By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Representatives of judicial districts from across the state gathered in Hays on Tuesday and Wednesday for a mental health summit.

Seventy percent of people who are incarcerated in the United States have a mental illness or substance abuse problem or both.

The Hon. Steven Leifman from Florida told the group, "We should create specialty courts for the 30% of people who don't have mental illness or substance abuse."

There are 19 times more people who have mental illnesses in jails and prisons than in civil treatment programs.

He said the people who do have mental illness and substance abuse issues should be placed in therapeutic situations.

Leifman said the United States is failing at dealing with people who have mental illness, and it is costing taxpayers millions of dollars to run a broken system.

The United States has 4% of the world's population and 25% of the incarcerated people, resulting in $1 trillion in direct and indirect costs per year.&nbsp;

Leifman had the opportunity to visit&nbsp;Trieste, Italy, where he said the community is doing it right.

They virtually have no homelessness. They have few, if any, people with serious mental illness in jails. They have few, if any, people with serious mental illness in their forensic hospitals, and they have very few people in their civil hospitals," he said.

Last year, out of 40,000 patients, they only filed 100 cases for civil commitment.

"We do that every day in Miami," he said.

"First, they don't define people by their mental illnesses," he said. "You're not the crazy guy that lives down the street. You are John Smith, who just happens to have a mental illness. Just like you might be John Smith, who just happens to have heart disease or cancer."

When someone has a mental health episode, a doctor immediately goes to that person's home and begins treatment immediately. If the person can't stay at home, they find them housing and assign them three case managers, so they are covered 24 hours until they are stable. They are placed on medication and monitored, but not hospitalized.

As soon as the person begins to recover, they start to try to give them their lives back.

Instead of a state hospital, they have a supportive employment program that includes a radio station, a restaurant and a chic clothing manufacturing operation.

"You walk around the campus, and you don't know the difference between the staff and the patients," he said.

"They have a reason to get up every single day and participate,"&nbsp;Leifman said.

"It is a truly remarkable system of care that actually promotes recovery, and there's absolutely no reason why we can't scale that type of system here in the United States. Today, in the United States, we basically do the opposite," he said.

People remain on the streets, sometimes psychotic, for decades.

"We have been so bad about it that the courts have ruled that the way we do it is basically unconstitutional, enormously unsuccessful and enormously expensive without any positive measurable outcomes," he said.

He said the earlier we treat mental illness, the better the outcomes will be.

He called the treatment of people with serious mental illnesses within the judicial system the greatest public policy failure.

"The fact that we have applied the criminal justice model to a disease as opposed to a population health model explains why we have failed so miserably,"&nbsp;Leifman said.

Leifman's first experience with the mental health system was when he was 17 and working as an intern for a state senator's office.

He was sent to the state mental hospital to investigate claims that a young man was being mistreated.

He found the man tied in four-point restraints, screaming and moaning and about 100 pounds overweight from being injected with Thorazine.

In reading his file and talking to staff, he learned the young man was not psychotic, but autistic. In the basement, he also saw naked men covered in their own feces being hosed down like they were animals in a zoo.

The state senator's office was able to get the young man with autism placed in a group home. However, thewhat&nbsp;

Eventually, Leifman became a judge in Miami.

The city went from having one wing on one floor of the jail dedicated to people who had mental illness to&nbsp;having three dedicated floors to house people who had mental illness.

"When I became a judge, I had no idea that I was becoming the gatekeeper to the largest psychiatric facility in the state of Florida, the Dade County Jail," he said.

Seventy to 80% of the inmates have a mental health diagnosis and are in immediate need of treatment, he said.

Leifman was eventually given a special assignment to work on mental health issues within the Florida court system. He found the state was spending a third of its mental health budget, $250 million, to restore competency to 2,500 to 3,000 people, when about 160,000 people at the time of their arrest needed acute mental health care and weren't getting it.

