psychoactive component.

Any part of the plant containing 0.3% or less THC by dry weight is defined as hemp. And that’s why in 2018 Congress removed hemp and hemp seeds from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s schedule of controlled substances as part of the Farm Bill.

Cannabis buds – or what the industry calls “flower” – must be smoked or heated to release Delta-9 THC that produces a high.&nbsp;

So eating most raw cannabis flower shouldn’t get someone high.

There is a growing legal argument that marijuana sold in dispensaries that doesn’t contain .3% Delta-9 THC before it’s smoked or heated is actually hemp.

Currently, a number of Missouri cannabis events – where people are selling weed outside of dispensaries – are operating under this interpretation of the federal definition.

The initiative petitions filed Tuesday support this interpretation.&nbsp;

The effort also aims to regulate products, such as edibles, beverages and vapes, that are currently being sold in gas stations and stores without any testing or tracking requirements. The lack of state regulation has led some&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/14/war-between-intoxicating-hemp-and-marijuana-industries-resumes-in-st-louis/">municipal governments</a>&nbsp;to try and find a way to regulate them through city health departments.&nbsp;

“Our position is that marijuana legalization has always been not about getting ‘high’ but to end prohibition against one of the most beneficial plants on earth,” said Tim Gilio, founder of the Missouri Marijuana Legalization Movement. “Our goal is to open up a free and open market to all and prevent a monopoly from encroaching on any benefits of the cannabis plant.”

However, Andrew Mullins, executive director for the Missouri Cannabis Trade Association, told The Independent in June that the idea is a “bait and switch.”&nbsp;

The state’s regulated marijuana industry, he said, generated $241 million in state and local tax revenues last year alone and is regarded as one of the most successful marijuana programs in the country, citing a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/missouri-cannabis-market-business-34dd47ad?mod=e2tw&amp;gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=ASWzDAi6PE3BQERvbb-fuJyCT3TUHPqzyDmZaOBA7z2p4IrJNE448pqQQlOJuYZuLnI%3D&amp;gaa_sig=589hKhzJJ83VibbJThKqws5L0tFMC4cfGLVI7iP9s6rCqnTgzMAFY3xKdfW3eaoC4-voDJHOVTTiObvrNWiHgw%3D%3D&amp;gaa_ts=68507e7e" target="_blank">Wall Street Journal article</a>. At a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/05/missouri-cannabis-sales-remain-steady-as-new-products-emerge/">marijuana industry conference&nbsp;</a>last week, company leaders agreed that limited licenses for dispensaries and grow facilities was key to Missouri’s success.&nbsp;

Voters have twice voted for cannabis regulation, Mullins said in June, and any effort to roll back those constitutional protections would be a “spectacular failure.”

“Missourians aren’t about to take hundreds of millions away from local communities, veterans and our justice system, all in hopes that politicians will eventually replace it with something down the road,” Mullins said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Thampy said that tax revenue wouldn’t go away. The taxable market would increase by about a third, he said, “meaning tens of millions in new revenue for public defenders, substance abuse prevention, and the Missouri Veterans Commission.”

