Missouri

Missouri rule would require algorithm ‘transparency’ on social media

Attorney General Andrew Bailey unveiled the first-in-the-nation rule that would allow users to choose who moderates their content, in a bid to end what he called “monopoly control” over content moderation.

In some Missouri counties, 911 doesn’t exist. Upgrades to emergency dispatching will change that

In some parts of the state, calls are rerouted to a 10-digit landline number. But federal funds mean that 911 call centers and dispatchers are in line for major upgrades.

Inside Missouri’s push to help gig workers access benefits more easily

The state saw a reduction in benefits application rejections and churn after implementing an income verification platform for nontraditional workers.

Missouri city turns to tech to improve snow removal

Kansas City’s snowplow operators are clearing snow quicker and keeping residents safer with the help of a cloud-hosted platform.

Abortion is on the ballot in 10 states this year. Here's why that matters.

Voters have approved every ballot measure initiative protecting the right to abortion since the reversal of Roe v. Wade. Could voters in Missouri reverse the trend?

Eight states to vote on amendments to ban noncitizen voting

It is already illegal under state laws and rare, but Republicans in some states say the language needs to be clearer in their constitutions.

Voters will decide minimum wage ballot measures in several states

Measures focused on workers who earn tips and on paid leave have drawn more opposition.

‘Internet to go’ programs get a boost

The FCC recently voted to allow schools and libraries to use federal funds to support Wi-Fi hotspot lending programs, which caught fire during the pandemic. The efforts are viewed by some as a small, but critical, way to help close the digital divide.

Why North Kansas City pays its residents’ internet bills, and your city doesn’t pay yours

North Kansas City built a fiber network almost two decades ago that it now uses to provide its residents with gigabit internet. Here’s how it happened and why other cities in the country are, or aren’t, trying to do the same.

Kansas v. Missouri stadium battle shows how states are reigniting border wars

Kansas may spend billions of dollars to lure pro sports teams from Missouri, just a few miles away.

Freedom Caucuses push for conservative state laws, but getting attention is their big success

Eleven states have formal chapters of the State Freedom Caucus Network, which aims to push Republicans to the right.

Missouri Allows Some Disabled Workers to Earn Less Than $1 an Hour. The State Says It’s Fine If That Never Changes

Sheltered workshops are meant to employ disabled adults as they prepare to enter the regular workforce. In Missouri, these workers rarely graduate to higher-paying jobs.

Missouri’s War on Public Health Shows Extent of National Rift

A public health official who said he was anti-abortion and anti-mandate for masks and covid vaccines did not pass the purity test of a Missouri senator who opposes Covid public health restrictions. The senator killed the official’s nomination to be state health director, highlighting how hands may be tied in the nationwide fight against infectious diseases.

‘Am I Even Fit To Be a Mom?’ Diaper Need Is an Invisible Part of Poverty in America

Parents cannot use federal aid to pay for diapers, and are often forced to come up with other solutions, using maxi pads or towels to keep their children clean and dry. In rural America where aid is even harder to access, tiny diaper banks are the only lifeline.

States Decide if Workers Fired Over Vaccine Mandates Can Collect Unemployment

When employers fire people because they fail to follow company policy, employees are generally not eligible for benefits. But three states have or could make non compliant workers eligible.

As Variant Spreads, Some Regions Bring Back Mask Advisories

In St. Louis and Los Angeles, officials are urging vaccinated residents to wear masks as cases of the Delta strain of Covid-19 are on the rise.

Will This State’s Workers be Forced to Pay Back Mistaken Unemployment Aid?

Missouri lawmakers failed to pass legislation that would have allowed the Department of Labor to forgive unemployment benefit overpayments. Officials are trying to determine what happens next.

An Overlooked Economic Powerhouse for Small Cities

Small-scale manufacturers are well-positioned to compete in the digital economy, but also fill storefronts and contribute to a thriving downtown or business district.

'Here I Am.' Meet Kendall Martinez-Wright, a Black-Puerto Rican Trans Woman Running for State Office Amid Record Numbers of Anti-Transgender Bills.

Martinez-Wright, the first transgender woman to run for the Missouri House of Representatives, says the her campaign is “about showcasing the true beauty of diversity.”