After spending so many resources on this small population, either the charges were dropped, they were given credit for time served and were released, or they received probation.

They ended up back on the streets, often psychotic, with no access to treatment, and were sometimes rearrested before they made it out of the parking lot.

Leifman shared the story of Tristan Murphy, who suffered from schizophrenia. He wasn't violent, but had good and bad days, depending on whether he took his medication.

One day, he drove his truck into a pond near the sheriff's office. He was arrested and convicted of felony littering.

He was placed on a work detail while incarcerated. His bunkmates noted he was deteriorating mentally. However, corrections officers continued to give him access to tools, including a chainsaw for his work detail. One day, he took a chainsaw to his neck, ending his life.

Leifman said he was no threat to anyone other than himself. He should never have been arrested. He should have been diverted into treatment, Leifman said.

The governor of Florida, a few weeks ago, signed the Tristin Murphy Act, which expands the Miami mental health diversion program statewide.

"We shouldn't need that kind of horror to get the attention of policymakers," he said, "because we all know that the way we handle individuals with these illnesses is wrong and doesn't really work."

He said people who have mental illnesses are less dangerous than the general population and a lot less dangerous than the general population when they are on medication. They are more likely to be the victims of violent crime than the perpetrators.

"We also know that recovery rates for people with mental illness, in many cases, are much better than heart disease and diabetes,"&nbsp;Leifman said. "These are not terminal illnesses. They are treatable illnesses."

People with schizophrenia have higher rates of heart disease and cancer because untreated schizophrenia results in a depletion of the brain chemical dopamine.&nbsp;

They feel awful,&nbsp;Leifman said, so they often chain smoke because the nicotine helps cognition and helps them feel better.

When these people end up in jail, not only do taxpayers have to pay for treatment of the mental illness, but also severe physical health concerns as a result of the mental illness going untreated, Leifman said.

"The good news is that this is a very fixable system," he said.

The judicial system and mental health systems were developed when the most acutely ill were still in state hospitals. The community mental health systems were designed to handle people who have moderate mental illness,&nbsp;Leifman said.

The hospitals were shut down. The U.S. adopted the war on crime and sentencing guidelines and drastically cut funds for low-income housing, and the population of the acute mentally ill was thrown into communities that were not prepared for them, he said.

"Instead of blaming themselves for not developing an appropriate system of care, we end up blaming this population, and we use the justice system to punish them, and that has not worked out too well," Leifman said.

He said our society would never allow people to be treated in primary care as we treat people with mental illnesses.&nbsp;

"If you threw people who had primary care illnesses out of hospitals in the middle of the night like we do people with mental illnesses, you'd get arrested," he said.

&nbsp;Leifman said this is a national issue that needs national money, but the solutions can start at the local level.

"Each community needs to take a good, hard look at how they are doing things, and develop collaborative agreements to alter and restructure how we approach this population," he said.

Miami put to gether a two-part approach, pre-arrest and post-arrest.

This included Crisis Intervention Teams, which include specially trained law enforcement officers to respond when someone is having a mental health episode. This often has resulted in people being diverted into treatment instead of arrest&nbsp;

In 10 years, two Crisis Intervention Teams responded to more than 105,000 calls and made fewer than 200 arrests.

Overall arrests plummeted. Dade County closed one of its jails, saving $168 million. Police shootings almost stopped.

The post-arrest program eliminated many of the time-consuming competency evaluations in favor of bringing these individuals into treatment as soon as possible.

Assisted Outpatient Treatment programs were created, also known as AOT. Hays has had an AOT program since 2022.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/8abbbbb5-b093-4c36-bc34-50be0815125d">SEE RELATED STORY: Ellis County mental health court pilot sees success in first year.</a>

And peers were enlisted to help people navigate the system and encourage work toward recovery.

Recidivism rates for misdemeanor cases decreased from 75% to 20% for individuals participating in these programs. The treatment model proved so effective that it was expanded to include nonviolent felony cases. Recidivism rates decreased from 75% to 6%.

