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Missouri school accreditation bill passes Senate for first time after three years

4 weeks 1 day ago
The Missouri Senate sent a bill to the House Thursday that would overhaul the state’s accreditation and accountability system in order to give local school districts more control. State Sen. Jill Carter, a Republican from Granby, has filed the bill for three consecutive years and garnered approval for public-school advocates in committee. But each year […]
Annelise Hanshaw

Sen Erica Harriss Sponsors Interactive Lawmaking Experience for Teens: O'Fallon, Madison, Maryville and Collinsville Students Participate

4 weeks 1 day ago
SPRINGFIELD - In an event sponsored by area Sen. Erica Harriss, during the Spring YAC, students were assigned different legislative roles such as citizen proponent/opponent, lobbyist proponent/opponent, Democrat/Republican lawmakers, and press/media to debate their proposed legislation in a mock committee hearing. “I am really interested in policymaking and the legal system, and eventually I want to be a lawyer. I really like politics and want to make a change in the world,” said Hannah Kypra of O’Fallon Township High School. “I am definitely going to take away communication skills, public speaking skills, and debate skills. It is fascinating to see how everything looks and works. It’s really great for learning how government works and how laws are made and passed.” Students also had the opportunity to hear from Illinois Supreme Court Judge David Overstreet. This year, Senator Harriss held a Capture the Capitol photo contest, which allowed

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Spring Youth Advisory Council Empowers Future Illinois Leaders

4 weeks 1 day ago
SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Erica Harriss (56th-Glen Carbon) welcomed more than 50 high school students and educators to Springfield this month as part of her Spring Youth Advisory Council (YAC). Edwardsville, Marquette Catholic, Alton, Metro East Lutheran, East Alton-Wood River, Roxana and other area schools participated. “Each year, students from high schools throughout the district are nominated by their schools to visit Springfield and get an up-close look at how state government operates,” said Senator Harriss. “This is one of my favorite events because it helps empower the next generation by giving them firsthand experience with the legislative process.” Senator Harriss’ YAC is a two-part series. High school students came together in the 56th District in the fall at Lewis and Clark Community College to draft bill ideas to debate during the spring council. “I was interested in learning more about our Capitol, our state, and the

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Sparklight Male Athlete of the Month: Jersey's Jack Deist Excels in 400 Meter and Long Jump Events

4 weeks 1 day ago
JERSEY - Jersey Community High School’s freshman and sophomore boys track team competed against 16 teams at the Highland Invite on April 15, 2025, delivering strong performances highlighted by standout athlete Jack Deist. Deist secured second place in the 400-meter race with a time of 53.08 seconds and finished fifth in the long jump, recording a season-best leap of 17 feet, 8.25 inches. He also contributed as a member of the 4x400 relay team. Earlier in the season at the Freeburg Meet, Deist posted a personal record of 52.64 seconds in the 400. Deist is a Sparklight Male Athlete of the Month for Jersey Community High School. Recognized for his versatility and impact on the team, his performances have marked a promising sophomore season for the Jersey Panthers as they continue their track and field campaign.

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Florida’s New Social Media Bill Says The Quiet Part Out Loud And Demands An Encryption Backdoor

4 weeks 1 day ago
At least Florida’s SB 868/HB 743, “Social Media Use By Minors” bill isn’t beating around the bush when it states that it would require “social media platforms to provide a mechanism to decrypt end-to-end encryption when law enforcement obtains a subpoena.” Usually these sorts of sweeping mandates are hidden behind smoke and mirrors, but this time […]
Mike Masnick

Attorney General Raoul Urges HHS To Require Better Federal-state Cooperation To End Human Trafficking

4 weeks 1 day ago
CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined a bipartisan coalition of 41 attorneys general in submitting a comment letter urging Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. to require better cooperation with local law enforcement from the next operator of the National Human Trafficking Hotline. “Law enforcement relies on tips from the public to effectively combat human trafficking,” Raoul said. “Ensuring that information gets to law enforcement in a timely manner without compromising victims’ safety can save lives, which is why I am joining with my colleagues on a bipartisan basis to call on HHS to require the next operator of the National Human Trafficking Hotline to do a better job of partnering with local law enforcement and promptly forwarding human trafficking tips.” Since 2007, the nonprofit organization Polaris Project (Polaris) has operated the National Human Trafficking Hotline with millions of dollars

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