Legislation would prohibit transgender Missourians from changing birth certificates

By Annelise Hanshaw

Missouri Independent

A Republican push to bar transgender Missourians from changing the sex on their birth certificates was briefly debated Wednesday morning by a state Senate committee.

(Photo- State Sen. Mike Cierpiot, a Lee's Summit Republican, stands at his desk in the Missouri Senate chamber. Cierpiot filed legislation this year seeking to bar transgender Missourians from changing their sex on their birth certificates- Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).

The bill’s sponsor, Republican state Sen. Mike Cierpiot of Lee’s Summit, said birth certificates reflect “facts on the day you were born” and should be unchangeable except in cases of sex development disorders.

Cierpiot filed the same bill in 2023, but it was never debated by the full Senate. He did not file the bill last year.

The bill was inspired, he said, by a lawsuit in his district where a transgender student sued the Blue Springs School District in 2015 after being barred from locker rooms and multi-stall bathrooms. A jury awarded the student $4 million, but the case was appealed and is currently awaiting a Missouri Supreme Court opinion.

“The reason this (bill) is needed is because some courts are making decisions partly because of modified birth certificates,” Cierpiot said.

State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Harrisonville Republican, mentioned that some transgender Missourians have changed their gender marker on their driver’s license. The Department of Revenue recently rescinded that policy after pressure from lawmakers.

Cierpiot said he was less worried about driver’s licenses.

“A birth certificate is a historic document,” he said. “If someone wants to change things later in life, this is quiet on that.”

A Senate committee room was full of people waiting to testify on the bill, but the public hearing was cut short after 30 minutes with three speaking in favor and four able to speak in opposition before the committee chair moved to the next bill.

Sharon Dunski Vermont, a pediatrician from the St. Louis area, told committee members that the bill is dangerous for transgender people.

“People have been attacked, bullied and even killed because their documents don’t reflect who they see themselves to be,” she said.

Brattin asked Vermont about the Washington University Transgender Center, which was the subject of a whistleblower’s affidavit in 2023 and closed after state law made gender-affirming care illegal for minors.

Brattin criticized the center, calling treatments “detrimental to (children’s) health.”

Dunski Vermont, who worked there, said the allegations were untrue.

“I don’t tell you how to be a senator, and I would appreciate if you don’t tell me how to be a doctor,” she said, as Brattin interrupted.

Keith Rose, who is a legal advocate with nonprofit law firm Center for Growing Justice, said he has assisted people changing their birth certificates as part of his work.

He called birth certificates “living documents,” instead of historic.

“It is common sense that birth records should reflect your lived reality,” he said.

Few judges are willing to issue court orders to change birth certificates, Rose said, and it has grown more difficult in the past three years.

The committee did not take action on the bill Wednesday.

Abortion ban advances in Senate after Mike Moon, rape exception critic, quits committee

By Anna Spoerre and Jason Hancock

Missouri Independent

A proposed constitutional amendment reinstating Missouri’s abortion ban cleared a Senate committee Wednesday after a GOP lawmaker who opposes the inclusion of rape and incest exceptions asked to be removed from the panel to avoid sinking the bill’s chances.

Sponsored by state Sen. Adam Schnelting, a Republican from St Charles, the proposed amendment would ban abortion but allow exceptions up to 12 weeks gestation for survivors of rape and incest who first reported the assault to police.

Last week, state Sen. Mike Moon, a Republican from Ash Grove, said he opposed any legislation that would leave the door open for abortions not medically necessary during an emergency. Specifically, he pointed to the rape and incest exceptions as unacceptable.

The bill was assigned to the Senate Families, Seniors and Health Committee, where Republicans hold four of the panel’s six seats. If Moon voted against the measure, it would die on a 3-3 tie.

Moon sent a letter to Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin on Tuesday requesting his removal from the committee, saying that while he understands the need to respond to the legalization of abortion last November, he “cannot support the creation of a subhuman group.”

“Republicans, and some Democrats, profess to be ‘protectors’ of life. I claim to be one of them,” he continued. “Because of this, I cannot support an effort which does not recognize all life as precious and worth saving and protecting.”

