During Kim Evans’ tenure, the department faced criticism from state lawmakers, the federal government and advocacy organizations over its administration of public benefits

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

The head of the Missouri agency that for years has struggled to administer public benefit programs like food assistance and Medicaid announced her retirement on Friday afternoon, effective immediately.

Kim Evans had served as director of the Family Support Division within the Missouri Department of Social Services since 2020. She spent over two decades working for the department, including as a program eligibility specialist, manager and deputy director.

“(The Department of Social Services) is grateful for her service and wishes her the best in the next chapter,” Baylee Watts, the department’s spokeswoman, said in an email.

The interim director will be Mandi Adams, who is currently one of the division’s deputy directors.

Evans’ departure last week is the latest in a series of leadership changes underway at Missouri’s embattled social services agency since Gov. Mike Kehoe was elected in November. A&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/mike-kehoe-appoints-new-leader-for-missouri-social-services-agency/">new department director</a>, Jessica Bax, began in January, and a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-social-services-agency-appoints-new-child-welfare-director/">new director for the child welfare division</a>, Sara Smith, was named last week.&nbsp;

During Evans’ tenure, the department faced criticism from state lawmakers, the federal government and advocacy organizations over its administration of public benefits — which affect the lives of millions of Missourians.&nbsp;

A federal judge last year&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/05/09/federal-court-rules-missourians-were-illegally-denied-food-aid-by-the-state/">ruled</a>&nbsp;Missourians were illegally denied food aid by the state due to hours-long call center wait times for participants to receive a required interview.&nbsp;

Those delays — which leadership has largely&nbsp;blamed&nbsp;on call center&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/14/records-show-call-center-wait-times-for-missouri-medicaid-food-assistance-on-the-rise/">staffing issues&nbsp;</a><a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/14/records-show-call-center-wait-times-for-missouri-medicaid-food-assistance-on-the-rise/">—&nbsp;</a>translate to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/02/broken-system-call-center-backlogs-impede-missouri-families-seeking-food-assistance/">families struggling to feed their young children</a>&nbsp;while rearranging their days to wait on hold, Missourians with disabilities who can’t understand the application forms being unable to get help and some subsisting on little food while using up prepaid phone minutes on hold.

“While call wait times fluctuate and have shown some improvement, the record demonstrates too little progress,” the judge in that case, U.S. District Court Judge M. Douglas Harpool, wrote last year. “Consequently, Missourians who suffer food insecurity have been forced to either go hungry or seek alternative sources of food when their applications are denied.”

The state has been required to submit monthly reports as part of the lawsuit.&nbsp;The average wait time for the interview line for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, was 45 minutes in January, the&nbsp;<a href="https://legacy.www.documentcloud.org/documents/25589928-2-18-25-status-report-dss-snap-lawsuit/" target="_blank">most recent monthly data</a>&nbsp;states.&nbsp;

The average wait time for the general call line, which handles all other inquiries — for programs including Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and non-interview related SNAP queries — was just under one hour in January.

That&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/63105919/holmes-v-knodell/?order_by=desc" target="_blank">case is still ongoing</a>, and the parties are in mediation.

The department in its budget request to the state legislature asked for $11 million to hire 220 new staff in the Family Support Division to help ensure the agency complies with federal and state rules on timely processing, and “maintains a reasonable wait time in the call centers,” the budget&nbsp;<a href="https://oa.mo.gov/sites/default/files/FY26_DSS_Appropriation_Book.pdf" target="_blank">request</a>&nbsp;stated. The governor recommended only 55 new positions.&nbsp;

Asked about the call center issues in a Senate appropriations committee hearing last month, Bax was candid about the ongoing problems, stating that over 10,000 applications for SNAP were rejected solely due to failure to interview in January.

Bax told the committee the agency is looking at “overall efficiencies” including trying to get a shortened and condensed SNAP interview approved, and specializing some of the call center staff.&nbsp;

“So that is where the plan is: to really kind of take back those specialized teams and then have an ability to condense that interview so that we can free up the phone lines,” Bax said.

Democratic state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern of Kansas City said she continues to hear from constituents about their issues accessing aid to which they’re entitled.

“This is one of the things that I continue to have very grave concerns about,” Nurrenbern said at last months’s appropriations committee hearing. “How long people are waiting online for essential services, and hear a lot of frustration from constituents reaching out and saying, ‘I’ve been waiting online all day and nobody’s getting back to us.’

“So I really hope that this is something that this committee can put some emphasis on and making sure that we are being as efficient as possible with these services,” she added.&nbsp;

Bax replied that she “could not agree more.”&nbsp;

Bax’s testimony differed from prior testimony of Evans, who typically&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/14/records-show-call-center-wait-times-for-missouri-medicaid-food-assistance-on-the-rise/">downplayed</a>&nbsp;issues with wait times to legislators.&nbsp;At one hearing in late 2023, Evans told lawmakers she was “excited” the wait time was only a few minutes the morning of a hearing, though&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/14/records-show-call-center-wait-times-for-missouri-medicaid-food-assistance-on-the-rise/">records obtained by The Independent would later show the average that month was actually over an hour.&nbsp;</a>

There have also been years-long problems with Medicaid application processing, leading to issues like&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/23/perfect-storm-missouri-advocates-decry-medicaid-application-delays-coverage-losses/">pregnant Missourians going without prenatal care</a>.

Last summer, the federal Medicaid agency&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/17/feds-to-scrutinize-missouris-worst-in-the-nation-medicaid-application-delays/">announced</a>&nbsp;it was intervening to help bring the state back into compliance with timely processing.

Bax said last month, regarding some Medicaid cases, “we’re about three months behind on the applications.”

