05/16/22 - Missouri Mondays - Legislative Wrap Up, Bans Off Our Bodies Rallies, More!
05/16/22 - Missouri Mondays - Legislative Wrap Up, Bans Off Our Bodies Rallies, Tell Gov Parson to veto HB 1878 voter suppression bill! Keep Making a Difference!!
Members of the Missouri House throw sheets of paper into the air to celebrate the end of the legislative session on May 13, 2022 (Jason Hancock/Missouri Independent).
Welcome to another Missouri Mondays! Thanks for staying informed and taking action to make a difference!
MISSOURI LEGISLATURE
The Missouri legislature adjourned a tumultuous session Friday, May 13. The session was marked by infighting, a slew of damaging bills, as well as some significant accomplishments. With your help, egregious attacks on Missouri families were defeated and vital progress is being achieved!
Together we were able to–
Protect our 115 year old citizen initiative petition process
Fully fund Medicaid Expansion and stop attempts to repeal Medicaid Expansion
Protect our unemployment assistance from drastic cuts that would have made Missouri the last in the nation
Secure a $15-an-hour minimum wage for State employees
Assure that Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars will fund some needed projects for Missouri
Establish nurseries in correctional facilities allowing mothers to stay with their infants for the first 18 months
Read more about the session here: Missouri legislature ends tumultuous 2022 session marked by gridlock, GOP infighting~~Missouri Independent
DESPITE THESE WINS, WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO!
TELL GOV. PARSON TO VETO HB 1878!!
HB 1878, the strict voter PHOTO ID law is now headed to the Governor for his signature.
This law would make it harder to register people to vote, grants the secretary of state the power to withhold state funding from local election officials, gives the SOS the authority to order the removal of voters from the rolls, opens the door to sham election audits, eliminate Missouri’s presidential primary election, among other provisions. As a small concession to opponents, it would also create a two-week period prior to an election in which Missourians could cast an absentee ballot without offering an excuse but would have to do so in person at the election authority (typically during working hours) and only for those with state issued photo ID. Early voting would be eliminated altogether if the unconstitutional photo ID provision is struck down in the courts.
Majority Republicans have been trying to enact a photo voter ID requirement for more than 15 years in order to reduce turnout among racial minorities and other groups that tend to support Democrats and are most likely not to have a government-issued photo ID. However, the Missouri Supreme Court has struck down previous efforts for placing an unconstitutional restriction on the fundamental right to vote. A lawsuit challenging the latest photo ID requirement is expected.
Call Governor Parson’s office at (573) 751-3222 and tell him to VETO HB 1878!
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A Kansas City police officer watches protesters in Mill Creek Park on May 30 last year.
KANSAS CITY FORCED TO SPEND HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF CITY BUDGET ON POLICE DEPARTMENT
Senate Bill 678 passed both chambers and is headed to the Governor’s office. The bill would increase the portion of Kansas City’s budget that must be devoted to the police department from 20% to 25%, currently a $65.2 million increase with NO state aid added to fund the mandate.
Lawmakers also approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would provide an exception for the Kansas City Police to a prohibition on unfunded mandates. The amendment will be on the ballot later this year.
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EDUCATION UPDATE
The Missouri General Assembly passed the $49 billion state budget with over $10 billion to help education. This budget was the largest budget passed in Missouri history. The budget included the following positive outcomes.
Iincreasing the baseline teacher salary from $25,000 to $38,000 through a matching grant program. This will raise base teacher pay from 50th in the nation to 40th.
Providing local school districts with funds to support 70% of the salary costs associated with the program.
Restarting the Career Ladder program currently in state law, which allows teachers with at least five years of experience to earn extra money for participating in additional activities in the school setting.
Allocating a one-time increase of $214 million to support transportation in public schools, fully funding the maximum 75 percent of reimbursable costs for the first time since 1991.
Rejecting Republican legislation that sought to restrict teaching about how race and racism is discussed in public schools and grant parents overly expansive rights that could have made it harder for schools to operate.
Charter Schools
Charter school funding (HB 1552) was expanded. Charter schools demanded that they receive more funding equal to local revenues that public schools receive. Under the original bill, local public schools would lose thousands of dollars per pupil; however, under the amended bill, the state will provide the additional money to the districts. Although charter schools have received less funding, they do not have many of the financial burdens that the public school districts must meet such as transportation needs and special education and English language learner costs. Under this compromise, public schools will not currently be damaged by a loss of revenue, but could suffer in the future if the funding formula is cut. The cost of the charter school funding is estimated to be between $62 million and $74 million in fiscal year 2023 but could increase significantly in the future.
