An annual summer concert series in St. Joseph is returning this summer as a party takes over the parkway system.  

Parties on the Parkway draws thousands of people out every summer to enjoy free music. 

Chamber of Commerce spokesperson Kristi Bailey says the concert series is designed to show off the city's underutilized parkway system.  

"People really get into their habits of going to work and going home maybe the same ways every day and they don't get out and visit our parkway system," Bailey tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "So, Parties on the Parkway is something that we partner with the city of St. Joseph on to do and it brings people out after work for live music, food, and drink." 

Parties on the Parkway will be held the second Thursday of every month, starting in May, from 5 to 8pm.   

Bailey says during the concert series, people will experience all different kinds of music 

"So, every month has a different feel but all of the time that you come out usually there's going to be some songs that you can sing along to," Bailey explains. "One band might focus more on the 70's and 80's, one might be 90's and 2000's, one might be country, but usually there are going to be some songs that you know, that you can sing." 

Bailey says one of the biggest acts this year will be Latin rock band Making Movies 

"They actually were nominated for a Latin Grammy a few years ago, they're a very popular Latin rock band," Bailey says. "That is probably the biggest name in music that we've had at Parties on the Parkway before, so we're really excited for them, they're going to be here in July." 

The first concert will be held on the south end, with the final concert happening in September at the Remington Nature Center. 

Full Schedule for Parties on the Parkway

The All Stars Band | 70s, 80s, Hits &amp; More 

Doc’s 100 Proof | R&amp;B, Disco and Funk 

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

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post An annual summer concert series in St. Joseph is returning this summer as a party takes over the parkway system. Parties on the Parkway draws thousands of people out every summer to enjoy free music. Chamber of Commerce spokesperson Kristi Bailey says the concert series is designed to show off the city's underutilized parkway system. "People really get into their habits of going to work and going home maybe the same ways every day and they don't get out and visit our parkway system," Bailey tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. "So, Parties on the Parkway is something that we partner with the city of St. Joseph on to do and it brings people out after work for live music, food, and drink." Parties on the Parkway will be held the second Thursday of every month, starting in May, from 5 to 8pm. Bailey says during the concert series, people will experience all different kinds of music "So, every month has a different feel but all of the time that you come out usually there's going to be some songs that you can sing along to," Bailey explains. "One band might focus more on the 70's and 80's, one might be 90's and 2000's, one might be country, but usually there are going to be some songs that you know, that you can sing." Bailey says one of the biggest acts this year will be Latin rock band Making Movies "They actually were nominated for a Latin Grammy a few years ago, they're a very popular Latin rock band," Bailey says. "That is probably the biggest name in music that we've had at Parties on the Parkway before, so we're really excited for them, they're going to be here in July." The first concert will be held on the south end, with the final concert happening in September at the Remington Nature Center. Full Schedule for Parties on the Parkway May 9 – 5 to 8 p.m. The All Stars Band | 70s, 80s, Hits &amp; More (rain date May 16) SW Pkwy &amp; King Hill DriveJune 13 – 5 to 8 p.m. Michael Shaun Brown | Country (rain date June 20) SW Pkwy &amp; 28th StreetJuly 11 – 5 to 8 p.m. Making Movies | Afro-Latin Rock (rain date July 18) SW Noyes &amp; Messanie, Parkway AAugust 8 – 5 to 8 p.m. Doc’s 100 Proof | R&amp;B, Disco and Funk (rain date Aug 15) Corby Pond Sept. 12 – 5 to 8 p.m. Happy Endings | 90s-00s Alt Rock (rain date Sept. 19) Remington Nature Center You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Parties on the Parkway back this summer in St. Joseph, schedule released

The levies that help fund Medicaid are being held up by members of the Senate Freedom Caucus who want two other bills finished before they will promise not to filibuster passage

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

On Jan. 18, the ninth day of the 2024 legislative session,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=38">a bill</a>&nbsp;essential to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2020/10/22/missouri-medicaid-expansion-will-it-bust-the-budget-or-pay-for-itself/">balancing the state budget</a>&nbsp;was placed first in line on the Senate’s calendar for debate.

On the same day, a bill expanding an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=244">education scholarship program</a>&nbsp;was also put on the calendar, second in line.

Last week, the education bill narrowly&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/18/missouri-house-narrowly-sends-private-school-tax-credit-charter-expansion-to-governors-desk/">passed the Missouri House</a>&nbsp;on its way to Gov. Mike Parson for his signature.&nbsp;

The bill that would balance the budget by renewing roughly $4 billion worth of medical provider taxes that fund Medicaid hasn’t received as much as a minute of debate.

At a news conference last week, Sen. Doug Beck, an Affton Democrat,&nbsp;said the delays are frustrating.

“It’s completely ridiculous that we’re perfecting the Senate bill on gold and silver on a Thursday when we could have all week long been talking about the” taxes, he said.

While the Medicaid taxes, known as the federal reimbursement allowance, have gotten scant attention inside the Senate, there’s been plenty of talk outside the chambers.

Senate members of the Missouri Freedom Caucus, six of the 24 Republicans in the chamber, have promised to filibuster renewal of the taxes until two other legislative items are finished. Both are Senate-passed bills awaiting votes in the House.

The first is a bill&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/10/missouri-planned-parenthood-abortion-medicaid-reimbusements/">banning Planned Parenthood</a>&nbsp;from the Medicaid program. The second is a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/13/missouri-initiative-petition-reform-elections/">proposed constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;to alter how a majority is determined for voter-initiated constitutional amendments.&nbsp;

But even if those bills pass, the Freedom Caucus has also said it will demand the federal reimbursement allowance legislation include an expiration date before they will consider letting it come up for a vote. And at that point, other amendments — such as Medicaid work requirements — may also become mandatory for the Freedom Caucus to and their filibuster.&nbsp;

“We’re going to continue to fight for a sunset, and maybe there’s some other provisions that fit on this bill,” said Sen. Bill Eigel, a Weldon Spring Republican running for governor.

The budget, which must be completed by May10, can’t be finished in committee until the provider taxes are secured for the future, said Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Lincoln Hough, a Springfield Republican running for lieutenant governor.&nbsp;

“I don’t really deal in ultimatums,” Hough said. “I deal with the constitutional necessity of passing a budget in the state, not trying to leverage someone to get something else done.”

Hough scheduled a hearing for Tuesday to discuss changes to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/03/house-gop-advances-50-billion-missouri-budget-rejecting-dozens-of-democrat-amendments/">House-passed budget</a>&nbsp;spending $50.7 billion. Senate floor debate on the budget is expected the following week.

“We’re running up against the end, and FRA and the budget, and all of these things, are in front of us that I think will take center stage in the coming days,” Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden said last week.

Democrats, who hold the minority in both legislative chambers, said they’re tired of waiting for Republicans to bury their factional warfare.

House Minority Leader Crystal Quade opened her Thursday press conference with criticism of the House GOP for not moving independently of the Senate. Quade filed the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB2834&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R">only bill in the House</a>&nbsp;to extend the taxes, but it has not been referred to a committee.

“If we do not get this passed,” Quade said, “everything else we’re doing when it comes to the budget or funding mechanisms, is just smoke and mirrors.”&nbsp;

What is the Federal Reimbursement Allowance

Since 1992, Missouri has taxed hospitals – and later nursing homes, ambulance providers and pharmacies – to support the Medicaid program. The money becomes part of the state’s share of the federally sponsored program.

This year, Missouri&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/state-indicator/federal-matching-rate-and-multiplier/?currentTimeframe=0&amp;selectedRows=%7B%22states%22:%7B%22missouri%22:%7B%7D%7D%7D&amp;sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D">must provide 34.69%</a>&nbsp;of the cost of most Medicaid services. An exception is the group covered by a 2020 ballot initiative that used a provision of the Affordable Care Act to cover adults aged 18 to 64. The federal government pays 90% of the cost for that group.