According to&nbsp;<a href="https://dss.mo.gov/re/pdf/fsd_mhdmr/0125-family-support-mohealthnet-report.pdf" target="_blank">data for January</a>, the average time to process Medicaid applications for aged, blind and disabled applications was 107 days. The federal limit is 90 days for those applications. The average for the other category of Medicaid applications was 29 days, climbing in recent months but still below the 45-day standard. Bax also said last month the department is looking at using contractors to help with annual Medicaid renewals.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742250970378.png" alt=" Kim Evans, center, announced Friday she was retiring from her position as director of the Family Support Division. She's pictured here speaking to the media in Jefferson City on March 28, 2023, about Medicaid renewals, alongside MO HealthNet director Todd Richardson, right, and former department director, Robert Knodell (Clara Bates/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Kim Evans, center, announced Friday she was retiring from her position as director of the Family Support Division. She's pictured here speaking to the media in Jefferson City on March 28, 2023, about Medicaid renewals, alongside MO HealthNet director Todd Richardson, right, and former department director, Robert Knodell (Clara Bates/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>During Kim Evans’ tenure, the department faced criticism from state lawmakers, the federal government and advocacy organizations over its administration of public benefits</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/cbates/">CLARA BATES</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>The head of the Missouri agency that for years has struggled to administer public benefit programs like food assistance and Medicaid announced her retirement on Friday afternoon, effective immediately.Kim Evans had served as director of the Family Support Division within the Missouri Department of Social Services since 2020. She spent over two decades working for the department, including as a program eligibility specialist, manager and deputy director.“(The Department of Social Services) is grateful for her service and wishes her the best in the next chapter,” Baylee Watts, the department’s spokeswoman, said in an email.The interim director will be Mandi Adams, who is currently one of the division’s deputy directors.Evans’ departure last week is the latest in a series of leadership changes underway at Missouri’s embattled social services agency since Gov. Mike Kehoe was elected in November. A&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/mike-kehoe-appoints-new-leader-for-missouri-social-services-agency/">new department director</a>, Jessica Bax, began in January, and a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-social-services-agency-appoints-new-child-welfare-director/">new director for the child welfare division</a>, Sara Smith, was named last week.&nbsp;During Evans’ tenure, the department faced criticism from state lawmakers, the federal government and advocacy organizations over its administration of public benefits — which affect the lives of millions of Missourians.&nbsp;A federal judge last year&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/05/09/federal-court-rules-missourians-were-illegally-denied-food-aid-by-the-state/">ruled</a>&nbsp;Missourians were illegally denied food aid by the state due to hours-long call center wait times for participants to receive a required interview.&nbsp;Those delays — which leadership has largely&nbsp;blamed&nbsp;on call center&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/14/records-show-call-center-wait-times-for-missouri-medicaid-food-assistance-on-the-rise/">staffing issues&nbsp;</a><a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/14/records-show-call-center-wait-times-for-missouri-medicaid-food-assistance-on-the-rise/">—&nbsp;</a>translate to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/02/broken-system-call-center-backlogs-impede-missouri-families-seeking-food-assistance/">families struggling to feed their young children</a>&nbsp;while rearranging their days to wait on hold, Missourians with disabilities who can’t understand the application forms being unable to get help and some subsisting on little food while using up prepaid phone minutes on hold.“While call wait times fluctuate and have shown some improvement, the record demonstrates too little progress,” the judge in that case, U.S. District Court Judge M. Douglas Harpool, wrote last year. “Consequently, Missourians who suffer food insecurity have been forced to either go hungry or seek alternative sources of food when their applications are denied.”The state has been required to submit monthly reports as part of the lawsuit.&nbsp;The average wait time for the interview line for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, was 45 minutes in January, the&nbsp;<a href="https://legacy.www.documentcloud.org/documents/25589928-2-18-25-status-report-dss-snap-lawsuit/" target="_blank">most recent monthly data</a>&nbsp;states.&nbsp;The average wait time for the general call line, which handles all other inquiries — for programs including Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and non-interview related SNAP queries — was just under one hour in January.That&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/63105919/holmes-v-knodell/?order_by=desc" target="_blank">case is still ongoing</a>, and the parties are in mediation.The department in its budget request to the state legislature asked for $11 million to hire 220 new staff in the Family Support Division to help ensure the agency complies with federal and state rules on timely processing, and “maintains a reasonable wait time in the call centers,” the budget&nbsp;<a href="https://oa.mo.gov/sites/default/files/FY26_DSS_Appropriation_Book.pdf" target="_blank">request</a>&nbsp;stated. The governor recommended only 55 new positions.&nbsp;Asked about the call center issues in a Senate appropriations committee hearing last month, Bax was candid about the ongoing problems, stating that over 10,000 applications for SNAP were rejected solely due to failure to interview in January.Bax told the committee the agency is looking at “overall efficiencies” including trying to get a shortened and condensed SNAP interview approved, and specializing some of the call center staff.&nbsp;“So that is where the plan is: to really kind of take back those specialized teams and then have an ability to condense that interview so that we can free up the phone lines,” Bax said.Democratic state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern of Kansas City said she continues to hear from constituents about their issues accessing aid to which they’re entitled.“This is one of the things that I continue to have very grave concerns about,” Nurrenbern said at last months’s appropriations committee hearing. “How long people are waiting online for essential services, and hear a lot of frustration from constituents reaching out and saying, ‘I’ve been waiting online all day and nobody’s getting back to us.’“So I really hope that this is something that this committee can put some emphasis on and making sure that we are being as efficient as possible with these services,” she added.&nbsp;Bax replied that she “could not agree more.”&nbsp;Bax’s testimony differed from prior testimony of Evans, who typically&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/14/records-show-call-center-wait-times-for-missouri-medicaid-food-assistance-on-the-rise/">downplayed</a>&nbsp;issues with wait times to legislators.&nbsp;At one hearing in late 2023, Evans told lawmakers she was “excited” the wait time was only a few minutes the morning of a hearing, though&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/14/records-show-call-center-wait-times-for-missouri-medicaid-food-assistance-on-the-rise/">records obtained by The Independent would later show the average that month was actually over an hour.&nbsp;</a>There have also been years-long problems with Medicaid application processing, leading to issues like&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/23/perfect-storm-missouri-advocates-decry-medicaid-application-delays-coverage-losses/">pregnant Missourians going without prenatal care</a>.Last summer, the federal Medicaid agency&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/17/feds-to-scrutinize-missouris-worst-in-the-nation-medicaid-application-delays/">announced</a>&nbsp;it was intervening to help bring the state back into compliance with timely processing.Bax said last month, regarding some Medicaid cases, “we’re about three months behind on the applications.”According to&nbsp;<a href="https://dss.mo.gov/re/pdf/fsd_mhdmr/0125-family-support-mohealthnet-report.pdf" target="_blank">data for January</a>, the average time to process Medicaid applications for aged, blind and disabled applications was 107 days. The federal limit is 90 days for those applications. The average for the other category of Medicaid applications was 29 days, climbing in recent months but still below the 45-day standard. Bax also said last month the department is looking at using contractors to help with annual Medicaid renewals.

Director of Missouri’s long-troubled public assistance agency announces retirement

GEARY COUNTY—The Kansas Highway Patrol has identified the woman trapped in her car overnight after a crash that occurred just after 11:30p.m. Sunday on Interstate 70 in Geary County.

According to the Patrol, a 2023 Ford Edge driven by Rhonda L. Moore, 65, Wise, Virginia, was westbound on Interstate 70 just west of Humboldt Creek Road.

The SUV traveled off the road into the north ditch and rolled onto on its top.&nbsp; A passing motorist finally saw the SUV just before 8a.m. Monday and called for help. EMS transported Moore to Stormont Vail for treatment of serious injuries. She was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

GEARY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a single-vehicle crash that critically injured a woman in Geary County.

Early Monday, a Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper responded to the serious rollover crash on Interstate 70, where the driver had been trapped in her wrecked vehicle overnight—injured, alone, and waiting for help, according to a social media report from the patrol.

The KHP is working to determine exactly when the crash occurred.&nbsp; First responders were notified just after 8a.m. Monday.

"Geary County first responders were first on the scene, quickly working to assess the situation, provide medical care, and begin the initial response."

"As daylight broke, the wreckage finally became visible to a passing motorist, who made the call that set everything into motion. With EMS, fire crews, and KHP working together, Life Star was called in to airlift the woman to a hospital."

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742224877114.png" alt="Photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>GEARY COUNTY—The Kansas Highway Patrol has identified the woman trapped in her car overnight after a crash that occurred just after 11:30p.m. Sunday on Interstate 70 in Geary County.According to the Patrol, a 2023 Ford Edge driven by Rhonda L. Moore, 65, Wise, Virginia, was westbound on Interstate 70 just west of Humboldt Creek Road.The SUV traveled off the road into the north ditch and rolled onto on its top.&nbsp; A passing motorist finally saw the SUV just before 8a.m. Monday and called for help. EMS transported Moore to Stormont Vail for treatment of serious injuries. She was properly restrained, according to the KHP.-----------GEARY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a single-vehicle crash that critically injured a woman in Geary County.Early Monday, a Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper responded to the serious rollover crash on Interstate 70, where the driver had been trapped in her wrecked vehicle overnight—injured, alone, and waiting for help, according to a social media report from the patrol.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742224855150.png" alt="Photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>The KHP is working to determine exactly when the crash occurred.&nbsp; First responders were notified just after 8a.m. Monday."Geary County first responders were first on the scene, quickly working to assess the situation, provide medical care, and begin the initial response.""As daylight broke, the wreckage finally became visible to a passing motorist, who made the call that set everything into motion. With EMS, fire crews, and KHP working together, Life Star was called in to airlift the woman to a hospital."Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

KHP IDs woman trapped in SUV overnight after crash on I-70

"It was a beautiful day at the Kansas City St. Patrick's Day Parade. Sláinte, Kansans, and celebrate safely."

"It was a beautiful day at the Kansas City St. Patrick's Day Parade. Sláinte, Kansans, and celebrate safely."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">It was a beautiful day at the Kansas City St. Patrick&#39;s Day Parade. Sláinte, Kansans, and celebrate safely. 🍀 <a href="https://t.co/2gpnwiLODg">pic.twitter.com/2gpnwiLODg</a>&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1901713841970393423?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Gov. Kelly attends the Kansas City St. Patrick's Day parade

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a weekend homicide in Kansas City.

Just after 2:15p.m. Sunday, police were called to a shooting at an apartment building in the 400 block of E. Armour Blvd. in Kansas City, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

Officers were directed inside the building to an apartment upstairs where they located 43-year-old Terrance Frost unresponsive just outside one of the apartment units.

Officers summoned EMS to the scene who pronounced Frost deceased.

Responding officers detained an adult female for further investigation at the scene. Detectives spoke with numerous people who were at the scene when officers arrived and canvassed for any additional witnesses.

Detectives are not looking for any additional suspects at this time, according to Becchina.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742169098246.png" alt="Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a weekend homicide in Kansas City.Just after 2:15p.m. Sunday, police were called to a shooting at an apartment building in the 400 block of E. Armour Blvd. in Kansas City, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742169069097.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Officers were directed inside the building to an apartment upstairs where they located 43-year-old Terrance Frost unresponsive just outside one of the apartment units.Officers summoned EMS to the scene who pronounced Frost deceased.Responding officers detained an adult female for further investigation at the scene. Detectives spoke with numerous people who were at the scene when officers arrived and canvassed for any additional witnesses.Detectives are not looking for any additional suspects at this time, according to Becchina.

KCPD: Woman detained at scene of homicide

A U.S. airstrike in Iraq last week killed the Islamic State terror network's No. 2 leader, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

&nbsp;On March 13, U.S. Central Command forces, in cooperation with Iraqi Intelligence and Security Forces, conducted a precision airstrike in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, that killed the Global ISIS #2 leader, chief of operations and the Delegated Committee Emir – Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, alias “Abu Khadijah”, and one other ISIS operative.

As the Emir of ISIS’ most senior decision-making body, Abu Khadijah maintained responsibility for operations, logistics, and planning conducted by ISIS globally, and directs a significant portion of finance for the group’s global organization.

After the strike, CENTCOM and Iraqi forces moved to the strike site and found both dead ISIS operatives. Both terrorists were wearing unexploded “suicide vests” and had multiple weapons. CENTCOM and Iraqi forces were able to identify Abu Khadijah through a DNA match from DNA collected on a previous raid where Abu Khadijah narrowly escaped.