Continuing care was still needed for individuals with the most acute illnesses, so Dade County recently passed a bond issue to build a facility for these individuals based on the Trieste model.

It offers wrap-around services, including crisis stabilization, primary care, a dental clinic, a podiatry clinic, an eye clinic, short-term residential care, tattoo removal, a day program, a supportive employment program, a computer lab, a GED program, and a courtroom that can handle both civil and criminal cases onsite.

"Not one person, not one party, not one institution created this mess. Not one person, party or institution will fix it. It takes all of us in this room to start looking at our systems and determine how there is a better way to run this system," Leifman said.

Kansas judicial summit in Hays focuses on treatment over incarceration

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By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Hays hit a high of 71 Wednesday, according to the K-State Ag Research Center.

Hays received .3 inches of rain as of 9 a.m. today. Hays has received 2.90 inches in the month of August. The low for Wednesday was 60.

On average, Hays receives 3.01 inches of rain in August and 17.70 inches of moisture by the end of August. Hays has received&nbsp;16.41 inches of precipitation year to date.

The forecast for today is a slight chance of showers with patchy fog, with a high of 72 and a low of 60. Winds are expected to be around 8 mph.

More patchy fog is expected Friday, with a high of 77, and a chance of storms and showers going into the weekend.

Hays receives more rain; fog expected Friday 

FHSU crime log: Aug. 22-28, 2025

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/category/obituaries">HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/corrections-about-us">Click HERE for the Hays Post obituary policy.&nbsp;</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/45c326ac-a856-480a-b491-0312e5d43c5c">Find our obituary posting policy by clicking here.</a>

Recent obituaries and service times

NICODEMUS — The Nicodemus Historical Society is proud to announce recent leadership and staffing updates as part of its continued efforts to preserve and uplift the legacy of one of the nation’s most historically significant Black town established during the Reconstruction era.

Dr. Ashley C. Adams now serves as president of the Nicodemus Historical Society Board. 

A Nicodemus descendant and nationally respected public policy scholar, Adams brings over a decade of research and leadership experience in African American genealogy, descendant engagement, and reparative preservation planning. She previously served as board secretary beginning in 2016. 

Her long-standing research on Nicodemus has produced several scholarly publications, and her forthcoming manuscript, Advancing Descendant Engagement in Nicodemus, Kansas: A Reparative Approach to Preservation and Stewardship, builds on her commitment to community-led preservation, healing, and education.

As part of its recent organizational restructuring, the Society also announces that Donna Rae Pearson is no longer serving in the role of Executive Director. The board thanks Ms. Pearson for her time with the organization and wishes her well in her future endeavors.

To support daily operations and long-term development, the Society has also welcomed two new team members:

Marilyn Gray, a Nicodemus descendant and retired administrator, has joined as the office manager. With years of experience supporting the Society’s work, Gray brings valuable organizational knowledge and deep community roots to her role. 

She currently provides part-time support in the Nicodemus Historical Society Museum and assists with hospitality at the Nicodemus National Historic Site visitor center. Her presence provides additional interpretive support for visitors and strengthens the organization’s commitment to descendant-led engagement.

Jessica Wright also joins as the Society’s new fundraising associate. A nationally recognized grant strategist, philanthropy consultant, and program analyst, Wright brings over 24 years of experience in nonprofit development, government contracting, and strategic planning. 

She has helped secure over $7.5 million in funding for grassroots and national initiatives focused on education, housing, and social justice. Her role at the Historical Society includes advancing fundraising, building partnerships, and supporting sustainable preservation efforts.

These new appointments reflect the Society’s renewed commitment to descendant leadership, strategic growth, and cultural preservation. 

Together with the Society’s Board of Directors, this team will continue the important work of safeguarding the historical legacy of Nicodemus and promoting a sustainable future for the community and its preservation efforts.

