12/04/23 Missouri Mondays - MO GOP pre-filed bills attacking our rights AGAIN in 2024 session!
MO GOP pre-filed bills attacking our rights AGAIN in 2024 session! Get involved and help elect candidates to replace them!
Welcome to another Missouri Mondays!
State lawmakers pre-filed hundreds of bills on Friday giving a preview of the priorities for the 2024 Missouri Legislative Session that will begin January 3rd. Once again Republicans are focused on restricting rights, specifically making it more difficult to change the constitution. It’s clear the MO GOP fears the majority of Missourians who support abortion rights, so they will continue to use their power to silence the voice of the people by making constitutional change harder and passage of an abortion rights amendment less likely. In contrast, House Minority Leader Rep. Crystal Quade said “House Democrats will continue to focus and prioritize strengthening our public education system, reducing violent crime, protecting reproductive rights and access to birth control, and providing tax relief for working Missouri families,” said Democratic State Rep. Crystal Quade. “From now through the end of the session, House Democrats will remain committed to passing responsible legislation that improves the daily lives of Missourians throughout the state, and the dysfunction of the Republican-controlled legislature is the only thing that will continue derailing those efforts.” KY3 Dec 1
We must ALL do our part to fight for democracy and for our fundamental rights and freedoms under threat by the Missouri GOP. Start NOW by volunteering and donating to candidates to replace them! Check out the upcoming events list below for opportunities to get involved. To sign up to volunteer for MO House candidates and make donations go here: https://www.mohousedems.com/get-involved https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mhd-donate-now For MO Senate candidates go here: https://www.mosendems.org/the-team
Thank you for staying informed and taking action! Together we make a difference! Help us spread the word and share this link to sign up for Missouri Mondays weekly email https://bit.ly/3pF99Uw.
UPCOMING EVENTS - 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
Our work to protect the vote requires our continued attention! So we hope you'll join our next MOVPC call where we will discuss the necessary 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!
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End of the Year Fundraiser for Aaron Crossley for State Rep. District 29
Tuesday, December 5
5:00-6:30PM
Ophelia’s Restaurant and Inn
201 N Main St.
Independence, MO
Please join us for the last fundraiser of 2023 in support of Aaron Crossley, hosted by Ken and Cindy McClain. Your support is crucial in making a positive impact in Independence in 2024. Gather for a night of community, conversation, and shared vision. Donations can be made online at https://secure.actblue.com/donate/aaroncrossley
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PHOTO ID CLINIC VOLUNTEER TRAINING (St. Louis)
Tuesday, December 5
12-2:30pm
Central Reform Congregation
5020 Waterman Blvd
St. Louis, MO 63108
Register here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/z7v9jfw/lp/e4f91517-1af6-490a-9e43-b3bb340f71b7
The Women’s Voices Racial Justice Committee and the Ashrei Foundation are co-sponsoring two training sessions to prepare volunteers to help people obtain identification documents in the North City Photo ID Project. Many Missourians cannot readily produce the proof of identity documents and navigate the systems required to obtain an ID, disproportionately impacting communities of color, the elderly and homebound, people navigating residential instability, people with disabilities, and low-income individuals. Possession of a valid photo ID is not only necessary to access a multitude of services, including health insurance, housing, employment, banking/credit, and public benefits, but is now required to vote in Missouri.
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Blue Missouri Membership Meeting (Virtual)
Tuesday, December 5
6pm CST
On Zoom
Registration required here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0ocuCtqjMrHNSiaFjDuTnYCgGtE1QzgihV#/registration
Join Jess Piper and Arkansas Democratic organizer, Will Watson. In 2023 Will led the state party’s recruiting efforts that resulted in more state House candidates than any time in the past decade! Join Jess Piper and Arkansas Arkansas Democratic organizer, Will Watson. Hear all about his experience – and how we can replicate his success.
