01/30/23 Missouri Mondays - Fight GOP attacks on trans kids, initiative petitions, public education!
Welcome to another Missouri Mondays! Last week the GOP majority relentlessly attacked trans kids, drag queens and the LGBTQ community, moved forward legislation seeking to ban the teaching of slave history or the impact of racism, advanced several bills designed to make the initiative petition process harder if not impossible, and they are just getting started.
We must keep fighting. Thank you for staying informed and helping to protect our freedoms and democracy. Help us spread the word to get involved and sign up for Missouri Mondays updates here: https://www.moactionalliance.com/signup
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE THIS WEEK!
Help protect the initiative petition process from GOP attacks!
Republicans are attacking Missourians’ right to direct democracy, to check the power of their elected officials when those officials refuse to pass popular legislation. Two bills heard by the House Elections Committee last week have now passed out of committee and are slated to be heard by the House Rules & Administrative Oversight Committee Monday at 12:20pm.
House Rules - Administrative Oversight Committee
Monday January 30
12:30pm
House Hearing Room 1
HJR43 - would increase the number of signatures required to place a measure on the ballot and increase the threshold for passage from a simple majority to 2/3 - a nearly impossible threshold.
See: Missouri Voter Protection Coalition (MOVPC) Testimony in Opposition to HJR 43 here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UiZPNZkwdBHEo-8Ktm8lsrzj1pjCT9Ut/view
HJR 30 - would require proposed constitutional amendments to receive not just a majority of votes cast statewide (the rule now) but also prevail in a majority of state legislative districts.
See: MOVPC Testimony in Opposition to HJR 30 here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JjdSOivw-gshxcvyr8Hlpgfyz9cdiPUw/view
Call the House Rules - Administrative Oversight Committee and tell them to vote NO on HJR 43 and HJR30
Rep. Rick Francis - Chair 573-751-5912
Rep. Dave Griffith 573-751-2412
Rep. Ben Baker 573-751-9781
Rep. Ron Copeland 573-751-1688
Rep. Kent Haden 573-751-3649
Rep. Dan Houx 573-751-3850
Rep. Jeff Myers 573-751-2689
Rep. Ian Mackey 573-751-3859
Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove 573-751-2124
Rep. David Tyson Smith 573-751-9753
House Elections and Elected Officials Committee (see member list below)
Rescheduled Thursday Feb 2
State Capitol, Jefferson City
Hearing Room 5
10:00AM
–CALL the members of the House Elections and Elected Officials Committee (member list below) and tell them to vote NO on HB 703, HB 780, HJR 19 and YES on HB 781.
–SUBMIT written testimony here: https://www.house.mo.gov/WitnessForm/Default.aspx?noticeid=7235
Be sure to submit online testimony at least one hour prior to the hearing. Click the confirmation email you receive to ensure your statement is submitted.
–TESTIFY in person against these bills if possible
The House Elections and Elected Officials Committee
Rep. Peggy McGaugh 573-751-2917
Rep. Dan Stacy 573-751-8636
Rep. Brad Banderman 573-751-0549
Rep. Tricia Byrnes 573-751-1460
Rep. Jeff Coleman 573-751-1487
Rep. Bill Falkner 573-751-9755
Rep. Rodger Reedy 573-751-3971
Rep. Alex Riley 573-751-2210
Rep. Adam Schwadron 573-751-2949
Rep. Justin Sparks 573-751-0562
Rep. Cheri Toalson Reisch 573-751-1169
Rep. Ken Waller 573-751-4451
ABOUT THE BILLS
HB 703 - Sponsor: Rep. Mike Haffner - Initiative Petitions
MOVPC Position: Oppose
What it Does:
Requires petition circulators to be US Citizens; imposes a 30-day residency requirement on petition circulators; circulators must have been in Missouri for at least 30 days; prohibits circulators from being compensated based on number of signatures obtained; prevents legal challenges to ballot title to extend sooner than 8 weeks before election day;
If a ballot title challenge substantially alters the language of the ballot title, all signatures collected before the ruling are voided; repeals requirement that Legislative Reserach hold a public hearing; requires referendum sample sheets to be submitted to SOS months before election day; no citizen initative can alter federal law; sets page and font requirements for signature sheets
Points:
Excludes non-voters from participating in important issues facing their communities through the initiative process, infringing on their free expression and association.
