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04/10/23 Missouri Mondays - Lessons from TN – MO GOP supermajority overreach threatens freedoms...

and democracy! Stand up! Fight back!




Welcome to another Missouri Mondays! Last week we witnessed shocking events in Tennessee as the Republican supermajority in the TN House voted to expel two Black male Democrats but not their white female colleague, as punishment for standing with students protesting for gun safety measures after the school shooting in Nashville. Republicans called for their removal for “disorderly behavior” and Speaker Cameron Sexton likened their actions to an “insurrection”. One political observer tweeted, “The Republican Party today made it clear as day that a peaceful Black man with a megaphone is more threatening to them than a thousand violent white men with deadly weapons.” - Yahoo News. We recognize this power dynamic playing out in the MO legislature where an emboldened Republican supermajority seeks to ban books, diversity and drag shows, attacks trans kids and reproductive autonomy, make it harder to vote and cheaper and easier to buy and carry guns.

We need your help to fight back! Join us!

Find everything you need to take action from home or in Jefferson City. Help us spread the word to others to get involved and share our link to sign up for Missouri Mondays: https://www.moactionalliance.com/signup.

 

TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT THE CITIZEN’S INITIATIVE PETITION PROCESS!


For more than 100 years Missourians have utilized the initiative petition process to expand Medicaid coverage, overturn the right to work law harming unions, and legalize medical and recreational marijuana. Now the GOP majority is desperate to make it harder if not impossible to place a measure on the ballot through the initiative petition process and pass it statewide.


TELL HOUSE ELECTIONS COMMITTEE TO VOTE NO ON HB 834!


HB 834

  • Requires the Secretary of State’s office to make a petition fact sheet using public comments and information from the person who submits the petition

  • Requires all petition circulators to present that fact sheet or read it aloud to every person who signs the petition

  • Invalidates all signatures gathered on any date the circulator is found to be in violation of the statute


House Elections & Elected Officials Committee

Hearing on HB 834

Tuesday, April 11

11:00 AM

State Capitol

House Hearing Room 6


TESTIFY in person if possible!



CONTACT House Elections and Elected Officials Committee and tell them to oppose HB 834 and ANY changes to the IP process!


Rep. Peggy McGaugh 573-751-2917

Rep. Dan Stacy 573-751-8636

Rep. Brad Banderman 573-751-0549

Rep. Tricia Byrnes 573-751-1460

Rep. Jeff Coleman 573-751-1487

Rep. Bill Falkner 573-751-9755

Rep. Rodger Reedy 573-751-3971

Rep. Alex Riley 573-751-2210

Rep. Adam Schwadron 573-751-2949

Rep. Justin Sparks 573-751-0562

Rep. Cheri Toalson Reisch 573-751-1169

Rep. Ken Waller 573-751-4451


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HCS HJR 43


CALL YOUR STATE SENATOR TO VOTE NO ON HCS HJR43 AND OPPOSE ANY EFFORTS TO UNDERMINE THE CITIZEN-LED INITIATIVE PETITION PROCESS!


Senate Democrats held the Senate floor for almost four hours filibustering HCS HJR 43 and as a result Senate Republicans sat the bill aside. WE KNOW THIS FIGHT IS NOT OVER!


HCS HJR 43

  • Increases threshold for passage of constitutional amendments from a simple majority to 60%.

  • Statutory initiatives would pass with a simple majority.

  • Defines "eligible voters" as only US citizens and residents of Missouri.

  • Requires the Secretary of State to provide voters in each Congressional district with a period in which to review and comment upon all initiative petitions proposing amendments to the Constitution


Find your senator using the Legislator Lookup here: https://www.senate.mo.gov/LegisLookup/Default

Or

Call 1-833-491-0334 MO Jobs with Justice initiative petition patch-through line to leave a voicemail for your State Senator!


Find detailed legislation information on HCS HJR 43 and more in MOVPC’s Legislative Tracker here: bit.ly/movotingbills


PROTECT OUR VOTE! TELL HOUSE ELECTIONS COMMITTEE TO VOTE YES ON HB 1184


  • Allows election authority to notify the voter of incomplete information on an absentee ballot

  • Allows the voter to supply the missing information in person or through affadavit

  • Updated information must be received by election day for the ballot to be counted

  • No selections on the ballot may be changed, only missing information may be supplied

TESTIFY in SUPPORT of HB 1184 in person if possible!


SUBMIT online testimony in SUPPORT for HB 1184 here: https://house.mo.gov/WitnessForm/Default.aspx?bill=HB1184&noticeid=7766


CONTACT House Elections Committee and tell them to SUPPORT HB 1184

Rep. Peggy McGaugh 573-751-2917

Rep. Dan Stacy 573-751-8636

Rep. Brad Banderman 573-751-0549

Rep. Tricia Byrnes 573-751-1460

Rep. Jeff Coleman 573-751-1487

Rep. Bill Falkner 573-751-9755

Rep. Rodger Reedy 573-751-3971

Rep. Alex Riley 573-751-2210

Rep. Adam Schwadron 573-751-2949

Rep. Justin Sparks 573-751-0562

Rep. Cheri Toalson Reisch 573-751-1169

Rep. Ken Waller 573-751-4451


 

HOUSE REPUBLICANS USING MISSOURI’S BUDGET AS A POLITICAL WEAPON! TAKE ACTION!


