The initiative, which he championed during his 2024 gubernatorial campaign, reflects his vision for effective law enforcement and aims to ensure that resources and oversight are adequately managed at the state level, ultimately fostering a more cohesive approach to crime prevention and response in St. Louis.

The history behind the State’s oversight of the St. Louis Police Department is a long one. Dating back to 1808, the department is one of the oldest in the United States and was less of a department and more a militia. Consisting of four men, the SLPD was established to protect the growing settlement of St. Louis. 

As time went on, the city grew and a larger force was needed to keep the peace. During the Civil War, the strategic importance of St. Louis was vital to both Union and Confederate forces. With Union forces ultimately controlling the city, the police department was brought under state control. 

For more than 150 years after that control, St. Louis’s Police Department had remained under state control until 2013 when a ballot initiative succeeded in handing control over to the local government. 

National and state perceptions of crime in St. Louis has been uniformly negative over time. Over the past few decades, St. Louis has consistently stayed in the top 10 of various lists ranking the most dangerous cities in the United States. In many lists, St. Louis has reached number one and stayed close to that spot over time. 

Although St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones and other city officials have offered statistics that prove that violent crime has been trending down in the past decade and reports differ on their methodology and their credibility, the public perception of the city’s crime has yet to budge for many Missourians and Americans alike. 

By returning the SLPD back to state control, the legislation creates a six-member board to supervise the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, consisting of five citizens appointed by the Governor and the Mayor of St. Louis. 

Among the governor’s appointees, four will be voting members required to reside within the city, while the fifth appointee will serve as a nonvoting member and can live either in the city or nearby. 

The Mayor of St. Louis will also hold a voting position on the board.

In its final day of voting in the House, the bill also saw the addition of an emergency clause measure. This will mean that after signing it, Governor Kehoe will have 90 days to appoint the board members. 

HB 495 not only includes legislation for the creation of the board that will run the St. Louis PD but also includes increased penalties for the sex trafficking of minors, increased penalties for the distribution of fentanyl to minors, prohibition of stunt driving, and more. 

During the Democrat-led filibuster in the Senate, Senator Karla May and her colleagues managed to remove the rioting provision from the bill as well as increase the minimum funding from 22% to 25%. Senator Mary Elizabeth Coleman also managed to attach an amendment that would remove shackles from pregnant female inmates. 

Earlier today, the Governor held the signing of the bill in his office in the Capitol. 

“It’s a big day for our office and our team with me today, but it’s a bigger day for Missouri citizens and a win for our law enforcement,” stated Governor Kehoe during the bill signing. “We want St. Louis and the entire region to thrive, it’s important for the rest of the state and we know that the ripple effect from this will make that happen.” 

The Governor was also joined by a slew of legislators, public safety officials, members of law enforcement, and Attorney General Andrew Bailey. 

“Like Governor Kehoe, I also have significant attachments to St. Louis,” said Representative Brad Chris, who was the bills handler in the House. “Today begins the ascent of St. Louis to becoming what it once was.” 

In the Senate, Senator Nick Schroer and Senator Travis Fitzwater led the charge on this bill. 

“There was a promise that we made to voters before coming into office this year that we were going to make this state safer for Missourians,” stated Senator Schroer. “Today with the signing of this bill, we are going to make good on that promise.” 

Senator Fitzwater also added, “The loss of population and businesses in St. Louis is not sustainable,” the Senator also thanked Senate Majority Floor Leader Tony Luetkemeyer for his hard work in passing this bill. “Behind the scenes, I don’t know if anyone carried more weight without getting enough credit than Senator Tony Luetkemeyer.” 

With St. Louis soon to be added to the list of state responsibilities, Attorney General Andrew Bailey noted that his team can be counted on to continue making Missouri safe. 

“I want to thank the Governor for his leadership and for making this a priority,” Bailey noted. “I am excited to welcome the St. Louis Police Department as our new clients for the law firm of the state of Missouri. You can count on us for consistent, quality, and competent  representation.” 

With the passage and signing of HB 495, the control of St. Louis’s police department is now on its way to finally being returned back to the state. The question now will be, can Governor Kehoe’s bold plan to tackle crime in St. Louis be successful? Only time will tell, but for now, the Governor has received a major win that could shape the future of the Show-Me State.