The petitions were filed with the Missouri Secretary of State on Tuesday afternoon. The group aims to get enough signatures by May to appear on the November 2026 ballot.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757500072567.png" alt="Hemp-derived THC beverages like these Mighty Kind THC seltzers can be found at Total Wine and other large liquor stores throughout Missouri (photo submitted)." />
 <figcaption>Hemp-derived THC beverages like these Mighty Kind THC seltzers can be found at Total Wine and other large liquor stores throughout Missouri (photo submitted).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rebecca-rivas/">REBECCA RIVAS</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a><h2>The effort would repeal the 41-page constitutional amendment that legalized recreational marijuana in 2022.</h2>A coalition of Missouri hemp business leaders and advocates formally filed four initiative petitions Tuesday that would ask voters to allow marijuana and intoxicating hemp products to be sold in the same stores as alcohol and tobacco.The goal of the effort, led by Kansas-City-based hemp business American Shaman, is to repeal the 41-page constitutional amendment that legalized recreational marijuana in 2022.&nbsp;Each version of the proposed initiative petition would replace the marijuana legalization amendment with language that instructs Missouri lawmakers to create regulations that are “no more burdensome than what we already have for alcohol and tobacco,” said Eapen Thampy, a longtime hemp lobbyist.“Marijuana and hemp are one plant,” Thampy said in an interview Tuesday. “They should be regulated in the same way. It should be a free, fair and regulated market.”The effort is being organized under a new political action committee called&nbsp;<a href="https://mec.mo.gov/MEC/Campaign_Finance/CommInfo.aspx?MECID=C253534#gsc.tab=0" target="_blank">Missourians for a Single Market</a>.The four petitions differ slightly, but they each would take out criminal offenses for possessing too much marijuana. They’d also retain the current taxes on the products for at least the next 10 years, and allow businesses to obtain licenses to sell the products through a similar process as they do with alcohol and tobacco products.&nbsp;Currently marijuana facility licenses are limited and highly regulated, but businesses don’t need a license to sell intoxicating hemp products — despite numerous legislative attempts to outright ban them.&nbsp;“Legislative efforts to ban hemp products allow the illegal market to flourish,” said Gary Wiegert, a retired St. Louis City police sergeant, in the group’s Tuesday press release announcing the initiative petition campaign. “Regulating these products and preserving legal access to the market ensures public safety by allowing business owners to serve the consumer market instead.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757500035317.png" alt="Hemp lobbyist Eapen Thampy and Deb Nash of Canna Answers filed four initiative petitions on hemp and marijuana regulations on Tuesday with the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office in Jefferson City (photo submitted)." />
 <figcaption>Hemp lobbyist Eapen Thampy and Deb Nash of Canna Answers filed four initiative petitions on hemp and marijuana regulations on Tuesday with the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office in Jefferson City (photo submitted).</figcaption>
 </figure>In many ways, it’s the latest showdown between the marijuana industry, which has operated legally in Missouri since 2018 but is still outlawed federally,&nbsp; and the hemp industry, whose products were legalized by the 2018 Farm Bill.At the end of the day, what’s the difference between intoxicating hemp products and intoxicating marijuana products?Hemp and marijuana are essentially terms the government uses to distinguish between the part of the cannabis plant that has high amounts of THC, or their psychoactive component.Any part of the plant containing 0.3% or less THC by dry weight is defined as hemp. And that’s why in 2018 Congress removed hemp and hemp seeds from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s schedule of controlled substances as part of the Farm Bill.Cannabis buds – or what the industry calls “flower” – must be smoked or heated to release Delta-9 THC that produces a high.&nbsp;So eating most raw cannabis flower shouldn’t get someone high.There is a growing legal argument that marijuana sold in dispensaries that doesn’t contain .3% Delta-9 THC before it’s smoked or heated is actually hemp.Currently, a number of Missouri cannabis events – where people are selling weed outside of dispensaries – are operating under this interpretation of the federal definition.The initiative petitions filed Tuesday support this interpretation.&nbsp;The effort also aims to regulate products, such as edibles, beverages and vapes, that are currently being sold in gas stations and stores without any testing or tracking requirements. The lack of state regulation has led some&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/14/war-between-intoxicating-hemp-and-marijuana-industries-resumes-in-st-louis/">municipal governments</a>&nbsp;to try and find a way to regulate them through city health departments.&nbsp;“Our position is that marijuana legalization has always been not about getting ‘high’ but to end prohibition against one of the most beneficial plants on earth,” said Tim Gilio, founder of the Missouri Marijuana Legalization Movement. “Our goal is to open up a free and open market to all and prevent a monopoly from encroaching on any benefits of the cannabis plant.”However, Andrew Mullins, executive director for the Missouri Cannabis Trade Association, told The Independent in June that the idea is a “bait and switch.”&nbsp;The state’s regulated marijuana industry, he said, generated $241 million in state and local tax revenues last year alone and is regarded as one of the most successful marijuana programs in the country, citing a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/missouri-cannabis-market-business-34dd47ad?mod=e2tw&amp;gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=ASWzDAi6PE3BQERvbb-fuJyCT3TUHPqzyDmZaOBA7z2p4IrJNE448pqQQlOJuYZuLnI%3D&amp;gaa_sig=589hKhzJJ83VibbJThKqws5L0tFMC4cfGLVI7iP9s6rCqnTgzMAFY3xKdfW3eaoC4-voDJHOVTTiObvrNWiHgw%3D%3D&amp;gaa_ts=68507e7e" target="_blank">Wall Street Journal article</a>. At a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/05/missouri-cannabis-sales-remain-steady-as-new-products-emerge/">marijuana industry conference&nbsp;</a>last week, company leaders agreed that limited licenses for dispensaries and grow facilities was key to Missouri’s success.&nbsp;Voters have twice voted for cannabis regulation, Mullins said in June, and any effort to roll back those constitutional protections would be a “spectacular failure.”“Missourians aren’t about to take hundreds of millions away from local communities, veterans and our justice system, all in hopes that politicians will eventually replace it with something down the road,” Mullins said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Thampy said that tax revenue wouldn’t go away. The taxable market would increase by about a third, he said, “meaning tens of millions in new revenue for public defenders, substance abuse prevention, and the Missouri Veterans Commission.”The petitions were filed with the Missouri Secretary of State on Tuesday afternoon. The group aims to get enough signatures by May to appear on the November 2026 ballot.&nbsp;

New initiative petition would regulate Missouri marijuana, hemp products the same as alcohol

Both bills now head to the Missouri Senate, where Democrats are expected to use the filibuster and other procedural maneuvers to gum up legislative business as much as possible

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

Bills creating a gerrymandered congressional map and making it virtually impossible to change the state constitution through the initiative petition process are on their way to the Missouri Senate.

The Missouri House gave final approval to both proposals Tuesday after two days of contentious debate.&nbsp;

Gov. Mike Kehoe called the legislature back into session after&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/25/trump-white-house-pressing-missouri-republicans-to-redraw-congressional-map/">weeks of pressure from the President Donald Trump&nbsp;</a>for GOP-run states to redraw congressional districts to ensure more Republican seats before next year’s midterm elections.&nbsp;

In Missouri, the effort targeted the 5th District, currently held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City, by carving it up and dispersing its voters into three districts that give Republicans an electoral advantage in seven of the state’s eight congressional districts.&nbsp;

“This is a superior map,” said state Rep. Dirk Deaton, a Noel Republican sponsoring the proposed new congressional map. “It better represents the state of Missouri.”

