04/04/22 - Missouri Mondays - Time to VOTE on TUES APRIL 5! Stand with SEIU Healthcare Workers!
Time to VOTE on TUES APRIL 5! Stand with SEIU Healthcare Workers April 4! Take action to stop MO GOP’s extreme attacks on abortion, initiative petitions, public education!
Welcome to another Missouri Mondays and another busy week of important events and actions! Thanks for staying informed and using your voice to make a difference!
ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY APRIL 5 – MAKE A PLAN TO VOTE AND MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!
Election Day: April 5, 2022
Polls Open: 6:00 a.m.
Polls Close: 7:00 p.m.
Check your voter registration HERE: https://s1.sos.mo.gov/elections/voterlookup
Find your local election authority HERE: https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/localelectionauthority
Once you find your local election authority CHECK THEIR WEBSITE FOR YOUR SPECIFIC VOTING AND ELECTION INFORMATION!
STAND WITH SEIU HOSPITAL WORKERS FIGHTING FOR BETTER PAY, BENEFITS, AND WORKING CONDITIONS! (KC Metro area)
WHAT: Solidarity action for a fair contract for hospital workers at University Health (formerly Truman Medical Center) that prioritizes GOOD jobs and QUALITY care!
WHO: Stand Up KC, SEIU Healthcare, faith, labor, and civil rights leaders, and YOU!
WHEN: Monday, April 4th at 11:30 AM
WHERE: 2301 Holmes St. KCMO 64108 - University Health (formerly Truman Medical Center)
WHY: Because hospital workers have been on the frontlines of the pandemic for 2 years and deserve better pay, benefits, and working conditions AND their work conditions are patient care conditions!
From Daniel Tucker with Stand Up KC / Missouri Workers Center–
Hospital workers in SEIU Healthcare at University Health (formerly Truman Medical Center) are in bargaining and are fighting to get better pay, better benefits, and better working conditions! These workers have been on the frontlines of the pandemic for the last 2 years and are overworked and under-paid. Hard-working staff at University Health are already fighting to give care to the poor and working class of our city, and their working conditions impact the care patients receive--this is a matter of economic and racial justice. It's time to do right by hospital workers and patients!
As we prepare to vote on the Health Levy on Tuesday, April 5th, it's also important that we ensure that our tax dollars are creating GOOD jobs and QUALITY care. Truman Medical stands to receive $36 million from the city and Jackson County from the health levy and we want to make sure those funds are spent on improving the working conditions of hospital workers and the care conditions of patients.
April 4th is also the anniversary of the day that Dr. King was assassinated in Memphis, TN while he was standing with the sanitation workers who were fighting for a union, a living wage, and an end to racial discrimination. I think on this hallowed day standing with hospital workers at Truman Medical Center who are fighting for economic and racial justice is the right place to be.
MISSOURI LEGISLATURE - ACTIONS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE THIS WEEK!
TELL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TO SAY NO TO EXTREME ABORTION BILL HB 2012!
Abortion omnibus HCS HB 2012 must be stopped! If HCS HB 2012 becomes law:
Ectopic pregnancies are not explicitly excluded so would fall under the broad umbrella of abortions included in the bill. An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the egg is implanted outside the uterus. Such pregnancies are not viable and can be life-threatening to the mother.
Obtaining abortion drugs through the mail for an ectopic pregnancy would be a Class B felony
Could take funding from hospitals that provide emergency abortions and put our state’s Medicaid funding in jeopardy.
See the perfected bill summary for HCS HB 2012 here: https://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills221/sumpdf/HB2012P.pdf
Find your representative using the Legislator Lookup here: https://www.senate.mo.gov/LegisLookup/Default.aspx
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TELL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TO VOTE NO ON CHANGES TO INITIATIVE PETITION PROCESS!
House Joint Resolution HJR 132 modifies the requirements for votes needed to implement a constitutional amendment and is up for perfection in the House this week. Upon voter approval of HJR 132
Initiative petitions would require more votes to pass. Currently, proposed citizen amendments pass by a simple majority of votes cast.
Any Constitutional amendment must receive both a majority of statewide votes and a majority vote in more than one half of the State House of Representative Districts in order to become effective.
The above requirements would also apply to Constitutional changes or amendments proposed during a Constitutional convention held under article XII, section 3(c) of the Constitution of Missouri.
Find your representative using the Legislator Lookup here: https://www.senate.mo.gov/LegisLookup/Default.aspx
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STOP GOP ATTACK ON MO PUBLIC SCHOOLS! TELL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TO VOTE NO ON HCS HJR 110!
HCS HJR 110 proposes an unnecessary and burdensome constitutional amendment relating to the parents’ bill of rights. This bill is up for perfection in the House this week. If HCS HJR 110 is passed:
Such rights include but are not limited to the following: the parent's right to participate and direct the education of their child
The right to access and view curricula, academic performance, and financial information
The right to choose educational options under a system of open enrollment across district boundaries created and funded by the General Assembly
The right to opt a child out of any content that is disagreeable to the parent.
See the bill summary here: https://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills221/sumpdf/HJR0110C.pdf
Find your representative using the Legislator Lookup here: https://www.senate.mo.gov/LegisLookup/Default.aspx
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TELL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE HCS HB 2118 “MAKE MURDER LEGAL ACT” IS DANGEROUS AND WRONG FOR MISSOURI!
HCS HB 2118 is Rep. Jered Taylor’s attempt to revive Senate Bill SB 666 known as the “Make Murder Legal Act”.
Provides that a person who uses or threatens to use force in self-defense is immune from criminal prosecution and civil action for the use of such force, unless such force was used against a law enforcement officer who was acting in the performance of his or her official duties and the person reasonably knew or should have known that the person was a law enforcement officer.
