At&nbsp;3:41&nbsp;a.m.&nbsp;EST,&nbsp;the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, carrying&nbsp;NASA astronauts <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/people/zena-cardman/" target="_blank">Zena&nbsp;Cardman</a> and&nbsp;Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)&nbsp;astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov&nbsp;splashed down&nbsp;off the coast of&nbsp;San Diego, California, according to a statement from NASA.

This completes a stay&nbsp;in space&nbsp;of&nbsp;167&nbsp;days&nbsp;for&nbsp;the four-person crew.&nbsp;The mission returned to Earth&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/01/08/nasa-shares-latest-update-on-international-space-station-operations-2/" target="_blank">earlier than originally planned</a>&nbsp;as teams&nbsp;monitored&nbsp;a medical concern with a crew member living and working aboard the orbital laboratory. The crew member is stable.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Teams&nbsp;aboard&nbsp;the recovery ship, including two fast boats, are securing the SpaceX Dragon and ensuring the spacecraft is safe for the recovery effort. As the fast boat teams complete their work, the recovery ship will move into position to hoist Dragon onto the main deck with the astronauts inside. Once on the main deck, the crew will egress the spacecraft.&nbsp;&nbsp;

NASA previously announced all four crew members will be transported to a local hospital for&nbsp;additional&nbsp;evaluation, taking advantage of medical resources on Earth to provide the best care possible.&nbsp;

Following a planned overnight hospital stay, the crew will return to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where they will reunite with their families and undergo standard post-flight reconditioning and evaluations. Due to medical privacy, it is not&nbsp;appropriate for&nbsp;NASA to share more details about the crew member.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768444979570.png" alt="The official portrait of the four members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission aboard the International Space Station. From left, are Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and NASA astronaut Zena Cardman. NASA/Robert Markowitz" />
 <figcaption>The official portrait of the four members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission aboard the International Space Station. From left, are Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and NASA astronaut Zena Cardman. NASA/Robert Markowitz</figcaption>
 </figure>At&nbsp;3:41&nbsp;a.m.&nbsp;EST,&nbsp;the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, carrying&nbsp;NASA astronauts <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/people/zena-cardman/" target="_blank">Zena&nbsp;Cardman</a> and&nbsp;Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)&nbsp;astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov&nbsp;splashed down&nbsp;off the coast of&nbsp;San Diego, California, according to a statement from NASA.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768445083052.png" alt="This photo provided by NASA shows clockwise from bottom left are, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui gathering for a crew portrait wearing their Dragon pressure suits during a suit verification check inside the International Space Station’s Kibo laboratory module, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026." />
 <figcaption>This photo provided by NASA shows clockwise from bottom left are, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui gathering for a crew portrait wearing their Dragon pressure suits during a suit verification check inside the International Space Station’s Kibo laboratory module, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026.</figcaption>
 </figure>This completes a stay&nbsp;in space&nbsp;of&nbsp;167&nbsp;days&nbsp;for&nbsp;the four-person crew.&nbsp;The mission returned to Earth&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/01/08/nasa-shares-latest-update-on-international-space-station-operations-2/" target="_blank">earlier than originally planned</a>&nbsp;as teams&nbsp;monitored&nbsp;a medical concern with a crew member living and working aboard the orbital laboratory. The crew member is stable.&nbsp;&nbsp;Teams&nbsp;aboard&nbsp;the recovery ship, including two fast boats, are securing the SpaceX Dragon and ensuring the spacecraft is safe for the recovery effort. As the fast boat teams complete their work, the recovery ship will move into position to hoist Dragon onto the main deck with the astronauts inside. Once on the main deck, the crew will egress the spacecraft.&nbsp;&nbsp;NASA previously announced all four crew members will be transported to a local hospital for&nbsp;additional&nbsp;evaluation, taking advantage of medical resources on Earth to provide the best care possible.&nbsp;Following a planned overnight hospital stay, the crew will return to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where they will reunite with their families and undergo standard post-flight reconditioning and evaluations. Due to medical privacy, it is not&nbsp;appropriate for&nbsp;NASA to share more details about the crew member.&nbsp;

NASA's first medical evacuation: Ailing astronaut returns to Earth early 

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas sex offender on new allegations

Just after 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, a 59-year-old woman reported a suspect, unknown to the victim, was in her residence, according to the Riley County Police Department activity re port.

Just after 5:30p.m., police arrested Anthony Ellis, 29, of Lansing,&nbsp;near 12th Street and Poyntz Avenue.&nbsp; He is being held on a $50,000 bond on requested charges of aggravated burglary and criminal damage to property.&nbsp; &nbsp;Ellis has been registered as a sex offender since 2016 for a conviction of aggravated indecent liberties with a 14-year-old in Manhattan, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768406608419.png" alt="Ellis photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Ellis photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas sex offender on new allegationsJust after 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, a 59-year-old woman reported a suspect, unknown to the victim, was in her residence, according to the Riley County Police Department activity re port.Just after 5:30p.m., police arrested Anthony Ellis, 29, of Lansing,&nbsp;near 12th Street and Poyntz Avenue.&nbsp; He is being held on a $50,000 bond on requested charges of aggravated burglary and criminal damage to property.&nbsp; &nbsp;Ellis has been registered as a sex offender since 2016 for a conviction of aggravated indecent liberties with a 14-year-old in Manhattan, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Police: Kansas sex offender accused of burglary 

President Trump signed the&nbsp;Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act on Wednesday in the Oval Office. &nbsp;The legislation restores healthy milk options in schools by reversing the Obama-era law that took whole milk out of school cafeterias.

Senator Roger Marshall wrote,&nbsp;“Our country is getting back to the basics when it comes to healthier living – eating real food – and the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act fits right in. This legislation is a win for our kids, ensuring they get the nutrients they need, and for the hardworking farmers who make it possible,”&nbsp;said Senator Marshall.&nbsp;“As a physician, there’s no drink I recommend more for growing kids than whole milk. I’m proud to have worked with Senator Peter Welch of Vermont on this bipartisan effort, and I was thrilled to see President Trump sign it into law today.”

The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf">Dietary Guidelines for Americans</a>&nbsp;(DGA) reports that nearly 90% of Americans do not meet their daily dairy intake recommendations. Specifically, Americans are lacking enough Calcium and Vitamin D, and whole milk is an excellent source of both vitamins. Leading nutritionists&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522012898?via%3Dihub">have found</a>&nbsp;that whole dairy fats have no negative effect on a diet, and may even reduce the risk of heart disease.

The legislation was first&nbsp;introduced&nbsp;by Senator Marshall in June of 2023. It was reintroduced in April of 2025 with numerous bipartisan sponsors and co-sponsors and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-marshalls-legislation-to-restore-whole-milk-in-schools-passes-senate-agriculture-committee/">passed</a>&nbsp;the Senate Agriculture Committee in June of 2025.

President Trump signed the&nbsp;Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act on Wednesday in the Oval Office. &nbsp;The legislation restores healthy milk options in schools by reversing the Obama-era law that took whole milk out of school cafeterias.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RogerMarshallMD</a>: On behalf of Kansas dairy farmers, thank you. Milk is the most wholesome, nutritious drink known to humankind... We have a whole generations of young adults who have osteoporosis because they never drank milk. Getting milk back in schools is going to give us… <a href="https://t.co/TpHmCymhrv">https://t.co/TpHmCymhrv</a> <a href="https://t.co/5itOc8LamB">pic.twitter.com/5itOc8LamB</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2011536557832839540?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> officially signs the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act into law — restoring whole and 2% milk our schools. MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN! 🥛 <a href="https://t.co/qLAy6AI5Cm">pic.twitter.com/qLAy6AI5Cm</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2011538795867619501?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“This legislation also allows parents to directly request a substitute for milk for children with dairy intolerance…We are allowing parents to choose what is best for their child!” <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> 🥛🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/3COIixhdos">pic.twitter.com/3COIixhdos</a>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/2011538833150451844?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;We support the farmer. The farmer knows what&#39;s right better than anybody else.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/W0ePqplqjS">pic.twitter.com/W0ePqplqjS</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2011537966565601736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH: Young boy explains to <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> where milk comes from ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/TpHmCymhrv">https://t.co/TpHmCymhrv</a> <a href="https://t.co/EcplwybBta">pic.twitter.com/EcplwybBta</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2011538550941012089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Senator Roger Marshall wrote,&nbsp;“Our country is getting back to the basics when it comes to healthier living – eating real food – and the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act fits right in. This legislation is a win for our kids, ensuring they get the nutrients they need, and for the hardworking farmers who make it possible,”&nbsp;said Senator Marshall.&nbsp;“As a physician, there’s no drink I recommend more for growing kids than whole milk. I’m proud to have worked with Senator Peter Welch of Vermont on this bipartisan effort, and I was thrilled to see President Trump sign it into law today.”The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf">Dietary Guidelines for Americans</a>&nbsp;(DGA) reports that nearly 90% of Americans do not meet their daily dairy intake recommendations. Specifically, Americans are lacking enough Calcium and Vitamin D, and whole milk is an excellent source of both vitamins. Leading nutritionists&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522012898?via%3Dihub">have found</a>&nbsp;that whole dairy fats have no negative effect on a diet, and may even reduce the risk of heart disease.The legislation was first&nbsp;introduced&nbsp;by Senator Marshall in June of 2023. It was reintroduced in April of 2025 with numerous bipartisan sponsors and co-sponsors and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-marshalls-legislation-to-restore-whole-milk-in-schools-passes-senate-agriculture-committee/">passed</a>&nbsp;the Senate Agriculture Committee in June of 2025.

🎥 Trump signs Kan. U.S. Senator's bill that returns whole milk to schools

RENO COUNTY —Due to a significant rise in student and staff illness, Fairfield USD 310 will be closed on Thursday, January 15th and Friday, January 16th and all after school activities have been cancelled for Wednesday, according to an online message from Richard Spencer, Superintendent of Schools

The basketball games scheduled for this Thursday and Friday at Skyline have been postponed to a later date as well and there will be no practices held on either of these days.