Jake Kroesen

Jake Kroesen is a Jackson County native and a graduate of the University of Central Missouri. He holds a B.S. in Political Science.

themissouritimes.com

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In a recent SLU/You Gov poll Parson has increased his approval rating to  85% amongst republcians, up again from February. His overall his approval rating was +10% with 52% approving vs. 42% disapproving of the job he has done as Governor. 

Further, Parson has a 49% approval rating among independents, with only 11% of democrats not approving of his job performance. However, 28% of African-Americans approve of the job he has done as Governor. 

On the economy 74% of Missourians rated Missouri’s economy as fair or better compared to just 44% rating the national economy as fair or better. 

Parson’s increasing popularity could be tied to his recent actions on the border crisis. 75% of Missourians said they believe there is a crisis at the border, and that it should solved “immediately”. 

Only 37% of Missourians approved of President Biden’s job performance contrasted with a 45% job approval of the Missouri Legislature. 

In the race for Governor, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and House Minority Leader Crystal Quade hold double digit leads in their primaries. 

In a series of questions Missourians also respond overwhelmingly favorably to school choice and open enrollment options. 

The survey was conducted from February 14th to February 26th and surveyed 900 likely Missouri voters with a margin of error of 3.74%. The full poll can be read here: https://www.slu.edu/research/research-institute/big-ideas/slu-poll/data-archive/february-2024-poll/slu-poll-february-2024-topline-results.pdf 

Brady Hays

Brady Hays is a 2023 graduate of the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in History. He is currently attending the University of Missouri School of Law and is on pace to graduate with his JD in 2026. He has been working for the Missouri Times since early March 0f 2022.

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And even though the U.S. has a very long and complex history with the various countries and cultures that reside in the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula, Missouri is looking to broaden its horizon in this frontier.

In November, Gov. Mike Parson embarked on a trade mission to the Middle East where he visited Israel and the United Arab Emirates to promote Missouri as an ideal place for foreign investment.

Missouri is also looking to expand the private sector in the near future as well. According to the Department of Economic Development, Missouri is going to have a booth for the Arab Health Convention in the United Arab Emirates this coming January. While there, health care providers from Missouri will have a chance to show off their technology and expand business connections.

While Missouri is expanding into new frontiers in countries like Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, the state could also look into strengthening the bond with a longtime ally: the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

This year has been full of American and Saudi diplomacy. President Joe Biden took a trip to Saudi Arabia this past summer, where he met with the Kingdom’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud. The Kingdom also participated in a very important prisoner trade deal between Russia and the U.S, both of whom are still embroiled in different sides of the conflict in the Ukraine.

Missouri has a smaller relationship with the Kingdom compared to the U.S. as a whole, but the relationship has room to grow. As of now, Missouri exports about $132 million worth of goods to Saudi Arabia. It might be surprising to many to learn that Missouri’s top exports to the Kingdom are mostly different types of electrical technology and mechanical parts. Missouri also imports about $24 million worth of goods according to data from the International Trade Administration.

Fahad Nazer, the official spokesperson for the Saudi Embassy in Washington, D.C., sat down with The Missouri Times to discuss the future of economic relationship between the Kingdom and the U.S. — and where exactly Missouri fits in.

“There are great opportunities in the Kingdom as we try to invest in a number of sectors,” said Nazer.

As of now, one of the Kingdom’s biggest expansions is in the field of energy production and stability. Although Saudi Arabia is known for its efficient crude oil production, Nazer talked in depth about the country’s move to start diversifying its energy sector and investing in other areas.

This is also a move Missouri has made as well with companies like Ameren — that continues to develop new solar stations around the state — and organizations like Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority investing in biofuel initiatives. There is definitely a demand for Missouri’s energy initiatives around the world, especially overseas.

There are also other sectors Missouri can invest in and be invested in. As mentioned before, Missouri has already taken a step forward when it comes to expanding its investments in health care in the Middle East. Health care has only grown more important as the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Missouri and Saudi Arabia’s need for health care and healthcare investment is no different.

But Nazer also emphasized that energy and health care are not the only sectors where business can thrive between the two nations and Missouri specifically.

“Health care, the financial sector, education, housing, tourism, entertainment, mining, food security, cyber security, you name it. I really can’t think of a single sector of the economy where there isn’t interest, there isn’t potential, there isn’t investment,” said Nazer.

