06/14/21 - Missouri Mondays - Find a way to get in the way and keep up the pressure on Gov. Parson!
We must not stay silent while our Republican governor and GOP majority play politics with Missouri lives and ignore the law! Keep fighting back by taking one or more of these ACTIONS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE THIS WEEK!
TELL GOV. PARSON SHAME ON YOU FOR SIGNING DANGEROUS AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL SECOND AMENDMENT PRESERVATION ACT!
Phone Gov. Parson: 573.751.3222
Email: https://governor.mo.gov/contact-us
The citizens of Missouri at the very least deserve a governor who follows the Constitution of the United States. This week Gov. Mike Parson, a former sheriff, has signed the blatantly unconstitutional Second Amendment Preservation Act, a bill that declares that all federal gun laws are invalid in the state of Missouri! Instead of working seriously for the people of Missouri, he wastes his time on political stunts. The law prohibits police from enforcing federal gun laws that regulate gun registration, tracking and possesion of firearms even by some domestic violence offenders. KCStar Yahoo News
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TELL GOV. PARSON TO DO HIS JOB AND IMMEDIATELY PARDON KEVIN STRICKLAND, AN INNOCENT MAN WHO HAS SERVED 43 YEARS IN PRISON!
Phone Gov. Parson: 573.751.3222
Email: https://governor.mo.gov/contact-us
Even after Kansas City prosecutors declared Kevin Strickland innocent of a crime committed 43 years ago, he remains in prison. Governor Parson has claimed his pardon is not “a priority.” Despite his pardons for 36 other people last week, he has yet to pardon Strickland. Showing disdain for Jackson Country prosecutors, Kansas City mayor, Quinton Lucas, and thirteen other lawmakers who have all called for his release, Parson continues to play political games.
Crystal Quade, a Springfield State Representative, has joined the many voices calling for his release. “This is beyond outrageous that, even though everybody agrees Mr. Strickland is innocent, Governor Parson is dragging his feet in pardoning him,” Quade wrote.”~~Kansas City Star
"I'm here advocating for Mr. Strickland's freedom and his conviction should be vacated," Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said last month. "Most importantly, though, I am advocating that this man must be freed immediately." ~~Yahoo News
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TELL GOV. PARSON TO KEEP HIS PROMISE TO EXPAND MEDICAID FOR 275,000+ MISSOURIANS WHO STRUGGLE WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE!
Phone Gov. Parson: 573.751.3222
Email: https://governor.mo.gov/contact-us
Despite promising Missourians that he would uphold the will of voters, on May 13th, Governor Parson made the cowardly announcement that he is denying Medicaid Expansion eligibility set to go up on July 1st and ignoring the constitutional mandate approved by the people!
Missourians voted to expand our Medicaid program because we believe that no matter our race, zip code, or income, we all deserve health care when we’re sick – without going bankrupt. Governor Parson promised health coverage to more than 275,000 so tell him we expect him to follow the law and fully fund Medicaid!
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TELL GOV. PARSON TO VETO HCS HB 349! NO PUBLIC DOLLARS FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS!
The Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program (HCS HB 349):
Allows tax deductible donations to organizations that would pay for costs like private school tuition, tutoring, home schooling costs, transportation and more.
CALL OR WRITE GOV. PARSON NOW! This bill would create one of the least regulated voucher programs in the country.
Phone Gov. Parson: 573.751.3222
Email: https://governor.mo.gov/contact-us
If signed into law HCS HB 349:
DOES NOT protect students with disabilities. Ironically, one category of student permitted to apply for scholarship funds is a student with a disability, but the bill excludes persons with a disability from the list of those protected under the bill. In addition, a disability that would prevent a student from taking a required class would disqualify that student. Also, incredibly, students with a disability MUST WAIVE THEIR LEGAL RIGHT TO SERVICES THEY MAY NEED. If they do not receive needed resources, they then have no legal recourse to pursue those services.
Allows unaccredited schools to receive scholarship funds; schools are NOT required to be accredited.
DOES NOT require background checks for employees of these private schools.
DOES NOT require following basic health and safety measures.
DOES NOT require visits from state authorities.
DOES NOT require MAP test; Although the bill requires testing, the MAP test is not required, making it impossible to compare data with public schools.
Could divert up to $500 million from public schools over the next 10 years.
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TELL GOV. PARSON TO CALL A SPECIAL SESSION TO PASS THE FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT ALLOWANCE (FRA) TAX TO PREVENT MEDICAID PROGRAM FUNDING DISASTER!
Phone Gov. Parson: 573.751.3222
Email: https://governor.mo.gov/contact-us
As highlighted last week, our Republican majority legislature failed to pass the Federal Reimbursement Allowance (FRA), the tax paid by hospitals, nursing homes and pharmacies each year. Now The Missouri Independent reports that Parson “says he’ll have to make budget cuts at a time when the state is sitting on an unprecedented $2 billion surplus.” Cuts would be taken from other programs like higher education and school transportation.
“All of this is the most frustrating conversations you could imagine because we should not be in this mess,” said state Rep. Peter Merideth, D-St. Louis. “Because of some absolute incompetence on the part of Republican leaders, we did not get a basic tax passed that everybody wants.”