Nicodemus Historical Society welcomes new leadership, staff

Check out the new Hays High School during Friday's tours, ribbon cutting

Each spring when I tuck tiny green tomato plants into freshly tilled soil, I imagine the delicious bacon/tomato sandwiches we’ll devour in a few months. Most summers that means we start feasting in late July. I don’t know about folks in other towns, but here it is August, and many in WaKeeney have yet to pluck a blast of flavor from our own vines.

Of the four decades we’ve gardened, this is absolutely the worst harvest we’ve ever experienced.

 Our corn, melons, cukes, zukes, and okra are no goes. The corn put on microscopic ears that didn’t fill. We had successful asparagus, rhubarb, cabbage, and hot peppers, but so far we’ve harvested eight cherry tomatoes half the size of a small marble. They wouldn’t make a good size pearl, for Pete’s sake. We don’t have an explanation because we had lovely rains in ample quantities to grow outstanding weeds and flowers.

I grew a patio tomato I counted on to produce at least one bacon tomato sammy, but its fruits remain green as Shrek. 

I finally gave up and visited the local farmers market in early August. I arrived late but lucked out and bought the last three tomatoes, Romas, by the way, for sale. Each stall owner repeated the same refrain. It’s not a good year for tomatoes. The Romas made a bacon tomato sandwich, but it wasn’t what we’d salivated over.

Last week, I arrived soon after the market opened to improve my tomato picks. If customer numbers were any indication, tomato bins would empty before 10 a.m. This time, I selected three bright red-orange baseball-sized tomatoes to slice and layer with freshly fried bacon for our favorite summer treat. I also treated myself to a pint of savory cherry tomatoes good for a juicy explosion in my mouth every time I walk through the kitchen.

Home by 10 a.m., I put bacon slices in the frying pan and turned on the gas. I washed and dried one tomato before slicing it not too thin and not too thick with my favorite serrated knife. Since I’d planned to eat around noon, I had yet to set out the Duke’s and Miracle Whip or the bread. Apparently, scents wafting from the kitchen were too much for my spouse, and he wandered in about 10:25-ish, asking to make a sandwich right then.

I don’t guess there are rules for when a person who’s waited all summer for a baseball-size ripe red tomato dripping juice from his favorite sandwich can make and eat one. Fortunately, I prepared two packages of bacon which permits repeats of this quick brunch/lunch for at least a couple of days.

If you see us wandering around with tomato pulp and bacon grease dripping from our chins, know dreams come true. We’re relishing every bite as long as we can get our hands on homegrown, ripe tomatoes.

Karen Madorin is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan.

MADORIN: Late summer dream come true

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Three-day weather outlook

Stop by Doghouse Liquor in Hays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today and sign up to be a finalist for the Yuengling Flight golf cart from A&amp;A Coors Yuengling.

Doghouse is getting you ready for Fort Hays State University football Thursday night.

•Yuengling Flight 24 Packs are just $24.99 all day. •Pat's Beef Jerky will have jerky and brat samples. •Fort Hays State students can save money with student ID discounts.

Doghouse Liquor, on Vine Street, just south of 27th.

German Feast fundraiser for St. Anthony Park, playground in Schoenchen

Economic impact of Heart of America Housing Incentive District lunch Sept. 9

Due to the observance of the Labor Day on Monday, September 1, 2025, refuse/recycling route collection schedules will be altered as follows:&nbsp;

Monday, September 1, 2025 and Tuesday, September 2, 2025 will be collected on Tuesday, September 2, 2025.&nbsp;

There will be no changes to Wednesday, September 3, Thursday, September 4, and Friday, September 5 routes.&nbsp;

Although collections may not occur on your normal day, collections will be completed by the week’s end. It is anticipated that heavy volumes of refuse/recyclables will be encountered around the holidays.&nbsp;

Please make sure your polycarts and recyclables are out by 7:00 a.m., and keep in mind that the trucks have no set time schedule.&nbsp;

City of Hays customers that may have any questions regarding this notice should contact the Solid Waste Division of the Public Works Department at 785-628-7350.