The budget proposed by Parson in January pegs the general revenue cost for the entire Medicaid program at 21.7% of the projected $17.8 billion total. The remainder of the state’s share, $1.7 billion in Parson’s budget, comes from reimbursement allowances and other funds.

There is no general revenue in the $3 billion budget line covering the cost of the adult expansion group. Instead, much of the state’s share comes from money banked as a bonus federal share of the regular Medicaid program as an incentive to expand coverage.

The provider taxes are slated to supply $50 million toward the cost of Medicaid expansion in the coming year’s budget, drawing $450 million in federal funds. There’s another $950 million from the provider taxes used across 16 lines of the Medicaid budget, drawing at least $1.8 billion in federal funds.

The taxes have been renewed 16 times during regular legislative sessions. That regular process was disrupted in 2021, when first an effort to ban payments for some contraceptive medications, and later the question of banning Planned Parenthood as a Medicaid provider, forced lawmakers to have to return for a special session to extend the taxes.

The taxes expire Sept. 30 without passage of a renewal bill.

If reimbursement allowance funds aren’t available, the Medicaid budget will have to be rewritten and cuts made to make up the shortfall, Hough said.

He’s ready to debate the bill at any time, he told reporters.

“I’m waiting on the floor leader just say, ‘Hey, let’s go to the FRA and let’s get this thing done,’” Hough said. “I think she’s got competing interests with our small band of merry men out there on the floor all the time that you know, constantly slow things down and want to say we haven’t gotten anything done.’

Missouri has accumulated a surplus that stood at $6.4 billion at the end of March.&nbsp;

Eigel said he’s not concerned that the state can fund its obligations without the provider taxes.

“We have more than enough money with or without the FRA to meet the obligations of the state,” Eigel said.

Sen. Rick Brattin, speaking at a news conference Thursday, said the goals the Freedom Caucus is working towards are more attainable if members are willing to push against the\ constitutional deadline for passing the budget.

“We can get a lot of things done and I think that’s what we have to leverage to ensure we’re able to protect the Constitution, to make sure that abortion isn’t in our Constitution and to fight against that,” Brattin said. “We’re going to do everything by every means possible.”

Senate Democrats are ready to help pass the provider taxes without the Freedom Caucus demands and to get the budget through on time, Minority Leader John Rizzo of Independence said.

He thinks the deadlines will be met, he said.

“You’re gonna probably see a lot of other bills fall by the wayside because they’re unable to move on FRA and on a budget pretty quickly,” Rizzo said. “I don’t think it’s time to panic quite yet.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713885068393.png" alt=" Sen. Lincoln Hough, R-Springfield, speaks during a budget debate in April 2023 (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Sen. Lincoln Hough, R-Springfield, speaks during a budget debate in April 2023 (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The levies that help fund Medicaid are being held up by members of the Senate Freedom Caucus who want two other bills finished before they will promise not to filibuster passage</h2>By RUDI KELLER,&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>On Jan. 18, the ninth day of the 2024 legislative session,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=38">a bill</a>&nbsp;essential to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2020/10/22/missouri-medicaid-expansion-will-it-bust-the-budget-or-pay-for-itself/">balancing the state budget</a>&nbsp;was placed first in line on the Senate’s calendar for debate.On the same day, a bill expanding an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=244">education scholarship program</a>&nbsp;was also put on the calendar, second in line.Last week, the education bill narrowly&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/18/missouri-house-narrowly-sends-private-school-tax-credit-charter-expansion-to-governors-desk/">passed the Missouri House</a>&nbsp;on its way to Gov. Mike Parson for his signature.&nbsp;The bill that would balance the budget by renewing roughly $4 billion worth of medical provider taxes that fund Medicaid hasn’t received as much as a minute of debate.At a news conference last week, Sen. Doug Beck, an Affton Democrat,&nbsp;said the delays are frustrating.“It’s completely ridiculous that we’re perfecting the Senate bill on gold and silver on a Thursday when we could have all week long been talking about the” taxes, he said.While the Medicaid taxes, known as the federal reimbursement allowance, have gotten scant attention inside the Senate, there’s been plenty of talk outside the chambers.Senate members of the Missouri Freedom Caucus, six of the 24 Republicans in the chamber, have promised to filibuster renewal of the taxes until two other legislative items are finished. Both are Senate-passed bills awaiting votes in the House.The first is a bill&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/10/missouri-planned-parenthood-abortion-medicaid-reimbusements/">banning Planned Parenthood</a>&nbsp;from the Medicaid program. The second is a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/13/missouri-initiative-petition-reform-elections/">proposed constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;to alter how a majority is determined for voter-initiated constitutional amendments.&nbsp;But even if those bills pass, the Freedom Caucus has also said it will demand the federal reimbursement allowance legislation include an expiration date before they will consider letting it come up for a vote. And at that point, other amendments — such as Medicaid work requirements — may also become mandatory for the Freedom Caucus to and their filibuster.&nbsp;“We’re going to continue to fight for a sunset, and maybe there’s some other provisions that fit on this bill,” said Sen. Bill Eigel, a Weldon Spring Republican running for governor.The budget, which must be completed by May10, can’t be finished in committee until the provider taxes are secured for the future, said Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Lincoln Hough, a Springfield Republican running for lieutenant governor.&nbsp;“I don’t really deal in ultimatums,” Hough said. “I deal with the constitutional necessity of passing a budget in the state, not trying to leverage someone to get something else done.”Hough scheduled a hearing for Tuesday to discuss changes to the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/03/house-gop-advances-50-billion-missouri-budget-rejecting-dozens-of-democrat-amendments/">House-passed budget</a>&nbsp;spending $50.7 billion. Senate floor debate on the budget is expected the following week.“We’re running up against the end, and FRA and the budget, and all of these things, are in front of us that I think will take center stage in the coming days,” Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden said last week.Democrats, who hold the minority in both legislative chambers, said they’re tired of waiting for Republicans to bury their factional warfare.House Minority Leader Crystal Quade opened her Thursday press conference with criticism of the House GOP for not moving independently of the Senate. Quade filed the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB2834&amp;year=2024&amp;code=R">only bill in the House</a>&nbsp;to extend the taxes, but it has not been referred to a committee.“If we do not get this passed,” Quade said, “everything else we’re doing when it comes to the budget or funding mechanisms, is just smoke and mirrors.”&nbsp;<h2>What is the Federal Reimbursement Allowance</h2>Since 1992, Missouri has taxed hospitals – and later nursing homes, ambulance providers and pharmacies – to support the Medicaid program. The money becomes part of the state’s share of the federally sponsored program.This year, Missouri&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/state-indicator/federal-matching-rate-and-multiplier/?currentTimeframe=0&amp;selectedRows=%7B%22states%22:%7B%22missouri%22:%7B%7D%7D%7D&amp;sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D">must provide 34.69%</a>&nbsp;of the cost of most Medicaid services. An exception is the group covered by a 2020 ballot initiative that used a provision of the Affordable Care Act to cover adults aged 18 to 64. The federal government pays 90% of the cost for that group.The budget proposed by Parson in January pegs the general revenue cost for the entire Medicaid program at 21.7% of the projected $17.8 billion total. The remainder of the state’s share, $1.7 billion in Parson’s budget, comes from reimbursement allowances and other funds.There is no general revenue in the $3 billion budget line covering the cost of the adult expansion group. Instead, much of the state’s share comes from money banked as a bonus federal share of the regular Medicaid program as an incentive to expand coverage.The provider taxes are slated to supply $50 million toward the cost of Medicaid expansion in the coming year’s budget, drawing $450 million in federal funds. There’s another $950 million from the provider taxes used across 16 lines of the Medicaid budget, drawing at least $1.8 billion in federal funds.The taxes have been renewed 16 times during regular legislative sessions. That regular process was disrupted in 2021, when first an effort to ban payments for some contraceptive medications, and later the question of banning Planned Parenthood as a Medicaid provider, forced lawmakers to have to return for a special session to extend the taxes.The taxes expire Sept. 30 without passage of a renewal bill.If reimbursement allowance funds aren’t available, the Medicaid budget will have to be rewritten and cuts made to make up the shortfall, Hough said.He’s ready to debate the bill at any time, he told reporters.“I’m waiting on the floor leader just say, ‘Hey, let’s go to the FRA and let’s get this thing done,’” Hough said. “I think she’s got competing interests with our small band of merry men out there on the floor all the time that you know, constantly slow things down and want to say we haven’t gotten anything done.’<h2>Consequences of failure</h2>Missouri has accumulated a surplus that stood at $6.4 billion at the end of March.&nbsp;Eigel said he’s not concerned that the state can fund its obligations without the provider taxes.“We have more than enough money with or without the FRA to meet the obligations of the state,” Eigel said.Sen. Rick Brattin, speaking at a news conference Thursday, said the goals the Freedom Caucus is working towards are more attainable if members are willing to push against the\ constitutional deadline for passing the budget.“We can get a lot of things done and I think that’s what we have to leverage to ensure we’re able to protect the Constitution, to make sure that abortion isn’t in our Constitution and to fight against that,” Brattin said. “We’re going to do everything by every means possible.”Senate Democrats are ready to help pass the provider taxes without the Freedom Caucus demands and to get the budget through on time, Minority Leader John Rizzo of Independence said.He thinks the deadlines will be met, he said.“You’re gonna probably see a lot of other bills fall by the wayside because they’re unable to move on FRA and on a budget pretty quickly,” Rizzo said. “I don’t think it’s time to panic quite yet.”