In addition to the gerrymandered map, Republicans also took aim at the citizen initiative petition process. The House approved a plan Tuesday that would require constitutional amendments put on the ballot by Missouri voters to attain both a simple majority statewide and a majority in all eight congressional districts in order to pass.&nbsp;

Based on last year’s election results, that change would mean&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/04/as-few-as-5-of-voters-could-defeat-initiative-petitions-under-missouri-gop-legislation/">as few as 5% of voters could defeat any ballot measure</a>. The proposal would also ban foreign contributions to initiative petition campaigns, something that is already illegal.&nbsp;

If it passes the Senate, the issue would go on the statewide ballot in 2026 and require a simple majority to approve.&nbsp;

State Rep. Ed Lewis, a Moberly Republican, said amending the state constitution has become too easy and has been dominated by out-of-state interests. His proposal, he said, would address both of those issues.&nbsp;

“There should be a broad consensus across the state to amend the constitution,” he said.&nbsp;

Democrats denounced both of the proposals as a power grab by the Republican supermajority and a&nbsp;Trump-inspired assault on democracy.&nbsp;

“The Missouri GOP is aiding and abetting the systematic destruction of our democracy by an authoritarian regime led by geriatric conman who knows the only way he can win is to cheat,” said House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat.

GOP state Rep. Bryant Wolfin of Ste. Genevieve was one of the few Republicans who voted against both measures, saying this week’s special session proves that the only thing that matters in the Missouri Capitol is “political power.”

“Unfortunately, it’s not ethics,” he said. “It’s not morality. It’s definitely not liberty. It’s just political power.”

If Democrats were in charge, Wolfin, said, he’s sure they would do the same thing. But that doesn’t justify what Republicans are doing.

“There’s certainly nothing conservative about ignoring the moral implications of our actions,” he said. “Morality is not defined by what is legal. Morality is not defined by what you can get away with.”

Revising congressional district lines occurs every 10 years, after the allocation of seats following the federal census. The Missouri Constitution mandates it but is silent on whether lawmakers have the power to do so at other times.&nbsp;

Democrats argue it is unconstitutional to draw another map before the next census is complete.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2025-09-04/naacp-sues-missouri-republicans-unconstitutional-gerrymander-kansas-city" target="_blank">Missouri NAACP filed a lawsuit last week</a>&nbsp;in Cole County arguing the governor’s decision to call a special session was unconstitutional. Cleaver has also&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/rep-emanuel-cleaver-promises-lawsuit-if-missouri-republicans-gerrymander-his-district/">promised to go to court</a>&nbsp;to challenge any gerrymandered map lawmakers approve.

But Republicans say critics are misreading the constitution and are confident the new map would survive a legal challenge.&nbsp;

“The constitution is clear that we can alter districts as we desire at any point at any point,” Deaton said.&nbsp;

Legislators were elected to represent the people, Deaton said, and if a majority of legislators vote in support of the map “that’s representative democracy.”

The new map does not include an emergency clause that would have made it go into effect upon Kehoe’s signature. That means opponents of the map will have 90s days after it is signed into law to collect signatures to force a statewide vote.&nbsp;

St. Louis Public Radio reported Monday that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stlpr.org/government-politics-issues/2025-09-08/missouri-redistricting-opponents-referendum" target="_blank">the Missouri AFL-CIO is considering whether to launch a petition drive</a>&nbsp;to force a referendum vote. If enough signatures are gathered before the law takes effect, it would be held in abeyance until after the vote.

That strategy was last deployed in 2018, when&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/07/politics/missouri-right-to-work-vote" target="_blank">labor unions collected more than 300,000 signatures in 90 days</a>&nbsp;— more than three times the amount needed — to put a question on the statewide ballot repealing a GOP-backed right-to-work law.&nbsp;

The repeal push was ultimately successful, with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2018/08/08/636568530/missouri-blocks-right-to-work-law" target="_blank">67% of voters rejecting the right-to-work law</a>.&nbsp;

In fact, of the 27 times a referendum has been placed on the ballot, voters have rejected actions by the General Assembly all but twice.

Missouri is<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/initiative-and-referendum-processes" target="_blank">&nbsp;one of 24 states</a>&nbsp;that allows citizen initiative petitions. They can be used to either amend the constitution or change state law, though the path to successfully doing so is often&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/12/05/missouri-abortion-2024-initiative-petition-ballot/">arduous and expensive</a>, requiring tens of thousands of signatures to even land on the ballot.&nbsp;

Missourians in recent years have used the initiative petition process to legalize abortion and recreational marijuana use, as well expand Medicaid eligibility.&nbsp;

In November, the abortion-rights amendment passed with just shy of 52% of the vote driven by large support from the state’s urban, more-populated areas. Voters in all but eight of Missouri’s 115 counties opposed the amendment.