Some of Missouri’s biggest industries domestically have the opportunity to become big industries internationally. As of now, some of Missouri’s biggest international exports include agricultural products and both mechanical and electrical engineering components. Some of those are already exported to the Kingdom on a large scale. There is definitely room to grow those areas as well. But Missouri excels in other industries as well, like finance, real estate and health care that could prove to be worthwhile investments abroad and at home.

Who Missouri trades with is also a big deal. While the U.S. continues to trade billions of dollars worth of goods and services to numerous countries, individual states do the same. But Missouri is narrow in its trading portfolio when it comes to partners. Canada is Missouri’s largest trading partner with $5.2 billion traded between the nations. Missouri’s business with Canada is almost double that of their second place partner, Mexico at $2.6 billion. China is in third place at $929 million, all according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

When asked about why Missouri should look to invest more or be invested in by some of its other trading partners, Nazer talked about the importance of the new world we live in and what kind of economy it brings with it as well.

“We live in an increasingly interconnected world. We are absolutely a part of an interconnected global economy,” he said.

While the Missouri economy is doing very well as of now, it may be worth the time of all Missourians to think about the future and look overseas for new and exciting opportunities in a variety of different sectors both abroad and at home.

Kelton Turner

Kelton is a 2023 graduate of the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies. He is a native of mid-Missouri and likes to write politics at both the state and federal levels. Kelton joined the Missouri Times in April 2022

www.themissouritimes.com

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“The Governor’s special session is an election season ploy to change the subject after suddenly discovering that eliminating Missourians’ reproductive rights isn’t the winning issue Republicans thought it would be,” Quade said in a press release put out just minutes after Parson’s Monday afternoon press conference. “It is also a textbook example of fiscal irresponsibility.”

Parson proposed a variety of cuts at a press conference Monday that are permanent and different from the rebate detailed in HB 2090, an income-tax-based bill that would have given a refund based on income-tax liability. Parson vetoed the bill on July 1. He has now proposed a 4.8% income tax rate, down from the current 5.3%. 

“Our tax cut proposal means that every taxpaying Missourian, no matter their background, income, or job description, will see a reduction in their tax liability,” Parson said. “Every Missourian will earn their first $16,000 tax-free and married joint filers will earn their first $32,000 tax-free, resulting in significant savings for millions of Missourians.”

Legislators and interested groups have criticized the way the cut is calculated. Currently, the Governor is proposing a cut based on income tax. This means the more a resident makes, the more a resident will save, keeping more money in the pockets of high-earning Missourians than low-earning ones. 

According to data from the Institue of Taxation and Economic Policy, the top 1% of Missourians would see by far the most benefit from the tax cuts, even when factoring in the new standard deduction for married and joint filers. The lowest earning Missourians, those making less than $22,000 annually, would see by far the least benefit.

A distracting proposal offered by Governor Parson would give a tax cut of $6000 to certain earners & $84 to others, according to the MBP — guess where most Missourians fall? Average median income for an MO individual in 2020 was $30,662 & household income was $57,290. #MOLeg pic.twitter.com/evwJEp6yOU

— Rep. LaKeySha Bosley (@TeamBosleyMO79) August 22, 2022

The proposal also doesn’t give a clear way to help pay for state revenue lost to the tax cut.

Parson met with Democratic House members Tuesday. 

“We had a nice conversation, to be honest,” said Rep. Peter Merideth, D-St. Louis City, a ranking minority member on the Budget committee. 

Meredith said that there was some pushback, but that there were also some things that House Minority Leadership and the Governor agreed on as well. 

The tax proposal has seen its fair share of backlash, however the other piece of legislation Parson wants to work on combined with tax cuts could make for a long, possibly contentious session. The opposite of what Parson wants after calling a session over two bills he vetoed.

“The Senate rule has the chance to come together, on both sides of the aisle, for what’s good for all Missourians,” Parson said at his press conference Monday after making remarks about his hope for a quick session.

The other bill on the table is HB 1720, a bill with stipulations regarding The Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority (MASBDA) and the longevity of the programs it holds authority over. Parson wanted more of the programs to be up for renewal after six years,  instead of the proposed two years, with a possible six-year extension. 