“Abu Khadijah was one of the most important ISIS members in the entire global ISIS organization. We will continue to kill terrorists and dismantle their organizations that threaten our homeland and U.S., allied and partner personnel in the region and beyond,” said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, commander, U.S. Central Command.

A U.S. airstrike in Iraq last week killed the Islamic State terror network's No. 2 leader, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.&nbsp;On March 13, U.S. Central Command forces, in cooperation with Iraqi Intelligence and Security Forces, conducted a precision airstrike in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, that killed the Global ISIS #2 leader, chief of operations and the Delegated Committee Emir – Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, alias “Abu Khadijah”, and one other ISIS operative.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">CENTCOM Forces Kill ISIS Chief of Global Operations Who Also Served as ISIS #2 On March 13, U.S. Central Command forces, in cooperation with Iraqi Intelligence and Security Forces, conducted a precision airstrike in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, that killed the Global ISIS #2 leader,… <a href="https://t.co/rWeEoUY7Lw">pic.twitter.com/rWeEoUY7Lw</a>&mdash; U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1900737395915440260?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>As the Emir of ISIS’ most senior decision-making body, Abu Khadijah maintained responsibility for operations, logistics, and planning conducted by ISIS globally, and directs a significant portion of finance for the group’s global organization.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;Today the fugitive leader of ISIS in Iraq was killed. He was relentlessly hunted down by our intrepid warfighters. His miserable life was terminated, along with another member of ISIS, in coordination with the Iraqi Government and the Kurdish Regional Government. PEACE THROUGH… <a href="https://t.co/gB68jMpd64">pic.twitter.com/gB68jMpd64</a>&mdash; President Donald J. Trump (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1900741103424286723?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>After the strike, CENTCOM and Iraqi forces moved to the strike site and found both dead ISIS operatives. Both terrorists were wearing unexploded “suicide vests” and had multiple weapons. CENTCOM and Iraqi forces were able to identify Abu Khadijah through a DNA match from DNA collected on a previous raid where Abu Khadijah narrowly escaped.“Abu Khadijah was one of the most important ISIS members in the entire global ISIS organization. We will continue to kill terrorists and dismantle their organizations that threaten our homeland and U.S., allied and partner personnel in the region and beyond,” said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, commander, U.S. Central Command.

🎥Trump: ISIS leader’s 'miserable life' ended in US strike in Iraq

KANSAS CITY —While working on a fire at the Batliner Recycling facility on Saturday, the Kansas City, Missouri Fire Department placed its remote-controlled tracked robot into service for the first time.

Just before 7a.m., crews responded to a reported fire at 2501 Front Street&nbsp; crews reported a large fire on the east end of the property, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. The fire involved several semi trailers along with large piles of recyclable materials. Multiple companies were dispatched to get the fire under control.

 The railroad lines had to be shut down in order to run water supply lines across the tracks. 

In a historical moment for KCFD, a remote operated tracked robot capable of supplying 2500 gallons of water per minute was placed in service for the first time. The fire was brought under control around 9:00 a.m. 

The robot apparatus is equipped with multiple cameras, including thermal imaging, a front mounted blade for debris, tracked mobility for ease of operation and accessibility, and is supplied by multiple supply lines producing upwards of 2500 gallons per minute of water for fire suppression.

The apparatus can be used in various applications in both offensive and defensive operations to include large commercial structures, subterranean operations such as commercial caves, which Kansas City has many. It can also be used in defensive operations where placing firefighters would come at great risk, along with other various suppression activities.

This technology continues to keep the Kansas City Fire Department on the cutting edge of the fire&nbsp;service and adds to our storied history of leading the way in the industry.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742050660259.png" alt="Image KCFD" />
 <figcaption>Image KCFD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —While working on a fire at the Batliner Recycling facility on Saturday, the Kansas City, Missouri Fire Department placed its remote-controlled tracked robot into service for the first time.Just before 7a.m., crews responded to a reported fire at 2501 Front Street&nbsp; crews reported a large fire on the east end of the property, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. The fire involved several semi trailers along with large piles of recyclable materials. Multiple companies were dispatched to get the fire under control. The railroad lines had to be shut down in order to run water supply lines across the tracks. In a historical moment for KCFD, a remote operated tracked robot capable of supplying 2500 gallons of water per minute was placed in service for the first time. The fire was brought under control around 9:00 a.m. The robot apparatus is equipped with multiple cameras, including thermal imaging, a front mounted blade for debris, tracked mobility for ease of operation and accessibility, and is supplied by multiple supply lines producing upwards of 2500 gallons per minute of water for fire suppression.The apparatus can be used in various applications in both offensive and defensive operations to include large commercial structures, subterranean operations such as commercial caves, which Kansas City has many. It can also be used in defensive operations where placing firefighters would come at great risk, along with other various suppression activities.This technology continues to keep the Kansas City Fire Department on the cutting edge of the fire&nbsp;service and adds to our storied history of leading the way in the industry.

Historic: KCMO Fire Department used robot to fight fire

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a dog attack that critically injured a baby.

Just after 9:30p.m. March 13, the Prairie Village Police Department was notified by Children’s Mercy Hospital that an infant was in critical condition as a result of a dog bite, according to a statement from Prairie Village Police.

 The responding officers, along with the Investigations Unit, determined the incident occurred earlier in the evening in the 4900 block of W. 72nd Terrace in Prairie Village while the infant was being cared for by a non-parent caregiver.

The dog, a pit bull, was seized and impounded and, at the owner’s request, was euthanized .

All parties are cooperating with the investigation.The infant remains hospitalized and in critical condition.

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a dog attack that critically injured a baby.Just after 9:30p.m. March 13, the Prairie Village Police Department was notified by Children’s Mercy Hospital that an infant was in critical condition as a result of a dog bite, according to a statement from Prairie Village Police. The responding officers, along with the Investigations Unit, determined the incident occurred earlier in the evening in the 4900 block of W. 72nd Terrace in Prairie Village while the infant was being cared for by a non-parent caregiver.The dog, a pit bull, was seized and impounded and, at the owner’s request, was euthanized .All parties are cooperating with the investigation.The infant remains hospitalized and in critical condition.

Infant critically injured after dog attack at Kansas home

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement investigating a fatal weekend crash that occurred just after 1p.m. Saturday in Shawnee County have identified the driver as&nbsp;Christopher A. Frye, 19, of Silver Lake, according to Sheriff's Deputy Abigail Christian.&nbsp; &nbsp; He was a senior at Silver Lake High School, according to USD 372.

A Ford F150 driven by Frye was eastbound on NW 35th from NW Hoch Road. The pickup left the road and flipped into a ditch.

Frye, the sole occupant of the pickup was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; The accident remains under investigation.

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement investigating a fatal weekend crash that occurred just after 1p.m. Saturday in Shawnee County have identified the driver as&nbsp;Christopher A. Frye, 19, of Silver Lake, according to Sheriff's Deputy Abigail Christian.&nbsp; &nbsp; He was a senior at Silver Lake High School, according to USD 372.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FSLEagles372%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02wYUJyJj83dQwWo3Gs8uUV4dgUmFkXBtXnBbFdmHKHUchRcE8HjDRuHp3kDszJCiPl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="596" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>A Ford F150 driven by Frye was eastbound on NW 35th from NW Hoch Road. The pickup left the road and flipped into a ditch.Frye, the sole occupant of the pickup was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; The accident remains under investigation.

Sheriff IDs Kan. high school student who died after pickup flipped into ditch

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Authorities investigating a fatal pedestrian accident that occurred just after 12:30a.m. Saturday in Wyandotte County have identified the victim as Jacqueline&nbsp;Herrera Cruz, 18, Kansas City, Kansas.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Ford F150 driven by Robert Miguel&nbsp;Pendleton, 17, Kansas City, Kansas,&nbsp;was northbound on Interstate 635 one mile south of Interstate 70.

The pickup struck Cruz who was walking in lane one of the Interstate.&nbsp; She was pronounce dead at the scene and was transported to Forensic Medical.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Authorities investigating a fatal pedestrian accident that occurred just after 12:30a.m. Saturday in Wyandotte County have identified the victim as Jacqueline&nbsp;Herrera Cruz, 18, Kansas City, Kansas.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Ford F150 driven by Robert Miguel&nbsp;Pendleton, 17, Kansas City, Kansas,&nbsp;was northbound on Interstate 635 one mile south of Interstate 70.The pickup struck Cruz who was walking in lane one of the Interstate.&nbsp; She was pronounce dead at the scene and was transported to Forensic Medical.

Kansas teen struck and killed by 17-year-old pickup driver

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">While you slept, your government sent three planes full of Tren de Aragua and MS-13 thugs to the beautiful prisons of El Salvador. Thanks to the leadership of this administration—and our friend <a href="https://twitter.com/nayibbukele?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nayibbukele</a>—America is safer today than it was yesterday. <a href="https://t.co/eO76KRqOuG">pic.twitter.com/eO76KRqOuG</a>&mdash; Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/Eric_Schmitt/status/1901344554000793658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥 Mo. U.S. Senator: While you slept, the U.S. deported gang members to El Salvador

KANSAS CITY—A man accused in a string of business burglaries is facing new felony charges.

Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced 10 more felony charges against 24-year-old Javaune Tucker of Kansas City in connection with a string of business burglaries that occurred over the past month.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Tucker was initially charged with Property Damage in the 1st Degree. He is now being&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2533/Javaune-Tucker---Amended-Complaint-Redacted">charged</a>&nbsp;with two counts of Felon in Possession, Possession of an Unlawful Machine Gun, 1st Degree Tampering with a Motor Vehicle, and six counts of Burglary in the Second Degree.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2532/Javaune-Tucker---Amended-PC-Redacted">According to court records</a>, a burglary was reported to Kansas City police on Feb. 26. Surveillance footage revealed the suspects arrived in a dark colored Jeep Grand Cherokee, which was documented as stolen.&nbsp;

Detectives connected the vehicle to five burglaries that took place in the early morning hours of March 1. Based on surveillance footage from the area of the burglaries, detectives were able to identify Tucker. When they took him into custody, they found stolen firearms, including a Glock modified with a switch, which converts firearms from semiautomatic to fully automatic, allowing for continuous fire and increased lethality. He also had the key fob to the stolen Jeep, which had a stolen cash register inside. The defendant admitted to stealing the Jeep and committing the burglaries.&nbsp;

The defendant has a history of felony convictions, prohibiting him from possessing firearms.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741706787257.png" alt="Tucker-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Tucker-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—A man accused in a string of business burglaries is facing new felony charges.Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced 10 more felony charges against 24-year-old Javaune Tucker of Kansas City in connection with a string of business burglaries that occurred over the past month.&nbsp;&nbsp;Tucker was initially charged with Property Damage in the 1st Degree. He is now being&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2533/Javaune-Tucker---Amended-Complaint-Redacted">charged</a>&nbsp;with two counts of Felon in Possession, Possession of an Unlawful Machine Gun, 1st Degree Tampering with a Motor Vehicle, and six counts of Burglary in the Second Degree.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2532/Javaune-Tucker---Amended-PC-Redacted">According to court records</a>, a burglary was reported to Kansas City police on Feb. 26. Surveillance footage revealed the suspects arrived in a dark colored Jeep Grand Cherokee, which was documented as stolen.&nbsp;Detectives connected the vehicle to five burglaries that took place in the early morning hours of March 1. Based on surveillance footage from the area of the burglaries, detectives were able to identify Tucker. When they took him into custody, they found stolen firearms, including a Glock modified with a switch, which converts firearms from semiautomatic to fully automatic, allowing for continuous fire and increased lethality. He also had the key fob to the stolen Jeep, which had a stolen cash register inside. The defendant admitted to stealing the Jeep and committing the burglaries.&nbsp;The defendant has a history of felony convictions, prohibiting him from possessing firearms.&nbsp;

KC man with a history of crime caught with stolen firearms, cash register

Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced that after thorough review, criminal charges will not be filed against the Independence police officer involved in the November 2024 shooting, resulting in the deaths of a woman and her infant.&nbsp;

“We did not arrive at this decision lightly. The loss of a young mother and her infant are devastating and tragic,”&nbsp;said Prosecutor Johnson. “However, as prosecutors, we are bound by an oath to apply the law and analyze facts without being guided by the sympathy we feel for all those impacted. Our purpose is to determine if what was done was reasonable, defined by Missouri law, and not whether it was the best course of action.”

On Nov. 7, 2024, Independence police officers responded to a reported assault at an apartment complex. After documenting the witness’s injuries, officers determined they had enough evidence to arrest the woman for assault.&nbsp;

A witness allowed officers into the apartment unit where they located the woman in a bedroom closet, holding her infant. Body camera footage shows the woman was non-verbal during the encounter, communicating only through gestures. The officers requested a Crisis Intervention Team to help resolve the situation and contacted the Children’s Division to help with the infant’s care.&nbsp;

The woman then moved out of the closet and sat on the bed in the bedroom. As officers were discussing how to safely take the woman into custody, she suddenly grabbed a butcher knife from the bedside table while holding the infant. Body camera footage showed the woman moving toward one officer, who was able to back away toward the hallway. She then turned toward the shooting officer who was backed against a closet without space to retreat. The officer fired four shots in quick succession as the woman advanced with the knife, striking both the woman and the infant. Both the woman and infant died from their injuries.&nbsp;

Missouri law, under Section 563.046, RSMo, allows an officer to use deadly force when:

Even then, according to Missouri law, the shooting officer was authorized to shoot the woman only if he reasonably believed that shooting her was immediately necessary to effect the arrest or prevent escape.&nbsp;

When prosecutors analyze harm to bystanders, in this case, the infant, prosecutors must determine if the officer acted intentionally or with criminal recklessness toward the bystander. Criminal recklessness requires “conscious disregarding of a substantial and unjustifiable risk” and a “gross deviation from the standard of care.”

The evidence in this case shows the officer responded to an immediate threat of deadly force when the woman approached the officers with the butcher knife; the suddenness of the attack—just seconds from the knife appearing to shots fired—left no time for a different response; and the officer had no space to retreat.

Based on these facts and following Missouri law regarding use of force, the officer’s use of deadly force falls within the protection of the law. The evidence is also insufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer intentionally shot the infant or consciously disregarded the risk to the child.

“We recognize the profound loss suffered by the families and our entire community and frankly wish that circumstances were handled differently. However, that is not the role of this Committee or this Office. Rather, our review of this incident is ethically and legally limited to determining only whether criminal charges are appropriate,”&nbsp;said Prosecutor Johnson. “While this decision may not bring the closure many seek, especially given the weight of this tragedy, we are issuing this letter to uphold our commitment to transparency.”

Read the full letter further explaining the decision&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2545/FINAL-Independence-OIS-Letter">here</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742070477364.png" alt="Independence Police body camera image of the Oval Springs apartment complex on the day of the officer-shooting" />
 <figcaption>Independence Police body camera image of the Oval Springs apartment complex on the day of the officer-shooting</figcaption>
 </figure>Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced that after thorough review, criminal charges will not be filed against the Independence police officer involved in the November 2024 shooting, resulting in the deaths of a woman and her infant.&nbsp;“We did not arrive at this decision lightly. The loss of a young mother and her infant are devastating and tragic,”&nbsp;said Prosecutor Johnson. “However, as prosecutors, we are bound by an oath to apply the law and analyze facts without being guided by the sympathy we feel for all those impacted. Our purpose is to determine if what was done was reasonable, defined by Missouri law, and not whether it was the best course of action.”On Nov. 7, 2024, Independence police officers responded to a reported assault at an apartment complex. After documenting the witness’s injuries, officers determined they had enough evidence to arrest the woman for assault.&nbsp;A witness allowed officers into the apartment unit where they located the woman in a bedroom closet, holding her infant. Body camera footage shows the woman was non-verbal during the encounter, communicating only through gestures. The officers requested a Crisis Intervention Team to help resolve the situation and contacted the Children’s Division to help with the infant’s care.&nbsp;The woman then moved out of the closet and sat on the bed in the bedroom. As officers were discussing how to safely take the woman into custody, she suddenly grabbed a butcher knife from the bedside table while holding the infant. Body camera footage showed the woman moving toward one officer, who was able to back away toward the hallway. She then turned toward the shooting officer who was backed against a closet without space to retreat. The officer fired four shots in quick succession as the woman advanced with the knife, striking both the woman and the infant. Both the woman and infant died from their injuries.&nbsp;Missouri law, under Section 563.046, RSMo, allows an officer to use deadly force when:<ul>
 <li>The officer reasonably believes the person is attempting to escape by using a deadly weapon, or</li><li>The person may endanger life or inflict serious physical injury unless arrested</li>
 </ul>Even then, according to Missouri law, the shooting officer was authorized to shoot the woman only if he reasonably believed that shooting her was immediately necessary to effect the arrest or prevent escape.&nbsp;When prosecutors analyze harm to bystanders, in this case, the infant, prosecutors must determine if the officer acted intentionally or with criminal recklessness toward the bystander. Criminal recklessness requires “conscious disregarding of a substantial and unjustifiable risk” and a “gross deviation from the standard of care.”The evidence in this case shows the officer responded to an immediate threat of deadly force when the woman approached the officers with the butcher knife; the suddenness of the attack—just seconds from the knife appearing to shots fired—left no time for a different response; and the officer had no space to retreat.Based on these facts and following Missouri law regarding use of force, the officer’s use of deadly force falls within the protection of the law. The evidence is also insufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer intentionally shot the infant or consciously disregarded the risk to the child.“We recognize the profound loss suffered by the families and our entire community and frankly wish that circumstances were handled differently. However, that is not the role of this Committee or this Office. Rather, our review of this incident is ethically and legally limited to determining only whether criminal charges are appropriate,”&nbsp;said Prosecutor Johnson. “While this decision may not bring the closure many seek, especially given the weight of this tragedy, we are issuing this letter to uphold our commitment to transparency.”Read the full letter further explaining the decision&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2545/FINAL-Independence-OIS-Letter">here</a>.&nbsp;

No charges for KC area officer who shot and killed a woman and infant

Hemp beverage distributor Steven Busch worked against the bill he initially helped write and switched his support to legislation backed by the Missouri Cannabis Trade Association

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>

A second proposal backed by Missouri’s hemp industry to regulate products like hemp-THC seltzers and edibles was defeated in a House committee Thursday morning, after the hemp-beverage distributor who helped draft the bill emailed committee members that morning asking them to kill it.&nbsp;

The 5-7 vote in the House General Laws committee came after Republican state Rep. Dave Hinman of O’Fallon, the bill sponsor, spent hours last week trying to come up with a compromise among the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/12/16/missouri-lawmakers-file-bills-enacting-new-regulations-on-intoxicating-hemp-products/">splintered hemp industry leaders</a>&nbsp;on regulations.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/05/missouri-house-committee-rejects-bill-putting-age-restrictions-on-intoxicating-hemp-products/">same committee voted down a bill</a>&nbsp;backed by the Missouri Hemp Trade Association last week in a 1-13 vote.