Senate battle over taxes that fund Missouri Medicaid leaves state budget in limbo

CLINTON COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just after 11a.m. Monday in Clinton County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Ford F150 driven by Casey Stawarz, 58, Ottowa, Illinois, was northbound on Route W five miles southwest of Lathrop.

The driver lost control of the pickup on the curves. The vehicle crossed the center line and struck a 2024 Ram 3500 driven by Bryce W. Mitchell, 38, Lathrop, in the southbound lanes.

Tri-County EMS transported both drivers to Liberty Hospital. Mitchell was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

CLINTON COUNTY —Two people were injured in an accident just after 11a.m. Monday in Clinton County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Ford F150 driven by Casey Stawarz, 58, Ottowa, Illinois, was northbound on Route W five miles southwest of Lathrop.The driver lost control of the pickup on the curves. The vehicle crossed the center line and struck a 2024 Ram 3500 driven by Bryce W. Mitchell, 38, Lathrop, in the southbound lanes.Tri-County EMS transported both drivers to Liberty Hospital. Mitchell was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

2 hospitalized in NW Missouri after pickups collide 

HARRISON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 8:30a.m. Monday in Harrison County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Toyota Highlander driven by Cindy Thao, 54, Jay, Oklahoma, was southbound on Interstate 35 in Harrison County.

The SUV traveled off the east side of the road into the median. The vehicle struck the median crossover, became airborne and came to rest in the median.

NTA ambulance transported Thao to Harrison County Community Hospital. She was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

HARRISON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 8:30a.m. Monday in Harrison County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Toyota Highlander driven by Cindy Thao, 54, Jay, Oklahoma, was southbound on Interstate 35 in Harrison County.The SUV traveled off the east side of the road into the median. The vehicle struck the median crossover, became airborne and came to rest in the median.NTA ambulance transported Thao to Harrison County Community Hospital. She was properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Woman injured after SUV became airborne in NW Mo. crash

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Lawmakers in Missouri are trying to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-medicaid-planned-parenthood-abortion-e7e22d27dd201e32afed756653277aa0">defund Planned Parenthood</a>&nbsp;by taking it off Medicaid rolls, even for the most basic of health care services. It's a move they've tried for years in a state where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">almost all abortions</a>&nbsp;are banned.

House Republican Majority Leader Jon Patterson on Monday said the chamber will send the bill to GOP Gov. Mike Parson's desk this week.

Few states — Arkansas, Mississippi, and Texas, according to Planned Parenthood — have successfully blocked Medicaid funding for the organization.

While past efforts to kick Planned Parenthood off Missouri's Medicaid program have been struck down by courts, this year, GOP lawmakers are taking another approach, hoping to avoid a legal showdown. And some members of the Freedom Caucus are doubling down, by threatening to abolish a tax that could cost the state an additional $2.9 billion in federal funding if they don't get their way.

The bill aims to make it illegal for Missouri's Medicaid program to reimburse Planned Parenthood for health care services to low-income patients, including for basic care like pap smears and cancer screenings.

“Restricting public funds from providers who are ready, willing, and skilled in delivering essential care only hurts Missourians, plain and simple,” Emily Wales, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said in a statement.

Courts have taken issue with earlier Republican bans on funding included in state budget bills. No taxpayer dollars have gone to Planned Parenthood in recent years, as cases have worked their way through the courts. A February state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-medicaid-planned-parenthood-5e343d00de4cc4b3e3a7bcbe5f56d2d6">Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;found that lawmakers' latest attempt at defunding Planned Parenthood was unconstitutional.

This year, GOP lawmakers hope to avoid another court showdown by kicking Planned Parenthood off the state’s Medicaid program through a policy bill.

Supporters say the bill is necessary to permanently stop public funding for Planned Parenthood, arguing that even though no abortions are performed in Missouri, money that goes to the organization indirectly supports clinics in other states that allow abortions.

“Not only do we believe that life is precious, but the institution of abortion hurts women,” said state Sen. Bill Eigel, who is in a Republican primary for governor.

Democrats have repeatedly countered that the measure would restrict low-income patients' access to health care and accuse the GOP of pushing the issue to win favor among voters.

“They’re passing defund Planned Parenthood things because they feel like they can’t win their primaries without it,” Senate Democratic Minority Leader John Rizzo said.

The bill to kick Planned Parenthood off Medicaid in Missouri is tangled with a tax on hospitals and other health care service providers that brings billions of federal dollars to the state. Those funds are then returned to health care providers.

The program, called the Federal Reimbursement Allowance program, taxed hospitals and other health care providers about $1.5 billion this year, and got $2.9 billion back in federal Medicaid funding. Without the tax, the state will need to scrape together $1.5 billion in taxpayer dollars to get the federal match, or cut the budget by $4.4 billion.

Some Freedom Caucus members are threatening to do away with the tax — and lose the federal funding — if Planned Parenthood isn't defunded.

The reimbursement program and efforts to defund Planned Parenthood are not directly related, but both receive Medicaid funding.

The issues became intertwined&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mo-state-wire-michael-brown-business-medicaid-government-and-politics-e1caacee15c756f8320fabd55e391fce">back in 2021,</a>&nbsp;when the powerful anti-abortion advocacy group Missouri Right to Life began pressuring Republicans to demand the hospital tax include language banning Planned Parenthood funding.

The hospital tax brings in so much money for the state, so lawmakers often threaten to cut it when they're bargaining for other priorities.

Republican Sen. Lincoln Hough said the tax has recently been used as “a political football.”

“We have to get it done," Hough said. "And in this environment, when people know you have to get something done, then oftentimes they’re using that as leverage to get other things done.”

