Articles by Summer Ballentine

Missouri Officials: Teacher Information Data Breach to Cost $50M Outline

Help for roughly 100,000 teachers whose Social Security numbers were made vulnerable in a massive state data breach could cost Missouri as much as $50 million, the governor’s office confirmed. The estimate includes the cost of credit monitoring and a …

Paper Uncovers Major Security Flaw in Missouri State Database

Republican Gov. Mike Parson condemned one of Missouri’s largest newspapers for exposing a flaw in a state database that allowed public access to thousands of teachers’ Social Security numbers, even though the paper held off from reporting about the flaw …

Bill to Stem Virus-Related Lawsuits Advances in Missouri Senate

Missouri senators on Feb. 3 advanced a bill that would shield hospitals, manufacturers and other businesses from lawsuits over alleged wrongdoing during the coronavirus pandemic. Senators gave the measure initial approval after hours of debate and negotiations. The bill would …

Missouri Bill Would Allow Giving Guns to Minors Without Parents’ Permission

Missouri lawmakers have advanced a bill that would legally allow people to give firearms to children without their parents’ permission after the governor had initially sought to increase the penalty for the crime. “Recklessly” giving guns to minors without parents’ …

Business Owner at Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks Defends Weekend Actions

The owner of a business that hosted crowded pool parties over the Memorial Day weekend at Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks says no laws were broken and safety measures were in place to protect against the spread of the coronavirus. …

Missouri Sues China Over Coronavirus Pandemic

The state of Missouri filed a lawsuit on April 21 against the Chinese government over the coronavirus, alleging that nation’s officials are to blame for the global pandemic. The lawsuit, filed in federal court by the state’s top lawyer, alleges …

Daughter of Duck Boat Victim Slams Missouri Tort Reform Bill

Speaking before a Missouri legislative panel, a woman whose father was among the 17 people who died after a tourist duck boat sank in a Missouri lake condemned a bill that would limit when companies can be sued over products …

Missouri Bill Shielding Businesses from Fines in Lawsuits Advances

Missouri lawmakers have advanced a bill to make it harder for courts to fine defendants as punishment for hurting people. The pending measure would raise the standard for what are called punitive damages, which courts use in civil lawsuits to …

Missouri AG Sues Over Deadly Duck Boat Sinking

Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley on Aug. 31 sued the owners and operators of a tourist boat that sank in a Missouri lake, killing 17 people, alleging that the companies violated the state’s consumer protection law and put profits above …

Missouri’s U.S. Sen. McCaskill Wants Tighter Rules on Duck Boats After Accident

Democratic U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill announced that she wants to enshrine into law federal recommendations to improve duck boat safety such as getting rid of canopies that can trap passengers if the vehicles sink, a move that comes after a …