After that defeat, Hinman incorporated a number of the hemp association’s requests into an amended version of his bill, which he presented Thursday. State Rep. Ben Keathley of Chesterfield, the chair of the committee, applauded Hinman’s attempt to bring the hemp leaders together.

“A lot of interests are working against each other in this bill, and it’s very difficult to come up with something that everyone’s going to be happy with,” Keathley said. “I think the bill sponsor put together a good package that allows us to do the most important thing of protecting Missouri children.”

Hinman’s amended bill addressed some of the concerns committee members had about&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/26/missouri-lawmakers-weigh-the-cost-of-regulating-intoxicating-hemp-products/">costs of testing</a>&nbsp;and increased the sales tax on these products to be the same as marijuana products, 6%. The bill also addressed concerns by hemp companies, he said, by allowing small-scale beverage manufacturers to self distribute and increased the maximum amount of THC per container.&nbsp;

But the fatal flaw that bill drafter Steven Busch,&nbsp;owner of Krey Distributing,&nbsp;could not support was allowing the continued sale of THC-A flower, which looks and acts very similar to marijuana buds.&nbsp;

Busch said he’s had discussions with Hinman previously about his concerns that THC-A is an unstable compound of the cannabis plant that becomes intoxicating when heated. And that process can happen when it sits on the shelf too long, he told committee members in emails and text messages Thursday morning.&nbsp;

Hinman told the committee he spoke with several industry experts who advised him the instability could be addressed by proper packaging requirements, which the bill included.

Earlier this week, Busch had told Hinman, whom he says he still highly respects, that he was pulling his support for the bill.&nbsp;

“It would really jeopardize the whole industry if they keep trying to push THC-A as hemp,” Busch told The Independent in an interview Thursday. “If somebody wants a product like that, they can very easily get it at a dispensary and that’s where it should be obtained.”

The two defeats essentially knocked the hemp industry out of the race to get regulations passed, clearing a path for two opposing bills backed by the marijuana industry.&nbsp;

The Missouri Cannabis Trade Association’s two bills, which have both&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/06/bills-adding-regulations-to-hemp-derived-thc-beverages-advance-in-missouri-legislature/">gained approval</a>&nbsp;by House and Senate committees, would ban intoxicating hemp products from being sold outside of marijuana dispensaries – with the exception of hemp beverages, such as THC seltzers currently sold in bars and liquor stores.&nbsp;

Busch said he’s now switched his support to the MoCann bills, sponsored by Republicans state Rep. Chad Perkins of Bowling Green and state Sen. Nick Schroer of Defiance. His company&nbsp;distributes 11 different hemp beverages in eastern Missouri.

“They have all the protections that we need for our consumers and businesses in there to make the product safe and properly regulated,” Busch said. “So I feel very confident that if they do pass, we’re going to be in great shape. If they don’t pass, we’re going to be in no man’s land again.”

Hinman’s bill allows beverages, edibles and vapes to continue to be sold outside of dispensaries, but be licensed and regulated under the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control. Hinman said it was designed to protect about 2,000 hemp companies that will be “destroyed” under the MoCann bills.

Hinman respects Busch’s work on his bill to try to protect the entire hemp industry, he said, and acknowledged that Busch could have chosen early on to simply protect the hemp beverage industry, which is what the MoCann bills do.

With his and Baker’s bill now out, Hinman said lawmakers will be faced with a very hard decision.&nbsp;

“The choice is to put all these family businesses out of business and put their employees out of work,” he said, “and again feed into what I call a corporate monopoly, or to do something to protect kids.”

The Missouri Hemp Trade Association has opposed every bill except Baker’s, which only set an age restriction on purchasing the products in its final draft.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Currently, there’s no state or federal law saying teenagers or children can’t buy intoxicating hemp products or stores can’t sell them to minors — though some stores and vendors have taken it upon themselves to impose age restrictions of 21 and up.&nbsp;

The products lawmakers are trying to regulate have THC derived from hemp – which often comes from outside of Missouri – and face no government oversight. In contrast, marijuana must be grown in Missouri, and the plants are tracked from seed to sale by state regulators.&nbsp;

While the two products have the same effect, they fall differently under federal law. Federally, marijuana is a controlled substance, and hemp is&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/11/farm-bill-debate-includes-hemp-regulation-as-issue-takes-center-stage-in-missouri-recall/">legal</a>&nbsp;– though several states have passed laws to prohibit intoxicating hemp products.&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/14/missouri-lawmakers-take-aim-at-unregulated-delta-8-thc-hemp-products/">Missouri legislators have tried</a>&nbsp;for the past two years to do that as well.&nbsp;

The main challenge the MoCann bills face&nbsp;is another year of complete inaction by lawmakers to regulate these products, said Andrew Mullins,&nbsp;executive director of MoCann. He believes his group’s proposals address public health and safety and protect hemp businesses.&nbsp;

“That’s why I believe we’re still advancing and our coalition is building,” Mullins said, “versus the disintegration of these various voices and needs.”

Hinman said last week he sat down with several hemp association members and the group’s three lobbyists, along with two lobbyists who represent individual hemp businesses.&nbsp;

He incorporated a number of the association’s requests, he said, including the THC-A provision.

“I made changes to my bill in good faith that they would be on board,” he said of the association, “which now I regret making changes for them, as I think that’s part of the big problem of why my bill was defeated.”

Baker also expressed frustration with the association during a committee hearing last week when his bill was defeated.

Jeff Smith, the hemp association’s lobbyist, said that while organization doesn’t support Hinman’s bill it appreciates his efforts to “craft a compromise, and we definitely plan to continue conversations to try and reach one.”

