JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri cities, counties and law enforcement agencies couldn’t require police officers to write a certain number of traffic tickets under legislation nearing a final vote.

Senators voted 31-1 Thursday to pass the legislation, which would ban traffic-ticket quotas. It needs another vote in the House to head to Gov. Jay Nixon.

Lawmakers face a Friday deadline.

The legislation was spurred by concerns that local politicians and police leaders in some communities pressure officers to write more tickets in order to generate revenue.

A proposal to further limit fines on ordinance violations and traffic fines passed the Legislature earlier Thursday.

HAYSVILLE, Kan. (AP) — Four Kansas middle schools students were taken into custody after officials became aware of social media posts threatening violence at the school.

Haysville Police Chief Jeff Whitfield said in a statement that Haysville Middle School staff and the school resource officer learned of “threatening messages made via the internet” Thursday morning. He says the threats involved several students causing violence against classmates and staff members at the school.

The Wichita Eagle reports four students were arrested. School District spokeswoman Liz Hames says the district is taking disciplinary action and the students could also face criminal charges.

Haysville is a town of about 10,000 residents about 10 miles south of Wichita.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri lawmakers are entering their final day of work with time running short for contentious bills on guns, abortions and taxes.

The Missouri Constitution sets a 6 p.m. Friday deadline for lawmakers to pass bills. That typically creates a fast-paced finale. But it makes it easier for opponents to block bills.

Measures expanding gun rights and further restricting abortions are facing opposition from some lawmakers. Also lingering is a proposal asking voters to raise the fuel tax by nearly 6 cents a gallon for roads and bridges.

Some measures already have been defeated, including ones legalizing medical marijuana and allowing people with religious objections to deny wedding-related services to same-sex couples.

Others already have become law, including several new ethics measures and a change to the school funding formula.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad has signed a bill into law that is expected to reduce prison time for inmates convicted of certain drug offenses.

Branstad signed the bill Thursday. It was passed in the House and Senate this legislative session.

The legislation will allow certain non-violent drug offenders in Iowa to be eligible for parole after they serve at least half of their mandatory minimum sentence.

The law will also give judges more discretion in sentencing for crimes like robbery. It also adds a mandatory minimum sentence for a person convicted of child endangerment resulting in death. Previously, such a person was automatically eligible for parole.

The nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency says the law is expected to reduce the disproportionate number of minorities in Iowa’s criminal justice system.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Managers have urged a utility district board to cease operating its nuclear power plant near Omaha by the end of the year.

President and CEO Tim Burke told directors of the Omaha Public Power District at their meeting Thursday that operation of the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station “is not financially sustainable.” He told the board an analysis included consideration of market conditions and the economies of scale.

The utility serves more than 310,000 customers in 13 counties in southeastern Nebraska.

Board Chairman Mick Mines asked in April for a report on potential scenarios regarding the district’s future power resources and told senior managers to provide recommendations. The board is expected to vote on the recommendations at its June 16 meeting.

SALINA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas motorists will pay higher vehicle registration fees starting in July to provide extra funds for the state Highway Patrol to hire additional troopers.

Gov. Sam Brownback signed a bill boosting fees into law Thursday during a ceremony in Salina. It is home to the patrol’s training center.

The new law also includes another fee increase to provide additional funds for a center in Hutchinson that trains other law enforcement officers.

Vehicle registration fees will increase $3.25. Most vehicle owners now pay $35.

A $2 increase will raise $5.4 million a year for the patrol so it can hire an additional 75 troopers. Thirty-five of the state’s 105 counties have no assigned trooper.

An additional $1.25 fee increase will raise $3.4 million annually for the Hutchinson training center.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Transgender rights advocates have called on Kansas’ health department to abandon a proposal to make it far more difficult for people to change the gender on their birth certificates.

Topeka resident Stephanie Mott said during a Department of Health and Environment hearing Thursday that regulatory changes under consideration will lead more transgender youth to attempt suicide. She sued the department earlier this year because it hasn’t allowed her to change her birth certificate to show she is a woman.

The changes would repeal a regulation allowing someone to change the gender listed on a birth certificate by submitting medical records.

Department spokeswoman Cassie Sparks said the regulation conflicts with a 2002 state Supreme Court decision, making it contrary to state law.

The changes could take effect within six weeks.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The American Royal annual barbecue contest is moving from Missouri to Kansas.

The American Royal Association announced Thursday that the contest will be held at the Kansas Speedway from Oct. 26-30. The Kansas City Star reports it’s the first time the event, which started 36 years ago, will be in Kansas.

The contest, which draws hundreds of amateur and professional barbecue teams and tens of thousands of attendees, has had three locations in Kansas City, Missouri, including at Arrowhead Stadium.

The American Royal Association said in a release that the move to the Speedway was necessary because of scheduling conflicts at the Truman Sports Complex.

Kansas Speedway President Pat Warren said in a statement he looks forward to showing contestants and fans “a great time at our unique venue.”

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A proposal that’s key to Republican efforts to require people to show photo identification when voting has passed the Missouri Senate.

Senators voted 24-8 along party lines Wednesday to pass a constitutional amendment that would allow for such a law.

It needs another House vote. If passed, the measure would bypass Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon and head to voters to decide.

Senate Democrats allowed the proposed constitutional amendment and a companion statutory change to pass after about a month of trying to block it. Republicans agreed to allow people without a photo ID to cast a ballot if they sign a statement saying they don’t have the required identification and can show some other form of ID, such as a paycheck or utility bill.

The legislative session ends Friday.

URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) — A 19-year-old with a leg injury has been accused of falsely reporting a drive-by shooting in the Des Moines suburb of Urbandale.

Police say the man accidentally shot himself in a leg but told officers who responded to his call Monday that he’d been wounded by a drive-by shooter. Investigators later determined that the evidence didn’t back up the man’s account.

The Des Moines Register reports that Zachary Dunblazier has been charged with making a false police report. Online court records don’t list the name of an attorney who could speak for him.