Lewis argued Tuesday that the process is dominated by liberal, out-of-state organizations who are pushing partisan amendments that would be impossible to pass through the Republican-dominated legislature.&nbsp;

“Do you want partisan things going into the constitution,” Lewis said, “or do we want something that a broad consensus of all Missourians could support.”

State Rep. Martin Jacobs, a Democrat from Liberty, questioned why the process should be changed to allow a fraction of voters to sink an initiative petition, arguing it violates the principle of one person, one vote.&nbsp;

“Voters in one district can override voters of every other district,” Jacobs said.&nbsp;

Based on last year’s general election, where 2,960,266 votes were cast for governor and only 311,915 in the 1st District, under the proposed change only 156,000 voters could defeat ballot question — or just shy of 5.3% of the statewide vote.

The GOP-backed legislation “rigs the system,” said Democratic state Rep. Kathey Steinhoof of Columbia, “and I assure you all Missourians on both sides of the aisle are tired of the system being rigged.”

Both bills now head to the Missouri Senate, where Democrats are expected to use the filibuster and other procedural maneuvers to gum up legislative business as much as possible.&nbsp;

In order to overcome the gridlock, Senate Republicans may once again have to break a filibuster and force a vote by turning to a rule that was previously rarely-used but got deployed twice during the regular legislative session in May.&nbsp;

Doing so would create even more bad blood in a legislative chamber already teetering on the edge of full on partisan collapse. It could also upend the 2026 session before it even gets started.&nbsp;

Republican leaders in the Senate are determined to push both measures across the finish line.&nbsp;