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Lawmakers in Missouri are trying to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-medicaid-planned-parenthood-abortion-e7e22d27dd201e32afed756653277aa0">defund Planned Parenthood</a>&nbsp;by taking it off Medicaid rolls, even for the most basic of health care services. It's a move they've tried for years in a state where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">almost all abortions</a>&nbsp;are banned.House Republican Majority Leader Jon Patterson on Monday said the chamber will send the bill to GOP Gov. Mike Parson's desk this week.Few states — Arkansas, Mississippi, and Texas, according to Planned Parenthood — have successfully blocked Medicaid funding for the organization.While past efforts to kick Planned Parenthood off Missouri's Medicaid program have been struck down by courts, this year, GOP lawmakers are taking another approach, hoping to avoid a legal showdown. And some members of the Freedom Caucus are doubling down, by threatening to abolish a tax that could cost the state an additional $2.9 billion in federal funding if they don't get their way.Here's a rundown of the legislation:WHAT WOULD THE BILL DO?The bill aims to make it illegal for Missouri's Medicaid program to reimburse Planned Parenthood for health care services to low-income patients, including for basic care like pap smears and cancer screenings.“Restricting public funds from providers who are ready, willing, and skilled in delivering essential care only hurts Missourians, plain and simple,” Emily Wales, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said in a statement.Courts have taken issue with earlier Republican bans on funding included in state budget bills. No taxpayer dollars have gone to Planned Parenthood in recent years, as cases have worked their way through the courts. A February state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-medicaid-planned-parenthood-5e343d00de4cc4b3e3a7bcbe5f56d2d6">Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;found that lawmakers' latest attempt at defunding Planned Parenthood was unconstitutional.This year, GOP lawmakers hope to avoid another court showdown by kicking Planned Parenthood off the state’s Medicaid program through a policy bill.WHY IS IT A PRIORITY?Supporters say the bill is necessary to permanently stop public funding for Planned Parenthood, arguing that even though no abortions are performed in Missouri, money that goes to the organization indirectly supports clinics in other states that allow abortions.“Not only do we believe that life is precious, but the institution of abortion hurts women,” said state Sen. Bill Eigel, who is in a Republican primary for governor.Democrats have repeatedly countered that the measure would restrict low-income patients' access to health care and accuse the GOP of pushing the issue to win favor among voters.“They’re passing defund Planned Parenthood things because they feel like they can’t win their primaries without it,” Senate Democratic Minority Leader John Rizzo said.WHAT ELSE IS AT PLAY?The bill to kick Planned Parenthood off Medicaid in Missouri is tangled with a tax on hospitals and other health care service providers that brings billions of federal dollars to the state. Those funds are then returned to health care providers.The program, called the Federal Reimbursement Allowance program, taxed hospitals and other health care providers about $1.5 billion this year, and got $2.9 billion back in federal Medicaid funding. Without the tax, the state will need to scrape together $1.5 billion in taxpayer dollars to get the federal match, or cut the budget by $4.4 billion.Some Freedom Caucus members are threatening to do away with the tax — and lose the federal funding — if Planned Parenthood isn't defunded.The reimbursement program and efforts to defund Planned Parenthood are not directly related, but both receive Medicaid funding.The issues became intertwined&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mo-state-wire-michael-brown-business-medicaid-government-and-politics-e1caacee15c756f8320fabd55e391fce">back in 2021,</a>&nbsp;when the powerful anti-abortion advocacy group Missouri Right to Life began pressuring Republicans to demand the hospital tax include language banning Planned Parenthood funding.The hospital tax brings in so much money for the state, so lawmakers often threaten to cut it when they're bargaining for other priorities.Republican Sen. Lincoln Hough said the tax has recently been used as “a political football.”“We have to get it done," Hough said. "And in this environment, when people know you have to get something done, then oftentimes they’re using that as leverage to get other things done.”___

Missouri lawmakers again try to kick Planned Parenthood off Medicaid

Ashton Feldhaus grew up in Richmond, Kentucky, surrounded by basketball and coaching royalty.

Her father, Allen Feldhaus Jr., has been the head boys' basketball coach at Madison Central High School in Richmond for 31 years, amassing over 700 career wins in that time.

Ashton's mother, Karen, is the head cheer coach at Madison Central, and has been for over three decades. She's led the Indians to 11 state titles and a&nbsp;Universal Cheerleaders Association National Championship in the small varsity division in 2021.

Her uncle, Deron, is a Kentucky Wildcat legend, who played on a 1991-92 team known as the "Unforgettables."

So, when Ashton got the offer to become the next head women's basketball coach at Missouri Western State University, she felt more than ready.

"I grew up watching two coaches," Feldhaus said. "I knew I wanted to do it. I also knew I didn't want to be a teacher. College athletics was the way for me to go, so I didn't have to teach. Now, I will just teach the game of basketball to these amazing young women."

Feldhaus, 28, <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/5bb78909-68af-47c7-b40a-aca3ca00db7d">was picked as the Griffons' 10th women's basketball coach</a> on April 15. She was formally introduced at a press conference at Spratt Stadium in St. Joseph on Monday.

Feldhaus comes to Western after a vastly successful stint at Eckerd College - a Division II school in St. Petersburg, Florida.

She spent the last five seasons with the Tritons as an assistant coach, including the last two years as the associate head coach. Feldhaus helped Eckerd to an NCAA tournament bid in each of her five years there, working under longtime head coach Paul Honsinger.

"I feel fully prepared to be standing here in front of you, ready to lead this (Missouri Western) team, but know for certain I could not be here without (Paul)," Feldhaus said of her former boss. "So, I hope he knows how grateful I am. I feel forever indebted to him for starting my career."

The Tritons posted a 91-28 overall record in Feldhaus' five years there.

 Missouri Western, under Candi Whitaker, went 100-47 in exact that same span, winning a Central region title (2022) and an MIAA regular season title (2024) along the way.

"For me, I see nothing but excitement and opportunity," Feldhaus said, noting Western's proud history in women's hoops. "I'm ready to take a bar that's already set high and a team that's already won rings and win more. That is the goal and I do not shy away from that."

Feldhaus will turn 29 this June. Having played at both Butler and UT-Martin, she&nbsp;was named to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Annual 'Thirty Under 30' Class this past March.

Her energy, her vision, her credentials, matched what Missouri Western's leadership was seeking.

"Energetic, confident, prepared," Carter said of Feldhaus, recalling his first meeting with her. "Sometimes, when you talk to a group of assistant coaches, you walk out and say, 'that's why they're assistant coaches. They don't think as a head coach.'"

"It's clear Ashton already sees herself in that role."

Carter says over 150 people applied to the job after <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/2d7a1e70-209e-4807-aa1c-23ab926ff51b">Whitaker announced her departure for North Alabama</a> on March 25.

That field was narrowed to six finalists on April 2 and then to three by April 8. Feldhaus was chosen a week later.

"There were probably 30-40 coaches in that search process that could do a really good job, but we wanted to find the person who was the very best fit for Missouri Western and our culture and where we're going and the things we want to accomplish."

Feldhaus had a brief practice and meeting with the team on Sunday evening at MWSU Fieldhouse. The players will take their final exams this week, and then go home for summer break.

Missouri Western just graduated six seniors. The Griffons have nine players on roster that would be eligible to come back.

In this transfer portal era of college basketball, it's near impossible to tell who's going to end up where when the dust settles.

Regardless, Feldhaus is eager to attack this challenge before her, knowing that she can relate to the challenges players are facing today.

She was a college player herself only six years ago.

"It's awkward, at first, to be honest," Feldhaus said of the transition. "You're trying to get to know them, they're trying to get to know you. I told them, 'Guys, it's going to take time. Relationship building takes time.'"

"But, I'm invested in it and here now, so we're going to do it, and I laid it out for them. I hope they're as excited as I am, because I thought they've been fantastic up to this point."

All nine players who are eligible to return were present Monday. Feldhaus will meet with each player individually in the coming days.

 Sophomore forward Kassandra Caron says the new coach is very matter-of-fact and driven to win, but also empathizes with what players are going through on and off the court.

"She talked about her experiences as a college athlete," Caron said. "She said, 'I want to make it enjoyable for you.'" It's nice to have someone who's been through it recently. They understand and know how hard it is to balance those academics and athletics while traveling."

Freshman guard, Benton graduate and St. Joseph native Kelsey Johnson was also impressed with the energy Feldhaus has brought.

"She brought so much energy," Johnson said. "It was her first time out there coaching us, and she brought that drive for us. I think it'll be a great next couple years for us."

"She's young, but she knows what she's talking about and she's confident. We love the way she coaches, so I'm excited."

