05/06/24 Missouri Mondays - WE DID IT!!! Abortion rights AND min wage / paid sick leave petitions delivered to Secy of State! Still more to do in final weeks of MOLeg! Take action!
Welcome to Missouri Mondays!
WE DID IT!!! Thanks to the monumental efforts of signature gatherers all across the state, Missourians for Constitutional Freedom delivered 380k+ signatures to the Secretary of State before the May 5th deadline! In just three months, hundreds of thousands of Missourians signed the petition to help end Missouri's total abortion ban and put families and not politicians back in charge of personal medical decisions. Your continued financial support is vital for success and very much appreciated! To make a donation go here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/missourians-for-constitutional-freedom-1
Also last week, Missourians for Healthy Families and Fair Wages initiative petition campaign delivered over 210,000 signatures to the Secretary of State, which is almost double the amount of signatures needed to make the statewide ballot. With voter approval, the petition would gradually raise Missouri’s minimum wage and provide workers with paid sick leave.
Lawmakers have until 6 p.m.. on May 10 to complete legislative action on the budget. See the League of Women Voters Legislative Bulletin - May 5 for a summary of what to expect in these final days of the session and calls to action including urging Governor Parson to veto a bill sitting on his desk that prohibits Medicaid reimbursements to Planned Parenthood, and more calls to action here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sqaoyg3igRc8ldKGheBRdSNiGFkf1PK9/view
THANK YOU! for staying informed, using your voice to make a difference, and helping us to spread the word by sharing this link to sign up for Missouri Mondays weekly email bit.ly/3pF99Uw.
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GET INVOLVED! ACTIONS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
TAKE ACTION WITH THE MISSOURI VOTER PROTECTION COALITION (MOVPC)
TO PROTECT THE RIGHT TO VOTE
Join the MOVPC weekly online meeting MONDAYS at 10 AM
Text “MOVPC” to 66866 or register HERE: bit.ly/protectmovoters
Your help is needed to protect voting rights and ensure ALL Missourians are able to make their voices heard! MOVPC is a nonpartisan statewide network promoting access to the ballot and working to remove barriers to voting in Missouri! Register for Monday calls here!
MOVPC 2024 Missouri Legislative Tracker
See a breakdown of elections related bills on MOVPC's Voting Rights Legislative Tracker here: bit.ly/movotingbills
DONATE TO MOVPC
Help the non-partisan Missouri Voter Protection Coalition lead the fight against attacks on our freedom to vote in the statehouse, in the courthouse, in the media, in the streets and at the polls on Election Day. Donate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/movpc
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MO LEGISLATURE THIS WEEK!
From League of Women Voters of Missouri Legislative Bulletin May 5, 2024
“ONE WEEK LEFT TO PASS THE BUDGET”
“The Senate adjourned last week after giving first-round approval to SS/SB 748 (Lincoln Hough). SS/SB 748 would extend the FRA (Federal Reimbursement Allowance) healthcare provider tax for five years. The extension of the FRA provider tax is seen as an essential part of successfully passing the state budget. The combined budget impact of the FRA and federal matching funds is more than $4 billion, and the House and Senate versions both assume that these funds will be available to fund Medicaid services.
The Senate was in session continuously this week for over forty hours while several members of the so-called "Freedom Caucus" engaged in filibusters to delay the FRA extension in an attempt to pressure Senate leaders to bring up the House version of SJR 74 (Mary Elizabeth Coleman), a joint resolution seeking to weaken the citizen initiative process for amending the Missouri Constitution. The budget deadline for this session requires completion of all legislative action on the budget by 6 p.m. on May 10.
When it reconvenes today the Senate could give final approval to the FRA. The Senate adjourned last week after giving first-round approval to SS/SB 748 (Lincoln Hough). SS/SB 748 would extend the FRA (Federal Reimbursement Allowance) healthcare provider tax for five years. The extension of the FRA provider tax is seen as an essential part of successfully passing the state budget. The combined budget impact of the FRA and federal matching funds is more than $4 billion, and the House and Senate versions both assume that these funds will be available to fund Medicaid services.
The Senate was in session continuously this week for over forty hours while several members of the so-called "Freedom Caucus" engaged in filibusters to delay the FRA extension in an attempt to pressure Senate leaders to bring up the House version of SJR 74 (Mary Elizabeth Coleman), a joint resolution seeking to weaken the citizen initiative process for amending the Missouri Constitution.
The budget deadline for this session requires completion of all legislative action on the budget by 6 p.m. on May 10. When it reconvenes on May 6, the Senate could give final approval to the FRA extension contained in SB 748. The Senate is expected to then take up the state budget bills since this is the last week for passing the budget in regular session.
Any changes adopted by the Senate would also have to be approved by the House by the end of the week. Typically, the differences are resolved in a formal budget conference, but due to the lack of time, House and Senate leaders are already attempting to identify and reconcile key differences prior to final adoption of the Senate version of the budget. (Thanks to Otto Fajen of MNEA for this analysis of the current situation).
Note that SJR 74 which the League OPPOSES is in a “holding pattern”. Watch for a separate Action Alert to LWV members if we need you to take action.”
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TELL GOVERNOR PARSON TO VETO HCS HB 2634 PROHIBITING PUBLIC FUNDING INCLUDING MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT FOR PLANNED PARENTHOOD SERVICES
From League of Women Voters Call to Action April 28
Has passed the MO House and Senate and is on the governor's desk waiting to be signed into law.
Under this act, no public funds shall be expended to any abortion facility, or affiliate or associate thereof, including for MO HealthNet reimbursement.
Planned Parenthood does not provide abortions in MO but provides necessary healthcare such as mammograms, cancer screenings, contraception, and sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment.
Missouri medical providers should not be denied government funding for providing legally permissible services in the state.
Missouri should support the rights of women and those who can become pregnant to self-determination related to, and including, but not limited to, bodily autonomy, privacy, reproductive health, and lifestyle choice.
Experts agree the “health-care-safety-net system” (places that do not accept Medicaid patients) cannot absorb all Planned Parenthood patients.
CALL TO ACTION: TELL GOVERNOR PARSON TO VETO THIS BILL!
Call Parson’s office: (573) 751-3222
Fill out a form to submit your comments here: https://governor.mo.gov/contact-us/mo-governor.
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TAKE ACTION ON MO LEGISLATION WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS!
Use your voice on issues of importance to you! See all LWVMO CALLS TO ACTION for May 5 from the League of Women Voters of Missouri here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lkOC00wYSSYDGY1uZJ_cWXhTrU0wKctS/edit
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EVENTS AND WAYS TO GET INVOLVED!
FIND EVENTS AND MORE WAYS TO GET INVOLVED HERE: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19AZUdtRH5WXefOC4Q5D9u-HyuzhBEL8rYX9Ospn3n18/edit?usp=sharing
MISSOURI MONDAYS NEWS SUPPLEMENT!
With so much important news each week we don’t want you to miss a thing! Check out our MISSOURI MONDAYS NEWS SUPPLEMENT here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13cokjWlCh2EkY5K6bM357rjVPizZDzxlMqjAuoBQfoI/edit?usp=sharing
THANK YOU! for staying informed and taking action to make a difference!
Invite your friends and neighbors to join us and sign up for Missouri Action Alliance and this Missouri Mondays weekly email at bit.ly/3pF99Uw
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