“Vetoing an ag bill is not something I took lightly or wanted to do,” Parson said Monday. “But we cannot leave our farmers, ranchers and business owners with a bad deal.”

The bill passed the House 111-26, with support from Democrats. Without their support, it is difficult to say if the bill would have passed. This need for Democrat support is something that will likely follow this bill into the upcoming session. 

But there are other aspects that could cause issues this session as well. 

Some members of the general assembly that are participating in this session will not be returning afterward. Many have lost their primary, which is a factor that could change their perspective on voting for or against legislation. 

Many members won their primary and some could use this session as a potential boost they could use for their gain in their upcoming general election. 

Either way, a session after primaries but before generals can certainly throw a wrench in the agendas of many legislators from both sides of the aisle In Jefferson City.

With Senate leadership elections looming, and in the wake of the conservative caucus’ “olive branch” many factors will be playing into the politics of the upcoming special session

The only thing we know for certain is that it will not be quick or easy.

Featured Image: Rep. Crystal Quade and the House Democratic Caucus holds a press conference (TIM BOMMEL/HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS).

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The most talked about and controversial piece of legislation is Parson’s proposal on income tax cuts that he announced at a press conference Monday afternoon. Parson vetoed HB 2090, a bill that aimed to give both married couples and single filers a tax rebate based on their income tax liability, on July 1.

Parson has come back with a much different proposal than that outlined in HB 2090. On Monday afternoon the Governor outlined his plan to drop the income tax rate from 5.3% to 4.8%. Parson’s plan would also eliminate the bottom tax bracket.

Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo, D-Jackson County, added an amendment to HB 2090 that put an income cap on those who could receive the refund of $150,000 for singles and $300,000 for joint filers. Parson opposed the amendment prior to vetoing the bill, the St. Louis Post Dispatch reported.

“Senate Democrats approved targeted tax relief for working families … the Governor vetoed it,” Rizzo said in a statement. “We’ll carefully review his new proposal … if there is a tax cut it should benefit the middle-class working families in Missouri.”

Parson will meet with Democratic leadership in the House Tuesday to discuss his plan.

Stakeholders, specifically the AARP, previously criticized HB 2090 for being based on income tax liability, meaning Missouri’s lowest earners would see the least amount of help. Parson’s proposal may be able to fix that issue if he gets his way during special session.

“Our tax cut proposal means that every taxpaying Missourian, no matter their background, income, or job description, will see a reduction in their tax liability,” Parson said. “Every Missourian will earn their first $16,000 tax-free and married joint filers will earn their first $32,000 tax-free, resulting in significant savings for millions of Missourians.”

During his press conference, Parson put his proposal in perspective, citing that a senior making $20,000 a year would see a 100% decrease in income tax liability.

Still, the cut being income-tax-based would benefit the wealthy more than lower earners, as paying a lower percentage of income tax becomes more beneficial with the more income one makes. Detractors from the plan have pointed to former Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback’s tax cut disaster, criticizing Parson for using temporary federal relief funds to cover the loss in revenue from tax cuts.

“While Governor Parson focused on how certain struggling individuals might pay less in taxes, the proposals discussed today remain heavily weighted to benefit the wealthiest Missourians,” Amy Blouin, president of the Missouri Budget Project said in a press release shortly after Parson’s press conference.

“Relying on the current surplus to fund permanent tax changes isn’t fiscally sustainable, or responsible, and will ultimately require cuts to state services like we saw in Kansas a few years ago,” she added.

Parson believes his proposal is sustainable, he addressed concerns about reliance on federal money at his press conference.

“We’re not factoring in federal money with this,” Parson said. “This is general revenue in the state … we believe we can sustain this.”

The state may soon have an influx in revenue to cover the income tax cut, pending the legalization and taxation of the recreational use of marijuana. Legal Missouri 2022, the campaign which got marijuana legalization on the ballot through an initiative petition, estimates that legal cannabis would generate $40.8 million annually for the state.

Parson hopes to get the income tax bill done quickly, noting that he’s met with a lot of state legislators, the majority of which have supported Parson’s plan.

“I welcome Gov. Parson’s call for a special session — and I plan to file a bill on the first day to cut taxes for every family in Missouri,” Sen. Lincoln Hough. R-Springfield, said. “Allowing Missourians to make more income before they actually have to file taxes is continuing to remove burdensome government from the lives of everyday Missourians.”