"The decision was made out of an abundance of caution to protect the health and well-being of our students, staff, and families."

"Our night custodian will be fogging the buildings to help disinfect any germs still hanging around and we will continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide updates as needed. Thank you for your understanding and continued support."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768428718325.png" alt="Fairfield USD 310" />
 <figcaption>Fairfield USD 310</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY —Due to a significant rise in student and staff illness, Fairfield USD 310 will be closed on Thursday, January 15th and Friday, January 16th and all after school activities have been cancelled for Wednesday, according to an online message from Richard Spencer, Superintendent of SchoolsThe basketball games scheduled for this Thursday and Friday at Skyline have been postponed to a later date as well and there will be no practices held on either of these days."The decision was made out of an abundance of caution to protect the health and well-being of our students, staff, and families.""Our night custodian will be fogging the buildings to help disinfect any germs still hanging around and we will continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide updates as needed. Thank you for your understanding and continued support."

Kansas school district cancels classes due to illness

NEWTON COUNTY —One person died in an accident during a law enforcement pursuit just before 9p.m. Tuesday in Newton County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1995 Chevy Silverado driven by a 38-year-old Joplin man was fleeing from patrol vehicles eastbound on Rosebay Driver seven miles northeast of Seneca. The pickup traveled off the left side of the road and struck a river embankment.

EMS transported the 38-year-old driver to Mercy Hospital in Joplin where he was. pronounced deceased. EMS transported a 36-year-old male passenger to Freeman Hospital in Joplin. The driver was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

NEWTON COUNTY —One person died in an accident during a law enforcement pursuit just before 9p.m. Tuesday in Newton County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 1995 Chevy Silverado driven by a 38-year-old Joplin man was fleeing from patrol vehicles eastbound on Rosebay Driver seven miles northeast of Seneca. The pickup traveled off the left side of the road and struck a river embankment.EMS transported the 38-year-old driver to Mercy Hospital in Joplin where he was. pronounced deceased. EMS transported a 36-year-old male passenger to Freeman Hospital in Joplin. The driver was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri man dies after crash during police chase

Women in nearby states with abortion bans might not have to travel so far for the procedure.

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The outcome of a trial over Missouri’s abortion regulations could ripple far beyond the state, potentially creating new availability for women in the Midwest and South who can’t access abortion close to home.

As a judge&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/12/missouri-abortion-rights-trial-focuses-on-two-decades-of-state-restrictions/" target="_blank">weighs the constitutionality</a>&nbsp;of a litany of state restrictions on abortion, the stakes are clear for Missouri women: The decision could hamper access for nearly everyone in the state — or greatly broaden it in ways not seen in decades. That would allow women in a dozen nearby states with abortion bans to travel a shorter distance to access the procedure.

“Opening and reestablishing rights in the state of Missouri would help to alleviate some of the pressure that other states have since so many Southern states have banned abortion,” said Julie Burkhart, the co-owner of Hope Clinic in Granite City, Illinois. “It just seems logical that we would see a shift in migration patterns of patients in the country.”

At her clinic, about a 15-minute drive from downtown St. Louis, Missourians account for about half of all patients, Burkhart said. Though Missouri voters in 2024 enshrined a right to abortion in the state constitution, access has remained&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/05/missouri-abortion-legal-access-hinges-courts-rebuilding/" target="_blank">highly limited because of restrictive state laws</a>. Only procedural abortions are available on a limited basis across three Planned Parenthood clinics in the state.

Many of those state laws face legal scrutiny this week as a Missouri judge weighs the constitutionality of regulations targeting abortion providers. Those include a 72-hour waiting period between initial appointments and procedures, mandatory pelvic exams for medication abortions and a ban on telemedicine appointments for medication abortions.

Planned Parenthood affiliates in Missouri argue state restrictions are unconstitutional under 2024’s voter-approved constitutional amendment. Over decades, state restrictions have gutted Missouri’s provider networks, limited appointment availability and ultimately forced abortions to a halt in 2022, before a limited number resumed after the 2024 vote.

Experts and advocates are closely monitoring the Missouri case, which is expected to be appealed regardless of the outcome, because of its practical implications on access in the region. While many women now rely on abortion medication, procedural abortion is still crucial for those seeking later-term abortions or who prefer an in-clinic procedure.

But the two-week bench trial in downtown Kansas City also tests lawmakers’ ability to put in place rules so restrictive that they effectively ban abortion — a practice used by anti-abortion lawmakers in other states looking to limit access to the procedure.

“Judges do not operate in a vacuum,” Burkhart said, “ … and we know for a fact that judges look outside the borders of their state for information and for guidance. I do see this as having national importance.”

That’s especially true in other states also litigating abortion access, including Arizona, Michigan and Ohio, said Rebecca Reingold, an associate director at Georgetown University’s O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law.

While state judges are not bound by the decisions of judges in other states, their deliberations can be informed by court rulings, particularly involving novel legal questions or areas of the law that are evolving.

“There is little doubt that advocates and decision-makers in other states navigating similar legal challenges are closely monitoring the litigation over Missouri’s abortion regulations,” Reingold said.

In the first days of the trial, Planned Parenthood leaders argued that ever-changing state laws and agency regulations have drastically limited access, caused needless red tape and posed privacy risk for their patients.

Dr. Margaret Baum, chief medical officer with St. Louis-based Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, said the Missouri requirements specifically target abortion rather than all other kinds of medical care.

“I provide vasectomies routinely. … And I am not required to have a complication plan, contact a primary care physician, even ask the patient how many miles they live from the health center.”

Baum said state-mandated reporting rules unique to abortion require clinicians to ask the race, education level, marital status and specific location of each patient — none of which is relevant to their care.

Planned Parenthood Great Rivers would like to offer abortion services in Springfield, Baum testified. Access in that region would provide an option for rural Missourians, and also could help serve residents in nearby Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas, where abortion is almost universally banned.

But the organization’s facilities there do not meet state abortion regulations for physical attributes, including hallway size, doorway size and the number of recliners in recovery rooms, Baum testified.

Lawyers for the state defended Missouri’s restrictions as commonsense safeguards aimed at protecting vulnerable women. The attorney general’s office argued that complication risks of abortion justify additional state regulation — despite professional medical associations saying it’s generally safe. The AG’s office also maintained that Planned Parenthood faced a conflict of interest because of its financial motivations.

“Abortion is a business,” Deputy Solicitor General Peter Donohue said during a procedural argument on Monday. “Your Honor, the plaintiffs are asking to deregulate their profession in order to make more money.”

The state was expected to call as witnesses anti-abortion doctors and activists later in the trial.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that overturned federal constitutional protections for abortion in June 2022, the number of abortions has increased slightly across the country, according to the health research nonprofit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/abortion-trends-before-and-after-dobbs/" target="_blank">KFF</a>.

The group points to expanded telehealth, which can offer medication abortion more affordably through virtual appointments.

Since the 2022 ruling and subsequent state abortion bans, patients have experienced higher travel costs for abortions and delays in care, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/07/16/travel-time-costs-for-abortions-increased-after-state-bans-researchers-find/">research</a>&nbsp;published in the American Journal of Public Health in July.

Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco found that travel time to access abortion increased from 2.8 hours to 11.3 hours for residents in states with abortion bans. Travel costs increased from $179 to $372. And more than half of survey respondents said their abortion care required an overnight hotel stay, compared with 5% before an abortion ban.

In 2024, an estimated 7,880 Missourians traveled to Illinois and 3,960 traveled to Kansas to access abortion, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/monthly-abortion-provision-study" target="_blank">Guttmacher Institute</a>, a research and policy organization focused on advancing reproductive rights.

Those Missourians were among the approximate 155,000 people who crossed state lines to access abortion care that year, representing 15% of all abortions provided in states without total bans.

Regardless of its outcome, the Missouri case is expected to be appealed. Even if the plaintiffs are ultimately successful, it may take a long time to restore care networks across the state, said Isaac Maddow-Zimet, a data scientist at the Guttmacher Institute.

“And that’s particularly the case when there are states that have a lot of legal uncertainty or restrictions coming into effect and then coming out of effect,” he said. “It’s not quick to open up a clinic. It’s not quick to even necessarily expand the kinds of services, or the kinds of the number of people that a clinic can see.”

Kimya Forouzan, the organization’s principal state policy adviser, said Missouri’s landscape is evidence that lawmakers can drastically curb abortion access without total bans. And despite an overwhelming vote to amend the constitution, legal battles can follow.

Even if the state’s laws are found unconstitutional, Forouzan said, lawmakers will likely still push anti-abortion measures. She noted that several bills have already been introduced in this year’s just-convened legislative session, and that Republican lawmakers are pushing a ballot&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/04/missouri-appeals-court-rejects-abortion-ban-ballot-language/" target="_blank">measure to repeal</a>&nbsp;2024’s reproductive rights amendment.

“There’s very much a push to pass as many restrictions as possible and kind of see what happens later and how things shape up later. … Time will tell, but we do know that they’re still pushing forth restrictions,” she said.

Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:khardy@stateline.org">khardy@stateline.org</a>. Missouri Independent reporter Anna Spoerre can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:aspoerre@missouriindependent.com">aspoerre@missouriindependent.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768404776458.png" alt="A trial over Missouri’s abortion regulations began Monday at the Jackson County Courthouse in Kansas City, Mo. Experts are watching the case, which could impact abortion access across the Midwest and South. (Photo by Kevin Hardy/Stateline)" />
 <figcaption>A trial over Missouri’s abortion regulations began Monday at the Jackson County Courthouse in Kansas City, Mo. Experts are watching the case, which could impact abortion access across the Midwest and South. (Photo by Kevin Hardy/Stateline)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Women in nearby states with abortion bans might not have to travel so far for the procedure.</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/khardy/">Kevin Hardy</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/"></a><a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The outcome of a trial over Missouri’s abortion regulations could ripple far beyond the state, potentially creating new availability for women in the Midwest and South who can’t access abortion close to home.As a judge&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/12/missouri-abortion-rights-trial-focuses-on-two-decades-of-state-restrictions/" target="_blank">weighs the constitutionality</a>&nbsp;of a litany of state restrictions on abortion, the stakes are clear for Missouri women: The decision could hamper access for nearly everyone in the state — or greatly broaden it in ways not seen in decades. That would allow women in a dozen nearby states with abortion bans to travel a shorter distance to access the procedure.“Opening and reestablishing rights in the state of Missouri would help to alleviate some of the pressure that other states have since so many Southern states have banned abortion,” said Julie Burkhart, the co-owner of Hope Clinic in Granite City, Illinois. “It just seems logical that we would see a shift in migration patterns of patients in the country.”At her clinic, about a 15-minute drive from downtown St. Louis, Missourians account for about half of all patients, Burkhart said. Though Missouri voters in 2024 enshrined a right to abortion in the state constitution, access has remained&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/05/missouri-abortion-legal-access-hinges-courts-rebuilding/" target="_blank">highly limited because of restrictive state laws</a>. Only procedural abortions are available on a limited basis across three Planned Parenthood clinics in the state.Many of those state laws face legal scrutiny this week as a Missouri judge weighs the constitutionality of regulations targeting abortion providers. Those include a 72-hour waiting period between initial appointments and procedures, mandatory pelvic exams for medication abortions and a ban on telemedicine appointments for medication abortions.Planned Parenthood affiliates in Missouri argue state restrictions are unconstitutional under 2024’s voter-approved constitutional amendment. Over decades, state restrictions have gutted Missouri’s provider networks, limited appointment availability and ultimately forced abortions to a halt in 2022, before a limited number resumed after the 2024 vote.Experts and advocates are closely monitoring the Missouri case, which is expected to be appealed regardless of the outcome, because of its practical implications on access in the region. While many women now rely on abortion medication, procedural abortion is still crucial for those seeking later-term abortions or who prefer an in-clinic procedure.But the two-week bench trial in downtown Kansas City also tests lawmakers’ ability to put in place rules so restrictive that they effectively ban abortion — a practice used by anti-abortion lawmakers in other states looking to limit access to the procedure.“Judges do not operate in a vacuum,” Burkhart said, “ … and we know for a fact that judges look outside the borders of their state for information and for guidance. I do see this as having national importance.”That’s especially true in other states also litigating abortion access, including Arizona, Michigan and Ohio, said Rebecca Reingold, an associate director at Georgetown University’s O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law.While state judges are not bound by the decisions of judges in other states, their deliberations can be informed by court rulings, particularly involving novel legal questions or areas of the law that are evolving.“There is little doubt that advocates and decision-makers in other states navigating similar legal challenges are closely monitoring the litigation over Missouri’s abortion regulations,” Reingold said.<h2>Restrictions targeting abortion</h2>In the first days of the trial, Planned Parenthood leaders argued that ever-changing state laws and agency regulations have drastically limited access, caused needless red tape and posed privacy risk for their patients.Dr. Margaret Baum, chief medical officer with St. Louis-based Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, said the Missouri requirements specifically target abortion rather than all other kinds of medical care.“I provide vasectomies routinely. … And I am not required to have a complication plan, contact a primary care physician, even ask the patient how many miles they live from the health center.”Baum said state-mandated reporting rules unique to abortion require clinicians to ask the race, education level, marital status and specific location of each patient — none of which is relevant to their care.Planned Parenthood Great Rivers would like to offer abortion services in Springfield, Baum testified. Access in that region would provide an option for rural Missourians, and also could help serve residents in nearby Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas, where abortion is almost universally banned.But the organization’s facilities there do not meet state abortion regulations for physical attributes, including hallway size, doorway size and the number of recliners in recovery rooms, Baum testified.Lawyers for the state defended Missouri’s restrictions as commonsense safeguards aimed at protecting vulnerable women. The attorney general’s office argued that complication risks of abortion justify additional state regulation — despite professional medical associations saying it’s generally safe. The AG’s office also maintained that Planned Parenthood faced a conflict of interest because of its financial motivations.“Abortion is a business,” Deputy Solicitor General Peter Donohue said during a procedural argument on Monday. “Your Honor, the plaintiffs are asking to deregulate their profession in order to make more money.”The state was expected to call as witnesses anti-abortion doctors and activists later in the trial.<h2>Patients traveling for care</h2>Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that overturned federal constitutional protections for abortion in June 2022, the number of abortions has increased slightly across the country, according to the health research nonprofit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/abortion-trends-before-and-after-dobbs/" target="_blank">KFF</a>.The group points to expanded telehealth, which can offer medication abortion more affordably through virtual appointments.Since the 2022 ruling and subsequent state abortion bans, patients have experienced higher travel costs for abortions and delays in care, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/07/16/travel-time-costs-for-abortions-increased-after-state-bans-researchers-find/">research</a>&nbsp;published in the American Journal of Public Health in July.Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco found that travel time to access abortion increased from 2.8 hours to 11.3 hours for residents in states with abortion bans. Travel costs increased from $179 to $372. And more than half of survey respondents said their abortion care required an overnight hotel stay, compared with 5% before an abortion ban.In 2024, an estimated 7,880 Missourians traveled to Illinois and 3,960 traveled to Kansas to access abortion, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/monthly-abortion-provision-study" target="_blank">Guttmacher Institute</a>, a research and policy organization focused on advancing reproductive rights.Those Missourians were among the approximate 155,000 people who crossed state lines to access abortion care that year, representing 15% of all abortions provided in states without total bans.<h2>Ongoing uncertainty</h2>Regardless of its outcome, the Missouri case is expected to be appealed. Even if the plaintiffs are ultimately successful, it may take a long time to restore care networks across the state, said Isaac Maddow-Zimet, a data scientist at the Guttmacher Institute.“And that’s particularly the case when there are states that have a lot of legal uncertainty or restrictions coming into effect and then coming out of effect,” he said. “It’s not quick to open up a clinic. It’s not quick to even necessarily expand the kinds of services, or the kinds of the number of people that a clinic can see.”Kimya Forouzan, the organization’s principal state policy adviser, said Missouri’s landscape is evidence that lawmakers can drastically curb abortion access without total bans. And despite an overwhelming vote to amend the constitution, legal battles can follow.Even if the state’s laws are found unconstitutional, Forouzan said, lawmakers will likely still push anti-abortion measures. She noted that several bills have already been introduced in this year’s just-convened legislative session, and that Republican lawmakers are pushing a ballot&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/04/missouri-appeals-court-rejects-abortion-ban-ballot-language/" target="_blank">measure to repeal</a>&nbsp;2024’s reproductive rights amendment.“There’s very much a push to pass as many restrictions as possible and kind of see what happens later and how things shape up later. … Time will tell, but we do know that they’re still pushing forth restrictions,” she said.Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:khardy@stateline.org">khardy@stateline.org</a>. Missouri Independent reporter Anna Spoerre can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:aspoerre@missouriindependent.com">aspoerre@missouriindependent.com</a>.

Missouri trial could affect abortion access across the Midwest and South

RILEY COUNTY–&nbsp; The Riley County Police Department made two arrests Tuesday during a traffic stop, followed by the execution of a search warrant at a Manhattan residence.

David Labombarbe, 39, of Manhattan, was arrested at approximately 3:32 p.m. in the 2700 block of Pembrook Place, according to a media release from the RCPD.

Labombarbe is being held on a&nbsp;a total bond of $300,000 on requested charges of distribution of material containing fentanyl within 1000 feet of a school,&nbsp; distribution or possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine within 1000 feet of a school, distribution or possession with intent to distribute fentanyl within 1000 feet of a school, possession of cocaine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, and possession of paraphernalia with intent to manufacture/plant/cultivate controlled substance.

Bailey Crumpton, 27, of Manhattan, was also arrested in the 2700 block of Pembrook Place on requested charges including two counts of possession, including fentanyl and cocaine, and possession of a depressant. Crumpton met the requirment of a&nbsp;&nbsp;$7,000 bond and is no longer in custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664309962436.png" alt="Image DEA" />
 <figcaption>Image DEA</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY–&nbsp; The Riley County Police Department made two arrests Tuesday during a traffic stop, followed by the execution of a search warrant at a Manhattan residence.David Labombarbe, 39, of Manhattan, was arrested at approximately 3:32 p.m. in the 2700 block of Pembrook Place, according to a media release from the RCPD.Labombarbe is being held on a&nbsp;a total bond of $300,000 on requested charges of distribution of material containing fentanyl within 1000 feet of a school,&nbsp; distribution or possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine within 1000 feet of a school, distribution or possession with intent to distribute fentanyl within 1000 feet of a school, possession of cocaine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, and possession of paraphernalia with intent to manufacture/plant/cultivate controlled substance.Bailey Crumpton, 27, of Manhattan, was also arrested in the 2700 block of Pembrook Place on requested charges including two counts of possession, including fentanyl and cocaine, and possession of a depressant. Crumpton met the requirment of a&nbsp;&nbsp;$7,000 bond and is no longer in custody.

Police: Suspect accused of selling fentanyl near a Kansas school

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a violent knife attack in Topeka.

Just before 4p.m. Tuesday, police responded to the area of 722 SW Taylor in Topeka on the report of an aggravated battery, according to Topeka Police Lt. Jayme Green.

First responders found three individuals suffering from what appeared to be stab wounds. The victims were transported to a local hospital to be treated for their injuries. The injuries to one person was considered life threatening, according to Green.

&nbsp;All parties are known and accounted for. Police did not report an arrest or additional details.