Hinman, however, said for him and Baker, this is the end of the road.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742125337570.png" alt=" State. Rep. Dave Hinman, a Republican from O’Fallon, speaks with Jeff Altmann, a lobbyist for the Missouri Hemp Trade Association, about his bill to regulate intoxicating hemp products on Tuesday (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> State. Rep. Dave Hinman, a Republican from O’Fallon, speaks with Jeff Altmann, a lobbyist for the Missouri Hemp Trade Association, about his bill to regulate intoxicating hemp products on Tuesday (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Hemp beverage distributor Steven Busch worked against the bill he initially helped write and switched his support to legislation backed by the Missouri Cannabis Trade Association</h2>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>A second proposal backed by Missouri’s hemp industry to regulate products like hemp-THC seltzers and edibles was defeated in a House committee Thursday morning, after the hemp-beverage distributor who helped draft the bill emailed committee members that morning asking them to kill it.&nbsp;The 5-7 vote in the House General Laws committee came after Republican state Rep. Dave Hinman of O’Fallon, the bill sponsor, spent hours last week trying to come up with a compromise among the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/12/16/missouri-lawmakers-file-bills-enacting-new-regulations-on-intoxicating-hemp-products/">splintered hemp industry leaders</a>&nbsp;on regulations.The&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/05/missouri-house-committee-rejects-bill-putting-age-restrictions-on-intoxicating-hemp-products/">same committee voted down a bill</a>&nbsp;backed by the Missouri Hemp Trade Association last week in a 1-13 vote.After that defeat, Hinman incorporated a number of the hemp association’s requests into an amended version of his bill, which he presented Thursday. State Rep. Ben Keathley of Chesterfield, the chair of the committee, applauded Hinman’s attempt to bring the hemp leaders together.“A lot of interests are working against each other in this bill, and it’s very difficult to come up with something that everyone’s going to be happy with,” Keathley said. “I think the bill sponsor put together a good package that allows us to do the most important thing of protecting Missouri children.”Hinman’s amended bill addressed some of the concerns committee members had about&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/26/missouri-lawmakers-weigh-the-cost-of-regulating-intoxicating-hemp-products/">costs of testing</a>&nbsp;and increased the sales tax on these products to be the same as marijuana products, 6%. The bill also addressed concerns by hemp companies, he said, by allowing small-scale beverage manufacturers to self distribute and increased the maximum amount of THC per container.&nbsp;But the fatal flaw that bill drafter Steven Busch,&nbsp;owner of Krey Distributing,&nbsp;could not support was allowing the continued sale of THC-A flower, which looks and acts very similar to marijuana buds.&nbsp;Busch said he’s had discussions with Hinman previously about his concerns that THC-A is an unstable compound of the cannabis plant that becomes intoxicating when heated. And that process can happen when it sits on the shelf too long, he told committee members in emails and text messages Thursday morning.&nbsp;Hinman told the committee he spoke with several industry experts who advised him the instability could be addressed by proper packaging requirements, which the bill included.Earlier this week, Busch had told Hinman, whom he says he still highly respects, that he was pulling his support for the bill.&nbsp;“It would really jeopardize the whole industry if they keep trying to push THC-A as hemp,” Busch told The Independent in an interview Thursday. “If somebody wants a product like that, they can very easily get it at a dispensary and that’s where it should be obtained.”The two defeats essentially knocked the hemp industry out of the race to get regulations passed, clearing a path for two opposing bills backed by the marijuana industry.&nbsp;The Missouri Cannabis Trade Association’s two bills, which have both&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/06/bills-adding-regulations-to-hemp-derived-thc-beverages-advance-in-missouri-legislature/">gained approval</a>&nbsp;by House and Senate committees, would ban intoxicating hemp products from being sold outside of marijuana dispensaries – with the exception of hemp beverages, such as THC seltzers currently sold in bars and liquor stores.&nbsp;Busch said he’s now switched his support to the MoCann bills, sponsored by Republicans state Rep. Chad Perkins of Bowling Green and state Sen. Nick Schroer of Defiance. His company&nbsp;distributes 11 different hemp beverages in eastern Missouri.“They have all the protections that we need for our consumers and businesses in there to make the product safe and properly regulated,” Busch said. “So I feel very confident that if they do pass, we’re going to be in great shape. If they don’t pass, we’re going to be in no man’s land again.”Hinman’s bill allows beverages, edibles and vapes to continue to be sold outside of dispensaries, but be licensed and regulated under the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control. Hinman said it was designed to protect about 2,000 hemp companies that will be “destroyed” under the MoCann bills.Hinman respects Busch’s work on his bill to try to protect the entire hemp industry, he said, and acknowledged that Busch could have chosen early on to simply protect the hemp beverage industry, which is what the MoCann bills do.With his and Baker’s bill now out, Hinman said lawmakers will be faced with a very hard decision.&nbsp;“The choice is to put all these family businesses out of business and put their employees out of work,” he said, “and again feed into what I call a corporate monopoly, or to do something to protect kids.”The Missouri Hemp Trade Association has opposed every bill except Baker’s, which only set an age restriction on purchasing the products in its final draft.&nbsp;&nbsp;Currently, there’s no state or federal law saying teenagers or children can’t buy intoxicating hemp products or stores can’t sell them to minors — though some stores and vendors have taken it upon themselves to impose age restrictions of 21 and up.&nbsp;The products lawmakers are trying to regulate have THC derived from hemp – which often comes from outside of Missouri – and face no government oversight. In contrast, marijuana must be grown in Missouri, and the plants are tracked from seed to sale by state regulators.&nbsp;While the two products have the same effect, they fall differently under federal law. Federally, marijuana is a controlled substance, and hemp is&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/11/farm-bill-debate-includes-hemp-regulation-as-issue-takes-center-stage-in-missouri-recall/">legal</a>&nbsp;– though several states have passed laws to prohibit intoxicating hemp products.&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/14/missouri-lawmakers-take-aim-at-unregulated-delta-8-thc-hemp-products/">Missouri legislators have tried</a>&nbsp;for the past two years to do that as well.&nbsp;The main challenge the MoCann bills face&nbsp;is another year of complete inaction by lawmakers to regulate these products, said Andrew Mullins,&nbsp;executive director of MoCann. He believes his group’s proposals address public health and safety and protect hemp businesses.&nbsp;“That’s why I believe we’re still advancing and our coalition is building,” Mullins said, “versus the disintegration of these various voices and needs.”Hinman said last week he sat down with several hemp association members and the group’s three lobbyists, along with two lobbyists who represent individual hemp businesses.&nbsp;He incorporated a number of the association’s requests, he said, including the THC-A provision.“I made changes to my bill in good faith that they would be on board,” he said of the association, “which now I regret making changes for them, as I think that’s part of the big problem of why my bill was defeated.”Baker also expressed frustration with the association during a committee hearing last week when his bill was defeated.Jeff Smith, the hemp association’s lobbyist, said that while organization doesn’t support Hinman’s bill it appreciates his efforts to “craft a compromise, and we definitely plan to continue conversations to try and reach one.”Hinman, however, said for him and Baker, this is the end of the road.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Lawmakers vote down a 2nd bill to regulate intoxicating hemp products in Missouri

SHAWNEE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 1p.m. Saturday in Shawnee County.

A Ford F150 was eastbound on NW 35th from NW Hoch Road, according to Shawnee County Deputy Abigail Christian. The pickup left the road and flipped into a ditch.

The driver and sole occupant of the pickup was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; The sheriff's office has not released the name of the victim. The accident remains under investigation.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 1p.m. Saturday in Shawnee County.A Ford F150 was eastbound on NW 35th from NW Hoch Road, according to Shawnee County Deputy Abigail Christian. The pickup left the road and flipped into a ditch.The driver and sole occupant of the pickup was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; The sheriff's office has not released the name of the victim. The accident remains under investigation.

One dead after pickup flips into Kansas ditch

SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on drug allegations.

On March 12,&nbsp; the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office, as part of the Shawnee County Drug Enforcement Task Force, conducted two narcotics related search warrants at residences in the 3600 block of SE 30th Street and the 2300 block of SW Eveningside Drive as well as a search warrant in the 2800 block of SW 29th Street. During the investigation, illegal narcotics and firearms were located.

Quentin K. Lawton, 45, of Topeka was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges Distribute substance within 1000 feet of a school, Criminal possession of a weapon, Possession of marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia with intent,&nbsp;&nbsp;Unlawful to acquire proceeds from drug transaction

Quentin K. Lawton Jr., 22, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the SNDOC on requested charges including Criminal use of weapons, Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant and Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia. Lawton Jr. also had two warrants for his arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741963993303.png" alt="Lawton has a previous drug conviction - photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Lawton has a previous drug conviction - photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on drug allegations.On March 12,&nbsp; the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office, as part of the Shawnee County Drug Enforcement Task Force, conducted two narcotics related search warrants at residences in the 3600 block of SE 30th Street and the 2300 block of SW Eveningside Drive as well as a search warrant in the 2800 block of SW 29th Street. During the investigation, illegal narcotics and firearms were located.Quentin K. Lawton, 45, of Topeka was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges Distribute substance within 1000 feet of a school, Criminal possession of a weapon, Possession of marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia with intent,&nbsp;&nbsp;Unlawful to acquire proceeds from drug transactionQuentin K. Lawton Jr., 22, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the SNDOC on requested charges including Criminal use of weapons, Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant and Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia. Lawton Jr. also had two warrants for his arrest.

Kansas felon accused of selling drugs

&nbsp;KANSAS CITY —A Jackson County judge sentenced a Kansas City man to 22 years in prison for the fatal shooting of another man that took place in 2023, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2531/Derek-Jones---Deferred-Sentencing_Redacted_FINAL_Redacted_FINAL">Derek Jones, 24, pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;last year to 2nd Degree Murder, Armed Criminal Action, Violating an Order of Protection, and 1st Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child. With a 22-year total sentence cap, the judge sentenced the defendant to the total number of years requested by the state, which was the maximum authorized under the terms of the plea agreement: 19 years on 2nd Degree Murder, three years on Armed Criminal Action, one year on Violating an Order of Protection, and seven years on Endangering the Welfare of a Child.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2530/JONES-PC-Statement-RED">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police responded to a shooting at the 8300 block of Highland Avenue on March 12, 2023. They encountered a male victim just inside the front door of a residence who was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;

Witnesses identified Jones as the shooter, stating he forced his way into the residence after a witness unlocked the door. The defendant then discharged his firearm multiple times at the victim before fleeing the scene. Six children, including the victim’s child and the Jones' children, witnessed the entire incident.

Police located Jones and took him into custody within roughly an hour of the shooting.&nbsp;

While the defendant had no prior felony convictions, he had a history of domestic violence and violating orders of protection. The witnesses had orders of protection against the defendant at the time of the fatal shooting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678905755457.png" alt="Jones photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Jones photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;KANSAS CITY —A Jackson County judge sentenced a Kansas City man to 22 years in prison for the fatal shooting of another man that took place in 2023, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2531/Derek-Jones---Deferred-Sentencing_Redacted_FINAL_Redacted_FINAL">Derek Jones, 24, pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;last year to 2nd Degree Murder, Armed Criminal Action, Violating an Order of Protection, and 1st Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child. With a 22-year total sentence cap, the judge sentenced the defendant to the total number of years requested by the state, which was the maximum authorized under the terms of the plea agreement: 19 years on 2nd Degree Murder, three years on Armed Criminal Action, one year on Violating an Order of Protection, and seven years on Endangering the Welfare of a Child.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2530/JONES-PC-Statement-RED">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police responded to a shooting at the 8300 block of Highland Avenue on March 12, 2023. They encountered a male victim just inside the front door of a residence who was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;Witnesses identified Jones as the shooter, stating he forced his way into the residence after a witness unlocked the door. The defendant then discharged his firearm multiple times at the victim before fleeing the scene. Six children, including the victim’s child and the Jones' children, witnessed the entire incident.Police located Jones and took him into custody within roughly an hour of the shooting.&nbsp;While the defendant had no prior felony convictions, he had a history of domestic violence and violating orders of protection. The witnesses had orders of protection against the defendant at the time of the fatal shooting.