Despite expected pushback from across the aisle and within his own party, Parson believes that he has put a good proposal on the table.

“The Senate rule has the chance to come together, on both sides of the aisle, for what’s good for all Missourians,” he said.

Parson also spoke about his plans for agriculture tax credit programs. Parson vetoed HB 1720 in July over concerns about the two-year extension period. His new proposal extends and creates nearly a dozen tax credit programs for agriculture providers and sets a minimum time of six years before the programs need to be renewed.

“Vetoing an ag bill is not something I took lightly or wanted to do,” Parson said. “But we cannot leave our farmers, ranchers and business owners with a bad deal.”

Featured Image Courtesy of Governor Mike Parson (Facebook)

Matthew McFarland

I’m a journalist hailing from the Detroit area. I love to tell investigative stories with a focus on everyday people.

You can contact me by email at matthew@missouritimes.com

The post Parson officially issues call for special session, lays out plan for income tax cut appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Parson signed the order Wednesday afternoon at a press conference flanked by Chris Chinn, Dru Buntin and Sara Parker Pauley; the directors of the Missouri departments of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Conservation respectively.

The executive order will call together the three departments to form the Drought Assessment Committee and decide the best course of action for drought relief.

Parson urged proactivity as the Southern part of the state faces severe drought. According to the federal state drought tracker, around 50% of Missouri is experiencing a moderate drought with over half of that 50% experiencing a severe drought. The drought spreads from Oregon to Boone Counties, covering a vast swath of the state.

“As a farmer myself, I know the heartache a drought can bring, especially in the middle of July,” Parson said at the press conference. “We’ve learned from past experience, the more proactive we are, the better we can help our farmers and citizens lessen the impact of even the most severe droughts.”

The departments of Natural Resouces and Conservation will work together to provide water to farmers supplied from state parks and conservation areas.

Missouri farmers have faced an uphill battle all year, facing high fertilizer and fuel costs. A drought of this scale enveloping the southern portion of the state could have dire economic impacts for many farmers.

The drought is impacting the cattle indrustry particularly hard, forcing cattlemen to decide between culling their cows now and selling into a saturated market or hope for enough rain to produce sufficient hay for cattle feeding.

“Livestock producers are having to make difficult decisions about selling livestock because there is no pasture in many areas. Grain farmers are watching their crops wither before pollination. Conditions are difficult for many Missouri farmers and ranchers,” Chinn said.

Parson suspended administrative rules and offered some avenues to financial relief for Missouri farmers. No specific spending or program for drought relief was announced besides the formation of the Drought Assessment Committee and a special session of the Soil and Water Conservation Commission on July 25.

Parson and the three directors stressed the importance of community assistance to administration during times of drought, helping the state monitor the drought and provide assistance accuractely and efficiently.

“Our partners are doing a great job helping us assess drought conditions across Missouri,” Buntin said. “We’re also relying on help from our citizens in reporting and submitting photographs of the conditions they’re seeing locally.”

Citizens can report drought conditions to the Condition Monitoring Observer Reports system.

The Parson administration doesn’t see drought conditions improving soon. Regardless of when the rains come, Parson stressed the importance of continued support to farmers through the coming months.

“This will not go away with the first rains that come,” Parson said. “This will affect these farmers in the fall, it will affect them in the winter becuase of the conditions … anytime you’re feeding livestock in July in a great amount, you know that’s problematic.”

The administration doesn’t see as much of a threat to drinking water as there was in the 2018 drought that rocked most of Northern Missouri. Southern Missouri’s access to natural water sources is expected to curb the danger of that possibillity. Parson did encourage “common sense” when it came to citizen water conservation, especially in Southern and Mid-Missouri, the hardest hit areas.

The Governor has reached out to U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt to see what federal resources may be available to the state.

“The persistent drought conditions we’re seeing in many parts of the state are a huge concern for farm families. We need to be sure farmers and producers are able to recover quickly, especially given the global food challenges we’re facing,” Blunt said in an email exchange with the Missouri Times. “I will continue to be in touch with Governor Parson, Directors Chinn and Pauley, and other state and local officials to help support response efforts.”

