Missouri

A redistricting dispute in Missouri pushed the Supreme Court to clarify the Purcell principle, the doctrine limiting court changes to election maps close to elections. Commentators say the episode also exposed flaws in the Court's shadow docket, where consequential rulings are issued through brief, often unexplained orders.

The US Supreme Court has once again blocked the use of a Republican-favored congressional map in Missouri, stopping the state from using district boundaries the Court had previously rejected. The repeated intervention underscores an ongoing legal fight over redistricting in the state, with GOP lawmakers pushing for maps that favor their party and courts repeatedly stepping in to halt their use.

Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe says he is disappointed after a Republican-favored congressional map in the state was blocked again. The ruling stalls the GOP effort to redraw districts, and Kehoe's reaction signals the battle over Missouri's political maps is set to continue in the courts.

Missouri state officials have asked the Missouri Supreme Court to stop the awarding of 13 marijuana business licenses, moving a licensing dispute to the state's highest court. The request puts on hold a contested step in the state's cannabis program, which has already faced complaints over how licenses are scored and granted. The court's response will determine whether the 13 licenses can move forward.

A commentary published by Missouri Independent argues that state officials should take their time in selecting the next commissioner of education for Missouri, rather than rushing the decision. The piece frames the appointment as a consequential choice for the state's schools and urges a deliberate, thorough search process to find the right leader.

CenterPointe Hospital in Columbia, Missouri, is hosting an event to educate the public about Naloxone and distribute the opioid overdose-reversal drug. The hospital announced the free education and distribution session through local news outlet KOMU 8. Such events aim to put the lifesaving medication in more hands as communities confront the ongoing opioid crisis.