O’Laughlin, a Republican from Shelbina, granted Moon’s request. State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Harrisonville Republican, replaced Moon on the committee and the bill was approved Wednesday morning on a party-line vote.

It now heads to the full Senate for debate.

Schnelting on Wednesday said while he agrees with Moon that those conceived in rape are “just as valuable as any other human being,” he believes a ban with an exception for survivors has the best chance of winning at the ballot box.

“So my goal is to maximize human life as much as I possibly can, working pragmatically within that framework,” he said.

Moon could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday, but Schnelting said he believes his colleague stepped down from the committee of his own accord.

“(Moon) gave me his word that he wouldn’t kill the bill,” Schnelting said. “But at the same time he didn’t want to vote for something with exceptions.”

Moon has remained a staunch opponent of any abortion exceptions and has filed legislation to impose criminal penalties on women who end their pregnancies. Last year, he also opposed Democrats’ attempted to introduce rape and incest exceptions into what was then a near-total ban on the procedure.

Another proposed constitutional amendment approved by the Senate committee on Wednesday was sponsored by Moon that would define a “person” as “every human being with a unique DNA code regardless of age, including every in utero human child at every stage of biological development from the moment of conception until birth.”

Legislation similar to Schnelting’s — filed in the House by GOP state Rep. Melanie Stinnett of Springfield — is still awaiting a vote in the House Children and Families committee. Both Schnelting and Stinnett’s bills would also ban gender-affirming health care for minors and allow abortions during an ectopic pregnancy.

Schnelting said he doesn’t know how Moon plans to vote once the bill reaches the Senate floor, but noted that the revised legislation that was passed out of committee Wednesday included a severability clause that was suggested by Moon.

The clause could allow the rape and incest exceptions in the amendment to be challenged in federal court as being discriminatory and in violation of the 14th Amendment.

During a press conference last week, Moon said he was open to any abortion bans going before voters.

“There are some other measures that are out there, and I’m hoping that all of them can make it,” Moon said. “So the voters can decide on either one, two or all the ones that are put before them.”

While the GOP-led legislature continues to prioritize abortion access, Planned Parenthood started offering procedural abortions for the first in nearly three years after a judge struck down many of the state’s abortion regulations, citing them as discriminatory.

 

If any of the proposed amendments banning abortion make it to the ballot and are approved by a simple majority of voters, the new law would be in direct conflict with an amendment narrowly approved in November that protects the right to reproductive health care, including abortion up to the point of fetal viability.

The first elective abortion to take place in Missouri since 2022 happened in mid-February at the Planned Parenthood clinic in Kansas City. On Monday, four more abortions took place, this time at the clinic in Columbia, which hadn’t performed the procedure since 2018.

Anderson Elementary goes on lockdown after swatting call

(From the McDonald County R-1 School District)

Today, Wednesday, March 5, Anderson Elementary received a suspicious call from an out-of-state number. Following district safety protocols, the school was placed on a soft lockdown, keeping students safe in their classrooms while law enforcement investigated.

What is a swatting call?








A swatting call is a hoax call meant to cause unnecessary panic and a large police response. Unfortunately, law enforcement says this was part of a nationwide swatting effort affecting multiple schools.

Our students and staff were safe throughout the incident. Once officers searched the building and determined the call was a hoax, the school resumed normal operations, and students were dismissed as usual.

A huge thank you to our local law enforcement for their quick action in keeping our schools safe. McDonald County Schools takes all safety concerns seriously and will always act swiftly to protect our students and staff.

Joplin Schools names Teacher of the Year Finalists

(From Joplin Schools)

Huge congratulations to the 2024-25 Teacher of the Year Finalists! These teachers were nominated by our community, earned their building's Teacher of the Year award, and will now go on to be interviewed by a panel of judges to determine which one will represent our district as the Joplin Schools Teacher of the Year.