You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713817553632.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western athletic director Andy Carter (left), women's basketball coach Ashton Feldhaus (center) and University president Elizabeth Kennedy (right). Photo by A.J. Robbins." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western athletic director Andy Carter (left), women's basketball coach Ashton Feldhaus (center) and University president Elizabeth Kennedy (right). Photo by A.J. Robbins.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostAshton Feldhaus grew up in Richmond, Kentucky, surrounded by basketball and coaching royalty.Her father, Allen Feldhaus Jr., has been the head boys' basketball coach at Madison Central High School in Richmond for 31 years, amassing over 700 career wins in that time.Ashton's mother, Karen, is the head cheer coach at Madison Central, and has been for over three decades. She's led the Indians to 11 state titles and a&nbsp;Universal Cheerleaders Association National Championship in the small varsity division in 2021.Her uncle, Deron, is a Kentucky Wildcat legend, who played on a 1991-92 team known as the "Unforgettables."So, when Ashton got the offer to become the next head women's basketball coach at Missouri Western State University, she felt more than ready."I grew up watching two coaches," Feldhaus said. "I knew I wanted to do it. I also knew I didn't want to be a teacher. College athletics was the way for me to go, so I didn't have to teach. Now, I will just teach the game of basketball to these amazing young women."Feldhaus, 28, <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/5bb78909-68af-47c7-b40a-aca3ca00db7d">was picked as the Griffons' 10th women's basketball coach</a> on April 15. She was formally introduced at a press conference at Spratt Stadium in St. Joseph on Monday.Feldhaus comes to Western after a vastly successful stint at Eckerd College - a Division II school in St. Petersburg, Florida.She spent the last five seasons with the Tritons as an assistant coach, including the last two years as the associate head coach. Feldhaus helped Eckerd to an NCAA tournament bid in each of her five years there, working under longtime head coach Paul Honsinger."I feel fully prepared to be standing here in front of you, ready to lead this (Missouri Western) team, but know for certain I could not be here without (Paul)," Feldhaus said of her former boss. "So, I hope he knows how grateful I am. I feel forever indebted to him for starting my career."The Tritons posted a 91-28 overall record in Feldhaus' five years there. Missouri Western, under Candi Whitaker, went 100-47 in exact that same span, winning a Central region title (2022) and an MIAA regular season title (2024) along the way."For me, I see nothing but excitement and opportunity," Feldhaus said, noting Western's proud history in women's hoops. "I'm ready to take a bar that's already set high and a team that's already won rings and win more. That is the goal and I do not shy away from that."Feldhaus will turn 29 this June. Having played at both Butler and UT-Martin, she&nbsp;was named to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Annual 'Thirty Under 30' Class this past March.Her energy, her vision, her credentials, matched what Missouri Western's leadership was seeking."Energetic, confident, prepared," Carter said of Feldhaus, recalling his first meeting with her. "Sometimes, when you talk to a group of assistant coaches, you walk out and say, 'that's why they're assistant coaches. They don't think as a head coach.'""It's clear Ashton already sees herself in that role."Carter says over 150 people applied to the job after <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/2d7a1e70-209e-4807-aa1c-23ab926ff51b">Whitaker announced her departure for North Alabama</a> on March 25.That field was narrowed to six finalists on April 2 and then to three by April 8. Feldhaus was chosen a week later."There were probably 30-40 coaches in that search process that could do a really good job, but we wanted to find the person who was the very best fit for Missouri Western and our culture and where we're going and the things we want to accomplish."Feldhaus had a brief practice and meeting with the team on Sunday evening at MWSU Fieldhouse. The players will take their final exams this week, and then go home for summer break.Missouri Western just graduated six seniors. The Griffons have nine players on roster that would be eligible to come back.In this transfer portal era of college basketball, it's near impossible to tell who's going to end up where when the dust settles.Regardless, Feldhaus is eager to attack this challenge before her, knowing that she can relate to the challenges players are facing today.She was a college player herself only six years ago."It's awkward, at first, to be honest," Feldhaus said of the transition. "You're trying to get to know them, they're trying to get to know you. I told them, 'Guys, it's going to take time. Relationship building takes time.'""But, I'm invested in it and here now, so we're going to do it, and I laid it out for them. I hope they're as excited as I am, because I thought they've been fantastic up to this point."Players' reactionAll nine players who are eligible to return were present Monday. Feldhaus will meet with each player individually in the coming days. Sophomore forward Kassandra Caron says the new coach is very matter-of-fact and driven to win, but also empathizes with what players are going through on and off the court."She talked about her experiences as a college athlete," Caron said. "She said, 'I want to make it enjoyable for you.'" It's nice to have someone who's been through it recently. They understand and know how hard it is to balance those academics and athletics while traveling."Freshman guard, Benton graduate and St. Joseph native Kelsey Johnson was also impressed with the energy Feldhaus has brought."She brought so much energy," Johnson said. "It was her first time out there coaching us, and she brought that drive for us. I think it'll be a great next couple years for us.""She's young, but she knows what she's talking about and she's confident. We love the way she coaches, so I'm excited."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">🏀 “You know when you’re time’s right.” Join us today as we introduce new <a href="https://twitter.com/GriffonWBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GriffonWBB</a> head coach Ashton Feldhaus. The press conference is open to the public. 📍 - Spratt Stadium HOF Room 🕛 - 12pm 📺 - <a href="https://t.co/cuwsLMy4qt">https://t.co/cuwsLMy4qt</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GriffUp?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GriffUp</a> <a href="https://t.co/oNx7kRWpU7">pic.twitter.com/oNx7kRWpU7</a>&mdash; Missouri Western Athletics (@MWSUGriffons) <a href="https://twitter.com/MWSUGriffons/status/1782420631306297441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Audio from Monday<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-sports/embed/episodes/Ashton-Feldhaus---FULL-press-conference-e2invd7/a-ab6p4k0" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-sports/embed/episodes/Ashton-Feldhaus---1x1-media-session-e2invfe/a-ab6p4o8" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-sports/embed/episodes/Kelsey-Johnson--Kassandra-Caron-e2invh4/a-ab6p4rm" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713820011834.jpeg" alt="Photo by A.J. Robbins." />
 <figcaption>Photo by A.J. Robbins.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Feldhaus 'fully prepared' to be Missouri Western's women's basketball coach

St. Joseph city officials face a deadline to plan how to use federal COVID relief funds but do have some plans in place where that money could go. 

City manager Bryan Carter is hoping to pair demolition of dilapidated buildings with a housing initiative that will satisfy federal guidelines. 

"So we know that we're short on housing in St. Joseph at various different levels, from top to bottom, and one of the pieces that we would like to do with the demolition fund is where possible focus on an area town, be it a block, a couple of blocks, that we can go in and really kind of change the dynamic of that area," Carter tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr. 

Carter says removing a number of dilapidated structures could make prime land for redevelopment but adds there's a lot that goes into it. 

"You can't just knock down four houses and know that four more or two more will pop up in their place, the location has to be right, the utilities and infrastructure have to be right, you just have to have a lot that's right and that's in place," Carter explains. 

Carter says the city has put a request for qualifications for a study to evaluate where housing would be most likely to be successful. 

The deadline to obligate funds is the end of this year, with the deadline to spend that money coming in 2026.  

Carter says there will be a lot of discussions between June and the end of the year about getting funds obligated. 

"That's something we'll be looking at on the staff level on a weekly basis, at the council level probably on a monthly basis, and reevaluating how to move those funds around," Carter says. "Because ultimately what we want to do is make the best use of the most amount of funds that we have rather than lose the opportunity to do something just because we ran out of time." 

Carter says if the city does not plan well, it could get to October or November and rush the process of spending the money, adding that when the objective becomes beating a deadline, it might not be spent in the most efficient way.