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a violent knife attack in Topeka.Just before 4p.m. Tuesday, police responded to the area of 722 SW Taylor in Topeka on the report of an aggravated battery, according to Topeka Police Lt. Jayme Green.First responders found three individuals suffering from what appeared to be stab wounds. The victims were transported to a local hospital to be treated for their injuries. The injuries to one person was considered life threatening, according to Green.&nbsp;All parties are known and accounted for. Police did not report an arrest or additional details.

Police: 3 hospitalized after violent Kansas knife attack

From $4.3 billion left over on June 30, the governor’s budget proposal says there will be only $4.7 million left on June 30, 2027

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

Missouri’s revenue surplus, nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/06/30/missouri-surplus-peaking-at-8-billion-as-governor-prepares-to-act-on-state-budget/">$8 billion a few years ago</a>, will be exhausted at the end of the coming fiscal year even with a proposed budget that has no new money for public schools, higher education or state employee pay raises.

That’s the forecast for the budget plan unveiled Tuesday by Gov. Mike Kehoe in his annual State of the State address. He’s asking lawmakers for $527 million from the general revenue fund to make up shortfalls in this year’s budget but only $2 million more overall from general revenue for the coming year.

To slow spending, Kehoe proposes cutting $600 million in general revenue being spent in the current budget from his proposal for the coming year. Those cuts will make room for increases in demands on general revenue due to the depletion of funds that were used to substitute for general revenue in past budgets.

Kehoe’s budget proposal calls for $54.5 billion for all state government operations and building needs in the coming fiscal year, including $16.3 billion in general revenue. If lawmakers agree to all of Kehoe’s proposed supplemental spending for the current year, that would represent a year-to-year cut of about $600 million from all funds.

In his speech, Kehoe said he expects lawmakers to try to restore some or all of those cuts.

“While that is certainly your prerogative, any reversal or new spending items must have a pay-for,” Kehoe said.

There are few big, new spending items in the budget proposal. The foundation formula, the state’s basic aid program for public schools, will see no increase after receiving a $500 million boost last year to $4.2 billion. The budget also recommends no new funding for school transportation.

And after four years of substantial pay raises for state employees, the budget does not recommend&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/01/11/gov-parson-proposes-raise-for-missouri-state-employees-extra-pay-for-night-work/">any adjustments for inflation</a>. The budget will continue the practice of giving state workers a pay raise of 1% for every two years in their position on their anniversary dates, state Office of Budget and Planning Director Dan Haug said.

In a message to state employees explaining the decision, Kehoe noted the state will add $71.7 million to its contribution to the Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan. That additional money, he said, is “to shield team member health plans from excessive cost increases, because supporting those who serve Missouri is essential to sustaining a strong workforce.”

Kehoe is making room for some smaller increases:

There are mandatory increases in general revenue spending that do not increase the overall budget because the money is replacing banked federal COVID relief funds that are now being exhausted.

The total cost of replacing the exhausted funds is about $1 billion, Haug said.

In his speech, Kehoe said that after adding 3,400 new budget lines at a cost of $13 billion since fiscal 2022, it was time for restraint.

“Simply put, the days of excusing budgetary decisions with fund balances and ‘so-called surpluses’ are over,” Kehoe said.

State Rep. John Voss, a Republican from Cape Girardeau and a member of the House Budget Committee, said he supports steps to restrain spending and will try to resist pressure to add to the budget, he said.

“I was glad to hear that the governor has done an exhaustive review of all the programs that we’ve added to the budget in the last few years, and acknowledges that perhaps we need to spend less money, not more money,” Voss said.

Democratic budget leaders, however, said denying needed increases to programs like health care and education will shift costs to Missourians or make it harder to provide needed services.

State Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Democrat from Kansas City who sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the absence of pay raises for state workers will make it harder to recruit. And, she said, inflation will mean current dollars buy fewer services in the coming year.

“These are cuts to essential services that Missourians depend on,” Nurrenbern said.

State colleges and universities will have to increase tuition if the state can’t provide additional funding, said state Rep. Betsy Fogle of Springfield, the ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee.

“The role of House Democrats will be to protect the vital services that our departments provide,” Fogle said.

Kehoe and the state budget office have been warning that the surplus, partially due to unprecedented revenue growth in 2022 and 2023 and partially due to billions in federal COVID-relief funding, would soon be exhausted.

From $4.3 billion left over on June 30, Kehoe’s budget proposal states, there will be only $4.7 million left on June 30, 2027.

“If we don’t get this budget on a sustainable path, we are going to see significant issues in the future, and the (fiscal 2027) budget is the first step in that journey,” Haug said in a briefing with reporters.

Kehoe vetoed $300 million in discretionary spending in June, and restricted the release of $211 million more.

The state expects $13.15 billion in general revenue in the coming fiscal year, which would be a decline of about 2% from the previous year. While revenues are expected to grow again in fiscal 2027, the increase is only about $500 million, leaving a gap of $2.7 billion between revenue and projected spending.

The future revenue picture is clouded by Kehoe’s call to eliminate the state income tax. He wants voters to approve the concept of eliminating the income tax this year, with the details of how to replace the revenue to come later.

In the state’s current tax system, about 65% of general revenue comes from the individual income tax, about 21% comes from sales taxes and another 6.5% comes from corporate income taxes. That tax structure is one reason the state’s population is stagnant and its economic performance is lackluster, Kehoe said in his speech.&nbsp;

“I’m tired of being in the middle of the pack,” he said. “I’m tired of pretending like merely keeping pace with everyone else is good enough.”

For the year ending June 30, the supplemental budget recommendation includes $80 million in general revenue, and $491 million overall, for increased costs in the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2020/10/22/missouri-medicaid-expansion-will-it-bust-the-budget-or-pay-for-itself/">Medicaid expansion program</a>&nbsp;covering&nbsp;<a href="https://timothymcbride.substack.com/p/missouri-medicaid-november-2025-update" target="_blank">363,000 low-income adults</a>&nbsp;aged 18 to 64, as well as $71 million more for mental health services for that population.

There is also $131 million, including $28 million in general revenue, for increased costs in the Medicaid managed care system.

The budget does project that Medicaid overall will cost the state $16.8 billion in the coming year, down from $17.3 billion this year.

“This is going to be a multi-year task of getting our budget on a sustainable path,” Haug said. “This is the first year, but I think we’re making great strides to that with the $600 million in cuts.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768392243560.png" alt="Gov. Mike Kehoe during his 2025 State of the State address (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Gov. Mike Kehoe during his 2025 State of the State address (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>From $4.3 billion left over on June 30, the governor’s budget proposal says there will be only $4.7 million left on June 30, 2027</h2>BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri’s revenue surplus, nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/06/30/missouri-surplus-peaking-at-8-billion-as-governor-prepares-to-act-on-state-budget/">$8 billion a few years ago</a>, will be exhausted at the end of the coming fiscal year even with a proposed budget that has no new money for public schools, higher education or state employee pay raises.That’s the forecast for the budget plan unveiled Tuesday by Gov. Mike Kehoe in his annual State of the State address. He’s asking lawmakers for $527 million from the general revenue fund to make up shortfalls in this year’s budget but only $2 million more overall from general revenue for the coming year.To slow spending, Kehoe proposes cutting $600 million in general revenue being spent in the current budget from his proposal for the coming year. Those cuts will make room for increases in demands on general revenue due to the depletion of funds that were used to substitute for general revenue in past budgets.Kehoe’s budget proposal calls for $54.5 billion for all state government operations and building needs in the coming fiscal year, including $16.3 billion in general revenue. If lawmakers agree to all of Kehoe’s proposed supplemental spending for the current year, that would represent a year-to-year cut of about $600 million from all funds.In his speech, Kehoe said he expects lawmakers to try to restore some or all of those cuts.“While that is certainly your prerogative, any reversal or new spending items must have a pay-for,” Kehoe said.There are few big, new spending items in the budget proposal. The foundation formula, the state’s basic aid program for public schools, will see no increase after receiving a $500 million boost last year to $4.2 billion. The budget also recommends no new funding for school transportation.And after four years of substantial pay raises for state employees, the budget does not recommend&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/01/11/gov-parson-proposes-raise-for-missouri-state-employees-extra-pay-for-night-work/">any adjustments for inflation</a>. The budget will continue the practice of giving state workers a pay raise of 1% for every two years in their position on their anniversary dates, state Office of Budget and Planning Director Dan Haug said.In a message to state employees explaining the decision, Kehoe noted the state will add $71.7 million to its contribution to the Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan. That additional money, he said, is “to shield team member health plans from excessive cost increases, because supporting those who serve Missouri is essential to sustaining a strong workforce.”Kehoe is making room for some smaller increases:<ul>
 <li>$10 million to boost the MOScholars program to $60 million. Lawmakers put $50 million into the private school voucher program last year, a move being&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/26/two-day-trial-reveals-inner-workings-of-missouri-private-school-voucher-program/">challenged in state court.</a></li><li>$14.7 million for drone deployment and countermeasures by law enforcement agencies.</li><li>$63.2 million, including money from federal grants, to support the FIFA World Cup soccer matches in Kansas City.</li><li>$7.5 million for public schools that accept transfer students if lawmakers allow open enrollment between school districts.</li>
 </ul>There are mandatory increases in general revenue spending that do not increase the overall budget because the money is replacing banked federal COVID relief funds that are now being exhausted.The total cost of replacing the exhausted funds is about $1 billion, Haug said.In his speech, Kehoe said that after adding 3,400 new budget lines at a cost of $13 billion since fiscal 2022, it was time for restraint.“Simply put, the days of excusing budgetary decisions with fund balances and ‘so-called surpluses’ are over,” Kehoe said.State Rep. John Voss, a Republican from Cape Girardeau and a member of the House Budget Committee, said he supports steps to restrain spending and will try to resist pressure to add to the budget, he said.“I was glad to hear that the governor has done an exhaustive review of all the programs that we’ve added to the budget in the last few years, and acknowledges that perhaps we need to spend less money, not more money,” Voss said.Democratic budget leaders, however, said denying needed increases to programs like health care and education will shift costs to Missourians or make it harder to provide needed services.State Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Democrat from Kansas City who sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the absence of pay raises for state workers will make it harder to recruit. And, she said, inflation will mean current dollars buy fewer services in the coming year.“These are cuts to essential services that Missourians depend on,” Nurrenbern said.State colleges and universities will have to increase tuition if the state can’t provide additional funding, said state Rep. Betsy Fogle of Springfield, the ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee.“The role of House Democrats will be to protect the vital services that our departments provide,” Fogle said.Kehoe and the state budget office have been warning that the surplus, partially due to unprecedented revenue growth in 2022 and 2023 and partially due to billions in federal COVID-relief funding, would soon be exhausted.From $4.3 billion left over on June 30, Kehoe’s budget proposal states, there will be only $4.7 million left on June 30, 2027.“If we don’t get this budget on a sustainable path, we are going to see significant issues in the future, and the (fiscal 2027) budget is the first step in that journey,” Haug said in a briefing with reporters.Kehoe vetoed $300 million in discretionary spending in June, and restricted the release of $211 million more.The state expects $13.15 billion in general revenue in the coming fiscal year, which would be a decline of about 2% from the previous year. While revenues are expected to grow again in fiscal 2027, the increase is only about $500 million, leaving a gap of $2.7 billion between revenue and projected spending.The future revenue picture is clouded by Kehoe’s call to eliminate the state income tax. He wants voters to approve the concept of eliminating the income tax this year, with the details of how to replace the revenue to come later.In the state’s current tax system, about 65% of general revenue comes from the individual income tax, about 21% comes from sales taxes and another 6.5% comes from corporate income taxes. That tax structure is one reason the state’s population is stagnant and its economic performance is lackluster, Kehoe said in his speech.&nbsp;“I’m tired of being in the middle of the pack,” he said. “I’m tired of pretending like merely keeping pace with everyone else is good enough.”For the year ending June 30, the supplemental budget recommendation includes $80 million in general revenue, and $491 million overall, for increased costs in the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2020/10/22/missouri-medicaid-expansion-will-it-bust-the-budget-or-pay-for-itself/">Medicaid expansion program</a>&nbsp;covering&nbsp;<a href="https://timothymcbride.substack.com/p/missouri-medicaid-november-2025-update" target="_blank">363,000 low-income adults</a>&nbsp;aged 18 to 64, as well as $71 million more for mental health services for that population.There is also $131 million, including $28 million in general revenue, for increased costs in the Medicaid managed care system.The budget does project that Medicaid overall will cost the state $16.8 billion in the coming year, down from $17.3 billion this year.“This is going to be a multi-year task of getting our budget on a sustainable path,” Haug said. “This is the first year, but I think we’re making great strides to that with the $600 million in cuts.”