A law enforcement agency may use standard procedures for investigating the use or threatened use of force, but the agency may not arrest the person for using or threatening to use force unless the agency determines that there is probable cause that the force that was used or threatened was unlawful.
The bill provides that the defendant can raise a claim of self defense during a pre-trial hearing in either a criminal or civil case, which would shift the burden on the party seeking to overcome the immunity by proof of clear and convincing evidence.
SB 666 died in the MO Senate, and HCS HB 2118 needs to die in the house! Tell your representative to vote NO!
Find your representative using the Legislator Lookup here: https://www.senate.mo.gov/LegisLookup/Default.aspx
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 next MOVPC meeting
MONDAY APRIL 4 at 10 AM
Text “MOVPC” to 66866 or register HERE: https://wustl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYoceyuqTsqGN1NlXOMKb88rSExyr-kWjbt
Help protect the right to vote in Missouri with the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition! The Missouri Voter Protection Coalition (MOVPC) is a nonpartisan statewide network working to protect the right to vote in Missouri, promoting access to the ballot and working to remove barriers to voting.
MORE UPCOMING ACTIONS AND EVENTS
Find more upcoming actions and events here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/19AZUdtRH5WXefOC4Q5D9u-HyuzhBEL8rYX9Ospn3n18/edit?usp=sharing
CRISIS IN UKRAINE - HOW YOU CAN HELP
HOW TO HELP
WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN - Help us provide fresh meals to communities in need. On Feb 24, Russia launched a large-scale attack on neighboring Ukraine, invading the country on several fronts. As a result, millions have fled their homes in search of safety. Working at a 24-hour pedestrian border crossing in southern Poland, WCK began serving hot, nourishing meals immediately. Now, we've expanded our efforts to serve people across the region in Romania, Moldova, and Hungary. WCK is also partnering with restaurants inside of Ukraine to get hot meals to anyone in need. Make a donation to WCK here: https://donate.wck.org/give/393234#!/donation/checkout
UNICEF - UNICEF is currently on the ground in Ukraine, helping children with water, health and education services. You can give a one-time or recurring donation here: https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/unicef-children-are-bearing-brunt-intensifying-crisis-ukraine/39481
RED CROSS - The International Committee of the Red Cross is supporting the Ukrainian Red Cross right now. The groups are supporting food-producing initiatives, repairing infrastructure, and helping hospitals, schools, mental health facilities and community centers. You can make a one-time donation or a monthly contribution here: https://www.icrc.org/en/donate
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS - American-based nonprofits as well as international organizations are collecting donations for supplies such as first aid backpacks, clothes, diapers, food, cots and other necessities. Donate here: https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/what-we-do/countries/ukraine
SUNFLOWER OF PEACE - Sunflower of Peace Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to helping Ukrainians affected by the Russian military invasion. Donate here: https://www.sunflowerofpeace.com/
MISSOURI COVID UPDATE
Kansas City Metropolitan Area COVID Metrics at a Glance Mar 28, 2022 -
Source: The Kansas City Beacon – https://thebeacon.media/stories/2022/03/04/kansas-city-beacon-covid-data-dashboard/
Case rate per 100K residents last 7 days - 4/2/22
Current: 39.29
Two Week Change: Up 2318.18%
Average ICU occupancy - 3/25/22
Current: 73.30%
Two Week Change: Up 2.01%
New COVID hospitalizations - 3/25/22
Current: 439
Two Week Change: Down -20.61%
New deaths last 7 days - 4/2/22
Current: 29
Two Week Change: Down -3.33%
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Missourians Vaccinated - as of The New York Times
66% of Missourians have received at least one dose - (77% have received at least one dose in the U.S.)
56% of Missourians are fully vaccinated - (66% are fully vaccinated in the U.S.)
Total COVID-19 Cases and Deaths in Missouri
1,428,277 total reported cases and 20,168 deaths as of Sun April 3 The New York Times
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MORE COVID-19 RESOURCES AND INFORMATION HERE: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i1vCikZiGfMulA8tFCDSJbEKV5N37S1JU_TSlgs699A/edit?usp=sharing
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GOVERNOR PARSON DECLARES END OF MISSOURI COVID-19 CRISIS
Last week Governor Parson “declared that the COVID-19 crisis had come to an end in Missouri, as the state transitions to treating the virus as a part of everyday life and scales back data and metrics. Starting Friday, the Department of Health and Senior Services will stop providing daily updates to case, hospitalization and vaccination data for the first time since March 2020, instead providing weekly reports. Missouri will move to treating the virus much like influenza, Parson and DHSS Director Paula Nickelson said, as constantly present in society, or "endemic." The transition comes during the calmest weeks the state has seen since the beginning of the pandemic, emerging from a surge spurred by the omicron variant. "While the COVID-19 endemic phase will continue, the time for the crisis pandemic response has ended," Parson said. "The COVID-19 crisis is over in Missouri, and we are moving on."
Full story here: https://news.yahoo.com/moving-gov-parson-declares-end-222026285.html
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MO DEPT OF HEALTH AND SENIOR SERVICES TRANSITIONS TO NEW PHASE OF PANDEMIC RESPONSE ON APRIL 1
On Friday, April 1, 2022, Missouri will transition to a new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic response. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is expected to continue circulating in our communities and, therefore, will be considered endemic. The endemicity also means that surveillance priority will change from monitoring case numbers to monitoring disease severity and societal impact. To reflect these changes, the COVID-19 dashboard will transition to a new layout that will highlight specific data that will help public health leaders measure the impact and severity of COVID-19. Beginning April 1, 2022, the dashboard will be updated each Friday.
To learn more about the next phase of Missouri’s COVID-19 response, please click here: https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/pdf/covid-19-recovery-march-2022.pdf
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