By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post St. Joseph city officials face a deadline to plan how to use federal COVID relief funds but do have some plans in place where that money could go. City manager Bryan Carter is hoping to pair demolition of dilapidated buildings with a housing initiative that will satisfy federal guidelines. "So we know that we're short on housing in St. Joseph at various different levels, from top to bottom, and one of the pieces that we would like to do with the demolition fund is where possible focus on an area town, be it a block, a couple of blocks, that we can go in and really kind of change the dynamic of that area," Carter tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr. Carter says removing a number of dilapidated structures could make prime land for redevelopment but adds there's a lot that goes into it. "You can't just knock down four houses and know that four more or two more will pop up in their place, the location has to be right, the utilities and infrastructure have to be right, you just have to have a lot that's right and that's in place," Carter explains. Carter says the city has put a request for qualifications for a study to evaluate where housing would be most likely to be successful. The deadline to obligate funds is the end of this year, with the deadline to spend that money coming in 2026. Carter says there will be a lot of discussions between June and the end of the year about getting funds obligated. "That's something we'll be looking at on the staff level on a weekly basis, at the council level probably on a monthly basis, and reevaluating how to move those funds around," Carter says. "Because ultimately what we want to do is make the best use of the most amount of funds that we have rather than lose the opportunity to do something just because we ran out of time." Carter says if the city does not plan well, it could get to October or November and rush the process of spending the money, adding that when the objective becomes beating a deadline, it might not be spent in the most efficient way.You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Deadline approaching for St. Joseph city officials to obligate COVID relief funds

A massive anti-crime measure is working its way through the
Missouri legislative session, hoping to avoid death through a filibuster or by
veto.

State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer of Parkville succeeded in guiding
his legislation through the General Assembly last year only to see it vetoed by
Gov. Mike Parson.

Luetkemeyer is working on two fronts to get the legislation to
the finish line with less than a month left in the session, with his bill now
in the House and a nearly identical House bill in the Senate.

“We feel like we’re in a pretty good position right now,
having both my Senate bill over in the House and then having Rep. (Lane) Roberts’
companion bill over in the Senate and through committee,” Luetkemeyer tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “That’s a pretty good spot to be in this part of session.”

The bill contains Max’s Law, named after St. Joseph’s K-9 Max
killed in the line of duty chasing a suspect in the summer of 2021. It would
increase the penalty for killing a police animal. It also contains Blair’s Law.
It is named after an 11-year-old Independence girl killed by celebratory gunfire
on Independence Day 2011. It would
create a felony for shooting off celebratory gunfire that results in the death
of someone.

Luetkemeyer worried earlier in the session that filibusters in
the Senate might derail his bill. Luetkemeyer says he feels better now, because
his bill has moved on to the House and a similar measure has moved from the
House to the Senate.

“I still feel pretty good about the fact that we’ve got both my
bill already safely over in the House and then a House version of my bill over
here that’s moving through the process.”

Luetkemeyer first attempted to pass Max’s Law in the 2022
legislative session. Filibusters in the Senate prevented the bill from passing,
though Luetkemeyer made a last-ditch effort that session to get the bill
through. Last year, Gov. Parson vetoed the anti-crime message on an unrelated
matter. Luetkemeyer has stripped the provision in the bill that prompted the
veto.

This year, the early pace of the session worried the senator.

“At the beginning of session, we got out to probably the
slowest start that the Senate has had in recent history,” according to
Luetkemeyer. “We got about a month into session before a single piece of
legislation passed out of the chamber. It was about a month-and-a-half into the
session before anything significant passed out of the chamber. That is a
historic slow start.”

Luetkemeyer says that began to change the week before the
legislative spring break. Since, the Senate has approved and sent to the House
a major anti-crime bill, an education package, and a tax bill.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713800719633.jpeg" alt="Memorial for K-9 Max/file photo" />
 <figcaption>Memorial for K-9 Max/file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA massive anti-crime measure is working its way through the
Missouri legislative session, hoping to avoid death through a filibuster or by
veto.State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer of Parkville succeeded in guiding
his legislation through the General Assembly last year only to see it vetoed by
Gov. Mike Parson.Luetkemeyer is working on two fronts to get the legislation to
the finish line with less than a month left in the session, with his bill now
in the House and a nearly identical House bill in the Senate.“We feel like we’re in a pretty good position right now,
having both my Senate bill over in the House and then having Rep. (Lane) Roberts’
companion bill over in the Senate and through committee,” Luetkemeyer tells
KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “That’s a pretty good spot to be in this part of session.”The bill contains Max’s Law, named after St. Joseph’s K-9 Max
killed in the line of duty chasing a suspect in the summer of 2021. It would
increase the penalty for killing a police animal. It also contains Blair’s Law.
It is named after an 11-year-old Independence girl killed by celebratory gunfire
on Independence Day 2011. It would
create a felony for shooting off celebratory gunfire that results in the death
of someone.Luetkemeyer worried earlier in the session that filibusters in
the Senate might derail his bill. Luetkemeyer says he feels better now, because
his bill has moved on to the House and a similar measure has moved from the
House to the Senate.“I still feel pretty good about the fact that we’ve got both my
bill already safely over in the House and then a House version of my bill over
here that’s moving through the process.”Luetkemeyer first attempted to pass Max’s Law in the 2022
legislative session. Filibusters in the Senate prevented the bill from passing,
though Luetkemeyer made a last-ditch effort that session to get the bill
through. Last year, Gov. Parson vetoed the anti-crime message on an unrelated
matter. Luetkemeyer has stripped the provision in the bill that prompted the
veto.This year, the early pace of the session worried the senator.“At the beginning of session, we got out to probably the
slowest start that the Senate has had in recent history,” according to
Luetkemeyer. “We got about a month into session before a single piece of
legislation passed out of the chamber. It was about a month-and-a-half into the
session before anything significant passed out of the chamber. That is a
historic slow start.”Luetkemeyer says that began to change the week before the
legislative spring break. Since, the Senate has approved and sent to the House
a major anti-crime bill, an education package, and a tax bill.<div><iframe src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kfeq-news/embed/episodes/Senator-Tony-Luetkemeyer-on-legislative-session-e2inl66" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Crime bill containing Max's Law looks in good shape to pass

Longtime St. Joseph resident and historian, Bob Slater, has
been honored by the Kansas City Royals, which named Slater a Buck O’Neil Legacy
Seat recipient.

Slater, a former reporter for the St. Joseph News Press and
Vice President of the then-St. Joseph Light and Power Company, was honored
Sunday for his numerous volunteer activities throughout the years.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostLongtime St. Joseph resident and historian, Bob Slater, has
been honored by the Kansas City Royals, which named Slater a Buck O’Neil Legacy
Seat recipient.Slater, a former reporter for the St. Joseph News Press and
Vice President of the then-St. Joseph Light and Power Company, was honored
Sunday for his numerous volunteer activities throughout the years.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Slater honored at Royals game with Buck O'Neil Legacy Seat

St. Joseph police are investigating what the police department
describes as a potential kidnapping.

Police say two people are in custody while the child has been
returned to the family, unharmed.

Police received a call about a potential kidnapping shortly after
10 o’clock Sunday night. Arrests were made and the child reunited with the
family.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph police are investigating what the police department
describes as a potential kidnapping.Little is being released at this time.Police say two people are in custody while the child has been
returned to the family, unharmed.Police received a call about a potential kidnapping shortly after
10 o’clock Sunday night. Arrests were made and the child reunited with the
family.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph police investigating potential kidnapping

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/quinncoffman/">QUINN COFFMAN</a>&nbsp;

The Missouri House gave initial approval last week to a bill that could protect pesticide manufacturers from some cancer lawsuits.

The debate on the House floor wasn’t split along party lines however, as several Republicans cautioned against the risk of cancers caused by pesticides.

Legislation sponsored by Rep. Dane Diehl, a Republican from Butler, would protect pesticide manufacturers from claims that they failed to warn consumers of possible cancer risks in their products as long as the federal Environmental Protection Agency has approved those products.

Much of the debate focused on a specific pesticide manufacturer: Bayer, the company with U.S. headquarters in St. Louis that purchased Monsanto, the original manufacturer of RoundUp pesticide.