Missouri revenue surplus nearly gone as Gov. Kehoe unveils his budget plan

KANSAS CITY—Police investigating a second homicide this week in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 41-year-old Chris Wells.

Just after 7:30a.m. Monday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 2500 block of NE 78th Street, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

As officers arrived they located a Wells&nbsp; lying in the street, suffering from gunshot wounds. KCFD Medics responded simultaneously and began performing life saving measures. However, Wells was pronounced deceased on scene.

This is being investigated as a homicide. A subject of interest was taken into custody by patrol officers on scene. The preliminary investigation revealed there was a dispute between two individuals that were known to one another. A physical altercation ensued, which led to shots being fired and Wells being struck. Investigator canvassed the area for witnesses, physical evidence, and any possible surveillance footage.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768268746489.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Police investigating a second homicide this week in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 41-year-old Chris Wells.Just after 7:30a.m. Monday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 2500 block of NE 78th Street, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.As officers arrived they located a Wells&nbsp; lying in the street, suffering from gunshot wounds. KCFD Medics responded simultaneously and began performing life saving measures. However, Wells was pronounced deceased on scene.This is being investigated as a homicide. A subject of interest was taken into custody by patrol officers on scene. The preliminary investigation revealed there was a dispute between two individuals that were known to one another. A physical altercation ensued, which led to shots being fired and Wells being struck. Investigator canvassed the area for witnesses, physical evidence, and any possible surveillance footage.

41-year-old identified as homicide victim in KC neighborhood

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just&nbsp; 1p.m. Tuesday in Kansas City.

A black Honda Motorcycle was southbound on Paseo at 9th Street in Kansas City, Missouri, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil Dimartino. A Metro Bus was traveling westbound on&nbsp;9th Street. The bus driver failed to stop for the posted stop sign, entered the intersection and struck the motorcycle. 

The operator of the motorcycle, who was not wearing a helmet, was ejected off the motorcycle. EMS transported the motorcyclist to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. He was later pronounced deceased by hospital staff. The bus driver, as well as all the passengers on the bus were uninjured in the collision. 

This is fatality #4 compared to #2 at this time last year in Kansas City, Missouri.

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just&nbsp; 1p.m. Tuesday in Kansas City.A black Honda Motorcycle was southbound on Paseo at 9th Street in Kansas City, Missouri, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil Dimartino. A Metro Bus was traveling westbound on&nbsp;9th Street. The bus driver failed to stop for the posted stop sign, entered the intersection and struck the motorcycle. The operator of the motorcycle, who was not wearing a helmet, was ejected off the motorcycle. EMS transported the motorcyclist to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. He was later pronounced deceased by hospital staff. The bus driver, as well as all the passengers on the bus were uninjured in the collision. This is fatality #4 compared to #2 at this time last year in Kansas City, Missouri.

Fatal crash: KC metro bus strikes motorcycle

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating a wekend homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 28-year-old De’Ontez&nbsp;Denson, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

Just before 6:30p.m. Sunday, polie were dispatched to an apartment in the 6400 block of Manchester Avenue in Kansas City on a report of a disturbance, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

Upon arrival, officers responded to the dispatched apartment unit where they located Denson inside suffering from apparent gunshot trauma. Officers checked for signs of life just as EMS was responding. EMS declared him was deceased at the scene.

Preliminary investigation reveals there was an argument between Denson and an adult male suspect. That argument escalated into gunfire and resulted in the victim being struck. The adult male suspect has not been identified at this time and left the scene prior to officer arrival.&nbsp;

Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel responded to the scene to canvass the area for evidence and collecting witness statements. This incident is being investigated as a homicide, according to Gonzalez.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768218129826.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating a wekend homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 28-year-old De’Ontez&nbsp;Denson, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.Just before 6:30p.m. Sunday, polie were dispatched to an apartment in the 6400 block of Manchester Avenue in Kansas City on a report of a disturbance, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez.Upon arrival, officers responded to the dispatched apartment unit where they located Denson inside suffering from apparent gunshot trauma. Officers checked for signs of life just as EMS was responding. EMS declared him was deceased at the scene.Preliminary investigation reveals there was an argument between Denson and an adult male suspect. That argument escalated into gunfire and resulted in the victim being struck. The adult male suspect has not been identified at this time and left the scene prior to officer arrival.&nbsp;Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel responded to the scene to canvass the area for evidence and collecting witness statements. This incident is being investigated as a homicide, according to Gonzalez.

Police ID homicide victim found in Kansas City apartment

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/29/kansan-returns-to-the-catholic-church-as-the-states-first-woman-priest/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas schools that opt to use a gun detection software program supported by the attorney general could receive a cut of $10 million from the state.

Attorney General Kris Kobach promoted an artificial intelligence-driven, unconcealed firearm detection and situational awareness software that can be applied to existing security cameras. He announced Monday that his office is accepting applications to integrate the program into K-12 public schools.

AI gun detection software purports to halt and prevent gun violence. Its implementation in schools has grown in popularity as technology has advanced and school shootings and mass shootings have increased in frequency.

The attorney general uses a product from the Pennsylvania-based company ZeroEyes, which sent lobbyists to the Kansas Legislature in 2024 to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/05/09/kansas-bill-dangles-cash-to-persuade-k-12-school-districts-to-hire-a-specific-gun-detection-vendor/">push for a contract</a>&nbsp;with schools. The technology can analyze more than 36,000 images per second from security camera video feeds, according to the company’s website.

If the software identifies a gun in school, images are immediately shared with the ZeroEyes Operations Center, an in-house hub staffed 24/7 by military and law enforcement veterans, according to ZeroEyes. The company claims security teams and law enforcement can be notified of a threat as quickly as three to five seconds from the point the software detects a firearm. Operation center staff review software images and determine whether a threat is valid. They can then send alerts equipped with information such as a description, gun type and last known location.

The chief strategy officer for ZeroEyes, Kieran Carroll, said in 2024 that installing the software in 1,300 school buildings in Kansas and enabling 24-hour surveillance of two dozen cameras per school would cost the state $8.5 million annually. That same year, Gov. Laura Kelly line-item vetoed a budget measure that allocated $5 million to a program that favored ZeroEyes. The governor called it “a no-bid contract,” criticizing the lack of consideration for other companies.

A $10 million earmark made it through the Legislature in 2025, and in November, the Legislature’s special budget committee said&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/11/26/kansas-looking-at-three-bidders-for-10-million-contract-relying-on-ai-to-find-guns-in-schools/">the state was considering three bidders</a>&nbsp;for a gun-detection software contract. ZeroEyes beat out companies based in Wichita and Springfield, Missouri.