Republican Rep. Doug Richey of Excelsior Springs sponsored amendments to House budget bills with sweeping language barring every state agency and contract from spending tax dollars on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives (DEI). Democrats say Rep. Richey’s amendment with the DEI ban language threatens to close charter schools, interrupt delivery of medical services and could even force the Capitol Building to go dark.” All the bills were passed despite efforts by Democrats to remove the DEI language before sending to the Senate.


TELL YOUR STATE SENATOR TO REMOVE LANGUAGE BANNING DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION (DEI) FROM THE BUDGET!


Find your senator using the Legislator Lookup here: https://www.senate.mo.gov/LegisLookup/Default


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TELL YOUR STATE SENATOR TO RETURN STATE FUNDING FOR MO PUBLIC LIBRARIES TO THE BUDGET!


House Budget Chair Rep. Cody Smith (R-Carthage) stripped all state funding for Missouri public libraries from the House budget in retaliation for an ACLU lawsuit on behalf of the Missouri Library Association and the Missouri Association of School Libraries that seeks to overturn a state law that bans sexually explicit material from schools and has resulted in school districts pulling books from their shelves.


The House budget is now in the Senate. Tell your Senator to return state funding for our public libraries!


Find your senator using the Legislator Lookup here: https://www.senate.mo.gov/LegisLookup/Default


STOP GOVERNMENT OVERREACH! – SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENT ON MISSOURIANS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL FREEDOM ABORTION PROTECTION BALLOT MEASURES!


Missourians for Constitutional Freedom has filed 11 ballot measures that would add abortion protections to the Missouri Constitution.


From Missouri Independent –


“Eleven versions of a proposed initiative petition seeking to roll back Missouri’s ban on abortion by adding protections for the procedure to the state constitution were filed Wednesday with the Secretary of State’s office.


Filed by a St. Louis doctor on behalf of a political action committee called Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the proposals would amend the constitution to declare that the “government shall not infringe upon a person’s fundamental right to reproductive freedom.” That would include “prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, abortion care, miscarriage care and respectful birthing conditions.” Penalties for both patients seeking reproductive-related care and medical providers would be outlawed.


But there are key differences on a range of topics between the 11 different proposals.

Each version of the proposed amendment says there must be a “compelling governmental interest” for abortion restrictions to be put in place. But while some allow the legislature to regulate abortion after “fetal viability,” others draw the line at 24 weeks of gestation. Some versions make it clear the state can enact parental consent laws for minors seeking abortions. Others leave the topic out entirely.”


“The next step is for the Secretary of State’s office to accept public comments on the 11 versions of the proposed amendment. A summary will be written and supporters can then begin gathering signatures to place the issue on the 2024 ballot.”


SEND PUBLIC COMMENTS TO SECRETARY OF STATE JAY ASHCROFT!


Go to https://www.sos.mo.gov/petitions/2024comment to find full petition text for 11 petitions submitted by “Anna Fitz-James” with Missourians for Constitutional Freedom and click “Submit Comment” button.


 


CHECK OUT OUR MISSOURI MONDAYS NEWS SUPPLEMENT!


With so much important news each week we don’t want you to miss a thing!

 

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 MOVPC weekly meeting MONDAYS at 10 AM

Text “MOVPC” to 66866 or register HERE: bit.ly/protectmovoters


Our work to protect the vote requires our continued attention! So we hope you'll join our next MOVPC call where we will discuss next steps in our fight to protect the right to vote in Missouri. MOVPC is a nonpartisan statewide network promoting access to the ballot and working to remove barriers to voting in Missouri!


Democratic Legislative Network Monday Night Call

Every Monday night at 7pm

Want to stay up to date on what's happening in Jefferson City and how YOU can help secure Democratic victories for Missouri? Sign up below to join the Democratic Legislative Network and be a part of our Monday night messaging calls.


Sign up here: Bit.ly/MissouriDLN


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Missouri Women’s Political Caucus

Speaker Series “Gender Disparities”

Tuesday, April 11th

6:30pm Networking

7:00pm Panel Discussion


Join the Missouri Women’s Political Caucus for networking followed by a panel discussion featuring MO State Representative LaKeySha Bosley, District 79, Carrie Crompton, Executive Director of the Women's Foundation of Greater Saint Louis, Zakiya Thomas, President and CEO of the ERA Coalition


Find out what's going on with the E.R.A.,discuss gender disparities for women and women of color, find out what the MO Legislature is doing to address or undermine our progress.

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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

Follow us on Twitter at @MissouriAction, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MOActionAlliance and check out our website at http://www.MOActionAlliance.com


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