Bayer has pursued similar legislation in other agricultural states like Iowa and Idaho. According to The Associated Press, the company is seeking to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/bayer-legislation-glyphosate-roundup-lawsuits-cancer-warning-4fa2e6662479f3e60a409ce4439a40ed">stem a tide of lawsuits claiming that Bayer’s products cause cancer</a>.

To date, the company has been embroiled in over 167,000 suits claiming that RoundUp is responsible for causing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Some cases have been dismissed, but Bayer has also been forced to pay billions of dollars in restitution for others, according to the Associated Press.

Diehl, a farmer, said he drafted the legislation out of fear that Bayer would be forced to pull RoundUp off of the market. He pointed out that glyphosate, the active ingredient in RoundUp, has been regulated by the federal government for decades and that the product is critical for one of Missouri’s largest industries.

Other Republicans even raised the question of whether farmers would have to turn to other pesticide producers, possibly Chinese producers, if Bayer ceases production of RoundUp.

But Diehl got some pushback from fellow Republican Rep. Tricia Brynes of Wentzville, who criticized her party’s trust in the safety guarantees given by the EPA. She cited her experience working with the EPA and what she called its excessive bureaucracy.

“What I’m trying to say is this body hasn’t experienced that the EPA does not always have the ability that we think they have to protect people,” Brynes said.

The EPA has ruled in the past that glyphosate is not carcinogenic to humans.

Other Republicans in opposition voiced concerns that the legislation could have broader effects on how Missourians can exercise their 7th Amendment right to a trial by their peers.

Debate on the floor also took a somber tone, as representatives from both parties spoke about the toll of seeing their family members fight cancer or in fighting it themselves.

Rep. Jamie Johnson, a Democrat from Kansas City, pointed out what she termed the hypocrisy of her colleagues for pursuing this legislation after wishing her good health during her own fight with cancer.

“As I walked these halls, day by day, Mr. Speaker, fighting the side effects from chemotherapy,” Johnson said. “Every day not knowing if I was going to make it. With a burn from radiation that smelled and reeked of flesh, with a smile on my face, Mr. Speaker, no one knew what I was going through.”

The bill was approved on a voice vote and needs one more vote before it can go to the Senate for consideration.

This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/house-gives-initial-ok-to-bill-protecting-pesticide-makers/article_a74f2c2e-fcda-11ee-a81f-b3e296216d83.html#tncms-source=Top%20Story">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/quinncoffman/">QUINN COFFMAN</a>&nbsp;The Missouri House gave initial approval last week to a bill that could protect pesticide manufacturers from some cancer lawsuits.The debate on the House floor wasn’t split along party lines however, as several Republicans cautioned against the risk of cancers caused by pesticides.Legislation sponsored by Rep. Dane Diehl, a Republican from Butler, would protect pesticide manufacturers from claims that they failed to warn consumers of possible cancer risks in their products as long as the federal Environmental Protection Agency has approved those products.Much of the debate focused on a specific pesticide manufacturer: Bayer, the company with U.S. headquarters in St. Louis that purchased Monsanto, the original manufacturer of RoundUp pesticide.Bayer has pursued similar legislation in other agricultural states like Iowa and Idaho. According to The Associated Press, the company is seeking to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/bayer-legislation-glyphosate-roundup-lawsuits-cancer-warning-4fa2e6662479f3e60a409ce4439a40ed">stem a tide of lawsuits claiming that Bayer’s products cause cancer</a>.To date, the company has been embroiled in over 167,000 suits claiming that RoundUp is responsible for causing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Some cases have been dismissed, but Bayer has also been forced to pay billions of dollars in restitution for others, according to the Associated Press.Diehl, a farmer, said he drafted the legislation out of fear that Bayer would be forced to pull RoundUp off of the market. He pointed out that glyphosate, the active ingredient in RoundUp, has been regulated by the federal government for decades and that the product is critical for one of Missouri’s largest industries.Other Republicans even raised the question of whether farmers would have to turn to other pesticide producers, possibly Chinese producers, if Bayer ceases production of RoundUp.But Diehl got some pushback from fellow Republican Rep. Tricia Brynes of Wentzville, who criticized her party’s trust in the safety guarantees given by the EPA. She cited her experience working with the EPA and what she called its excessive bureaucracy.“What I’m trying to say is this body hasn’t experienced that the EPA does not always have the ability that we think they have to protect people,” Brynes said.The EPA has ruled in the past that glyphosate is not carcinogenic to humans.Other Republicans in opposition voiced concerns that the legislation could have broader effects on how Missourians can exercise their 7th Amendment right to a trial by their peers.Debate on the floor also took a somber tone, as representatives from both parties spoke about the toll of seeing their family members fight cancer or in fighting it themselves.Rep. Jamie Johnson, a Democrat from Kansas City, pointed out what she termed the hypocrisy of her colleagues for pursuing this legislation after wishing her good health during her own fight with cancer.“As I walked these halls, day by day, Mr. Speaker, fighting the side effects from chemotherapy,” Johnson said. “Every day not knowing if I was going to make it. With a burn from radiation that smelled and reeked of flesh, with a smile on my face, Mr. Speaker, no one knew what I was going through.”The bill was approved on a voice vote and needs one more vote before it can go to the Senate for consideration.This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/house-gives-initial-ok-to-bill-protecting-pesticide-makers/article_a74f2c2e-fcda-11ee-a81f-b3e296216d83.html#tncms-source=Top%20Story">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

Missouri House gives initial OK to bill protecting pesticide-makers

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

A bill winding its way through the legislature seeks to ease backlogs in child abuse and neglect investigations by allowing Missouri’s social services agency to outsource some work involving child abuse and neglect investigations to private contractors.

Sponsored by Republican state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman of Arnold, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=190">bill</a>&nbsp;was voted out of committee unanimously in January and is awaiting consideration by the full Senate.

Elements of Missouri’s child welfare system are already handled by private companies — including some foster care case management and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dss.mo.gov/re/iisar.htm">in-home services</a>&nbsp;—&nbsp; but not abuse and neglect investigations. Those are&nbsp;handled by state employees, sometimes with assistance from local law enforcement.&nbsp;After the state receives a hotline call, Children’s Division workers are responsible for assessing a child’s safety.&nbsp;

In&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/04/05/missouri-caseworkers-drowning-as-childrens-division-plagued-by-staff-shortages/">recent</a>&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/19/this-job-is-impossible-high-turnover-low-morale-plague-missouri-child-welfare-agency">years</a>, staffing shortages have led Missouri’s child welfare investigators to face mounting caseloads, contributing to rapid employee turnover and delayed investigations.&nbsp;

There has been improvement over the last year, DSS spokesperson Chelsea Blair told The Independent. The department is now “on the upswing” with staffing, Blair said.&nbsp;

Children’s Division has also adopted&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dss.mo.gov/cd/docs/A-plan-to-Rebuild-and-Reform-Childrens-Division.pdf">strategies</a>&nbsp;to address overdue cases, Blair said, and&nbsp;“this plan is currently in action and working,” though the agency is still working through nearly 6,000 overdue reports.

Coleman said in an interview last week that the state continues to face a backlog of abuse investigations.

“Missouri is not responding quickly to our hotlines, and I think that’s really inappropriate,” she said. “We want to make sure that kids are safe and get to them quickly.”

Under the bill, the state would be allowed to use contractors to assist with investigations, meaning workers from private companies would help assess a child’s safety after a hotline call.&nbsp;

In practice, Coleman said, the contractors under the bill would do “a lot of administrative functions” to sort through lower-risk hotline reports and help connect families with resources, freeing up state staff to focus on the higher-risk cases.

State workers, she said, would still have the final say in whether a child is removed from the home.

“It’s helping with some of the administrative functions, helping on the front end, to make sure that we’re able to get to credible abuse allegations and to help keep kids safer, faster, because we are not currently,” Coleman said.