“The map and the initiative petition reform measures will strike a huge blow to progressives and their efforts to turn Missouri into California,” Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin, a Shelbina Republican,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/cindy.olaughlin/posts/pfbid037UKuVtbBEUmy8c1NQ8FPzChj5zeVoFpxBfC9DonvRBiZChHTzgYdQkiG9JdDRJcZl" target="_blank">posted on social media</a>. “We are not California. We are not progressives.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757444832621.png" alt="House Speaker Jon Patterson presides over the final day of the 2025 legislative session on May 15 (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)." />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Jon Patterson presides over the final day of the 2025 legislative session on May 15 (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Both bills now head to the Missouri Senate, where Democrats are expected to use the filibuster and other procedural maneuvers to gum up legislative business as much as possible</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">Jason Hancock</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Bills creating a gerrymandered congressional map and making it virtually impossible to change the state constitution through the initiative petition process are on their way to the Missouri Senate.The Missouri House gave final approval to both proposals Tuesday after two days of contentious debate.&nbsp;Gov. Mike Kehoe called the legislature back into session after&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/25/trump-white-house-pressing-missouri-republicans-to-redraw-congressional-map/">weeks of pressure from the President Donald Trump&nbsp;</a>for GOP-run states to redraw congressional districts to ensure more Republican seats before next year’s midterm elections.&nbsp;In Missouri, the effort targeted the 5th District, currently held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City, by carving it up and dispersing its voters into three districts that give Republicans an electoral advantage in seven of the state’s eight congressional districts.&nbsp;“This is a superior map,” said state Rep. Dirk Deaton, a Noel Republican sponsoring the proposed new congressional map. “It better represents the state of Missouri.”In addition to the gerrymandered map, Republicans also took aim at the citizen initiative petition process. The House approved a plan Tuesday that would require constitutional amendments put on the ballot by Missouri voters to attain both a simple majority statewide and a majority in all eight congressional districts in order to pass.&nbsp;Based on last year’s election results, that change would mean&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/04/as-few-as-5-of-voters-could-defeat-initiative-petitions-under-missouri-gop-legislation/">as few as 5% of voters could defeat any ballot measure</a>. The proposal would also ban foreign contributions to initiative petition campaigns, something that is already illegal.&nbsp;If it passes the Senate, the issue would go on the statewide ballot in 2026 and require a simple majority to approve.&nbsp;State Rep. Ed Lewis, a Moberly Republican, said amending the state constitution has become too easy and has been dominated by out-of-state interests. His proposal, he said, would address both of those issues.&nbsp;“There should be a broad consensus across the state to amend the constitution,” he said.&nbsp;Democrats denounced both of the proposals as a power grab by the Republican supermajority and a&nbsp;Trump-inspired assault on democracy.&nbsp;“The Missouri GOP is aiding and abetting the systematic destruction of our democracy by an authoritarian regime led by geriatric conman who knows the only way he can win is to cheat,” said House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat.GOP state Rep. Bryant Wolfin of Ste. Genevieve was one of the few Republicans who voted against both measures, saying this week’s special session proves that the only thing that matters in the Missouri Capitol is “political power.”“Unfortunately, it’s not ethics,” he said. “It’s not morality. It’s definitely not liberty. It’s just political power.”If Democrats were in charge, Wolfin, said, he’s sure they would do the same thing. But that doesn’t justify what Republicans are doing.“There’s certainly nothing conservative about ignoring the moral implications of our actions,” he said. “Morality is not defined by what is legal. Morality is not defined by what you can get away with.”<h2>Gerrymandering</h2>Revising congressional district lines occurs every 10 years, after the allocation of seats following the federal census. The Missouri Constitution mandates it but is silent on whether lawmakers have the power to do so at other times.&nbsp;Democrats argue it is unconstitutional to draw another map before the next census is complete.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2025-09-04/naacp-sues-missouri-republicans-unconstitutional-gerrymander-kansas-city" target="_blank">Missouri NAACP filed a lawsuit last week</a>&nbsp;in Cole County arguing the governor’s decision to call a special session was unconstitutional. Cleaver has also&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/rep-emanuel-cleaver-promises-lawsuit-if-missouri-republicans-gerrymander-his-district/">promised to go to court</a>&nbsp;to challenge any gerrymandered map lawmakers approve.But Republicans say critics are misreading the constitution and are confident the new map would survive a legal challenge.&nbsp;“The constitution is clear that we can alter districts as we desire at any point at any point,” Deaton said.&nbsp;Legislators were elected to represent the people, Deaton said, and if a majority of legislators vote in support of the map “that’s representative democracy.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757444658128.png" alt="Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors / Map by Anna Sago " />
 <figcaption>Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors / Map by Anna Sago </figcaption>
 </figure>The new map does not include an emergency clause that would have made it go into effect upon Kehoe’s signature. That means opponents of the map will have 90s days after it is signed into law to collect signatures to force a statewide vote.&nbsp;St. Louis Public Radio reported Monday that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stlpr.org/government-politics-issues/2025-09-08/missouri-redistricting-opponents-referendum" target="_blank">the Missouri AFL-CIO is considering whether to launch a petition drive</a>&nbsp;to force a referendum vote. If enough signatures are gathered before the law takes effect, it would be held in abeyance until after the vote.That strategy was last deployed in 2018, when&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/07/politics/missouri-right-to-work-vote" target="_blank">labor unions collected more than 300,000 signatures in 90 days</a>&nbsp;— more than three times the amount needed — to put a question on the statewide ballot repealing a GOP-backed right-to-work law.&nbsp;The repeal push was ultimately successful, with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2018/08/08/636568530/missouri-blocks-right-to-work-law" target="_blank">67% of voters rejecting the right-to-work law</a>.&nbsp;In fact, of the 27 times a referendum has been placed on the ballot, voters have rejected actions by the General Assembly all but twice.<h2>Constitutional amendments</h2>Missouri is<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/initiative-and-referendum-processes" target="_blank">&nbsp;one of 24 states</a>&nbsp;that allows citizen initiative petitions. They can be used to either amend the constitution or change state law, though the path to successfully doing so is often&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/12/05/missouri-abortion-2024-initiative-petition-ballot/">arduous and expensive</a>, requiring tens of thousands of signatures to even land on the ballot.&nbsp;Missourians in recent years have used the initiative petition process to legalize abortion and recreational marijuana use, as well expand Medicaid eligibility.&nbsp;In November, the abortion-rights amendment passed with just shy of 52% of the vote driven by large support from the state’s urban, more-populated areas. Voters in all but eight of Missouri’s 115 counties opposed the amendment.Lewis argued Tuesday that the process is dominated by liberal, out-of-state organizations who are pushing partisan amendments that would be impossible to pass through the Republican-dominated legislature.&nbsp;“Do you want partisan things going into the constitution,” Lewis said, “or do we want something that a broad consensus of all Missourians could support.”State Rep. Martin Jacobs, a Democrat from Liberty, questioned why the process should be changed to allow a fraction of voters to sink an initiative petition, arguing it violates the principle of one person, one vote.&nbsp;“Voters in one district can override voters of every other district,” Jacobs said.&nbsp;Based on last year’s general election, where 2,960,266 votes were cast for governor and only 311,915 in the 1st District, under the proposed change only 156,000 voters could defeat ballot question — or just shy of 5.3% of the statewide vote.The GOP-backed legislation “rigs the system,” said Democratic state Rep. Kathey Steinhoof of Columbia, “and I assure you all Missourians on both sides of the aisle are tired of the system being rigged.”<h2>On to the Senate</h2>Both bills now head to the Missouri Senate, where Democrats are expected to use the filibuster and other procedural maneuvers to gum up legislative business as much as possible.&nbsp;In order to overcome the gridlock, Senate Republicans may once again have to break a filibuster and force a vote by turning to a rule that was previously rarely-used but got deployed twice during the regular legislative session in May.&nbsp;Doing so would create even more bad blood in a legislative chamber already teetering on the edge of full on partisan collapse. It could also upend the 2026 session before it even gets started.&nbsp;Republican leaders in the Senate are determined to push both measures across the finish line.&nbsp;“The map and the initiative petition reform measures will strike a huge blow to progressives and their efforts to turn Missouri into California,” Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin, a Shelbina Republican,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/cindy.olaughlin/posts/pfbid037UKuVtbBEUmy8c1NQ8FPzChj5zeVoFpxBfC9DonvRBiZChHTzgYdQkiG9JdDRJcZl" target="_blank">posted on social media</a>. “We are not California. We are not progressives.”

Missouri House passes GOP-friendly congressional map, limits on initiative petitions

Doniphan County is
getting help from the state of Kansas along with the federal government to finance
a major bridge replacement near Troy.

Gov. Laura Kelly’s
office announced it is awarding money to help replace the Oxide Road bridge
over an abandoned CRI railroad line south of U.S. 36 Highway. The bridge is
located two-and-a-half miles east of Troy.