A federal court recently found a 30-day residency requirement for petition circulators in North Dakota violated the first amendment free speech and expression and infringed on the rights of petition circulators to engage in political speech.
SUBMIT written testimony here: https://www.house.mo.gov/WitnessForm/Default.aspx?noticeid=7235
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HB 780 - Rep. Peggy McGaugh - Initiative Petitions
MOVPC Position: Oppose
What it Does:
Requires individuals circulating initiative and referendum petitions to be registered voters of the State of Missouri.
Points:
Excludes non voters - such as out of state college students, those on probation or parole, or new Americans who cannot yet vote - from otherwise participating in important issues facing their communities through the initiative process, infringing on their free expression and association.
A Missouri court has already found that requiring voter registration solicitors to be Missouri registered voters likely violates the state constitution.
SUBMIT written testimony here: https://www.house.mo.gov/WitnessForm/Default.aspx?noticeid=7235
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HJR 19 - Rep. John Black - Initiative Petitions
What it Does:
Increases the threshhold for passage of both constiutitonal and statutory amendments to require not only a majority of votes cast, but ALSO to receive a majority of votes in each Senate district. Currently, measures require only a majority of total votes cast. Requires voter approval.
MOVPC Position: Oppose
Points:
Measures passed by a majority of votes - as is currently the case - reflect the will of the people. Making it more difficult undermines the will of the people. Lawmakers should reject efforts to make direct democracy more difficult
SUBMIT written testimony here: https://www.house.mo.gov/WitnessForm/Default.aspx?noticeid=7235
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HB781 - Rep. Peggy McGaugh - voter registration, intimidation
What it Does:
Repeals requirement that voters register a political party affiliation when registering to vote, or be marked unaffiliated.
Government entity does not have to register with the SOS to solicit voter registration.
Adds dissemination of personal information of an election official or his or her family with the intent to harass, intimidate, or influence the performance of their duties as a class one election offense.
MOVPC Position: Support
SUBMIT written testimony here: https://www.house.mo.gov/WitnessForm/Default.aspx?noticeid=7235
MISSOURI IN THE NEWS
“Bills targeting Missouri transgender children and drag shows draw hours of testimony”
“Missouri lawmakers heard hours of debate and testimony on eight bills targeting the LGBTQ community during a House committee hearing Tuesday.
The bills heard included some that would bar transgender girls from participating in sports that align with their gender identity, prohibit transgender kids from accessing gender-affirming health care like puberty blockers and make it a misdemeanor for drag entertainers to perform in front of children.
Last year, the Missouri House passed a bill to keep transgender girls from participating in girls’ sports, but it did not pass the Senate.
Now, one year later, Missouri lawmakers have filed more transgender-related legislation. There are more bills filed barring transgender girls from participating in girls’ sports than there are transgender athletes participating in the state, according to the Missouri Independent.
Rep. Jamie Burger, R-Benton, who sponsored one of the three bills related to transgender girls’ participation in sports, said the matter is about fairness.
“Fairness is what keeps coming up in every conversation, and this law is ensuring that girls will not have to be concerned about and getting to play their game fairly,” Burger said.
The Missouri State High School Activities Association and the NCAA already have guidelines on sports participation for transgender athletes. During testimony, all three sponsors of the bills said they weren’t familiar with those existing guidelines.”
https://news.stlpublicradio.org/government-politics-issues/2023-01-25/bills-targeting-missouri-transgender-children-and-drag-shows-draw-hours-of-testimony StLouis Public Radio Jan 25
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“Sweeping education bill clears Missouri Senate committee without anti-transgender provision”
“A Senate committee removed a controversial proposal targeting transgender athletes from a wide-ranging education bill Tuesday, but the committee’s chair indicated more debate to come on the issue.