Kirk Mathews, the acting head of MO HealthNet, Missouri’s Medicaid program, warned of disaster for his agency if Missouri lawmakers don’t renew the FRA. He said “the lack of the tax could result in a massive meltdown in services to low-income enrollees and said the existence of the program will be threatened by the end of the year. “I cannot overstate the impact, the importance of that.”
In addition to potentially having to reduce medical provider reimbursements it could affect the department’s ability to meet payroll. “It is crippling. The absence of the (tax) by the end of December would make it challenging to even pay our employees.” StLouis PostDispatch May 26 2021
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TELL MO HOUSE SPEAKER ROB VESCOVO TO CALL FOR INVESTIGATIONS OF GOP REPS. PATRICIA DERGES AND CHAD PERKINS!
PHONE: 573.751.3607
EMAIL: Rob.Vescovo@house.mo.gov
Two sitting Missouri Republican state representatives are making national news for all the wrong reasons. Tell House Speaker Rob Vescovo we deserve better and to call for investigations or for their resignations!
Rep. Patricia Derges
Faces federal indictments and 20 felony charges for falsely claiming to have a COVID-19 cure
Collected nearly $200,000 for covid shots administered. Although the ingredients of the shot are unclear, medical professionals have determined there were no stem cells present as Derges claimed.
Indicted for alleged fraudulent CARES ACT fund payments of $296,974 for COVID-19 tests that the patients had already paid her for.
Refusing to resign from the MO House and with no expulsion vote on the horizon, Derges has apparently been assigned a broom closet office.
Rep. Chad Perkins
Reports and a text message prove he received "sexual favors" from an underage and drunk female while on duty as a Bowling Green Police Officer. Despite Frankford Police Chief asking the GOP House Speaker Rob Vescovo to take action against Perkins, there has been no statement from the MO Republican Party or Caucus.
IMPORTANT WIN FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE FOR MISSOURIANS!
Last week a federal court decided to continue blocking House Bill HB 126 the extreme abortion ban passed in 2019 with no exceptions for rape or incest victims.
Here’s the announcement from Planned Parenthood Advocates in Missouri - “In 2019, a lower court granted Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region (RHS) the only abortion clinic in Missouri a preliminary injunction to block the abortion bans in HB 126 from taking effect. Today, the Eighth Circuit affirmed that decision, so the abortion bans will continue to be blocked while the lawsuit continues. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt has already announced he will appeal this decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.”
Bottom line: This is a win and Reproductive Health Services’ (RHS) doors remain open, but it’s not final. While the fight over HB 126 continues, abortion remains legal in all 50 states including for the 1.1 million women of reproductive age here in Missouri.
DONATE TODAY to help protect abortion access! https://www.weareplannedparenthood.org/onlineactions/kRabj0g57k-PUhOGveWwmg2
SIGN UP FOR THESE EVENTS!
MISSOURI VOTER PROTECTION COALITION (MOVPC) MEETING
Mon June 14 at 10AM
Join Missouri Voter Protection Coalition Zoom meeting with statewide advocates working to protect the right to vote in Missouri.
To sign up text “MOVPC” to 66866 to sign up! Watch for an email with details and the link to join the meeting.
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HELP CREATE FAIR REDISTRICTING MAPS WITH THE MISSOURI OPEN MAPS PROJECT!
RSVP for Community Mapping Training on Wednesdays at 6PM: http://rsvp.openmapsmo.org
MO GOP lawmakers tricked voters in 2020 with deceptive language for Amendment 3 and it narrowly passed overturning the 2018 anti-gerrymandering provisions of Clean Missouri. You can help overcome the damage by participating in Community Mapping in which you describe the people where you live and what their needs and concerns are, to incorporate into state house and senate district boundaries/maps. Please share this with others who might be interested.
CELEBRATE PRIDE MONTH IN KC!
Pride Night at the K!
Friday, June 18
Show us your true colors at Pride Night at The K on June 18th!
Purchase a Theme Ticket package to receive a limited edition rainbow Royals pocket tank top. A portion of each ticket will be donated to SAVE, Inc. which provides permanent, transitional, and emergency housing to Kansas City’s most vulnerable individuals. Only individuals that present a Pride Night ticket purchased through this link will receive a tank top https://www.mlb.com/royals/tickets/specials/pride
The Pitch KC Pride Month events list
https://www.thepitchkc.com/get-out-and-celebrate-pride-month-at-these-kc-events/
Follow @kcpride on Facebook
KC Pride is a web portal delivering an outlet for things happening within the Kansas City LGBTQ+ and pro LGBTQ+ community.
We hope to educate the community, commemorate our heritage, celebrate our culture, and liberate our people
COVID RESOURCES
LET’S GET VACCINATED MISSOURI! FIND A COVID-19 VACCINE TODAY!
ALL Missourians age 12 and up are now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
STATE SUPPORTED VACCINATION EVENTS https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/find/#events
MISSOURI VACCINE NAVIGATOR https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/find/#navigator
FEDERAL VACCINE FINDER / FIND COVID VACCINES NEAR YOU! https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/find/#vaccine-finder
QUESTIONS? CALL 877-435-8411
Missourians Vaccinated - as of Sunday June 13 The New York Times
36% of Missourians are fully vaccinated
43% have received at least one dose.
Total COVID-19 Cases and Deaths in Missouri
515,830 confirmed cases and 9,196 deaths as of Sat June 12 MO Dept of Health and Senior Service
621,477 total cases and 9,803 deaths as of Sun June 13 The New York Times
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