Featured Image Courtesy of the National Drought Mitigation Center

Matthew McFarland

I’m a journalist hailing from the Detroit area. I love to tell investigative stories with a focus on everyday people.

You can contact me by email at matthew@missouritimes.com

The post Parson signs executive order, Missouri’s drought response goes into action appeared first on The Missouri Times.

According to the state drought monitor, the southern portion of the state and a swath of the middle portion have been classified as abnormally dry, or dealing with a “moderate drought”. Parts of Carter, Oregon, Ripley and Howell counties, which sit on the Missouri-Arkansas border, have been classified as dealing with severe drought.

63% of the state is showing signs of drought. 

The drought has had effects on hay growth in particular, according to the Missouri Department of Agriculture’s weekly market report released earlier this week. The hay market itself is still stable, with hay not being too hard to find or buy. 

The real issue is that many farmers use the hay they cut to feed their livestock, including cattle.

“The bad part is dryness is causing some (cattlemen) to either already think of feeding something now or the more common solution is starting to cull cows and reducing herd size,” the report states.

This statement echoes the problem many cattlemen are facing across the state this summer. Should they cut hay and cull their herd? Or, should they wait for the possibility of more rain to cut hay later and keep their herd population?

For many farmers, it can be a tough choice. 

The cattle market has become oversaturated with supply. An influx of culling cows from neighboring states also experiencing drought and the high number of cattle being culled within Missouri borders has caused the market to take a significant hit. This makes culling cattle a risky, and potentially costly choice. 

“Many producers are being forced to reduce herd size as there just isn’t enough grass to maintain inventory levels, and feeding this early in the year isn’t feasible given lower hay production,” the report states. “The market took a big hit mid-week.”

Waiting for rain can be just as risky, as the drought has shown no signs of letting up in some parts of the state. 

“There have certainly been years, without question, when people have had to start feeding hay in August. But to start feeding hay in June or the first of July, that’s pretty tough,” Christi Miller, communications director with the Missouri Department of Agriculture said. Miller and her Husband raise cattle in Miller County, near Eldon

“That’s hard to keep going all year long. If you’ve got to start feeding your hay and then hope that it lasts all through the winter — so that’s pretty tough,” she added.

Miller and the Department of Agriculture are aware of the difficult decision many cattlemen are facing in parts of the state. The choice to cull their cattle and sell for cheap in a saturated market or risk running out of food for their bovines.

“So now you have to make that decision — Do you feed hay? Do you find find a place where there is grass, something to feed those cows or do you send them?” Miller said. “The market is not quite as good, so nobody wants to give their cattle away. When there’s a rush on the market prices drop, so that’s a challenge for our producers too.”

When asked about what a farmer should do when faced with an ugly reality such as this, Miller invoked the classic philosophy many farmers are known for. Their optimism in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. 

“Farmers are the ultimate optimists, right? We’re the eternal optimist, whether we put a seed in the ground or we breed cows, or whatever we do, we’re always eternal optimists,” she said. “We’re in it because we love it. I mean, people in agriculture do it because they love it or you don’t stay in it for very long. So we certainly love it, but it is difficult decisions.”

The fix to the problem may not be as simple as getting a few inches of rain on any given day. While a big one-day downpour would be welcome, it would take a longer, sustained period of rainfall to produce an amount of hay that would put farmers’ minds at ease, Miller said.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture offers a hay directory, available to any farmer that needs hay. The purpose of the directory is to help any farmer in need of hay by helping them find available hay close to them. While not a fix-all solution, the directory is still a valuable resource to get hay to farmers that need it, and possibly save them from having to make hard decisions.

Gov. Parson is also stepping in, which is no surprise considering the former Polk County Sherriff owns and operates a cattle operation near Bolivar, Mo., in the southwest region of the state.

“​​This administration, the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Conservation are watching the drought situation across Missouri very closely,” Parson said. “We are ready to act if the situation worsens. As a farmer, I know the harmful effects a drought can have on farmers and Missouri agri-businesses, and as Governor, I will do what I can to assist in any way possible.”

The new drought index for Missouri will release later this week, providing new data on the ongoing conditions. The trend doesn’t seem to be stopping, as heat and dry weather are predicted to rage on through the end of the summer.