No trash/recycling collection in Hays on Labor Day

&nbsp;Submit events to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:admin@hayspost.com">admin@hayspost.com</a>. Cover photo courtesy Pixabay

Special thanks to <a href="https://www.visithays.com/183/Events">The Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau</a> and<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/"> Fort Hays State University</a> for their contributions to the community calendar.

Community Calendar

Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States, the tenth leading cause of death in Kansas, and the second leading cause of death of Kansans ages 10-44, yet suicide can be prevented. 

Volunteers from Hays and the surrounding area are joining the thousands of people who are gathering this season in towns across the United States to promote suicide prevention and change the conversation around mental health. 

The annual Hays area Out of the Darkness Community Walk, hosted by the Greater Kansas Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13 at North Frontier Park in Hays.

This gathering will support the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s education, research and support for survivors of suicide loss. In addition to raising awareness and funds to fight suicide, the walks give those who attend a chance to connect with others and know they are not alone, whether they walk in memory or in support of a loved one or in honor of their own mental health journey. 

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is a leader in the fight against suicide — we save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide.

“Suicide touches one in five families in the United States on average, and the data shows that suicide rates are higher in rural areas," said Leigha Dobson, Hays walk chairwoman and AFSP Greater Kansas board member.

 "We hope that by connecting with one another, we will draw attention to this issue and keep other families from experiencing a suicide loss. Our goal is to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide. Together, we can encourage those who struggle to seek help and remember they’re not alone.

“We had more than 70 people walk with us last year, and this year, we’re hoping twice that will walk with us towards a future without suicide," Dobson also said.

The Hays area Out of the Darkness Community Walk is just one of the hundreds of events being held nationwide this year. To join this event or make a donation, visit <a href="https://afspwalks.donordrive.com/Hays">afsp.org/hays</a>.

Volunteers in Hays to walk to fight suicide during National Suicide Prevention Month 

Join our new Hays Post Newsletter and receive the top news stories from your community every morning in your email inbox plus one-click access to the latest obituaries.&nbsp;

Sign up for free Hays Post Newsletter

City of Hays offices will be closed on Monday, September 1, 2025, in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

Hays city offices closed Monday for Labor Day holiday

How to keep wealth local with Heartland Community Foundation

Girl Scout sign-up event set for Sept. 4 in Hays

The countdown is on, with just eight days to go until the 2025 Kansas State Fair kicks off in Hutchinson. Fair General Manager Brian Schulz says preparations are well underway as vendors, exhibits, and entertainment begin to move onto the grounds.&nbsp;

“We’ve been out making sure everything is ready,”&nbsp;Schulz&nbsp;said. “People are starting to move in, and for safety reasons, we’ve closed the grounds to walkers during setup. With big trucks, combines, tractors, and other large items coming in, it’s just too dangerous.”&nbsp;

Schulz&nbsp;highlighted this year’s lineup of free entertainment, much of it featuring Kansas talent. Acts will perform at venues across the fairgrounds, including the Lowen Stage at Lake Talbott, the newly upgraded People’s Bank and Trust Arena with a permanent canopy, and Gottschalk Park. Local performers include Derby’s America’s Got Talent runner-up and Ella Wellman of Sterling, now a K-State student.&nbsp;

Vendors are also making their return. Most booths are held year-to-year, with waiting lists for new spots. The fair takes care to avoid placing direct competitors side by side. Schulz&nbsp;noted that equipment displays remain a highlight, connecting new generations with Kansas’ agricultural roots.&nbsp;

“We’re five to seven generations removed from the family farm,”&nbsp;Schulz&nbsp;said. “For many young people, this is their first chance to see a combine or tractor up close.”&nbsp;

