Clara Bates | Missouri Independent

Democrats pledged that the motion to end debate, unused since 2020, will mean confrontation and the end of cooperation.

The fate of the law remains uncertain as Republican state legislators continue working to weaken it before the session concludes on May 16.

A sweeping child welfare bill that would ban child marriage and prohibit the state from seizing foster children’s Social Security benefits is headed to the governor’s desk, after the Missouri Senate gave it final approval Tuesday on a 32 to 1 vote.

Legislation that would void non-disclosure agreements in child sexual abuse cases received unanimous approval from Missouri’s House on Tuesday afternoon.

In most Missouri counties, children linger in foster care longer than the federal standard, according to data compiled by the state social services agency.

Missouri could be on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars in Medicaid costs under proposals being debated in Congress.

The proposal, which has received little opposition from lawmakers, was tacked onto a controversial bill that would reduce the amount of time people have to sue in personal injury cases.

People languish for an average of 14 months in jail before receiving the mental health treatment that could allow them to stand trial.

The court sided with former state vendor EngagePoint, which was hired to help implement the state’s public benefits case management system.