Skip to Content

Missouri Politics

Vernetti announces reelection bid for statehouse

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) State Rep. Jeff Vernetti (R-Camdenton) announced his reelection bid in the Missouri House of Representatives in a Wednesday press release. Vernetti first won his seat last year. State representatives serve two-year terms. The release says focuses of his campaign include “accessibility and constituent service.” He owns LOZ Sports Training and Vernetti’s Italian

Continue Reading

Black Friday turns political as signature gatherers and their opponents target shoppers

COLUMBIA (Mo.) KMIZ Petitioners trying to get Missouri’s new congressional map on the 2026 ballot collected signatures on Black Friday as the deadline to submit approaches. The Boone County Democratic Party posted on Facebook, requesting volunteers to sign up for shifts on the big shopping day. This comes after Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced her

Continue Reading

Tyson Smith plans to prefile legislation on dog-breeding facilities; woman appears in court for Columbia animal abuse care

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A representative for Columbia in Missouri’s state house plans on prefiling legislation about dog-breeding facilities. Democratic State Rep. David Tyson Smith wrote on his social media on Thursday that he plans on prefiling a bill that would require regular inspections at dog-breeding facilities. The announcement comes after Melissa Sanders, 26, of Columbia,

Continue Reading

Missouri’s sports betting launch sparks excitement, but concerns loom over addiction, harassment, game integrity

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Inside a Jefferson City conference room, fewer than a dozen people have been creating hundreds of pages of rules that could help shape Missouri’s future.  The Missouri Gaming Commission refers to it as the “war room,” and it’s where the groundwork is being laid for the state’s journey into legalized sports betting.

Continue Reading

Alford, Cleaver release statements on Epstein files vote; Senate approves resolution

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Two congressmen representing parts of Missouri have released statements about their votes to release the Epstein files. U.S. Rep. Mark Alford (R-Raytown) and U.S. Rep. Emanuel (D-Kansas City) were among the 427 House members to vote Tuesday afternoon to compel the Justice Department to release files related to the investigation of convicted

Continue Reading

Missourians to get full SNAP benefits following deal to end shutdown

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) The Missouri Department of Social Services has started working to get Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients their benefits after the president signed legislation ending the federal government shutdown. The department said in a news release Thursday that it was working to deliver SNAP benefits to Missourians “as quickly as possible.” “With

Continue Reading