This year’s grandstand shows feature a wide variety of acts:&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Friday: Sam Barber and Adriana&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Saturday: Jeff Dunham&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Sunday: Josh Turner with Jason Scott and the High Heat&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Monday: Demolition Derby&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Tuesday: Fair Fight Pro Wrestling •&nbsp; &nbsp;Wednesday: Josiah Queen with Ben Fuller (Christian Night)&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Thursday: Hairball&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Friday: Ludacris&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Saturday: Plain White T’s with The Fray&nbsp; •&nbsp; &nbsp;Sunday: Lorrie Morgan with Mason Ramsey&nbsp;

One sweet tradition is also making a comeback. The Kansas State Fair Foundation will be selling official saltwater taffy as a fundraiser. The taffy, absent in recent years, will be available at the merchandise booth near the interactive fountain and at the 1861 Club.&nbsp;

Alongside staple fair foods like Pronto Pups and roasted corn, new items this year include fried brownie bites, pulled pork corn dogs, pineapple smoothies, and firecracker wontons.&nbsp;

Advance ticket packages are still available, including kids, seniors, and couple’s night bundles.&nbsp;Schulz&nbsp;recommends purchasing early, as prices increase once the fair begins. Adults will be $10 at the gate, while kids 6–12 are $6, and seniors $6.&nbsp;

The Kansas State Fair app has also been updated, offering visitors maps, schedules, food locations, and event reminders. “It’ll be your best friend during the fair,”&nbsp;Schulz&nbsp;said.&nbsp;

The fair opens Friday, September 5, with gates at 10 a.m. and opening ceremonies at 11 a.m. at the People’s Bank and Trust Arena, where a ribbon-cutting will also be held for the new canopy.&nbsp;

The fair runs for 10 days, bringing back a mix of tradition and new experiences for Kansans of all ages.&nbsp;

Kansas State Fair getting ready for opening next week

A Cole County judge will decide whether to revise, throw out or keep a constitutional amendment proposed by the Missouri General Assembly that would ban abortion

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

A Cole County judge heard arguments Wednesday over whether a proposed ban on abortion set to go to voters next year should be thrown out or revised over a provision targeting gender-affirming care for minors.&nbsp;

The ACLU of Missouri believes the proposal, which was drafted by state lawmakers, violates the state constitution because it includes multiple subjects. The group also contends the summary that would appear on the ballot is misleading.

If the courts decide to keep the measure on the ballot, plaintiffs are asking that the ballot summary be revised to explicitly state that the measure would ban abortion.

If approved by a simple majority of voters, the abortion ban amendment would repeal a citizen-led reproductive rights amendment that passed last November legalizing&nbsp; abortion in Missouri up until the point of fetal viability and enshrining other reproductive rights in the constitution, including in-vitro fertilization and contraceptives.

The new amendment would reinstate an abortion ban, allowing limited exceptions for medical emergencies, fatal fetal anomolies and for survivors of rape and incest in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

The current language written by the Missouri General Assembly makes no mention of the ban it would enact.&nbsp;

Instead, Missourians would be asked if they want to amend the Missouri constitution to:&nbsp;

Missouri statute states “petitions for laws shall contain not more than one subject which shall be expressed clearly in the title.”&nbsp;

Chuck Hatfield, an attorney with Stinson LLP&nbsp;representing the plaintiff on Wednesday argued that the inclusion of the gender-affirming health care ban was “ballot candy” meant to win over more voters but is a separate issue from reproductive health care.&nbsp;

Recent polling by St. Louis University/YouGov shows that while the<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/29/poll-shows-missouri-voters-back-trump-hawley-abortion-rights-and-minimum-wage-hike/">&nbsp;majority of polled Missouri voters support access to abortion</a>, the majority also&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/08/25/poll-finds-missouri-voters-support-for-bans-on-transgender-health-care/">oppose access to gender-affirming health care for minors.&nbsp;</a>

“You can’t say to the people, ‘Here’s a proposal whether the Chiefs should stay in Kansas City and to ban crypto,’” Hatfield said.