The total cost of
the bridge is $1,250,000. Under the state program, Doniphan County is
contributing $82,994 or 6.8% of the project’s cost.

The project is one
of 27 local and off-system bridge projects across Kansas receiving a combined
$40.5 million in state and federal funding.

“By funding bridge
projects across our state, we are directly investing in the future of our
communities,” Gov. Laura Kelly said in a written statement released by her
office. “Repairing and replacing aging bridges ensures people and commerce can
move safely and efficiently throughout Kansas.”

The governor’s
office says that by reshaping the local bridge programs, the Kansas Department
of Transportation more than doubled its annual funding as part of the existing
Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE).

The office reports
that of the 19,000 local bridges more than 5,000 need to be updated.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostDoniphan County is
getting help from the state of Kansas along with the federal government to finance
a major bridge replacement near Troy.Gov. Laura Kelly’s
office announced it is awarding money to help replace the Oxide Road bridge
over an abandoned CRI railroad line south of U.S. 36 Highway. The bridge is
located two-and-a-half miles east of Troy.The total cost of
the bridge is $1,250,000. Under the state program, Doniphan County is
contributing $82,994 or 6.8% of the project’s cost.The project is one
of 27 local and off-system bridge projects across Kansas receiving a combined
$40.5 million in state and federal funding.“By funding bridge
projects across our state, we are directly investing in the future of our
communities,” Gov. Laura Kelly said in a written statement released by her
office. “Repairing and replacing aging bridges ensures people and commerce can
move safely and efficiently throughout Kansas.”The governor’s
office says that by reshaping the local bridge programs, the Kansas Department
of Transportation more than doubled its annual funding as part of the existing
Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE).The office reports
that of the 19,000 local bridges more than 5,000 need to be updated.You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Doniphan County benefits from state bridge program

The United Way of Greater St. Joseph's annual campaign is underway.   

The campaign kicked off at the end of last week and will go on over the next two months after successfully raising nearly $1 million dollars, raising $970,506.40 through the pacesetter campaign.  

President Kylee Strough says the pacesetter campaign is a good indicator for United Way of how the campaign is going to go 

"When the pacesetters get us off to such a strong start, it gives us a peek inside, as to how donors and potential donors are feeling and if United Way is capturing their hearts this year," Strough tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  "And so, that pacesetter number gives us a lot of enthusiasm for where we're headed." 

Strough says while there is no particular goal to hit with this year’s campaign, the hope is to raise more than last year when the campaign raised just over $2.5 million. 

Strough says one big hurdle they face in getting people to donate, however, is donors knowing how much their donation matters.  

"When you talk about $2.5 million dollars, I think it's easy to think that like oh that's happening somewhere else, what's my $25 or $100 make a difference, how does mine make a difference if they're raising that much money?" Strough explains.  "But that much money comes from thousands of people giving their fair share, and so I think that's one of our largest hurdles." 

Strough says another hurdle is the work of those partner agencies is so expansive, donors have trouble grasping that they are a part of everything.  

Strough says over the next few weeks United Way employees will be planning out businesses to go into to talk about the campaign, but starting today volunteers will come in to begin calling out 

"They will select a list of businesses to reach out to, and invite those businesses to give, so the phones will start ringing here in the next couple weeks," Strough says.  "And it will really be friends calling their friends here in the community, saying hey I'm volunteering for United Way would you support the campaign with a gift?" 

To donate to United Way's campaign or to learn more, you can visit their website or contact the agency. 

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

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post The United Way of Greater St. Joseph's annual campaign is underway. The campaign kicked off at the end of last week and will go on over the next two months after successfully raising nearly $1 million dollars, raising $970,506.40 through the pacesetter campaign. President Kylee Strough says the pacesetter campaign is a good indicator for United Way of how the campaign is going to go "When the pacesetters get us off to such a strong start, it gives us a peek inside, as to how donors and potential donors are feeling and if United Way is capturing their hearts this year," Strough tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "And so, that pacesetter number gives us a lot of enthusiasm for where we're headed." Strough says while there is no particular goal to hit with this year’s campaign, the hope is to raise more than last year when the campaign raised just over $2.5 million. Strough says one big hurdle they face in getting people to donate, however, is donors knowing how much their donation matters. "When you talk about $2.5 million dollars, I think it's easy to think that like oh that's happening somewhere else, what's my $25 or $100 make a difference, how does mine make a difference if they're raising that much money?" Strough explains. "But that much money comes from thousands of people giving their fair share, and so I think that's one of our largest hurdles." Strough says another hurdle is the work of those partner agencies is so expansive, donors have trouble grasping that they are a part of everything. Strough says over the next few weeks United Way employees will be planning out businesses to go into to talk about the campaign, but starting today volunteers will come in to begin calling out "They will select a list of businesses to reach out to, and invite those businesses to give, so the phones will start ringing here in the next couple weeks," Strough says. "And it will really be friends calling their friends here in the community, saying hey I'm volunteering for United Way would you support the campaign with a gift?" To donate to United Way's campaign or to learn more, you can visit their website or contact the agency. You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

United Way of Greater St Joseph campaign successful pacesetter opens '25 campaign

ATCHISON COUNTY —Two teens were injured in an accident just after 10:30p.m. Monday in Atchison.