Each of these finalists are talented, experienced, compassionate, collaborative, highly skilled, and above all, dedicated to supporting their students in becoming the very best versions of themselves. Please help us congratulate these exceptional educators:

Shanon Cooper, Transitional Kindergarten, Cecil Floyd Elementary
Zach Gibson, Social Studies, East Middle School
Jessica Giddens, Math, Joplin South Middle School
Laurie Olson, English Language Arts, North Middle School
Melissa Talbott, PreK, Joplin Schools Early Childhood

Jackson Brothers plead not guilty to tax fraud, conspiracy charges, detention motion argued

Phil and Steve Jackson, charged with tax fraud and conspiracy, waived the reading of their indictments during hearings today in U. S. District Court in Springfield, and entered not guilty pleas.

Following detention hearings, Phil Jackson, 67, Stark City, was released on an appearance bond, while Steve Jackson, 66, Pierce City, who is also charged with threatening an IRS agent, will be held in the Greene County Jail as the judge took the motion under advisement.

The Turner Report: Government asks for Jackson brothers to be held without bond

The Turner Report: Government indicts Jackson brothers for tax fraud, conspiracy, threatening IRS agent 

David Pyle named Carl Junction R-1 superintendent

The Carl Junction R-1 Board of Education promoted from within to replace retiring Superintendent Phil Cook.

The district issued the following news release today:

The Carl Junction Board of Education is proud to welcome Dr. David Pyle as the next superintendent for Carl Junction Schools. Dr. Pyle will lead 3,370 students and 505 district staff members when his duties begin on July 1, 2025.

The unanimous decision was made after an extensive search and interview process in partnership with the Missouri School Boards Association, in which Dr. Pyle emerged as the top candidate due to his outstanding qualifications, experience, commitment to educational excellence, and community involvement.

Dr. Pyle brings 28 years of experience in education, having most recently served as the Assistant Superintendent of Operations and High School Principal at Carl Junction Schools, where he demonstrated exceptional leadership and dedication to improving student outcomes. He holds a Bachelor of Science in education degree from Missouri Southern State University, a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from Pittsburg State University, and an Educational Specialist and Doctor of Education from Southwest Baptist University. Dr. Pyle has been at Carl Junction Schools since 2002, starting as a high school science teacher. In 2016, Pyle was named the Missouri State High School Principal of the Year by the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals.

“The Board of Education carefully evaluated candidates under the light of district goals and priorities,” said Board President Larry Cowger. “Dr. Pyle has an outstanding reputation of building student success, fostering staff harmony, leading through example, and setting student-centered priorities. This is what we were looking for in our next superintendent.”

“My greatest excitement about becoming the next Superintendent of Carl Junction Schools is the opportunity to continue working alongside the best instructional and support staff anywhere,” said Pyle. “The greatest strength of our school and community is the people. Our staff is committed to the academic development of our students each day. I am honored to have the opportunity to continue leading and serving with them in my new role next school year."

Dr. Pyle succeeds Dr. Phillip Cook, who announced his retirement in January and will leave the district at the end of June after 20 years as superintendent. He will work closely with district staff and the Board of Education to ensure a seamless transition in the coming months.

“We are confident that Dr. Pyle will be an exceptional leader for our school district,” added Cowger. “We look forward to working closely with him as we collectively strive to provide our students the best possible educational experience.”

Carthage brothers charged with assault- victim shot 21 times

A Carthage man is in critical condition at Mercy Joplin with 21 gunshot wounds, while the two brothers who are charged with shooting him are being held without bond at the Jasper County Detention Center.

The Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney's office filed assault and armed criminal action charges against Dylan Jay Hershey, 23, and Hunter Wayne Hershey, 19, both of Carthage, following the shooting which took place Tuesday evening at the 400 block of South Orner.

Carthage Police arrived to find Austin Hodge, 27, lying in the front yard. Hodge was taken by ambulance to Mercy Joplin. 

From Dylan Hershey's probable cause statement:

 One male was detained on scene, who was later identified as {Hunter Hershey} secured in the backseat of a patrol vehicle on scene. {He} complied with officer commands on scene and was detained without incident. {He}was later transported to the Carthage Police Department for further questioning. 