Missouri Solicitor General Louis Capozzi, defending the proposed amendment, told Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green on Wednesday that gender-affirming procedures can cause the loss of fertility. Therefore, he believes reproductive health care “applies to all people who are thinking about whether to have children.”

Capozzi said the latest proposed amendment “ensures that Missouri children are able to make the choice whether to reproduce when they are adults,” adding that if someone is “unable to reproduce, they can’t access reproductive health care.”

Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/06/judge-decides-abortion-amendment-3-missouri-ballot/">anti-abortion leaders were unsuccessful in convincing the courts&nbsp;</a>to throw the abortion rights amendment off the ballot by claiming it violated the single subject rule. At the time, an attorney for the Thomas Moore Society argued unsuccessfully that the subject of that amendment,&nbsp;“a person’s fundamental right to reproductive freedom,” encompassed “infinite subjects.”

Hatfield on Wednesday accused the legislature and Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins of misrepresenting what the amendment would do through both the language voters will see on the ballot and the ballot language posted&nbsp;at every polling station around the state next to sample ballots.&nbsp;

Hoskins’&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/petitions/2026BallotMeasures" target="_blank">ballot language</a>&nbsp;currently reads: “A ‘no’ vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution to allow abortion in cases of medical emergency, fetal anomaly, rape, or incest, or to protect children from gender transition.”

Under the current law, abortion is legal up until the point of fetal viability in Missouri and gender-affirming health care for minors is banned.&nbsp;

“It’s ridiculous; it’s wrong,” Hatfield said of the ballot language. “The current constitution guarantees those rights and to imply otherwise is wrong, it’s highly argumentative.”

Capozzi argued the legislature was working with a word limit and that it was more important to state what the amendment would do. Summary statements, he said, need not detail specific exceptions.

The proposed amendment also requires any lawsuits related to reproductive health care to be filed in Cole County and gives the Attorney General’s Office the right to intervene in these cases. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit said there is not a legitimate connection to reproductive health care, as “health care is not generally provided in court rooms.”

Hatfield suggested Green “tell the General Assembly to give it another shot in compliance with the constitution.”&nbsp;

Green did not immediately rule on the challenge to the abortion ban amendment. A day earlier, he also heard arguments in a case challenging a new law set to go into effect Thursday that&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/25/lawsuit-challenges-the-constitutionality-of-missouri-attorney-generals-new-powers/">changes the deadlines and procedures for challenging and revising ballot language.</a>&nbsp;Green’s determination in that case could affect how he’s allowed to proceed in regarding the ballot language.&nbsp;

Despite the current law, abortion access remains tenuous in Missouri.&nbsp;

Three Planned Parenthood clinics — in Kansas City, Columbia and St. Louis —&nbsp;have resumed procedural abortions on a limited schedule that was briefly interrupted over the summer when the courts overturned and then reinstated a temporary injunction allowing some abortions to resume ahead of a trial slated for January.

But Planned Parenthood and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office are slated to meet in court a handful of times before then.

At a hearing set for Sept. 10 in Kansas City, Planned Parenthood plans to argue in favor of undoing a number of laws they say are currently preventing its clinics from prescribing medication abortion in Missouri.&nbsp;

That same day, down the street, the Western District Court of Appeals is slated to hear&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-ag-erred-in-asking-supreme-court-to-overturn-order-legalizing-abortion/">the Missouri Attorney General’s Office’s appeal of an injunction</a>&nbsp;that allowed procedural abortions to resume in Missouri in February.&nbsp;

Missouri judge weighing whether new abortion ban should appear on 2026 ballot

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A teen murder suspect, finally captured on June 17, after hiding from police for weeks will return to court Thursday for an arraignment hearing.

Jaden Watts, 19, will appear in the courtroom of Judge Tyler Roush, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

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