According to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson, a 2001 Lexus passenger car driven by Haylee Roles, 16, Atchison, was westbound at a high rate of speed in the 1300 Block of Commercial Street in Atchison.

She lost control of the vehicle.&nbsp; The car traveled off the roadway, struck a concrete retaining wall on the north side of the street and then struck concrete steps and a metal railing.&nbsp; The vehicle then overturned and landed on its top on Commercial Street. Both the driver and a 15-year-old male passenger were ejected from the vehicle. 

EMS transported both to Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757429344392.png" alt="Photo Atchison Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Atchison Police</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Two teens were injured in an accident just after 10:30p.m. Monday in Atchison.According to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson, a 2001 Lexus passenger car driven by Haylee Roles, 16, Atchison, was westbound at a high rate of speed in the 1300 Block of Commercial Street in Atchison.She lost control of the vehicle.&nbsp; The car traveled off the roadway, struck a concrete retaining wall on the north side of the street and then struck concrete steps and a metal railing.&nbsp; The vehicle then overturned and landed on its top on Commercial Street. Both the driver and a 15-year-old male passenger were ejected from the vehicle. EMS transported both to Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph.

2 teens hospitalized in St. Joe after ejected in rollover crash

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/2omf9skVdORyM7LNJ9C6Ig?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph Post<div><iframe data-testid="embed-iframe" style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/17CMuoyyzkAnNgzFGJ7tao?utm_source=generator" width="100%" height="352" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

Republicans defended the proposal as one crafted in Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe’s office, while Democrats accused them of ‘pandering’ to President Trump to protect him from investigations&nbsp;

The Missouri House on Monday moved the new congressional district map&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/08/21/missouri-gop-leader-says-lawmakers-will-start-with-a-congressional-map-drawn-in-d-c/">demanded by President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;one step closer to passing.

The only drama during the more than four hours of debate was whether any Republicans would vote against the revisions intended to give the GOP safe seats in seven of Missouri’s eight congressional districts.&nbsp;