Coleman said the bill “doesn’t allow us to offload that as a state. It’s just allowing contractors to be able to assist in the process.”

Clark Peters, an associate professor of social work at the University of Missouri-Columbia whose research specializes in foster care, said he was concerned to learn about the proposal.

“Given the stakes involved for children and families. I would tread very carefully in pursuing privatizing this important activity,” Peters said.

Investigations serve as the entry point into the foster care system for children, Peters added.

“What’s concerning to me is this is a tremendously fraught point in the child welfare system: You’re making a decision whether to investigate and ultimately whether to remove a child,” he said. “It’s the initial few steps that are so critical…So handing this off to private agencies seems really disturbing to me.”

Coleman started working on this legislation around three years ago, she said, and filed it as a standalone bill for the first time&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/bts_web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=44604">last year</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713781648408.png" alt=" Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman enters the Missouri Senate on the first day of the 2023 legislative session (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman enters the Missouri Senate on the first day of the 2023 legislative session (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>By CLARA BATES&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>A bill winding its way through the legislature seeks to ease backlogs in child abuse and neglect investigations by allowing Missouri’s social services agency to outsource some work involving child abuse and neglect investigations to private contractors.Sponsored by Republican state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman of Arnold, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=190">bill</a>&nbsp;was voted out of committee unanimously in January and is awaiting consideration by the full Senate.Elements of Missouri’s child welfare system are already handled by private companies — including some foster care case management and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dss.mo.gov/re/iisar.htm">in-home services</a>&nbsp;—&nbsp; but not abuse and neglect investigations. Those are&nbsp;handled by state employees, sometimes with assistance from local law enforcement.&nbsp;After the state receives a hotline call, Children’s Division workers are responsible for assessing a child’s safety.&nbsp;In&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/04/05/missouri-caseworkers-drowning-as-childrens-division-plagued-by-staff-shortages/">recent</a>&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/19/this-job-is-impossible-high-turnover-low-morale-plague-missouri-child-welfare-agency">years</a>, staffing shortages have led Missouri’s child welfare investigators to face mounting caseloads, contributing to rapid employee turnover and delayed investigations.&nbsp;There has been improvement over the last year, DSS spokesperson Chelsea Blair told The Independent. The department is now “on the upswing” with staffing, Blair said.&nbsp;Children’s Division has also adopted&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dss.mo.gov/cd/docs/A-plan-to-Rebuild-and-Reform-Childrens-Division.pdf">strategies</a>&nbsp;to address overdue cases, Blair said, and&nbsp;“this plan is currently in action and working,” though the agency is still working through nearly 6,000 overdue reports.Coleman said in an interview last week that the state continues to face a backlog of abuse investigations.“Missouri is not responding quickly to our hotlines, and I think that’s really inappropriate,” she said. “We want to make sure that kids are safe and get to them quickly.”Under the bill, the state would be allowed to use contractors to assist with investigations, meaning workers from private companies would help assess a child’s safety after a hotline call.&nbsp;In practice, Coleman said, the contractors under the bill would do “a lot of administrative functions” to sort through lower-risk hotline reports and help connect families with resources, freeing up state staff to focus on the higher-risk cases.State workers, she said, would still have the final say in whether a child is removed from the home.“It’s helping with some of the administrative functions, helping on the front end, to make sure that we’re able to get to credible abuse allegations and to help keep kids safer, faster, because we are not currently,” Coleman said.Coleman said the bill “doesn’t allow us to offload that as a state. It’s just allowing contractors to be able to assist in the process.”Clark Peters, an associate professor of social work at the University of Missouri-Columbia whose research specializes in foster care, said he was concerned to learn about the proposal.“Given the stakes involved for children and families. I would tread very carefully in pursuing privatizing this important activity,” Peters said.Investigations serve as the entry point into the foster care system for children, Peters added.“What’s concerning to me is this is a tremendously fraught point in the child welfare system: You’re making a decision whether to investigate and ultimately whether to remove a child,” he said. “It’s the initial few steps that are so critical…So handing this off to private agencies seems really disturbing to me.”<h2>Timely investigations&nbsp;</h2>Coleman started working on this legislation around three years ago, she said, and filed it as a standalone bill for the first time&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/bts_web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=44604">last year</a>.David Willis, a lobbyist for KVC Missouri, a nonprofit child welfare organization that provides the state with contracted foster care services, has testified in support of Coleman’s efforts. He said during a hearing last year that KVC Missouri had been working with the Department of Social Services “and this specific piece of legislation was kind of the result of those discussions.”In an email to The Independent, KVC Missouri President Lindsey Stephenson said what prompted the discussion was “the state approaching us about some of the challenges Missouri has experienced in processing all cases of suspected child abuse or neglect in a timely manner.”KVC, which is a national health system with a network of nonprofits in various states, works in Kentucky to help with investigations as well, Stephenson said, and that didn’t require a change in state law. State investigators in Kentucky make final recommendations based on comprehensive assessments.&nbsp;Blair&nbsp;said the agency cannot comment on pending legislation. But DSS has been working to address the overdue cases and making progress, she said.&nbsp;There has been an 11% increase in hiring among Children’s Division frontline workers since this time last year and an 8% reduction in turnover.There are currently 5,942 child abuse and neglect assessments and investigations that have been open 46 days or longer, according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24554306-4-17-24-child-welfare-investigation-sunshine">records</a>&nbsp;obtained Wednesday by The Independent through Missouri’s Sunshine Law. The Kansas City region has the most (3,036) followed by St. Louis (2,074). In St. Louis, that’s an improvement from over 7,000 in January, according to reporting from&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.stlpr.org/government-politics-issues/2024-02-15/missouri-childrens-division-head-sees-progress-on-st-louis-abuse-and-neglect-case-backlog">St. Louis Public Radio earlier this year.</a>“DSS understands the importance of addressing every case of child abuse and neglect promptly and effectively,” Blair said. “By working diligently to close cases where possible, we are not only providing resolution for the children and families affected but also preventing further harm and promoting a safer environment for all.”There are 36 vacancies as of late last month among the frontline Children’s Division workers, Blair said, which includes investigators, foster care case managers and family centered service workers, who do prevention.<h2>Accountability</h2>Richard Wexler, who runs the nonprofit National Coalition for Child Protection Reform, a Virginia-based advocacy group, said by email that sometimes privatization can mean state agencies shift blame to contractors — and vice versa.“There is no reason to think private contractors would be any better, or any worse, than Children’s Division employees per se,” Wexler said. “ I do worry, however, that it may add even greater potential for buck passing.”He added that that is the situation in Florida’s highly-privatized system — where everything except the investigations are privatized and where the state and contractors have pointed fingers at each other. State investigators and sheriffs have also pointed fingers at one another, Wexler said: In Florida, some investigations were, until a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2023/04/14/child-welfare-gualtieri-desantis-records-sheriffs-wells/">legislative change</a>&nbsp;enacted last year, overseen by sheriffs’ offices.&nbsp;“The other question is whether this further reduces accountability,” Wexler said. “Will investigators for a private contractor have even more ability to hide what they do when things go wrong?”&nbsp;Coleman said “in the bureaucracy, often we have a lack of accountability anyways, because you have very little oversight,” she said, adding that she was speaking in general, rather than specifically about Children’s Division.&nbsp;“The state has an ability to be more responsive if a contractor is not meeting their needs, than, you know, trying to have bureaucracies go in and get entrenched people who have been doing these jobs for a long time and are underperforming,” Coleman said.The bill stipulates that the contractor who handles the investigation can’t be the same one that then takes on managing the foster care case, which Coleman said is designed to avoid misaligned incentives that could cause more kids to be taken into state care.There are other bills related to children attached to Coleman’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=190">bill</a>&nbsp;now, including a provision to allow the state to grant temporary child care licenses. In the two times it has come up on the Senate floor, debate has largely surrounded amendments, not the substance of the privatized investigations provisions.&nbsp;Coleman referred to the bill as “bipartisan non-controversial provisions” during Senate debate last month.

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