On a six to three vote along party lines, the Senate Education and Workforce Development Committee approved legislation that would dictate how history and race are taught in Missouri classrooms, as well as establish a statewide transparency portal for public schools, among other provisions.
The legislation — which is an amalgamation of three separate bills — seeks to enshrine parent rights, establish a statewide website for school curriculum and bar schools from teaching critical race theory.
Cut from the bill was a portion that would bar transgender girls from competing in school athletics according to their gender identity, a topic that dominated the lion’s share of testimony against the proposal during Tuesday’s hearing.
Sen. Rick Brattin, a Harrisonville Republican sponsoring one of the bills, said the provisions were designed to “protect women in athletics.”
But for those who traveled to the Capitol to testify against the proposal, including students and parents, the excised language unfairly targeted an already vulnerable population.
“It conveys a message [transgender students] don’t belong,” Anne Kraus, equality manager for PROMO, the state’s largest LGBTQ advocacy organization, said.
“Please let our kids play without a fear of being outed, shame or questions. Just let them play the games they enjoy,” she said.”
https://missouriindependent.com/2023/01/24/multi-pronged-education-bill-passes-committee/ Missouri Independent Jan 24
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Missouri Budget Project “How MO Taxes & Revenue Compare to Other States”
“Our state taxes pay to educate our children, to care for our parents and grandparents, and to pave the highways we drive on. Taxes are essential for our communities to thrive, providing the many services that we alone cannot provide and building the foundation for economic prosperity for us all.
Yet Missouri is falling behind.
As shown in our new report, decades of ad hoc tax changes decisions have resulted in inadequate, upside-down tax structure where out-of-state corporations pay less than their fair share, and low- and middle-income Missourians pay a higher share of their income in taxes than the richest Missourians. This shifts the cost to hardworking Missouri families just trying to make ends meet, and deprives our state of the revenue needed to support thriving communities, help families succeed, and promote Missourians’ way of life.
–Missouri is ranked 48th among all states in the amount of state revenue it collects per person, and 45th in the amount it spends per person (including federal funds). These rankings have dropped since 2010.
–Our state income tax is well below average, and only one state in the nation has a top corporate income tax rate lower than Missouri's.
–Of states collecting sales taxes, only 6 have lower rates than Missouri. But because localities have increased local sales taxes to make up for the state disinvesting in communities, the average state and& local sales tax in MO is 8.29 - well above the national average of 6.57%.
–Overall, Missouri's tax structure is regressive - meaning lower earning Missourians pay a higher portion of their income in taxes than the highest income Missourians.
Extraordinary federal funding related to the pandemic has bolstered our state's ability to invest in the services our communities need, improving the lives of Missourians. However, these funds will soon cease, and as additional state tax decreases go into effect, the revenue our state has to invest in public services will further decline.”
Learn more here: https://www.mobudget.org/mo-tax-revenue-compare/
NATIONAL NEWS
“3 dead, 4 injured in sixth mass shooting in California this month”
“At least three people were killed and four others were injured in a Los Angeles shooting early Saturday, police said.
Driving the news: The three deceased were in a vehicle that was parked in front of a residence, a short-term rental property in the Beverly Crest neighborhood, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
The latest: Authorities identified the deceased victims Sunday as Nenah Davis, 29, of Bolingbrook, Ill.; Destiny Sims, 26, of Buckeye, Ariz.; and Iyana Hutton, 33, of Chicago.
The big picture: This marks the sixth mass shooting in California this month, in which at least four people were injured or killed, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
A shooting in Monterey Park ahead of Lunar New Year left 11 dead.
At least seven more people died in the Half Moon Bay shooting days later.
Details: Saturday's shooting, which took place about 2:30am, was not an active shooter situation, according to LAPD.
No information about the shooter or shooters was immediately available.
Two of those injured were in critical condition, while the other two were in stable condition by midmorning Saturday, police said. Go deeper: More mass shootings in U.S. than days in 2023 so far ”
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CHECK OUT OUR MISSOURI MONDAYS NEWS SUPPLEMENT!
