03/19/18 - Missouri Mondays - Get Ready to Spring Into Action After Missouri Legislature Break!
For Missouri Mondays this week, we’re highlighting a few bills in the Missouri House and Senate to prepare you for “springing” into action when the legislature returns from break!
HB 1443 - Sponsor: Eggleston. J. (002)
Prohibits temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) benefit cards from being used at ATMs or to access cash, and limits the items that may be purchased with TANF benefits
Last House Action: 03/15/18 - Passed the House and on to the Senate (First Read)
Indivisible Missouri opposes HB 1443 because:
HB 1443 punishes children for the actions of their parents by taking away (TANF) benefits. Under HB 1443, an individual who purchases a prohibited item or makes a purchase in a prohibited establishment using TANF funds could lose TANF benefits for a period of two years. TANF funds help families in poverty pay for essential living expenses. Children should not have to suffer the traumatic consequences of losing this necessary benefit due to a parent’s ill-considered action.
House Committee Substitute for HB 1729, 1621, 1436 - Sponsor: Justus, Jeffery (156)
Repeals provisions relating to prevailing wages on public works.
Would eliminate the requirement that contractors and subcontractors on public projects pay employees the prevailing wage where the project is being completed and instead require workers to be paid the state or federal minimum wage whichever is higher.
Last House Action: 3/15/18 Second read and referred to Senate General Laws Committee
Indivisible Missouri opposes this House Committee Substitute because:
Repealing prevailing wage lowers wages hurting all workers in our state and not just union workers.
No evidence that eliminating prevailing wage is effective.
Will encourage out of state companies to undercut local companies by paying lower wages.
HB 1413 - Sponsor: Taylor, Jered (139)
Requires authorization for certain labor unions to use dues and fees to make political contributions and requires consent for withholding earnings from paychecks
Last Action: 03/15/2018 - Passed the House and sent to the Senate
Indivisible Missouri opposes HB 1413 because:
It’s purpose is to weaken unions, not help workers. Just like so called Right to Work legislation passed last year, we know such anti-union legislation is backed by dark money groups funded by out of state corporate billionaires putting profit over people and looking out for their own bottom lines,not for the interests of hard working Missourians and their families.
Creates unnecessary and costly regulation on unions. Dues make it possible for unions to provide a multitude of critical resources for their members. Paycheck deception laws are designed to place obstacles in the way of collecting those dues and force unions to waste time and money in order to be in compliance.
States where unions are under attack, all workers are harmed. We know in states with Right to Work laws, wages and incomes are lower, workplace injuries and deaths are higher, workers have fewer benefits including less health insurance coverage.
Thank you for all you do and look for another Missouri Mondays next week!
We also want to remind you of our upcoming Lobby Your Legislator Day M in Jefferson City from 10 AM - 3 PM! Make sure you RSVP so we can create a personalized packet for you with information on your legislators. ***Note*** Topics for our Lobby Your Legislator Day will be decided just a few days prior to our visit, since things in Jefferson City change so quickly we want to discuss bills that our elected officials will be voting on the week of our visit. The day before our visit we will email information to those who RSVP. This information will include what bills we will be talking to our elected officials about as well as talking points. We also encourage you to bring topics that are most important to you to discuss! To learn more or to RSVP please click HERE.
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at @MOIndivisible or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/IndivisbleMO and check out our website at http://www.IndivisibleMO.com.
In solidarity,
Indivisible Missouri
