Crystal Quade

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said he has no plans to call a special legislative session to protect access to contraceptives and address ectopic pregnancies. Parson’s comments come days after Democratic leaders called on the governor to hold a special session now that the state has banned nearly all abortions.

With the Senate adjourning the day before, after passing a congressional redistricting map, the House spent the last day of the 2022 session approving 20 pieces of legislation.

Abortion-rights activists say their best hope to roll back a ban if Roe v. Wade is overturned could be at the federal level.

The Missouri House minority leader said that redistricting and voting rights bills could be major sources of contention during the last week of session.

The budget bills come as the Missouri Senate is expected to make changes to the House’s legislation. Senators have expressed frustration at the House taking what they believe is longer than normal on the budget with only six weeks left in the 2022 session.

While the Missouri House has already passed nearly 40 bills, gridlock in the Senate has brought operations in the upper chamber to a near-standstill. With eight weeks left, only a supplemental budget bill has made it past the finish line so far.

Family, friends and elected officials remembered Cora Faith Walker’s infectious smile and her advocacy work for marginalized communities during a celebration of life Friday at the Friendly Temple Baptist Church in north St. Louis.

The somewhat surprising agreement comes as the commission in charge of drawing Missouri’s Senate districts has yet to approve a map.

While the Missouri House is slated to debate a congressional redistricting map early next week, the Senate this week made a rule change in part to continue improving working relationships.

House Democrats proposed their own congressional map that would make the 2nd District more competitive.