Funding will be dispersed equally across Kansas’ four congressional districts, and grants are available on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768323069675.png" alt=" Kris Kobach speaks to reporters at a news conference on Oct. 1, 2025, in Topeka, Kansas. He released the details Monday of a new grant program for K-12 public schools interested in using AI-powered firearm detection software to prevent potential acts of gun violence. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kris Kobach speaks to reporters at a news conference on Oct. 1, 2025, in Topeka, Kansas. He released the details Monday of a new grant program for K-12 public schools interested in using AI-powered firearm detection software to prevent potential acts of gun violence. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/29/kansan-returns-to-the-catholic-church-as-the-states-first-woman-priest/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas schools that opt to use a gun detection software program supported by the attorney general could receive a cut of $10 million from the state.Attorney General Kris Kobach promoted an artificial intelligence-driven, unconcealed firearm detection and situational awareness software that can be applied to existing security cameras. He announced Monday that his office is accepting applications to integrate the program into K-12 public schools.AI gun detection software purports to halt and prevent gun violence. Its implementation in schools has grown in popularity as technology has advanced and school shootings and mass shootings have increased in frequency.The attorney general uses a product from the Pennsylvania-based company ZeroEyes, which sent lobbyists to the Kansas Legislature in 2024 to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/05/09/kansas-bill-dangles-cash-to-persuade-k-12-school-districts-to-hire-a-specific-gun-detection-vendor/">push for a contract</a>&nbsp;with schools. The technology can analyze more than 36,000 images per second from security camera video feeds, according to the company’s website.If the software identifies a gun in school, images are immediately shared with the ZeroEyes Operations Center, an in-house hub staffed 24/7 by military and law enforcement veterans, according to ZeroEyes. The company claims security teams and law enforcement can be notified of a threat as quickly as three to five seconds from the point the software detects a firearm. Operation center staff review software images and determine whether a threat is valid. They can then send alerts equipped with information such as a description, gun type and last known location.The chief strategy officer for ZeroEyes, Kieran Carroll, said in 2024 that installing the software in 1,300 school buildings in Kansas and enabling 24-hour surveillance of two dozen cameras per school would cost the state $8.5 million annually. That same year, Gov. Laura Kelly line-item vetoed a budget measure that allocated $5 million to a program that favored ZeroEyes. The governor called it “a no-bid contract,” criticizing the lack of consideration for other companies.A $10 million earmark made it through the Legislature in 2025, and in November, the Legislature’s special budget committee said&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/11/26/kansas-looking-at-three-bidders-for-10-million-contract-relying-on-ai-to-find-guns-in-schools/">the state was considering three bidders</a>&nbsp;for a gun-detection software contract. ZeroEyes beat out companies based in Wichita and Springfield, Missouri.Funding will be dispersed equally across Kansas’ four congressional districts, and grants are available on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

Kobach opens up funding for AI gun detection software in Kansas public schools

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating alleged fraud in Manhattan.

Just before 10:30a.m. Monday, officers filed a report of fraud in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

 A 77-year-old man reported he purchased a dog on Facebook from two suspects unknown to him and never received the dog. The total estimated loss associated with this case is $1,200.

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating alleged fraud in Manhattan.Just before 10:30a.m. Monday, officers filed a report of fraud in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report. A 77-year-old man reported he purchased a dog on Facebook from two suspects unknown to him and never received the dog. The total estimated loss associated with this case is $1,200.

Police: Kan. man lost $1,200 in online dog purchase scam

By:<a href="https://stateline.org/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>

WASHINGTON — A pair of blockbuster cases to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court could carry far-reaching implications for transgender rights, even as the Trump administration during the past year has rolled out a broad anti-trans agenda targeting everything from sports to military service.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-38">Click here to listen to a replay of the argument in Little vs. Hecox</a>

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-43">Click here to listen to a replay of the argument in West Virginia vs. B.P.J.</a>

The court on Jan. 13 will hear challenges to laws in&nbsp;<a href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2025/07/03/u-s-supreme-court-takes-up-trans-athlete-ban-in-idaho-west-virginia/" target="_blank">Idaho</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://westvirginiawatch.com/2025/07/03/scotus-to-take-up-west-virginias-transgender-athlete-ban/" target="_blank">West Virginia</a>&nbsp;banning transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports. Both cases center on whether the laws violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

The West Virginia case before the Supreme Court also questions whether the state’s law violates Title IX — a landmark federal civil rights law that bars schools that receive federal funding from practicing sex-based discrimination.&nbsp;

Lower court rulings have temporarily blocked the states from implementing the bans, to varying extents, and Republican attorneys general in Idaho and West Virginia have asked the Supreme Court to intervene.&nbsp;

“We know we have an uphill fight, and our hope is certainly that we prevail,” Joshua Block, senior counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union’s LGBT &amp; HIV Project, who will be presenting oral arguments in the West Virginia case, said at a Jan. 8 ACLU press briefing.&nbsp;

“But we also hope that regardless of what happens, this case isn’t successfully used as a tool to undermine the rights of transgender folks more generally in areas far beyond just athletics.”&nbsp;

The outcome of the oral arguments before a court dominated 6-3 by conservative justices will be closely watched. Nearly 30 states have laws that ban trans students’ participation in sports consistent with their gender identity, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/youth/sports_participation_bans" target="_blank">Movement Advancement Project</a>, an independent think tank.

The justices are taking up both cases in one day. First will be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24-38.html" target="_blank">Little v. Hecox,&nbsp;</a>which contests a 2020 Idaho law that categorically bans trans athletes from competing on women’s and girls’ sports teams.&nbsp;

Lindsay Hecox sued over the ban in 2020, just months before the law was set to take effect.&nbsp;

Though Hecox wanted to try out for the women’s track and cross-country teams at Boise State University, the Idaho law — the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/sports/transgender-idaho-ban-sports.html" target="_blank">first of its kind</a>&nbsp;in the nation — would have prevented her from doing so because she is transgender.&nbsp;

A federal court in Idaho halted the law from taking effect later that year. A federal appeals court initially upheld the ruling in 2023 but later adjusted the scope of it in 2024 to only apply to Hecox, not other athletes.&nbsp;

Idaho appealed to the Supreme Court in July 2024.

Since that time, Hecox has asked both an Idaho federal court and the Supreme Court to drop the case.&nbsp;

An&nbsp;<a href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2025/10/15/idaho-federal-judge-keeps-transgender-athletics-lawsuit-open/" target="_blank">Idaho federal judge</a>&nbsp;in October rejected that attempt, but the Supreme Court deferred the request until after oral argument — meaning justices could still dismiss the case.

“The Supreme Court is trying to decide whether Idaho can preserve women’s sports based on biological sex, or must female be redefined based on gender identity,” Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador said at a Jan. 8 press briefing ahead of the oral arguments.

“I think Idaho is just trying to protect fairness, safety and equal protection for girls and women in sports,” Labrador said at the briefing alongside West Virginia Attorney General John McCuskey, hosted by the conservative legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom.&nbsp;&nbsp;

After the Idaho case, the justices will hear arguments in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24-43.html" target="_blank">West Virginia v. B.P.J.</a>, which centers on a 2021 Mountain State law that also bans trans athletes from participating on women’s and girls’ sports teams.&nbsp;

McCuskey argued that his state’s law “supports and bolsters the original intent and the continuing intent and purpose of Title IX.”&nbsp;

McCuskey said the law complies with the Equal Protection Clause because it “treats all biological males and all biological females identically” and “doesn’t ban anyone from playing sports.”&nbsp;

Becky Pepper-Jackson, who was 11 at the time, wanted to try out for the girls’ cross-country team when starting middle school, but would have been prevented from doing so under the West Virginia law because she is transgender.&nbsp;

A federal appeals court in 2024 barred West Virginia from enforcing the ban, prompting the state to ask the nation’s highest court to intervene.&nbsp;&nbsp;

White House, Congress zero in on trans athletes

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump’s administration has taken steps at the federal level to prohibit trans athletes’ participation in women’s sports teams aligning with their gender identity.&nbsp;

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-signs-executive-order-banning-transgender-athletes-womens-school-sports" target="_blank">signed an executive order</a>&nbsp;in February 2025 that banned such participation and made it the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/keeping-men-out-of-womens-sports/" target="_blank">policy</a>&nbsp;of the United States to “rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities, which results in the endangerment, humiliation, and silencing of women and girls and deprives them of privacy.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.org/news/2025/2/6/media-center-ncaa-announces-transgender-student-athlete-participation-policy-change.aspx" target="_blank">NCAA promptly changed its policy</a>&nbsp;to comply with the order, limiting “competition in women’s sports to student-athletes assigned female at birth only.”&nbsp;

In late 2024, prior to the policy shift, NCAA President Charlie Baker&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6062855/2025/01/14/ncaa-transgender-athlete-policy-charlie-baker/" target="_blank">told Congress</a>&nbsp;that of the more than half-million total athletes in NCAA schools, he knew of fewer than 10 who were transgender.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-passes-bill-banning-trans-athletes-competing-womens-school-sports" target="_blank">GOP-led House</a>&nbsp;passed a measure in January 2025 that would bar transgender students from participating on women’s school sports teams consistent with their gender identity.&nbsp;

But Senate Democrats in March&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-democrats-block-bill-banning-transgender-athletes-womens-school-sports" target="_blank">blocked an attempt</a>&nbsp;at imposing such a ban and codifying Trump’s executive order.&nbsp;

Forty-eight GOP members of Congress argued in a September&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24-38/375168/20250919112943701_CongressIdaho_Amicus%20Document%20September%2019%202025%20EFile.pdf" target="_blank">amicus brief</a>&nbsp;supporting Idaho and West Virginia that “if allowed to stand, the interpretation of the lower courts will unsettle the very promises that Congress made to generations of young women and men through Title IX.”&nbsp;

On the flip side,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24-43/384769/20251117150239241_MembersofCongressAmici.pdf" target="_blank">130 congressional Democrats</a>&nbsp;stood behind the two transgender athletes in a November amicus brief, noting that “categorical bans preventing transgender students from participating on sports teams consistent with their gender identity impose significant harm on all children — especially girls.”&nbsp;

The group argued that such bans “do not meet the standards this Court has put in place to assess discrimination based on sex — whether as a matter of Title IX or under the Equal Protection Clause.”&nbsp;

Trump’s broader anti-trans agenda has extended beyond athletic participation in the nearly one year since he took office.&nbsp;

He signed executive orders that:<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/" target="_blank">&nbsp;make it</a>&nbsp;the “policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female;” restrict access to<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/newest-round-trump-moves-targets-federal-employees-care-transgender-kids" target="_blank">&nbsp;gender-affirming care</a>&nbsp;for kids; and aim to bar openly<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-issues-order-prohibiting-openly-transgender-service-members-military" target="_blank">&nbsp;transgender service members</a>&nbsp;from the U.S. military.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hrc.org/resources/get-the-facts-about-transgender-non-binary-athletes" target="_blank">Human Rights Campaign</a>, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, has noted that there has been “considerable disinformation and misinformation about what the inclusion of transgender youth in sports entails” and that trans students’ sports participation “has been a non-issue.”

