Rasheen Aldridge

Protesters gathered in front of St. Louis Police headquarters shortly after the release of videos that showed five Memphis police officers beating Tyre Nichols, who later died.

The legislation decreases the top rate to just under 5% and sets the stage for further reductions. The cut was one of the goals of the special session Parson called.

U.S. Senate candidate Mark McCloskey and his wife, Patricia, have filed a lawsuit against Missouri Congresswoman Cori Bush and state Rep. Rasheen Aldridge for participating in protests that passed the McCloskeys’ home.

The budget includes raising the minimum pay for teachers, fully funding the state’s Medicaid program, including its expansion population, and income tax credits, as well as close to $3 billion in federal funding for projects across the state.

Members of the House also voted on Monday to advance a bill banning ballot drop boxes as well as one elevating 911 dispatchers to the status of emergency responders. All three bills now go to the Senate with three weeks remaining until the legislature adjourns.

Unlike the House version, the Senate substitute uses state money to fund charter schools. The bill now goes back to the House, where it would need to pass to reach the governor.

Republican lawmakers responded with outrage by moves in Kansas City and St. Louis to reshuffle police funding.

Critics note St. Louis already spends lots of money on law enforcement — but that hasn't resulted in lower crime.

A ban on chokeholds, expanded police background checks and higher pay for most county sheriffs are in the bipartisan, compromise bill.

As Kayla Reed and a new generation of local leaders saw each of their reform efforts fail to curb police violence in the St. Louis area, they soon realized that what they really had to overcome was the police union’s political force in local elections.