While on scene detectives were contacted by a male who stated that his son, who he identified as Dylan Hershey, had fled the scene was back at his residence approximately 1 block away. Detectives later responded and contacted Dylan at the residence, and he agreed to come to the station for questioning. Dylan was openly carrying a firearm on his person. 

Detectives photographed and seized the firearm. While photographing the firearm, it was observed that two rounds were missing from the magazine and that they were nickel cased 9mm rounds. 

While at the station, Dylan was advised of his Rights per Miranda, to which he advised that he understood. Dylan then requested his attorney and refused to speak with investigators. No other questions were asked involving the incident and a search warrant was obtained for gunshot residue swabs. 

While Dylan was at the station, detectives were processing the crime scene and located 3 spent 9mm round casings that were nickel cased, matching the ammunition from the magazine in Dylan’s firearm.

During the subsequent investigation, Witness 1 was on scene and present for the entirety of the incident. Witness 1 was standing on the passenger side of a vehicle in the driveway while the victim was sitting in the driver seat. Witness 1 observed Dylan pull a firearm from his person and point it at the victim through the driver side window telling them to get out or they were going to shoot him. 

Witness 1 then observed Dylan and the victim physically fighting while Dylan was still holding the firearm. Witness 1 then heard one gunshot and observed the victim running away from Dylan and Defendant 2. 

Witness 1 observed Dylan and Defendant 2 continue to shoot the victim as he was running away. Witness 1 identified Defendant 2 and Dylan Hershey as the two males who brandished firearms and also observed them shooting the victim. Witness 1 observed Dylan fleeing the scene prior to officer arrival, and observed Defendant 2 remain on scene waiting for law enforcement. Witness 1 had been on scene with Dylan and Defendant 2 prior to the victim’s arrival. Dylan and Defendant 2 made comments that if the victim started problems they were going to shoot him and kill him. On duty hospital staff notated that there were 21 total gunshot wounds to the victim.

From Hunter Hershey's probable cause statement:

During a subsequent interview with Hunter, he corroborated the story of Witness 1. He recounted firing at the victim once he heard the first shot fired from Defendant 2. He said he continued to shoot the victim, while the victim was fleeing and crossed in front of bystanders and began to fall. 

Hunter aimed lower so as to not hit the bystanders and continued shooting the victim until he was on the ground. Hunter left his weapon on the front porch and walked past the victim on the road without attempting to render aid to the victim.  

Statutory sodomy, child molestation, incest charges filed against former Carthage resident

The Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney's office filed statutory sodomy, child molestation and incest charges today against a Stark City man for crimes that allegedly took place when he lived in Carthage between 2008 and 2014.

The victim in the case lived with Darren Lee Ferguson (DOB 1973) for the first six years of her life.

The allegations came as a result of a Newton County Sheriff's Office investigation, according to the probable cause statement.

An arrest warrant was issued for Ferguson who is to be held without bond.

From the probable cause statement:

On February 11, 2025, Carthage Detectives received information from the Newton County Sheriff's Office (NCSO) about a past tense sexual assault that occurred in Carthage. The information was discovered during an investigation they were conducting on Darren Ferguson. The subsequent investigation led to a forensic interview with the juvenile victim. 

During the interview, the juvenile victim explained she was born in 2008 and Ferguson was her biological father. 

During the time she lived in Carthage with him from birth until August 2014, Ferguson would regularly take showers with her. After the shower he would perform deviate sexual intercourse with her, his fingers would penetrate her vagina. During a subsequent interview with Ferguson, he admitted it happened a couple of times however he said there were no sexual intentions behind his contact.

Neosho man charged with assault after allegedly putting gun to man's chest, threatening to kill him

An arrest warrant was issued Tuesday for a Neosho man charged with assault, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon after allegedly putting a loaded gun to a 17-year-old's chest and threatening to kill him.

Bond was set at $100,000 cash or surety for Clayton Jackson-Mullins (DOB 2006), according to Jasper County Circuit Court online records.

