02/17/25 Missouri Mondays - VICTORY for MO reproductive freedom but our work continues! Make “good trouble, necessary trouble” with us this week!
Welcome to Missouri Mondays!
Last week the state’s abortion facility licensure requirement was blocked by a Circuit Court judge! This is a MAJOR VICTORY for Missourian’s access to Amendment 3’s constitutionally enshrined reproductive rights!
President and CEO of Comprehensive Health of Planned Parenthood Great Plains Emily Wales said the decision “is a triumph for all Missourians: for the voters who demanded their rights, for the medical providers we trust to provide care, and most importantly, for patients who will now be able to receive high-quality care without fear.” “Abortion care will be restored immediately. The people voted, the court responded, and we will do our part: serving Missourians in their home state.”
“The decision to block Missouri's abortion provider licensure requirements which made full access to care unattainable in the state is a huge step to realizing the promise of Missourians' new constitutional right to reproductive freedom,” said Gillian Wilcox, Director of Litigation at the ACLU of Missouri and co-counsel for the lawsuit.
“While we celebrate this critical win which was possible only because a majority of Missourians approved Amendment 3, know that anti-abortion politicians in Jefferson City are scrambling to put Missouri's abortion ban back into place. We must remain vigilant and be ready to hold politicians accountable to the will of the people, not the other way around.”
This win is HUGE. No state had ever overturned a ban but WE DID IT against all odds. It is a reminder of what we can accomplish together and also what we are up against still. The opposition in MOLeg is hard at work trying to take us back, so we cannot let our guard down now.
**Read more about last week’s ruling here: https://www.aclu-mo.org/en/news/missouri-abortion-providers-resume-care-after-judge-blocks-discriminatory-licensure ACLU MO Feb 14 2025
This week you can submit witness testimony for legislation that would protect election workers. Advocate for the return of the presidential preference primary and extending the no excuse absentee voting period. Check out these excellent action guides for more ways to make your voice heard:
League of Women Voters of MO legislative action guide: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Wr-5oNx1saaAjcv67Gehh66wOlwVynt1/view
Mssouri Voter Protection Coalition #MOLeg action guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ub5TIXte62ZkZm0NJjPGJgCoUz2MY2ZP93Srl6ocFFY/edit?usp=sharing.
Thanks for staying informed, taking action, and helping us spread the word by sharing this email and the link to sign up: https://www.moactionalliance.com/signup
Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MOActionAlliance, on Bluesky @moaction.bsky.social, and check out our website at http://www.MOActionAlliance.com
UPCOMING EVENTS / WAYS TO GET INVOLVED!
*MISSOURI VOTER PROTECTION COALITION (MOVPC) MEETING
MONDAY MORNINGS at 10AM Online (Zoom)
To sign up text “MOVPC” to 66866 or register here to join the meeting: bit.ly/protectmovoters
Feb 17 - We will discuss this week’s opportunities to advocate on legislation that would advance democracy in Missouri. Meanwhile, legislation to prohibit courts from rewriting deceptive or misleading ballot language was brought up for perfection on the Floor of the Senate last week (SCS/SB 22), and similar legislation is likely to be voted out of committee in the House this week (HB 414, HB 684).
Take ACTION to let lawmakers know they should Protect MO Voters. Details here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ub5TIXte62ZkZm0NJjPGJgCoUz2MY2ZP93Srl6ocFFY/edit?usp=sharing
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LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS MO - CALLS TO ACTION AND LEGISLATIVE BULLETIN
The League of Women Voters of Missouri provides two excellent documents with an overview of a number of bills being heard in committee and detailed action steps you can take on issues of importance to you.
Link to this week’s LWVMO Calls to Action for the week of Feb 10: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VbtJKVBHua-0r76-wNeQT1ulABmUEKbF/view
Link to LWVMO Legislative Bulletin for the week of Feb 10: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BRzYKdha5VlINI45qiGFxlxZq1vhpbRf/view
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NATIONAL RESISTANCE ACTION - KC AREA
SAVE DEMOCRACY RALLY at Josh Hawley’s Office Downtown KC
EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 4:30 pm
Wednesday, Feb 19
4:30pm - 6:00pm
Sen. Josh Hawley’s Office
400 E 9th St
Kansas City, MO 64106
Details and sign up here: https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/755635/
Save Democracy Rally across the street from Josh Hawley’s downtown Kansas City Office. This rally will be held each Wednesday from 4:30 to 6:00 pm. Bring your signs, banners, bullhorns. Tell your friends, family, co-workers. Spread the word.
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NATIONAL RESISTANCE ACTION - KC AREA
Join Blue Brookside at Senator Hawley's Downtown KC Office
Thursdays
Feb 27, Mar 6, Mar 13, Mar 20
1:30 - 2:30
Sen. Josh Hawley Office
400 E 9th St
Kansas City, MO 64106
Details and sign up here: https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/755986/
We are planning to meet at Senator Hawley's Downtown KC office at 400 E 9th Street every Thursday at 1:30. Bring signs! Let's meet on the sidewalk on 9th street just south of the Federal Courthouse where his office is located. We can send six people at a time in to talk to his staff so bring your talking points!
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NATIONAL RESISTANCE ACTION FROM ANYWHERE
5 CALLS
Make your voice heard. 5 Calls is the easiest and most effective way for U.S. constituents to make a political impact. We’re the team making advocacy accessible. 5 Calls makes it easy for you to reach your members of Congress and make your voice heard.
We research issues, write scripts that clearly articulate a progressive position, figure out the most influential decision-makers, and collect phone numbers for their offices.