Editor’s Note: Gov. Parson announced a press conference regarding the drought at 3:45 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. The press conference will be held in the Governor’s Office in the Capitol building and will take place Thursday at 2 p.m.

Featured Image: Courtesy: Gov. Parson Facebook

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988 is a national initiative, simplifying and improving the services of the previous National Suicide Prevention hotline. 1-800-273-8255, the previous hotline number, will continue to function and both numbers will connect callers to the same services. Those seeking mental health services can also text the 988 number.

U.S. Sen Roy Blunt welcomed the launch of 988 on Friday, the new number went live on Saturday.

“The number of calls to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline skyrocketed in recent years as Americans struggled with the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each one of those calls can be a life or death moment for a person in crisis,” Blunt said. “We need to be sure the capacity is there to answer every call as quickly as possible. As the top Republican on the appropriations subcommittee that funds health programs, I have been proud to work with my colleagues to substantially increase federal funding to transition to the lifeline’s new 988 number.”

Blunt serves on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies. Blunt also backed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which was signed into law last month and provided $150 million in federal money for the launch of 988.

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act also gave states the opportunity to expand mental health services in accordance with the Excellence in Mental Health program, which started in 2014. Missouri is one of nine states participating in the Excellence in Mental Health pilot program, according to a press release from Blunt.

988’s implementation was a national initiative but left states responsible for ensuring access to crisis services. Missouri’s seven centers for 988 calls went live Saturday, the first day possible.

“The launch of the 988 crisis line will establish a more streamlined and effective resource for Missourians in a behavioral health crisis,” Gov. Mike Parson said in a press release. “We know that when individuals are experiencing a crisis — the sooner we can connect them to support and provide assistance the better. The launch of 988 is an important step in addressing the mental health crisis and saving lives.”

Missouri’s 988 crisis specialists expect to field 253,000 contacts, which include calls and texts, in the first year of operation. Crisis specialists are expected to work with individuals in need of help, provide support and connect them to resources. Specialists can also dispatch mobile crisis response teams should the situation necessitate it.

“The Missouri Department of Mental Health (DMH) is seizing this opportunity to advance current crisis services towards an evidence-based care continuum prepared to deliver high-quality behavioral health services statewide,” Valerie Huhn, director of the DMH said. “Providing consistent crisis care and support will be integral to reducing the burden on and misuse of law enforcement/emergency response and other public health services.”

Featured Image: Gov. Mike Parson and U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt tout the Rocheport Bridge replacement project. (ALISHA SHURR/THE MISSOURI TIMES). 

Matthew McFarland

I’m a journalist hailing from the Detroit area. I love to tell investigative stories with a focus on everyday people.

You can contact me by email at matthew@missouritimes.com

The post Blunt-backed suicide crisis hotline goes live in Missouri appeared first on The Missouri Times.

The bill only applies to transactions between June 1 and July 31 of 2026, which is when the majority of World Cup ticket exchanges will take place.

Sen. John Rizzo, D- Jackson County, sponsored the bill, which is an identical piece of legislation to House Bill (HB) 2544 filed by Rep. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit.

The two legislators, who championed the bill in an effort to increase Kansas City’s chances of winning its World Cup host bid, flanked Parson as he signed.

Rizzo believes that the passing of SB 652 was instrumental in securing Kansas City its successful bid.

“I don’t believe that we even get in the conversation without this bill being passed,” Rizzo said on a phone call. “The fact we went the extra mile, and we passed the bill this year … pretty much all you need to know about how important it was — the only place that got the World Cup in the Midwest is the place that passed that bill.”

Kansas City is the lone representative from the nation’s heartland, the closest city to it being Dallas. Atlanta and Houston join Dallas and Kansas City as the U.S. cities in the Central region. Monterrey and Mexico City represent Mexico in the Central region.

“It’s a great responsibility, people are going to look to Kansas City and see the Midwest on full display in the heartland of America, and that’s the only look they’re going to get,” Rizzo said. “We have a big responsibility to make sure we do a great job, and I know that we will do a great job. But we have to make sure that we put the best foot forward.”

Rizzo said he hasn’t had any conversations about future legislation as the state prepares for the 2026 World Cup. He did note that there have been discussions he wasn’t a part of about upgrading Arrowhead Stadium, which will host World Cup games in Kansas City, during the event.