When the vote came to give preliminary approval to the new map, 12 of the chamber’s 107 Republicans — including House Speaker Jon Patterson of Lee’s Summit — voted against it, along with all Democrats present. The vote was 89-63, setting&nbsp; up a final vote Tuesday that will send the bill to the state Senate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757419606073.png" alt=" State Rep. Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Noel, speaks during a Jan. 30 news conference with House Speaker Jon Patterson. Deaton is sponsoring the new congressional district map being debated in a special session. (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)" />
 <figcaption> State Rep. Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Noel, speaks during a Jan. 30 news conference with House Speaker Jon Patterson. Deaton is sponsoring the new congressional district map being debated in a special session. (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Republicans defended the proposal as one crafted in Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe’s office, while Democrats accused them of ‘pandering’ to President Trump to protect him from investigations&nbsp;</h2>BY:&nbsp;&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 Missouri House on Monday moved the new congressional district map&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/08/21/missouri-gop-leader-says-lawmakers-will-start-with-a-congressional-map-drawn-in-d-c/">demanded by President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;one step closer to passing.The only drama during the more than four hours of debate was whether any Republicans would vote against the revisions intended to give the GOP safe seats in seven of Missouri’s eight congressional districts.&nbsp;When the vote came to give preliminary approval to the new map, 12 of the chamber’s 107 Republicans — including House Speaker Jon Patterson of Lee’s Summit — voted against it, along with all Democrats present. The vote was 89-63, setting&nbsp; up a final vote Tuesday that will send the bill to the state Senate.Once the debate began, state Rep. Dirk Deaton, the Republican from Noel who is sponsoring the new map, said the legislation is an attempt to “improve” the redistricting plan approved at the end of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/05/14/battle-lines-remain-fixed-in-missouri-senate-republican-factional-fights-as-session-ends/">tumultuous debates in 2022</a>.&nbsp;Deaton denied that the map was designed in the White House and given to lawmakers to pass.“This map came from the governor’s office, and it was written at the governor’s direction by the staff,” he said.Under questioning from state Rep. Jo Doll, a Democrat from St. Louis, Deaton said redistricting was not an issue in the regular session earlier this year because there was no consensus, no “groundswell of support” to work on redistricting during the regular legislative session.Doll responded by accusing Republicans of manipulating the electoral process for one reason — because Trump demanded it.“This is nothing more than the Republican Party pandering to Donald Trump and his agenda,” Doll said. “We all heard the directive. We’re not stupid over here, we know where this came from. And it’s not the governor’s office.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757419546755.png" alt="House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat, speaks to reporters Monday prior to the House’s session (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat, speaks to reporters Monday prior to the House’s session (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Democrat from Kansas City, said at a news conference before the debate that she expected most Republicans who oppose the bill to remain silent.“It’s what they do day in and day out in this building,” Aune said. “It is exhausting to watch, but it is their normal, and I’m certain that it will happen again.”Gov. Mike Kehoe called the special session after weeks of speculation following a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/24/weve-already-done-that-missouri-lawmakers-show-little-enthusiasm-for-new-congressional-maps/">report in late July</a>&nbsp;that Trump wanted Missouri to redraw districts so the GOP could take the 5th District, currently held by U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City.&nbsp;Texas lawmakers were already meeting to find Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/04/texas-legislature-adjourns-special-session-sine-die/" target="_blank">five additional seats</a>&nbsp;in the 34-member delegation from that state. California has followed suit, putting a new map on the ballot for November intended to&nbsp;<a href="https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/09/california-gop-proposition-50-campaign/" target="_blank">shift five seats to Democrats</a>.With those large states cancelling each other out, the fight has moved to smaller states like Missouri. With a 219-212 majority in the 435-seat House of Representatives — four seats are vacant, including three previously held by Democrats — Republicans are worried that a small shift in voter sentiment could put them again in the minority.Revising congressional district lines occurs every 10 years, after the allocation of seats following the federal census. The state Constitution mandates it but is silent on whether lawmakers have the&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++45&amp;bid=31801&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">power to do so at other times</a>.&nbsp;Democrats seem resigned to losing the initial battle in the legislative chambers, but hold out hope for defeating the measure in court or at the ballot box.The lack of clear authority for mid-term redistricting, as well as procedural questions in the special session, are ripe for the courts to decide, Aune said.“It’s unconstitutional from the start to the finish,” she said during the news conference.Cleaver has&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/rep-emanuel-cleaver-promises-lawsuit-if-missouri-republicans-gerrymander-his-district/">vowed to sue</a>&nbsp;if lawmakers pass a new map.&nbsp;Deaton also defended the map as constitutional, arguing that Democrats’ warnings they will sue would be doomed to failure.“There’s no evidence to support this,” Deaton said. “There’s nothing to back this up, just ‘this is unconstitutional.’”The bill was given first-round approval without an emergency clause that would make it effective with Kehoe’s signature. If the bill is passed as expected, opponents would have 90 days to gather signatures to force a statewide vote on the bill.<a href="https://www.stlpr.org/government-politics-issues/2025-09-08/missouri-redistricting-opponents-referendum" target="_blank">St. Louis Public Radio reported Monday</a>&nbsp;that the Missouri AFL-CIO is considering whether to launch a petition drive to force a referendum vote. If enough signatures are gathered before the law takes effect, it would be held in abeyance until after the vote.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757068115039.png" alt="Missouri Republicans are pushing to enact this map to revise congressional district lines in a special session. The GOP’s goal is to win the 5th District seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Kansas City Democrat (Screenshot from Missouri House website)." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Republicans are pushing to enact this map to revise congressional district lines in a special session. The GOP’s goal is to win the 5th District seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Kansas City Democrat (Screenshot from Missouri House website).</figcaption>
 </figure>The bill makes many changes to the current districts to bring enough Republican voters into the 5th District to flip it to the GOP and distribute Democratic votes to dilute their impact on other districts.The 5th District does see the most substantial changes. Previously encompassing nearly all of Kansas City, the district now only includes the city’s east side, then stretches east to encompass Jefferson City all the way to Phelps County. It also includes the northern portion of Boone County, but not the Democrat-leaning areas of Columbia.&nbsp;The 5th District also picks up six counties from the 3rd District — Cole, Cooper, Howard, Maries, Moniteau and Miller counties as well as Morgan County from the 4th District.The 4th and 6th Districts are where the Kansas City voters who previously all lived in the 5th will be moved.&nbsp;The 4th District loses parts of Columbia, along with Sedalia and Warrensburg to the 5th District in order to pick up downtown Kansas City. It is represented by Republican Mark Alford.&nbsp;The 6th District runs across the entire northern half of the state, picking up a piece of Kansas City north of the Missouri River.&nbsp;Two districts would be untouched — the 7th District in southwest Missouri and 8th District in southeast Missouri, both represented by Republicans. It only tinkers with the 1st District, based in St. Louis and represented by Democrat Wesley Bell.Other changes made on the east side of the state would swap voters between the 2nd and 3rd districts.&nbsp;The 2nd District, represented by Republican Ann Wagner, moves south of the Missouri River, taking in southern St. Louis suburbs along with Gasconade,&nbsp; Crawford, Jefferson and Washington counties.&nbsp;The 3rd District, represented by Republican Bob Onder, takes over all of St. Charles and Warren counties, adding Audrain, Lincoln, Monroe, Pike and Ralls counties as it stretches north to Hannabil and encompasses nearly all of Columbia.As Aune predicted, there were few Republicans willing to buck the party majority to oppose the bill.State Rep. Marty Joe Murray, a Democrat from St. Louis, said Republicans had told him in whispers that they didn’t believe in the bill.“Why aren’t they here, saying that on the microphone?” he said.Several GOP members had said, when the idea was first being floated, that they&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/24/weve-already-done-that-missouri-lawmakers-show-little-enthusiasm-for-new-congressional-maps/">didn’t want to go through redistricting again</a>. Only one Republican spoke against it on the floor.State Rep. Tony Harbison, a Republican from Arcadia, said he’s concerned about senior centers in his district being able to provide meals and property taxes that are forcing people out of their homes.“Our plate is full of things that need to be done for the people of this state,” Harbison said, “and this ain’t one of them.”

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