All you have to do is call. For more information: https://5calls.org/
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LEE’S SUMMIT
LEE’S SUMMIT DEMOCRATS
ADVOCACY 101 TRAINING
Saturday, Feb 22
10am - Noon
Mid-Continent Public Library - Colbern Road Branch
1000 NE Colbern Rd
Lee’s Summit, MO 64086
Details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1301286660946913
Join us for our Advocacy 101 training to learn how to take action on critical issues in Missouri. State laws influence our public schools, roads, colleges, etc. and our economic opportunities. Bills have been introduced and are already moving forward this session that are designed to reverse Amendment 3 and ignore the will of the people, weaken workers’ rights, reverse minimum wage ordinances, allow discrimination in the workplace and housing, undermine our public schools, and more. All these policies affect our daily lives here in Missouri, so it’s important to pay attention to what our state legislature is doing.
Learn the Missouri legislative process and your place in it, including how to track the status of bills, how to testify on behalf of or against a bill, how to schedule a meeting with a state legislator, and other effective strategies to address vital concerns. While the skills learned during our training will be focused on Missouri but can be used at every level of advocacy from school board to federal issues.
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ACLU of MO Voices of Liberty Lobby Day 2025
Wednesday, Feb 26
9:30am - 2:30pm
MO State Capitol
201 W Capitol Ave.
Jefferson City, MO 65101
Details: https://www.aclu-mo.org/en/lobby-day
Please join us for the ACLU of Missouri’s annual Lobby Day in Jefferson City – Wednesday, February 26th, 9:30am-2:30pm! This year we will be meeting with elected officials about reproductive freedom, anti-immigration bills, privacy rights, and the initiative petition process. Lobby Day is an opportunity to meet fellow ACLU of Missouri supporters and ensure that the civil liberties of all Missourians remain protected.
Virtual trainings will be offered in advance of Lobby Day to help prepare you and build connection! We’re looking forward to lobbying with you, please join us https://www.aclu-mo.org/en/lobby-day
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MORE WAYS TO GET INVOLVED! ORGANIZATIONS NEED YOU!
*Find additional events, resources, organizations that need your help here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SZqI3j4nv2N3ylrsLTYXHa60aNMC-a4GlXZyj08lmPw/edit?usp=sharing
MISSOURI VOTER RESOURCES
NEXT ELECTION: April 2, 2025. Register to vote by MARCH 6!
Check your registration on the MO Secretary of State website: https://voteroutreach.sos.mo.gov/portal/
Missouri Voter Protection Voter Eligibility & Registration Guidance: https://www.movpc.org/missouri-voter-eligibility-and-registration
Identify your local election authority: https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/localelectionauthority
Do you have your voter ID? Approved forms of ID are listed below (your address does not need to match the address on the ID):
A non-expired* Missouri driver or non-driver license;
A non-expired military ID, including a veteran's ID card;
A non-expired United States passport; or
Another photo ID issued by the United States or the state of Missouri, which is either not expired *or expired after November 8, 2022.
Voter ID cards issued by your county clerk, driver licenses from other states, and student IDs are no longer accepted as valid IDs to vote.
Find your Current State Elected Officials and U.S. Elected Officials
Enter your address to search for your electeds here: https://www.senate.mo.gov/LegisLookup/Default
MISSOURI LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Week of Feb 10 - 14 - MO House and Senate Dem Newletter Excerpts
“MO AG BAILEY ALLEGES STARBUCKS HIRES TOO MANY WOMEN, MINORITIES
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey sued coffee giant Starbucks on Feb. 11 for allegedly giving hiring preference to women and racial minorities in violation of state and federal discrimination laws, noting in the lawsuit that “since 2020, Starbuck’s workforce has become more female and less white.”
Bailey, who has repeatedly used his taxpayer-funded position to advance politically charged Republican “culture war” issues, filed the case in federal district court in St. Louis. He is asking the court to enjoin the company from engaging in the allegedly discriminatory practices and require it to pay an unspecified amount in damages.
Bailey cites Starbucks’ diversity, equity and inclusion programs as the basis for his allegations, claiming such programs “skew the hiring pool towards people who are less qualified to perform their work, increasing costs for Missouri’s consumers.” The lawsuit does not explain how women and minorities are less qualified to serve coffee drinks than white men
Far from giving preference to unqualified applicants, diversity, equity and inclusion programs aim to expand hiring pools to include qualified applicants from historically overlooked groups. According to Bailey's filing, Starbucks had nearly 200 locations in Missouri as of 2023.
During a House Budget Committee hearing the day after the lawsuit was filed, Democratic lawmakers grilled Bailey over the case and how much pursuing it will cost Missouri taxpayers. Bailey said the costs remain to be seen. No hearing date has yet been set in the case, State of Missouri ex rel. Andrew Bailey v. Starbucks Corp.
STATE REVENUE DOWN 2.2 PERCENT SEVEN MONTHS INTO FY 2024
Year-to-date net state general revenue collections decreased 2.2 percent through the first seven months of the 2025 fiscal year compared to the same period in FY 2024, going from $7.59 billion last year to $7.42 billion this year. Net revenues had been up a scant 0.1 percent through the first six months of the fiscal year.
Net general revenue collections for January 2025 decreased 11.5 percent compared to those for January 2024, going from $1.45 billion last year to $1.29 billion this year. A large drop in individual income tax collections following a tax cut that took effect Jan. 1 and a substantial decline in state sales tax revenue were among the factors responsible for the decreased collections.”
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/1wMmphHQfXS3af8AnxQ145XN9hEfv6RLmtS5XTv-XcFk/edit?usp=sharing
THANK YOU! for staying informed and taking action to make a difference!
Invite your friends and neighbors to join us and sign up for Missouri Action Alliance and this Missouri Mondays weekly email at bit.ly/3pF99Uw
Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MOActionAlliance, on Bluesky @moaction.bsky.social, and check out our website at http://www.MOActionAlliance.com
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