Featured Image: Sen. John Rizzo, D-Jackson County, and Rep. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, and his son flank Gov. Mike Parson as he signs SB 652 in Kansas City on June 23, 2022. Rizzo and Patterson were the leading voices in getting SB 652 passed through the legislature. (Courtesy of Sen. John Rizzo)

Matthew McFarland

I’m a journalist hailing from the Detroit area. I love to tell investigative stories with a focus on everyday people.

You can contact me by email at matthew@missouritimes.com

The post Missouri goes the extra mile, signs World Cup bill into law appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Jefferson City, Mo. — Missouri farmers were given more power in eminent domain proceedings by a bill signed into law last weekend.

House Bill (HB) 2005 was signed by Gov. Mike Parson, guaranteeing greater protections for Missouri’s landowners in certain eminent domain cases.

Eminent domain refers to the authority of the government to seize private land, with compensation, for public use. In Missouri this generally means the seizing of rural farmland for infrastructure projects.

A 2005 Supreme Court case, Kelo vs. New London, set a precedent that the government can seize privately owned land to sell to private entities in the name of economic development for a public purpose. The decision created an outcry for states to set their own more strict eminent domain rules, which Missouri’s lawmakers did at the time.

The issue garnered additional attention in 2019 after the Missouri Public Service Commission granted the Grain Belt Express, a private entity, authority to exercise eminent domain to build its electric transmission line through Northern Missouri.

The original plan was to build the transmission line starting in Kansas, accessing the Sunflower State’s wind turbine electricity, through Missouri and Illinois and ending in Indiana to provide renewable energy to the Eastern market.

“The issue at hand in the legislature these many years, what was the fundamental question? Is it right for eminent domain to be used for private gain? Farmers, ranchers and landowners will unequivocally say that is not right,” Garret Hawkins, president of the Missouri Farm Bureau, said.

“And that was the question that we were trying to get answered through a legislative remedy the last few years — leading to the culmination of an eminent domain reform package this past session.”

The main concern of the bureau was the lack of energy Missourians would see from the transmission line. HB 2005 addresses that concern, requiring electric companies seeking to build infrastructure in Missouri to provide a proportional amount of energy to the amount of transmission line built in the state.

The bill also gives farmers more power in negotiations over their land. The floor for compensation is 150% of fair market value for their land, fair market value will be determined by the courts.

If a judge decides that “good faith negotiations” did not occur during compensation negotiations the case may then be dismissed, according to the bill. The condemning party will be required to reimburse the landowner for costs incurred.

“So at least a landowner knows up front because of these changes in state statute, they know that the negotiation now looks a little differently. And they also know that a project that is being proposed has to provide a proportional benefit to the state — That we’re not going to be a pass through to reach the east or west coast lucrative markets — they know that their fellow Missourians will benefit from from the project,” Hawkins said.

The bill does have some limitations. The new eminent domain rules in HB 2005 will only impact electric transmission line projects that are filed on or after Aug. 28. Meaning it will have no impact on the Grain Belt Express transmission line.

“The biggest disappointment was that this bill had to only be forward looking and did not capture the project that really brought attention to the whole issue of power transmission,” Hawkins said.

Invenergy, a Chicago based sustainable energy company, acquired the Grain Belt Express project in 2018 and have promised to provide more energy to Missouri than what was outlined in the original plans.

The bill also only sets specific rules for electric transmission lines, not eminent domain as a whole. In Hawkins’ view, HB 2005 is a good step forward, but not a cure-all.

Hawkins wants to seek possible legislative solutions on maintenance procedures of completed infrastructure projects in the future.

“I see a conversation about use of eminent domain with regard to other infrastructure projects,” Hawkins said. “I also see a conversation about property rights as it pertains to maintenance of projects that are in place. And what that relationship looks like between farmers, landowners, and utility companies.”

Featured Image: Missouri Farm Bureau president Garrett Hawkins with Sen. Jason Bean and Rep. Mike Haffner in Jefferson City on May 9. Bean and Haffner championed the eminent domain bill during spring session.

Matthew McFarland

I’m a journalist hailing from the Detroit area. I love to tell investigative stories with a focus on everyday people.

You can contact me by email at matthew@missouritimes.com

The post Eminent domain bill aims to level the playing field for Missouri farmers appeared first on The Missouri Times.