From the probable cause statement:

On March 3, 2025, Clayton Jackson-Mullins committed the offense of abuse / neglect of a child, armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon and assault in the fourth degree in Joplin, Jasper County, Missouri. Assault in the fourth degree 565.056

Clayton approached V1 and then pulled a concealed Glock 9mm from his inside coat pocket and “stuck” it at V1’s chest. V1 stated he was scared for his safety and ran away. 

Clayton pulled a Glock 9mm from a concealed pocket on his coat. The Glock 9mm was loaded with one round in the chamber. Clayton looked at V1 and stated "you wanna {f--king} die today?" and "you wanna get aired out today?" 

Clayton was observed leaving Northpark Mall in a green Jeep Cherokee. The vehicle was stopped, and all occupants were detained. V1 conducted a drive by and identified Clayton as the offender. The vehicle was searched and a green ski mask and a 9mm Glock 43X were found hidden in the back seat pocket of the passenger seat. Clayton was read his Miranda Warning and stated the gun was his and he hid it in the seat. V1’s parent was contacted and advised she wished to pursue charges against Clayton.    

The case was investigated by the Joplin Police Department.

Missouri senators seek to bar kids from accessing pornographic materials from libraries

By Annelise Hanshaw

Missouri Independent 

The Missouri Senate Education Committee discussed legislation Tuesday seeking to ban materials deemed explicit from digital libraries and hold library boards responsible for the content made available to minors.

(Photo- Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman discusses legislation during a House committee hearing in 2024 (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent).

State Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, an Arnold Republican, filed legislation applying safety measures to “digital library catalogs” after hearing about explicit material available on a state-subsidized application used by public schools.

Her bill adopts the state’s current definition of “pornographic for minors,” which includes “has a tendency to cater or appeal to a prurient interest of minors.”

Sora, an app school districts provide to students through a program run by the Missouri Secretary of State, allows students to check out books digitally. But Coleman said some resources have inappropriate content and link out to explicit material.

“It provides access to a really broad variety of titles, many of which are fantastic, and allows educators to provide books they otherwise couldn’t afford,” Coleman said. “Unfortunately, there are a lot of other materials that are available, including sexually explicit material.”

She contacted both the Secretary of State’s office and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education last year. Both told her it was a problem for school boards to handle.

Since 2003, libraries have been responsible for blocking access to pornographic content on their computers and internet terminals. Coleman’s bill would add digital resources, which can be accessed from home, to the existing statute and create accountability measures.

Schools would have to publish a list of required reading materials on their websites and allow parents access to digital library resources.

Parents would be able to challenge resources as inappropriate, with results of such claims available online. They could sue school personnel, including librarians, for not following the law as a result of “gross negligence” or intentional conduct.

Coleman said school districts should stop using Sora if they cannot thoroughly monitor its catalog.

Mary Catherine Martin, an attorney with conservative law firm Thomas More Society, said she helped draft the legislation to put the onus on schools.

“What we need is an enforcement mechanism that requires school districts to get ahead (of the content) and gives them the obligation of screening things before they hand them to the children,” she said.

State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Harrisonville Republican and chair of the education committee, said some content is “definitely not G-rated.”

“To me this is no different than if a school district just left a gun laying somewhere and then wants to act dumb,” he said.

The committee also heard a bill sponsored by state Sen. Nick Schroer, a Republican from Defiance, that would hold library board members accountable for material accessible to children. The bill would add board members to a 2022 law that makes providing explicit sexual material to a minor a class A misdemeanor.

When the law was passed in 2022, some expressed concerns that it would lead to “book banning” and suppression of LGBTQ+ literature.

Schroer said his bill would “protect the innocence and integrity of children’s learning environment.”

The legislation would keep the existing definition of explicit sexual material, which only applies to visual material.

Brattin, who helped draft the bill, said it didn’t include literature because of opposition.

“I think this is just a common sense approach to things,” he said.

The American Library Association included Schroer’s legislation in a list of 98 “adverse” bills. The organization noted a legislative push in recent years to “impair” librarians from providing diverse materials.

These bills come less than two years after a rule by former Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft that requires libraries to create policies preventing minors from accessing obscene materials. Thousands of public comments opposed the rule, calling it censorship.