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Politico: Schmitt backs Trump in 2024 GOP presidential primary

SE Missourian: U.S. Sen. Schmitt names Sikeston native Marianna Deal as ‘key’ staffer for external communications (get around Southeast Missourian paywall here)

KC Star’s Daniel Desrochers: Hawley wants to shield Social Security, Medicare from debt ceiling talks. Here’s why it won’t work. (avoid KC Star paywall by reading syndicated version on AOL here)

Washington Free Beacon’s Joseph Simonson and Thaleigha Rampersad: Bless His Heart: Missouri Democrat Lucas Kunce debuts Southern accent after launching latest Senate bid

Washington Free Beacon on Twitter: Watch Lucas Kunce debut new southern accent (0:54 video)

SNL: Burlison invokes Holocaust quote in speech about Newsmax

AP: Missouri AG Andrew Bailey warns Walgreens, CVS over abortion pills

This Week in Missouri Politics Mid-Week Update: Scott Faughn on Senate action and non-poison pills (0:30), “Parents’ Bill of Rights” (2:25), the challenge of banning Critical Race Theory (3:20), hypocrisy of charter school supporters (9:45), Corey DeAngelis quoting Barack Obama (12:45), how the charter school debate ends (13:30), Andrew Bailey vs. Will Scharf GOP AG primary (16:50)

Columbia Missourian: DHSS has yet to replace Lyndall Fraker as head of cannabis regulation

Missouri Independent: Missouri House gives initial approval to raising bar for voters to amend the constitution

P-D: Republicans move to raise the bar for ballot questions in Missouri (get around stltoday paywall here)

Columbia Missourian: House votes to modify steps to amend constitution

Missouri Independent: Lawmakers warn lack of confidence in MoDOT could stall funding for major projects

Columbia Missourian: Senators criticize MoDOT at hearing

SNL: MODOT’s $8 million plan for East Sunshine will restrict left turns

Columbia Missourian: Senate opens debate on parents’ rights bill

P-D: Critical race theory, school lesson database debated in Missouri Senate (get around stltoday paywall here)

Missouri Independent: Missouri Senate’s black Democrats block progress on critical race theory legislation

KC Star: Missouri lawmakers consider open enrollment, DESE standards

Columbia Missourian: Open enrollment bill continues momentum, passes House committee

Missouri Independent: Rep. Ed Lewis (R-Moberly) proposes tool to fill ‘hard-to-staff’ positions in Missouri school districts

Columbia Missourian: Bill altering teacher pay statute meets union opposition

P-D: Missouri lawmakers debate expanding the state’s school protection officer program (get around stltoday paywall here)

St. Louis Public Radio: Politically Speaking podcast: Rep. Donna Baringer (D-St. Louis City) on urban crime legislation, protecting girls’ sports, more

Missourinet: Missouri considers expanding probation and parole arrest program

St. Louis Public Radio: Democrat bill would require health insurance carriers in Missouri to cover doula and midwifery services

Springfield Daily Citizen: Ozarks Technical Community College doubles number of non-traditional students receiving state grant to shore up workforce (get around Springfield Daily Citizen paywall here)

JCNT: Bill would transfer Missouri’s state employment processes to appointee (get around Jefferson City News Tribune paywall here)

JCNT: Advocates bring Memory Day back to Capitol (get around Jefferson City News Tribune paywall here)

St. Louis Public Radio: Ameren critics complain about rate hike

KCUR: Up to Date with Steve Kraske: KC Star reporter Katie Moore makes the case for why rapist/murderer Leonard Taylor should not be executed

P-D editorial: Kudos to Missouri House “Republicans like Long [sic]” for taking “baby steps” on gun restrictions (get around stltoday paywall here)

KC Star op-ed: Joel Mathis: Hawley right to want nitty-gritty of laws – but this demand lacks detail (get around KC Star paywall by reading syndicated version on AOL here)

P-D political gossip columnist Joe Holleman: Recap of Schmitt-Trump, Scharf-Bailey and Hawley BBQ stories (get around stltoday paywall here)

P-D op-ed: Katie Sinquefield: Lawmakers should support “clean slate” legislation from Christofanelli and Trent (get around stltoday paywall here)

KC Star’s Kacen Bayless and Glenn Rice: Missouri Republicans once again attempting to blunt a more progressive and diverse city’s ability to decide how citizens should be policed

Joplin Globe letter: Webb City octogenarian says petition process improvements are really about squelching democracy (get around Joplin Globe paywall here)

P-D letter: Man who chooses to live in Illinois wants Missouri lawmakers to stop focusing on critical race theory and drag shows, and start “caring about climate change and global warming” (get around stltoday paywall here)

JCNT letter: Jefferson City octogenarian says male lawmakers proposed new House dress code, says some lawmakers “don’t even have a college degree” (get around Jefferson City News Tribune paywall here)

Amazon.com: John Combest: Stalking, Harassment, Internet Trolling: A Guide to Recovering and Rebuilding After Online Attacks – available in paperback and Amazon Kindle

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