With so much important news each week we don’t want you to miss a thing!
Check out our MISSOURI MONDAYS NEWS SUPPLEMENT here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13cokjWlCh2EkY5K6bM357rjVPizZDzxlMqjAuoBQfoI/edit?usp=sharing
MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THESE UPCOMING ACTIONS AND EVENTS
TAKE ACTION WITH THE MISSOURI VOTER PROTECTION COALITION (MOVPC)
TO PROTECT THE RIGHT TO VOTE
Join the MOVPC meeting MONDAY JAN 30 at 10 AM
Text “MOVPC” to 66866 or register HERE: bit.ly/protectmovoters
Our work to protect the vote requires our continued attention! So we hope you'll join our next MOVPC call where we will discuss next steps in our fight to protect the right to vote in Missouri. MOVPC is a nonpartisan statewide network promoting access to the ballot and working to remove barriers to voting in Missouri!
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Democratic Legislative Network Monday Night Call
Every Monday night
Want to stay up to date on what's happening in Jefferson City and how YOU can help secure Democratic victories for Missouri? Sign up below to join the Democratic Legislative Network and be a part of our Monday night messaging calls.
Sign up here: Bit.ly/MissouriDLN
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ProgressWomen #Democracy101 Season 5
January 31
6:30pm Registration, 7pm Program
Central Reform Congregation
5020 Waterman
St. Louis, MO 63108
Tickets $10, Students $5
Purchase tickets and register here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/democracy101
Ready to stand up for Democracy – particularly in Missouri? THIS IS FOR YOU.
#DEMOCRACY 101 (formerly our popular #GOV101 series, now in Season 5)
FEATURING:
*2023 Hot Bill Panel with Rabbi Daniel Bogard (Central Reform Congregation), Heather Fleming (Missouri Equity Education Partnership), Denise Lieberman (Missouri Voter Protection Coalition) and Sara Ruiz (Ashrei Foundation)
*A Primer & Inside Secrets of the Missouri Legislature
* Everything you MUST know to do your part
We’ve trained thousands of citizens throughout the state, just like YOU. Attacks on public school curriculum, book bans, attacks on transgender youth, making it HARDER to vote & pass voter initiatives…they are just getting started this session.
Democracy depends on YOU. We need YOU.
Co-sponsored by the Ashrei Foundation, Central Reform Congregation & ProgressWomen
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January is National Blood Donor Month!
Did you know that the Greater Kansas City area hasn’t had a healthy and stable blood supply for nearly three years? And we’re not alone. Blood centers across the country, and even the globe, are experiencing record low numbers of blood donations. Even prior to the pandemic, our country was already facing a looming public health issue: a lack of blood donors.
#GiveLifeKC, an awareness campaign launching January 2023, aims to put an end to blood shortages in Kansas City. This campaign will focus on increasing awareness about the important and consistent need for blood donations in our region.
To find out how you can help #GiveLifeKC go to: https://www.savealifenow.org/givelifekc/
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TAKE ACTION TO HELP END GUN VIOLENCE WITH EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY AND MOMS DEMAND ACTION MO
Every day, more than 110 people in America are killed with guns. We’re counting on people like you to take actions that will help us pass common-sense laws and implement policies that will save lives. Find actions you can take now to help end gun violence: https://www.everytown.org/actions/
Action is the counterweight to apathy. We can reclaim our safety and save lives by taking action to end gun violence. Join Moms Demand Action volunteers in Missouri who are working to make our communities safer by texting READY to 644-33.
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FIND MORE UPCOMING ACTIONS AND EVENTS here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19AZUdtRH5WXefOC4Q5D9u-HyuzhBEL8rYX9Ospn3n18/edit?usp=sharing
THANK YOU! for answering the Missouri Mondays CALL TO ACTION!
Invite your friends and neighbors to join us and sign up for Missouri Action Alliance and this Missouri Mondays email at moactionalliance.com/signup
Follow us on Twitter at @MissouriAction, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MOActionAlliance and check out our website at http://www.MOActionAlliance.com
