04/05/21 - Missouri Mondays - Make your voice heard in Jefferson City and at the ballot box April 6!
Under the pretense of baseless and racist voter fraud claims, Missouri GOP lawmakers are moving quickly to pass restrictive voting laws like those introduced or already passed in Republican majority legislatures in Georgia, Texas, Arizona and 44 other states. We must fight back against voter suppression and attacks on our democracy! As John Lewis said, "The vote is precious. It is almost sacred. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democracy." Let’s make our voices heard loud and clear this week in Jefferson City and at the ballot box this TUESDAY APRIL 6!
MISSOURI LEGISLATURE ACTIONS FOR THIS WEEK!
MEDICAID EXPANSION
TELL MO SENATORS TO FULLY FUND MEDICAID EXPANSION! Last week the House Republican Budget Committee voted down HB 20 that would have funded Medicaid expansion and then the full House passed a $32 billion state operating budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1 without funding allotments for expansion of Medicaid. This blatant move to block a constitutionally mandated expansion of the program’s eligibility threshold CANNOT STAND! CALL and WRITE your Senator today and DEMAND they honor the people’s voice! Find your Senator HERE: https://www.senate.mo.gov/LegisLookup/Default.aspx AND CALL the following Senators on the Senate Appropriations Committee to fully fund Medicaid expansion:
Sen. Dan Hegeman (573) 751-1415, Sen. Lincoln Hough (573) 751-1311, Sen. Lauren Arthur (573) 751-5282, Sen. Justin Brown (573) 751-5713, Sen. Mike Cierpiot (573) 751-1464, Sen. Sandy Crawford (573) 751-8793, Sen. Bill Eigel (573) 751-1141, Sen. Karla Eslinger (573) 751-1882, Sen. Denny Hoskins (573) 751-4302, Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer (573) 751-2183, Sen. Karla May (573) 751-3599, Sen. Jeanie Riddle (573) 751-2757, Sen. Barbara Washington (573) 751-3158, Sen. Brian Williams (573) 751-4106
EDUCATION
Tell your Senator to vote NO on School Voucher Bill SB 30! SB 30 would allow parents to donate to a “scholarship fund” that would pay their child’s tuition to a private or relgious school and consequently give the parents a tax credit for the amount of the “donation” (tuition). This is a tax cut that gives approximately $100 million per year in tax money to private institutions that are not accountable to the state. Studies have shown that voucher programs tend to favor affluent families rather than those most in need. Act NOW as SB 30 is again on the Formal calendar for Perfection this week! Find your senator HERE: https://www.senate.mo.gov/LegisLookup/Default.aspx
VOTER SUPPRESSION
Tell your Senator to vote NO on SB 282. This bill would requre a photo ID, and although voters without proper ID could vote after signing an affidavit, they must return to the polling place on the same day with their proper photo ID. In addition, the Secretary of State is not required to notify the public of ID requirements, a blatant effort to ensure voter confusion!
Call your Representative NOW! to vote NO on ANY attempts to change the initiative petition process! HJR 26 is on the House Formal Calendar for Perfection this week. The Missouri GOP wants to change this honored process that has served the people well for over 100 years to make it almost impossible for the people to influence their democracy! Similar bills include House bills HJR 5, HJR 2, HJR 9, HJR 15, HJR 14, HB 333, HJR 20, HJR 25, HJR 26, HJR 27, HB 556, HJR 22 Senate Bill SB 149 is still on the Informal calendar for Perfection. Tell your electeds to reject any attempt to make it harder for the people to have a voice through the initiative petition process!
We must STOP voter suppression in Missouri!! Tell your Senator to vote NO on attempts to make it harder to vote in Missouri!. Both HB 738 and HB 842 would eliminate electronic voting machines and require paper ballots, which could hamper voting efforts for the disabled as well as delay election results. HB 1065 would establish no-excuse absentee voting but for in-person voters only beginning three weeks before Election Day rather than the current six weeks. It would require a state-issued photo ID to vote. The courts have already found the requirement of a photo-ID to be unconstitutional.
Tell your Senator to vote NO on HB 334 Photo ID bill! HB 334 Photo ID bill is in the Senate after passing in the House but there was no movement last week. “The State’s own data shows that HB 334 stands to burden more than 200,000 Missouri voters who do not have a current state-issued photo ID and would face barriers getting one, disproportionately voters of color, seniors, voters with disabilities, young voters, and low-wage workers.” Tell your Senator to vote NO on HB 334!
BILL WATCH LIST--UPDATES ON PREVIOUS ACTIONS
GUNS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION / ESTABLISH MINUTEMEN OF THE STATE
TELL THE SENATE GENERAL LAWS COMMITTEE TO VOTE NO ON SENATE BILL SB 528 AND HOUSE BILL HB 52! SB 528 creates the minutemen of the state. Sen. Bill White’s bill establishes the Minutemen of the state. House Bill HB 52 would allow concealed guns on public transportation.
PREVENT LOCAL GOVERNMENT PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY ACTIONS
Tell your Senator to vote NO on HB 75 and tell your Representative to vote NO on HCS HB 602. Procedures required by these bills could prevent necessary actions by local governments to protect their citizens during public health emergencies that require immediate action.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR APRIL 6 ELECTION!
ELECTION DAY THIS TUESDAY APRIL 6, 2021
Polls Open at 6:00 a.m.
Polls Close at 7:00 p.m.
IN PERSON ABSENTEE VOTING NOW UNTIL 5PM APRIL 5, 2021
MISSOURI VOTER PROTECTION COALITION (MOVPC) MEETING
MON APRIL 5
10am CT
Join Missouri Voter Protection Coalition Zoom meeting TODAY to learn more about the campaign to Ensure Voting in Missouri Amid the COVID-19 Crisis and beyond.
Text MOVPC to 66866 to sign up!
COVID VACCINE RESOURCES
Missourians in all Tiers of Phase 1 and 2 are eligible to receive the COVID vaccine. ALL Missourians will be eligible on April 9, 2021. You can view the tier levels here - https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/priority/. If you would like to get your vaccine, call your primary care provider, your local pharmacy, reach out to one of the health systems that has been deemed a high throughput allocation site, and sign up on all wait lists. Please be patient, continue to keep distance from others, wear your masks, and wash your hands.
COVID VACCINE NAVIGATOR REGISTRY https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/navigator/ is a secure registry tool to assist Missourians in receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. You can also call the COVID-19 hotline at 877-435-8411 for registration assistance. COVID TESTING IN KC METRO https://www.kcmo.gov/city-hall/departments/health/coronavirus-covid-19-kcmo-information-and-response/covid-19-testing-location MO COVID UPDATE As of Sat April 3 MO Dept of Health and Senior Services reports confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Missouri rose to 490,927 and 8,504 confirmed deaths. The New York Times database reports as of April 4 at least 587,144 total cases and 8,988 deaths in Missouri since the beginning of the pandemic. Please sign up to be ready to get your COVID-19 vaccine when you qualify, continue to social distance, wash your hands, and ALWAYS wear your mask in public! THANK YOU! for answering the Missouri Mondays CALL TO ACTION!
Invite your friends and neighbors to join us and sign up for Indivisible Missouri and this Missouri Mondays email at indivisiblemo.com/signup