A positive addition to the bill was the inclusion of accountability measures for charter schools. Board members must now be residents of Missouri (but not necessarily residents of the public school districts), management companies must be non-profit corporations, and the charter schools must publish annual performance reports for the public.
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KANSAS CITIANS SHARE THEIR OWN ABORTION STORIES AT ‘BANS OFF OUR BODIES’ PROTEST
Celeste Shepherd and her daughter Addison came to the rally Saturday. Shepherd shared the story of her two abortions, and she said she's been struggling since the Supreme Court draft was leaked.
Hundreds of people attended a rally Saturday as part of a nationwide day of protest against the Supreme Court’s draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade. More than 300 people rallied at Kansas City’s Mill Creek Park and marched around the Plaza on Saturday, joining cities nationwide to protest in support of abortion rights. The “Bans Off Our Bodies” rallies were organized by Planned Parenthood in response to a leaked opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court that would overturn Roe v. Wade. Organizers told the crowd that the reproductive rights movement is not just about women.
Read more at KCUR.org - https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-05-14/kansas-citians-share-their-own-abortion-stories-at-bans-off-our-bodies-protest
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NATIONAL NEWS
Some protesters in Washington wore shirts that read “Bans Off Our Bodies.”Credit...Kenny Holston for The New York Times
With Roe in Peril, Thousands Gather at Marches for Abortion Rights
Nearly two weeks after the leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade, protesters gathered in Washington, New York and in cities across the country. In the nation’s capital, protesters marched to the Supreme Court in the rain while chanting “We will not go back” and “Abortion is a human right.” In New York, thousands crossed the Brooklyn Bridge. And in Los Angeles, demonstrators filled a park near City Hall to show their support for abortion rights.
Thousands of protesters converged in cities across the country on Saturday, nearly two weeks after the leak of a Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade. Gathering near the Washington Monument, some wore shirts that read “Bans Off Our Bodies” and “Keep Abortion Safe and Legal.” They vowed to fight to preserve abortion rights, even as some accepted that Roe would most likely be overturned. Read more from the NY Time article
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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 May 16 at 10 AM
Text “MOVPC” to 66866 or register HERE: https://wustl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYoceyuqTsqGN1NlXOMKb88rSExyr-kWjbt
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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.
Join Missouri Jobs with Justice Wed May 18 at 2:00 PM to celebrate our wins, and to dive into what we’ve learned this session.
RSVP at https://www.mojwj.org/action/webinar-legislative-session-recap/
Together we were able to fight the corporate politicians that try to divide us from each other:
Defeat more than 20 attempts to dismantle our 115 year old citizen initiative petition process
Fully fund Medicaid Expansion and stop attempts to repeal Medicaid Expansion
Protect our unemployment assistance from drastic cuts that would have made Missouri the last in the nation
Defeat attempts to shift funding away from our community-based public schools to unaccountable charter schools
Secure a $15-an-hour minimum wage for State employees
RSVP at https://www.mojwj.org/action/webinar-legislative-session-recap/
to get all the details and hear how we are organizing with workers and voters across the
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May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month
The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have enriched America's history and are instrumental in its future success.
Events, exhibits, collections and more here: https://asianpacificheritage.gov/
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MORE UPCOMING ACTIONS AND EVENTS
Find more upcoming actions and events here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/19AZUdtRH5WXefOC4Q5D9u-HyuzhBEL8rYX9Ospn3n18/edit?usp=sharing
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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/
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MISSOURI COVID UPDATE
Missourians Vaccinated vs U.S. - as of May 15 The New York Times
66% of Missourians have received at least one dose - (78% have received at least one dose in the U.S.)
56% of Missourians are fully vaccinated - (66% are fully vaccinated in the U.S.)
Latest COVID Trends in Missouri as of May 15 - The New York Times
An average of 805 cases per day were reported in Missouri in the last week. Cases have increased by 251 percent from the average two weeks ago.
Deaths have increased by 957 percent.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, at least 1 in 4 residents have been infected, a total of 1,453,877 reported cases. At least 1 in 298 residents have died from the coronavirus, a total of 20,586 deaths.
January 2022 was the month with the highest average cases, while November 2021 was the month with the highest average deaths in Missouri.
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MORE COVID-19 VACCINE, TESTING RESOURCES AND INFORMATION HERE: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i1vCikZiGfMulA8tFCDSJbEKV5N37S1JU_TSlgs699A/edit?usp=sharing
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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