6 children witnessed murder of Kansas City man in their home

U.S. forces launched a large scale operation against Iran-Backed Houthis in Yemen, at the direction of President Donald Trump.

On  March 15, U.S. Central Command initiated a  series of operations consisting of precision strikes against Iran-backed Houthi  targets across Yemen to defend American interests, deter enemies, and restore freedom of navigation.

U.S. forces launched a large scale operation against Iran-Backed Houthis in Yemen, at the direction of President Donald Trump.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">CENTCOM Forces Launch Large Scale Operation Against Iran-Backed Houthis in Yemen On March 15, U.S. Central Command initiated a series of operations consisting of precision strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets across Yemen to defend American interests, deter enemies, and… <a href="https://t.co/u5yx8WneoG">pic.twitter.com/u5yx8WneoG</a>&mdash; U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1901001417831150000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742067087417.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742067133086.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>On March 15, U.S. Central Command initiated a series of operations consisting of precision strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets across Yemen to defend American interests, deter enemies, and restore freedom of navigation.

Trump orders strikes on Iran-backed terrorists in Yemen

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas, returned an indictment charging a Nebraska contractor for allegedly defrauding customers across multiple states by failing to construct buildings after being paid, according to the United State's Attorney.

According to court documents, Bobby Bates Sr., 42, of Grand Island, Nebraska, is charged with two counts of wire fraud.

Bates, as the owner of Built Rite Construction, is accused of accepting deposits for construction projects and not starting or completing the work. Between February 2023 and October 2023, he allegedly defrauded customers in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Nebraska, South Dakota, Illinois, Georgia, Alabama, and Texas resulting in total losses of more than $700,000.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are investigating the case

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas, returned an indictment charging a Nebraska contractor for allegedly defrauding customers across multiple states by failing to construct buildings after being paid, according to the United State's Attorney.According to court documents, Bobby Bates Sr., 42, of Grand Island, Nebraska, is charged with two counts of wire fraud.Bates, as the owner of Built Rite Construction, is accused of accepting deposits for construction projects and not starting or completing the work. Between February 2023 and October 2023, he allegedly defrauded customers in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Nebraska, South Dakota, Illinois, Georgia, Alabama, and Texas resulting in total losses of more than $700,000.The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are investigating the case

Contractor accused of defrauding customers in Missouri, 9 other states

KANSAS CITY—Multiple fatalities are reported in Missouri after a large storm system swept across the state and other portions of the U.S. Friday and early Saturday.

KANSAS CITY—Multiple fatalities are reported in Missouri after a large storm system swept across the state and other portions of the U.S. Friday and early Saturday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Tornado Aftermath Update Information is becoming more accurate as the morning progresses. We currently have reports of 10 storm related fatalities. ▪️ Two fatalities, Ozark County ▪️ One fatality, Butler County ▪️ Six fatalities, Wayne County ▪️ One fatality, Jefferson County… <a href="https://t.co/vINGuYPNXq">pic.twitter.com/vINGuYPNXq</a>&mdash; MSHP General HQ (@MSHPTrooperGHQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSHPTrooperGHQ/status/1900912135992987851?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Tornado leads to fatalities in the Bakersfield area. Troop G has been severely impacted by tornados, thunderstorms, and large hail. The Bakersfield area in Ozark County reports multiple injuries and two confirmed fatalities: an adult male and an adult female. <a href="https://t.co/W9Pvdktbc6">pic.twitter.com/W9Pvdktbc6</a>&mdash; MSHP Troop G (@MSHPTrooperG) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSHPTrooperG/status/1900818903955042703?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Troopers are working weather related calls across Troop A. Please remain weather aware and heed any necessary warnings!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MSHP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MSHP</a> 📸Cpl. Fletcher, Ray County MO-210 and Pendleton Road <a href="https://t.co/Sz2YRXr3K0">pic.twitter.com/Sz2YRXr3K0</a>&mdash; MSHP Troop A (@MSHPTrooperA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSHPTrooperA/status/1900659184435167712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Severe storms caused significant damage in Rolla, MO. Buildings are destroyed, and power outages continue to affect the community. Stay safe and allow first responders and utility workers to do their critical work. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RollaStrong?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RollaStrong</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StormDamage?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StormDamage</a> <a href="https://t.co/jzwoRHmlwq">pic.twitter.com/jzwoRHmlwq</a>&mdash; MSHP Troop I (@MSHPTrooperI) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSHPTrooperI/status/1900790451927416874?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">In the aftermath of the storms across Missouri, we’re on duty all night. 🚨 Rescue Efforts – We are currently trying to locate &amp; assist those in need. Call 911 or *55 for help. 🚧 Keep Safe – Avoid downed power lines, pay attention to road closures, and check on your… <a href="https://t.co/9mTHTRrsXB">pic.twitter.com/9mTHTRrsXB</a>&mdash; MSHP General HQ (@MSHPTrooperGHQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSHPTrooperGHQ/status/1900776010687054024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">These photos were taken just north of Seymour, in Webster County, last night. No injuries reported. Please be safe during today’s clean up efforts. 📸 credit- Tpr. Austin James <a href="https://t.co/a74agEkBHR">pic.twitter.com/a74agEkBHR</a>&mdash; MSHP Troop D (@MSHPTrooperD) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSHPTrooperD/status/1900916903477997766?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Multiple fatalities after monster storm rolls across Missouri

GOP legislative priorities are sailing through the process at the session’s midpoint, with a pair of high-profile bills targeting energy policy and St. Louis police already on Gov. Mike Kehoe’s desk

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

To say the GOP legislative supermajority in Missouri is functioning again would be an understatement.&nbsp;

After years of Republican infighting left the General Assembly mired in gridlock and setting new records for futility, a unified party entered the 2025 legislation session determined to move past the dysfunction.

On Thursday, as the session approached its midpoint and lawmakers headed home for spring break, Republicans took a victory lap.&nbsp;

“The folks standing behind me, and I’ve been around this building several years now, have certainly produced incredible results,” Gov. Mike Kehoe told reporters as he stood with GOP members of the House and Senate on the Missouri Capitol steps Thursday. “Party unity early in the session has been a big piece of it.”

Two high-profile bills that have historically faced fierce resistance have already found their way to Kehoe’s desk this week.&nbsp;

One is a sweeping utilities bill that&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/13/bill-repealing-missouri-law-limiting-utility-charges-heads-to-gov-mike-kehoe/">repeals a consumer protection law</a>&nbsp;passed by voters almost 50 years ago.

The other is a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&amp;rls=en&amp;q=jason+hancock+police+control&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;oe=UTF-8" target="_blank">state takeover of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department</a>, a key piece of the governor’s public safety agenda.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Both would have been unthinkable in previous years, when the tumult made even routine legislation a heavy lift.&nbsp;

Numerous other Republican priorities have cleared one legislative chamber or the other, ranging from a $1.3 billion tax cut plan to state foster care system reforms to public school open enrollment to a permanent ban on puberty blockers and hormone treatment for transgender minors.&nbsp;

“It was the right year to join the Senate,” said state Sen. Brad Hudson, a Republican from Cape Fair who joined the chamber in January after several years in the Missouri House.&nbsp;

State Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, an Arnold Republican, said this is the first time in her two years in the Senate where cooperation, instead of confrontation, is the major theme.&nbsp;

“People don’t hate each other,” she said.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Democrats have been forced back onto defense, with only 10 seats in the suddenly functional 34-member Senate and no Republican discord to gum up the legislative process.&nbsp;

The vibe shift has caught the party flat footed at times, such as when they were&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-passes-bill-to-remove-expiration-date-on-transgender-health-care-ban/">slow to respond to a permanent ban on gender-affirming care</a>&nbsp;getting tacked onto an unrelated bill as an amendment earlier this year and thus were ultimately unable to get it removed.&nbsp;

“There were a lot of people who were lulled to sleep over the last few years,” said state Sen. Stephen Webber, a Columbia Democrat who joined the chamber in January. “There was a bit of a slow awakening early on this session, because everyone was so accustomed to nothing happening and were shocked when bills started moving. But people are starting to get their legs under them.”&nbsp;

The bills that are being debated aren’t what Democrats would have chosen if they were in charge, Webber said. But being vastly outnumbered, they aren’t going to be able to dictate terms to the majority party.

“A lot of bills have passed,” he said, “but there’s also been a lot of negotiation to try to make bills better where we can.”

He pointed specifically at the state takeover of the St. Louis police.&nbsp;

Democrats weren’t able to stop the bill, but a number of provisions were added that have been longtime party priorities — such as banning the shackling of pregnant prisoners, establishing a fund for the wrongfully convicted to receive restitution from the state and limiting what jails and prisons can charge inmates for phone calls.

