Two years after the Missouri Supreme Court struck down a similar measure, the state's Republican-led lawmakers passed a bill that would require residents to have photo identification to cast a ballot.

Missouri's acting health director resigned after state GOP lawmakers complained he was not conservative enough.

After a judge's ruling, the Missouri attorney general ordered schools and health districts to drop their mask mandates. But critics say he's misinterpreting the court decision for political gain.

This week in Arkansas a debate took place in the legislature over a law that bans mask mandates in schools. The law remains, but a judge has temporarily blocked the state from enforcing it.

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson has signed a near-total abortion ban in the state, which allows abortion only in cases of medical medical emergency. The law could wind up before the U.S. Supreme Court.