03/11/19 - Missouri Mondays - Tell Legislators to say NO! to gutting Title IX with HB 573 & SB 259!
While legislation gutting Title IX continues to make its way through the Missouri Legislature, it is also making disturbing headlines. The KC Star reported that a key lobbyist for the Title IX changes, Richard McIntosh, is also the spouse of a judge who would preside over the appeals should the changes become law. McIntosh also represents universities who are opposed to the changes and has formed a dark money group called Kingdom Principles who hired 20 lobbyists in the last week according to reporting in The KC Star.
So once again for this week’s Missouri Mondays CALL TO ACTION we ask that you tell your Senator and Representative to stand with sexual assault and discrimination victims at Missouri’s universities and REJECT dark money lobbyists gutting Title IX with HB 573 and SB 259!
HB 573 and SB 259 would:
Make sweeping procedural changes for handling campus sexual assault and sexual discrimination claims at Missouri universities.
Give the accused more power in Missouri than in any other state according to experts.
“If either of these proposed measures passes, a federal law that’s supposed to prevent discrimination against women would be used in a new way to discriminate against them by systematically favoring those who are accused over those who’ve filed a complaint. In essence, the accused would become a protected class.” - KCStar Editorial Board opinion 1/30/19
Allow cross examination of the accused in the case of HB 573, that critics argue would re-victimize survivors.
Give accused the right to sue the university and employees who performed the investigation if administrative courts determine the accused student wasn’t given due process. The state attorney general could also investigate and punish universities.
In the case of SB 259, the accused would have the right to successfully sue victims for filing complaints even if the assault happened but for whatever reason the accused student was found “not responsible”. There is nothing in the bill that calls for differentiating between a false assault claim and one that either cannot be corroborated or the panel is unwilling to corroborate.
Also please mark your calendar for Tuesday March 26 Lobby Day with Planned Parenthood Advocates in Missouri and Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes at the Capitol from 8:30am-3:30pm! We hope you’ll be there with Planned Parenthood allies from all over the state to lobby your legislators for “quality sexual and reproductive health care for all Missourians” and other issues of importance to you! Register for the event with Planned Parenthood choosing the link for your area HERE and please email us at indivisiblemo@gmail.com to let us know you plan to be there!
We also ask you to contact your legislator to vote NO! on the following recent CALL TO ACTION bills:
House Bill 126
HB 126 would ban all abortions if a fetal heartbeat is heard (approx. 5-6 weeks) even in cases of rape or incest. It also requires two parent notification for minors and would ban all abortions if Roe v. Wade should be overturned.
Has moved to the Senate for Second Read
Senate Bill 121
SB 121, sponsored by Sen. Eric Burlison, would would allow guns in bars, casinos, daycares, MO public college campuses, churches, polling places, and more
Hearing conducted 2/28/19 in Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee
Senate Bill 4
SB 4, sponsored by Sen. David Sater, would take away SNAP benefits (food stamps) for failure to meet certain work requirements, affecting an estimated 52,000 Missouri children
Has moved forward to the Informal Calendar for Perfection
Senate Bill 76
SB 76 sponsored by Sen. David Sater, would require the state to apply for a waiver to allow Missouri to institute Medicaid work reporting rules Similar legislation to SB 76 was passed in Arkansas and since last August has resulted in loss of Medicaid health coverage for more than 18,000 Arkansans
Has moved forward to the Informal Calendar for Perfection
Senate Bill 292
SB 292, sponsored by Sen. Bill Eigel would expand charter schools throughout the state taking funding away from public schools
On this week’s Calendar for Perfection
House Bill 581
HB 581, sponsored by Rep. Rebecca Roeber, would expand charter schools throughout the state taking funding away from public schools
On Informal Calendar for Perfection
House Bill 445 and Senate Bill 132
HB 445 if signed into law in its current form "...would be 'the most radical undermining of open records and transparency law in state history." Rep. Jon Carpenter
SB 132 would change MO Sunshine Law by authorizing “closure of certain constituent and legislative records of members of the General Assembly” and also “modifies provisions regarding fees for access to public records”
Both bills ignore the will of the voters who overwhelmingly passed Clean Missouri Amendment 1 for greater government transparency
HB 445 Passed in the House, was Second Read in the Senate and Referred to Government Reforms Committee
SB 132 on the Informal Calendar Bills for Perfection
Remember--You can watch or listen to live debate on both the Senate and House floors.
Senate: Link to Senate Debate Audio Link to Senate Debate Video
House: Link to House Debate Audio Link to House Debate Video
THANK YOU! for answering the Missouri Mondays CALL TO ACTION!