In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/backgrounder-supreme-court-to-hear-oral-arguments-for-west-virginia-v-bpj-and-little-v-hecox-key-cases-on-the-inclusion-of-transgender-youth-in-sports" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;ahead of oral arguments, HRC’s senior director of legal policy Cathryn Oakley said “every child, no matter their background, race, or gender, should have access to a quality education where they can feel safe to learn and grow — and for many kids that involves being a part of a school sports team.”

Oakley added that “to deny transgender kids the chance to participate in school sports alongside their peers simply because of who they are is textbook discrimination — and it’s unconstitutional.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768315435044.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://stateline.org/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>WASHINGTON — A pair of blockbuster cases to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court could carry far-reaching implications for transgender rights, even as the Trump administration during the past year has rolled out a broad anti-trans agenda targeting everything from sports to military service.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-38">Click here to listen to a replay of the argument in Little vs. Hecox</a><a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-43">Click here to listen to a replay of the argument in West Virginia vs. B.P.J.</a>The court on Jan. 13 will hear challenges to laws in&nbsp;<a href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2025/07/03/u-s-supreme-court-takes-up-trans-athlete-ban-in-idaho-west-virginia/" target="_blank">Idaho</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://westvirginiawatch.com/2025/07/03/scotus-to-take-up-west-virginias-transgender-athlete-ban/" target="_blank">West Virginia</a>&nbsp;banning transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports. Both cases center on whether the laws violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.The West Virginia case before the Supreme Court also questions whether the state’s law violates Title IX — a landmark federal civil rights law that bars schools that receive federal funding from practicing sex-based discrimination.&nbsp;Lower court rulings have temporarily blocked the states from implementing the bans, to varying extents, and Republican attorneys general in Idaho and West Virginia have asked the Supreme Court to intervene.&nbsp;“We know we have an uphill fight, and our hope is certainly that we prevail,” Joshua Block, senior counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union’s LGBT &amp; HIV Project, who will be presenting oral arguments in the West Virginia case, said at a Jan. 8 ACLU press briefing.&nbsp;“But we also hope that regardless of what happens, this case isn’t successfully used as a tool to undermine the rights of transgender folks more generally in areas far beyond just athletics.”&nbsp;The outcome of the oral arguments before a court dominated 6-3 by conservative justices will be closely watched. Nearly 30 states have laws that ban trans students’ participation in sports consistent with their gender identity, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/youth/sports_participation_bans" target="_blank">Movement Advancement Project</a>, an independent think tank.<h2>Idaho case&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>The justices are taking up both cases in one day. First will be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24-38.html" target="_blank">Little v. Hecox,&nbsp;</a>which contests a 2020 Idaho law that categorically bans trans athletes from competing on women’s and girls’ sports teams.&nbsp;Lindsay Hecox sued over the ban in 2020, just months before the law was set to take effect.&nbsp;Though Hecox wanted to try out for the women’s track and cross-country teams at Boise State University, the Idaho law — the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/sports/transgender-idaho-ban-sports.html" target="_blank">first of its kind</a>&nbsp;in the nation — would have prevented her from doing so because she is transgender.&nbsp;A federal court in Idaho halted the law from taking effect later that year. A federal appeals court initially upheld the ruling in 2023 but later adjusted the scope of it in 2024 to only apply to Hecox, not other athletes.&nbsp;Idaho appealed to the Supreme Court in July 2024.Since that time, Hecox has asked both an Idaho federal court and the Supreme Court to drop the case.&nbsp;An&nbsp;<a href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2025/10/15/idaho-federal-judge-keeps-transgender-athletics-lawsuit-open/" target="_blank">Idaho federal judge</a>&nbsp;in October rejected that attempt, but the Supreme Court deferred the request until after oral argument — meaning justices could still dismiss the case.“The Supreme Court is trying to decide whether Idaho can preserve women’s sports based on biological sex, or must female be redefined based on gender identity,” Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador said at a Jan. 8 press briefing ahead of the oral arguments.“I think Idaho is just trying to protect fairness, safety and equal protection for girls and women in sports,” Labrador said at the briefing alongside West Virginia Attorney General John McCuskey, hosted by the conservative legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>West Virginia case</h2>After the Idaho case, the justices will hear arguments in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24-43.html" target="_blank">West Virginia v. B.P.J.</a>, which centers on a 2021 Mountain State law that also bans trans athletes from participating on women’s and girls’ sports teams.&nbsp;McCuskey argued that his state’s law “supports and bolsters the original intent and the continuing intent and purpose of Title IX.”&nbsp;McCuskey said the law complies with the Equal Protection Clause because it “treats all biological males and all biological females identically” and “doesn’t ban anyone from playing sports.”&nbsp;Becky Pepper-Jackson, who was 11 at the time, wanted to try out for the girls’ cross-country team when starting middle school, but would have been prevented from doing so under the West Virginia law because she is transgender.&nbsp;Her mother sued on her behalf in 2021.A federal appeals court in 2024 barred West Virginia from enforcing the ban, prompting the state to ask the nation’s highest court to intervene.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>White House, Congress zero in on trans athletes</h2>Meanwhile, President Donald Trump’s administration has taken steps at the federal level to prohibit trans athletes’ participation in women’s sports teams aligning with their gender identity.&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-signs-executive-order-banning-transgender-athletes-womens-school-sports" target="_blank">signed an executive order</a>&nbsp;in February 2025 that banned such participation and made it the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/keeping-men-out-of-womens-sports/" target="_blank">policy</a>&nbsp;of the United States to “rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities, which results in the endangerment, humiliation, and silencing of women and girls and deprives them of privacy.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.org/news/2025/2/6/media-center-ncaa-announces-transgender-student-athlete-participation-policy-change.aspx" target="_blank">NCAA promptly changed its policy</a>&nbsp;to comply with the order, limiting “competition in women’s sports to student-athletes assigned female at birth only.”&nbsp;In late 2024, prior to the policy shift, NCAA President Charlie Baker&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6062855/2025/01/14/ncaa-transgender-athlete-policy-charlie-baker/" target="_blank">told Congress</a>&nbsp;that of the more than half-million total athletes in NCAA schools, he knew of fewer than 10 who were transgender.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-passes-bill-banning-trans-athletes-competing-womens-school-sports" target="_blank">GOP-led House</a>&nbsp;passed a measure in January 2025 that would bar transgender students from participating on women’s school sports teams consistent with their gender identity.&nbsp;But Senate Democrats in March&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-democrats-block-bill-banning-transgender-athletes-womens-school-sports" target="_blank">blocked an attempt</a>&nbsp;at imposing such a ban and codifying Trump’s executive order.&nbsp;Forty-eight GOP members of Congress argued in a September&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24-38/375168/20250919112943701_CongressIdaho_Amicus%20Document%20September%2019%202025%20EFile.pdf" target="_blank">amicus brief</a>&nbsp;supporting Idaho and West Virginia that “if allowed to stand, the interpretation of the lower courts will unsettle the very promises that Congress made to generations of young women and men through Title IX.”&nbsp;On the flip side,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24-43/384769/20251117150239241_MembersofCongressAmici.pdf" target="_blank">130 congressional Democrats</a>&nbsp;stood behind the two transgender athletes in a November amicus brief, noting that “categorical bans preventing transgender students from participating on sports teams consistent with their gender identity impose significant harm on all children — especially girls.”&nbsp;The group argued that such bans “do not meet the standards this Court has put in place to assess discrimination based on sex — whether as a matter of Title IX or under the Equal Protection Clause.”&nbsp;Trump’s broader anti-trans agenda has extended beyond athletic participation in the nearly one year since he took office.&nbsp;He signed executive orders that:<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/" target="_blank">&nbsp;make it</a>&nbsp;the “policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female;” restrict access to<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/newest-round-trump-moves-targets-federal-employees-care-transgender-kids" target="_blank">&nbsp;gender-affirming care</a>&nbsp;for kids; and aim to bar openly<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-issues-order-prohibiting-openly-transgender-service-members-military" target="_blank">&nbsp;transgender service members</a>&nbsp;from the U.S. military.&nbsp;<h2>‘Textbook discrimination’&nbsp;</h2>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hrc.org/resources/get-the-facts-about-transgender-non-binary-athletes" target="_blank">Human Rights Campaign</a>, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, has noted that there has been “considerable disinformation and misinformation about what the inclusion of transgender youth in sports entails” and that trans students’ sports participation “has been a non-issue.”In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/backgrounder-supreme-court-to-hear-oral-arguments-for-west-virginia-v-bpj-and-little-v-hecox-key-cases-on-the-inclusion-of-transgender-youth-in-sports" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;ahead of oral arguments, HRC’s senior director of legal policy Cathryn Oakley said “every child, no matter their background, race, or gender, should have access to a quality education where they can feel safe to learn and grow — and for many kids that involves being a part of a school sports team.”Oakley added that “to deny transgender kids the chance to participate in school sports alongside their peers simply because of who they are is textbook discrimination — and it’s unconstitutional.”&nbsp;

🎧Landmark cases on transgender athletes at the US Supreme Court 

Annual session begins with questions about congressional redistricting, property taxes and more

By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">Anna Kaminski</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">Sherman Smith</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The 2026 session of the Kansas Legislature burst to life Monday as Republicans and Democrats staked out public policy priorities, welcomed members to fill unexpired terms of the departed and awaited the upcoming final State of the State speech by Gov. Laura Kelly.

Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, gaveled in the Senate and House in what could be the final legislative session for both. Masterson is competing in a crowded field for the GOP nomination for governor, while Hawkins tossed his hat into the ring in the race for state insurance commissioner.

In brief remarks with reporters, Masterson said his mind was on finding ways to control rising property taxes, embracing the One, Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Donald Trump and, possibly, redrawing the state’s congressional district boundaries for benefit of Republican candidates for Congress.

“A constitutional amendment to cap property tax, at least authorizing the ‘big, beautiful bill’ and parental freedom in education. Like to do a little tort reform. Obviously, get a budget passed,” Masterson said.

In terms of redistricting, the Senate president said he would “love to” advance a bill that shifted boundaries of the state’s four U.S. House districts to give GOP candidates a distinct edge over Democratic candidates. The idea would be to make it difficult for U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, to win reelection.

The original plan was to convene a special session of the Legislature in November to consider a new congressional map. The required two-thirds majority in the Senate signed a petition calling a special session, but Hawkins was unable to convince two-thirds of Republican peers in the House to sign a special-session petition.

“If we get it from the House, we’re going to take it up,” said Masterson, who would appear to have the easier task of securing enough votes to thwart a veto by Kelly.

The first order of business Monday was for Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Rosen to swear into office the Senate’s newcomers. Sen. Scott Hill, R-Abilene, and Sen. Silas Miller, D-Wichita, were drafted from the House to fill vacancies in the Senate. Hill replaced Sen. J.R. Claeys, a Salina Republican who went to work for the Trump administration. Miller took the seat left open by Sen. Mary Ware, who&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-senator-from-wichita-retires-opening-democratic-seat-ahead-of-legislative-session/" target="_blank">announced her retirement</a>&nbsp;in November.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768312305100.png" alt=" Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, convenes the Kansas Senate at outset of the 2026 Kansas legislative session Monday Jan. 12. Masterson, who has served in the Kansas Legislature since 2005, is seeking the GOP nomination for governor in a crowded primary. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, convenes the Kansas Senate at outset of the 2026 Kansas legislative session Monday Jan. 12. Masterson, who has served in the Kansas Legislature since 2005, is seeking the GOP nomination for governor in a crowded primary. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Annual session begins with questions about congressional redistricting, property taxes and more</h2>By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">Anna Kaminski</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">Sherman Smith</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The 2026 session of the Kansas Legislature burst to life Monday as Republicans and Democrats staked out public policy priorities, welcomed members to fill unexpired terms of the departed and awaited the upcoming final State of the State speech by Gov. Laura Kelly.Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, gaveled in the Senate and House in what could be the final legislative session for both. Masterson is competing in a crowded field for the GOP nomination for governor, while Hawkins tossed his hat into the ring in the race for state insurance commissioner.In brief remarks with reporters, Masterson said his mind was on finding ways to control rising property taxes, embracing the One, Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Donald Trump and, possibly, redrawing the state’s congressional district boundaries for benefit of Republican candidates for Congress.“A constitutional amendment to cap property tax, at least authorizing the ‘big, beautiful bill’ and parental freedom in education. Like to do a little tort reform. Obviously, get a budget passed,” Masterson said.In terms of redistricting, the Senate president said he would “love to” advance a bill that shifted boundaries of the state’s four U.S. House districts to give GOP candidates a distinct edge over Democratic candidates. The idea would be to make it difficult for U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, to win reelection.The original plan was to convene a special session of the Legislature in November to consider a new congressional map. The required two-thirds majority in the Senate signed a petition calling a special session, but Hawkins was unable to convince two-thirds of Republican peers in the House to sign a special-session petition.“If we get it from the House, we’re going to take it up,” said Masterson, who would appear to have the easier task of securing enough votes to thwart a veto by Kelly.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768312263816.png" alt="Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Rosen swears in new senator Silas Miller, a Democrat from Wichita, on the first day of the 2026 legislative session. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Rosen swears in new senator Silas Miller, a Democrat from Wichita, on the first day of the 2026 legislative session. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>The first order of business Monday was for Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Rosen to swear into office the Senate’s newcomers. Sen. Scott Hill, R-Abilene, and Sen. Silas Miller, D-Wichita, were drafted from the House to fill vacancies in the Senate. Hill replaced Sen. J.R. Claeys, a Salina Republican who went to work for the Trump administration. Miller took the seat left open by Sen. Mary Ware, who&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-senator-from-wichita-retires-opening-democratic-seat-ahead-of-legislative-session/" target="_blank">announced her retirement</a>&nbsp;in November.At the front of the Senate chamber, Rosen turned to Hill and began reciting the oath: “Do you, Silas Miller …”The gaffe was noted, and Rosen affirmed: “Not a good start.” He replaced Miller’s name in the script with Hill’s, and the perfunctory ceremonies for both were completed.House and Senate committees begin meeting Tuesday. Kelly, a Democrat in the final year of her two terms as governor, is scheduled to deliver the annual State of the State speech to a joint session of the Legislature at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768312226199.png" alt="House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, speaks to a House colleague before convening the Kansas House on Monday Jan. 12, 2026. Hawkins is seeking the Republican nomination for state insurance commissioner, and that candidacy means he will be leaving the Legislature in January. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, speaks to a House colleague before convening the Kansas House on Monday Jan. 12, 2026. Hawkins is seeking the Republican nomination for state insurance commissioner, and that candidacy means he will be leaving the Legislature in January. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘Last first day’</h2>Hawkins, a Republican insurance executive, marked his “last first day” of the session after 14 years in the House and three years as speaker. While he’s running for insurance commissioner, all 125 seats in the House will be up for election in November. The Senate won’t do likewise until 2028.“The first day of the session is always a happy day,” Hawkins said to an almost full chamber. “I tried for the House to be the best House there ever was, and I think, for the most part, we have done just that.”He said he strived to promote mutual respect in the House “so that we listen, hopefully, more than we talk.”Hawkins encouraged spirited debate on the House floor that avoided personal jabs.“Be engaged, and put everything you have into this session. But don’t leave wishing you would have done something,” he said.Ahead of the House’s more ordinary first-day business, Rosen swore in Rep. Abi Boatman, a Wichita-area Democrat, Air Force veteran and advocate who replaced Miller.Boatman, who is Kansas’ second-ever transgender legislator, worked in advocacy and civic engagement for the past decade. She said her first moments in the Legislature were fast-paced as she received a warm welcome. She said the Legislature felt like “the next natural step.”Rep. Steve Brunk, a Wichita Republican who served in the House from 2003 to 2015, was appointed to complete the unexpired term of Rep. Patrick Penn, who took a job in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. During the interim period, Brunk lobbied for a conservative policy organization opposed to abortion.After checking with Capitol security at the visitor center to make certain the state’s conceal-carry gun law hadn’t changed in his absence, he discussed his reasons for returning to the House.“I just felt like there was unfinished business here. I always liked the process,” he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768312174933.png" alt="Sen. Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, outlined personnel changes on the Senate Democratic office staff on the first day of the 2026 legislative session. Sykes is a candidate for state insurance commissioner. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, outlined personnel changes on the Senate Democratic office staff on the first day of the 2026 legislative session. Sykes is a candidate for state insurance commissioner. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Democrats’ agenda</h2>Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat running for state insurance commissioner, said one of her top priorities would be to approve a refundable child tax credit. In the past, proposals have been made to offer a $25 to $600 per child income tax credit for low- and middle-income households to help families deal with escalating costs. She said it was unlikely the GOP-led Legislature would approve the bill.“I would love to see child tax credits passed through, but I don’t think there’s a possible way for that,” Sykes said.She said the Legislature ought to extend the existing K-12 school finance formula — due to expire in mid-2027 — for another year. That would allow the 2027 Legislature to craft a new formula that wouldn’t be implemented until 2028, she said.Sen. Cindy Holscher, a Democrat seeking the party’s nomination for governor along with Sen. Ethan Corson, said she would take on a defensive mindset in an attempt to disrupt GOP legislation that she would view as harmful to the state’s most vulnerable people.“I am always focused on things that will help the people,” she said. “We’ve been pushing things like Medicaid expansion for years. I’m going to look for ways to bring things good forward and push back against the bad stuff.”After the House adjourned for the day, House Democrats gathered with reporters at the Capitol to highlight an agenda designed to benefit working families.House Democrats proposed raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour, allowing renters to get 15% of their rent back in a tax rebate, providing universal school meals and addressing access to and the cost of child care. They also wanted to exempt $125,000 of a home’s value from the state property tax. The current threshold is $75,000.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768312139983.png" alt="House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, a Democrat from Johnson County, speaks to reporters at a Jan. 12, 2026, news conference at the Statehouse where he outlines House Democrats’ ideas to address the rising cost of living. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, a Democrat from Johnson County, speaks to reporters at a Jan. 12, 2026, news conference at the Statehouse where he outlines House Democrats’ ideas to address the rising cost of living. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, D-Lenexa, said Democrats were exploring ways to pay for their wish list. Legalizing recreational marijuana was on the table, he said, along with raising taxes for millionaires.However, he said, cost of living was the No. 1 issue on Kansans’ minds. But their proposals would need support from Republicans to reach the minimum 63 votes for passage in the House.“In the superminority, we have to go find friends, right?” Woodard said. “There’s only 37 of us, so we have to find 26 members that will work with us. The idea of coming up with our own agenda allows us to, one, tell Kansans what we stand for, but also, these are going to be floor amendments that you see on any of the bills that are introduced by Republicans.”Rep. Dan Osman, D-Overland Park, said Kansas should be a place where growing families could afford child care, seniors could live in their homes on a fixed income, and young people could see a future instead of looking to other states.“Families are doing everything right, working hard, budgeting correctly, planning for our future. Yet too many are still feeling squeezed,” Osman said.