In the House, where Democrats have even less power with only 52 of the chamber’s 163 seats, the onslaught of the Republican agenda has some calling for a change in strategy.

“Democrats, we have to think strategically and come up with our own comprehensive plan to leverage our power in this chamber,” said state Rep. Kimberly-Ann Collins, a St. Louis Democrat. “I don’t think we’re doing a very good job of that this year.”

A big factor in the GOP’s early success is the change in the governor’s office, said House Speaker Jon Patterson, a Lee’s Summit Republican.&nbsp;

Kehoe was sworn in as governor in January, after six years as lieutenant governor and eight as a state senator. Unlike his predecessor, Republican Mike Parson, Kehoe has made it a priority to be a visible presence in the Capitol and personally work closely with individual lawmakers.&nbsp;

“He’s walking the halls, talking with members,” Patterson said, “and that leadership really makes a difference.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742036110087.png" alt=" Gov. Mike Kehoe speaks during a mid-legislative-session press conference with GOP leadership on Thursday (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Gov. Mike Kehoe speaks during a mid-legislative-session press conference with GOP leadership on Thursday (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>GOP legislative priorities are sailing through the process at the session’s midpoint, with a pair of high-profile bills targeting energy policy and St. Louis police already on Gov. Mike Kehoe’s desk</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">JASON HANCOCK</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>To say the GOP legislative supermajority in Missouri is functioning again would be an understatement.&nbsp;After years of Republican infighting left the General Assembly mired in gridlock and setting new records for futility, a unified party entered the 2025 legislation session determined to move past the dysfunction.On Thursday, as the session approached its midpoint and lawmakers headed home for spring break, Republicans took a victory lap.&nbsp;“The folks standing behind me, and I’ve been around this building several years now, have certainly produced incredible results,” Gov. Mike Kehoe told reporters as he stood with GOP members of the House and Senate on the Missouri Capitol steps Thursday. “Party unity early in the session has been a big piece of it.”Two high-profile bills that have historically faced fierce resistance have already found their way to Kehoe’s desk this week.&nbsp;One is a sweeping utilities bill that&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/13/bill-repealing-missouri-law-limiting-utility-charges-heads-to-gov-mike-kehoe/">repeals a consumer protection law</a>&nbsp;passed by voters almost 50 years ago.The other is a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&amp;rls=en&amp;q=jason+hancock+police+control&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;oe=UTF-8" target="_blank">state takeover of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department</a>, a key piece of the governor’s public safety agenda.&nbsp;&nbsp;Both would have been unthinkable in previous years, when the tumult made even routine legislation a heavy lift.&nbsp;Numerous other Republican priorities have cleared one legislative chamber or the other, ranging from a $1.3 billion tax cut plan to state foster care system reforms to public school open enrollment to a permanent ban on puberty blockers and hormone treatment for transgender minors.&nbsp;“It was the right year to join the Senate,” said state Sen. Brad Hudson, a Republican from Cape Fair who joined the chamber in January after several years in the Missouri House.&nbsp;State Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, an Arnold Republican, said this is the first time in her two years in the Senate where cooperation, instead of confrontation, is the major theme.&nbsp;“People don’t hate each other,” she said.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Democrats have been forced back onto defense, with only 10 seats in the suddenly functional 34-member Senate and no Republican discord to gum up the legislative process.&nbsp;The vibe shift has caught the party flat footed at times, such as when they were&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-passes-bill-to-remove-expiration-date-on-transgender-health-care-ban/">slow to respond to a permanent ban on gender-affirming care</a>&nbsp;getting tacked onto an unrelated bill as an amendment earlier this year and thus were ultimately unable to get it removed.&nbsp;“There were a lot of people who were lulled to sleep over the last few years,” said state Sen. Stephen Webber, a Columbia Democrat who joined the chamber in January. “There was a bit of a slow awakening early on this session, because everyone was so accustomed to nothing happening and were shocked when bills started moving. But people are starting to get their legs under them.”&nbsp;The bills that are being debated aren’t what Democrats would have chosen if they were in charge, Webber said. But being vastly outnumbered, they aren’t going to be able to dictate terms to the majority party.“A lot of bills have passed,” he said, “but there’s also been a lot of negotiation to try to make bills better where we can.”He pointed specifically at the state takeover of the St. Louis police.&nbsp;Democrats weren’t able to stop the bill, but a number of provisions were added that have been longtime party priorities — such as banning the shackling of pregnant prisoners, establishing a fund for the wrongfully convicted to receive restitution from the state and limiting what jails and prisons can charge inmates for phone calls.In the House, where Democrats have even less power with only 52 of the chamber’s 163 seats, the onslaught of the Republican agenda has some calling for a change in strategy.“Democrats, we have to think strategically and come up with our own comprehensive plan to leverage our power in this chamber,” said state Rep. Kimberly-Ann Collins, a St. Louis Democrat. “I don’t think we’re doing a very good job of that this year.”<h2>New leadership</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742036076390.png" alt=" House Speaker Jon Patterson, a Lee’s Summit Republican, talks about legislative priorities passed in the first half of the 2025 legislative session during a GOP press conference Thursday (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> House Speaker Jon Patterson, a Lee’s Summit Republican, talks about legislative priorities passed in the first half of the 2025 legislative session during a GOP press conference Thursday (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>A big factor in the GOP’s early success is the change in the governor’s office, said House Speaker Jon Patterson, a Lee’s Summit Republican.&nbsp;Kehoe was sworn in as governor in January, after six years as lieutenant governor and eight as a state senator. Unlike his predecessor, Republican Mike Parson, Kehoe has made it a priority to be a visible presence in the Capitol and personally work closely with individual lawmakers.&nbsp;“He’s walking the halls, talking with members,” Patterson said, “and that leadership really makes a difference.”There was also a lot of turnover in the Missouri Senate, both among rank-and-file members and leadership.Senate Majority Leader Tony Luektemeyer, a Parkville Republican who assumed his leadership position in January, said that when his caucus can focus on “our shared principles” and working as a team, “we can deliver real results for the people of Missouri.”State Rep. Marlon Anderson, a St. Louis Democrat and assistant House minority leader, didn’t share Luektemeyer’s rosy outlook on how the session has gone so far.&nbsp;Anderson pointed specifically at&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/03/12/missouri-sick-leave-law-minimum-wage-hike-face-rollback-in-legislature-supreme-court/">Republican efforts to overturn Proposition A</a>, an initiative petition overwhelmingly approved by voters in November that guarantees sick leave for hundreds of thousands of workers and gradually hikes the minimum wage to $15.&nbsp;The House approved legislation Thursday that would repeal the sick leave law and modify the minimum wage increase.&nbsp;But Republicans were unable to muster enough votes to enact an emergency clause, which takes a two-thirds majority, meaning that even if it were to pass and get to Kehoe’s desk it wouldn’t go into effect until Aug. 28 — months after the sick leave law kicked in.&nbsp;The GOP is also determined to overturn Amendment 3, another voter-approved initiative petition that enshrined abortion rights in the Missouri Constitution.&nbsp;Bills in the House and Senate would put another question on the ballot asking voters to reinstate Missouri’s abortion ban, but this time with a narrow exception for survivors of rape and incest who report the crime to police.&nbsp;“We are basically fighting to uphold the will of the people,” Anderson said of his fellow Democrats. “The people voted in November. We’re going to stand with the voters.”<h2>Education, tax cuts and Roundup</h2>While abortion and paid sick leave legislation will run into Democratic resistance, several issues remain that could create fissures in the Republican caucus.&nbsp;The House passed legislation that would shield German pharmaceutical company Bayer from liability in lawsuits that allege its herbicide Roundup causes cancer.Nine Republican senators — including members of the Freedom Caucus, which was the focal point of GOP infighting the last two years — declared outright opposition to the bill, vowing to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/02/25/political-attacks-stiffen-opposition-to-missouri-bill-to-protect-pesticide-makers/">block it from coming up for a vote</a>.&nbsp;Tensions within the party have even emerged on tax cuts.A $300 million capital gains tax cut bill approved by the House earlier this year ran into problems in the Senate when GOP state Sen. Mike Cierpiot of Lee’s Summit joined with Democrats in&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-house-approves-1-3-billion-tax-cut-plan/">voicing concerns about its impact on the state’s finances</a>&nbsp;and which Missourians would benefit most.&nbsp;“It’s just very skewed to the most wealthy people,” Cierpiot said of the proposal. “The 8,000 wealthiest families (in Missouri) will get more than half of the benefit.”A public school open enrollment bill managed to clear the House with 22 Republicans joining with all but three Democrats in opposition. The bill now heads to the Senate, where it has stalled year after year..&nbsp;Overall, a functioning legislature is a good thing for Missouri, Webber said, though it definitely comes with downsides.“There are things that need to be done that were nearly impossible when the Senate didn’t function, so it’s good that we’re able to pass some bills,” he said. “But there are some really bad ideas that now have more potential to pass because the place is functioning.”The Independent’s Rudi Keller contributed to this story.&nbsp;