Will is an experienced activist, political organizer, and fundraiser. He has been a Democratic Party leader on the county and state levels, having served as Vice-Chair of the Washington County Democratic Party and on the state committee of the Democratic Party of Arkansas. He led recruiting efforts in Northwest Arkansas that greatly expanded the party’s presence in the region in 2018 and 2020.
There will be time for Q&A, so have your questions ready!
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Missouri Jobs with Justice
2023 Kansas City End of the Year Party
Tuesday, December 5
6:00pm - 8:00pm
IBEW 124
301 E 103rd Terrace
Kansas City, MO 64114
RSVP here: https://bit.ly/KCparty2023
Join us to celebrate all the incredible work we've accomplished together in 2023! There will be food, music and community. You don't wanna miss it! Contact Katie for more info at katie@mojwj.org
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South Kansas City Democrats
Bingo Fundraiser
Wednesday, December 6
6:00 - 7:30 PM
Lew’s Grill and Bar
7539 Wornall
Kansas City, MO
Join the South Kansas City Democrats for a night of fun and bingo to help support our efforts to elect more Democrats! Suggested contribution of $25. Details here: https://fb.me/e/1pOiG7A0y
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Clay & Platte County Democrats
Trivia Night
Wednesday, December 6
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Side Pockets Bar & Grill
600 NW Englewood Rd
Kansas City, MO
Join and Clay and Platte County Democrats for a Trivia Night Fundraiser! Proceeds from this event will go to support local Democratic Candidates in 2024!
Both individuals and teams are welcome! You may have up to 5 players on a team. If you sign up as an individual, we will add you to a team unless otherwise specified! We hope that you can join us! @clay_countydems @PlatteCoDems
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Meet Crystal Quade Democratic Candidate for Missouri Governor
“Growing up in rural Missouri, young Crystal Quade made the trek before daylight every morning to help her mom prepare the diner where she worked double or triple shifts waitressing.
They lived in a small house on a gravel road, and Crystal was the first in her family to graduate from high school. She worked her way through Missouri State, began her own family – and then became the Democratic Leader of the Missouri House of Representatives.
Crystal is leading our most important fights to restore our abortion rights, standing up to the biggest corporate special interests, and stopping China and Russia from buying up our farmland and squeezing Missouri farmers out.
Crystal will take on extremist Jay Ashcroft, who says he will ban abortion forever, and give more tax breaks to the wealthiest and most privileged families like the one he grew up in.
If you are looking for a new kind of leader, who will stand up for our working and farming families – meet Crystal Quade.”
Website: https://crystalquade.com/
Support Crystal's Campaign for Missouri's Future: https://crystalquade.com/
The Heartland Pod Interview with Rep. Crystal Quade https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJwbn8m4_q8
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FIND EVENTS AND MORE WAYS TO GET INVOLVED HERE: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19AZUdtRH5WXefOC4Q5D9u-HyuzhBEL8rYX9Ospn3n18/edit?usp=sharing
Missouri in the News
“Missouri lawmakers begin pre-filing bills, including one changing how to amend the constitution”
“Lawmakers began officially looking ahead to the 2024 Missouri Legislative Session.
Lawmakers pre-filed hundreds of bills in the first few hours on Friday. What lawmakers file hints at what the priorities will be in the session. The legislation filed on Friday focuses on the state’s abortion laws, elementary and secondary education, and terrorist organizations.
A rule change passed last session limits house members to only being allowed to submit 20 bills for consideration. If a member of the House wishes to file more, they will have to seek the approval of the Speaker of the House.
Democratic State Representative Joe Adams, who represents the 86th district, says the rule doesn’t go far enough, “It doesn’t guarantee the minority party that their bills will be heard or a percentage of them will be heard.”
State Rep. Adams hopes that one of his bills, HJR 80, will be heard in the resolution; it would work to ensure the voter’s decision on a matter will stand and not be overturned in the general assembly. “The citizens put an initiative decision on the ballot, it is approved, and they quickly overturn it. This is, in a sense, to blockade it,” says State Rep. Adams.
On the other side of the aisle, Republicans have been working to get their bills pre-filed as well today. “What I believe is that the constitution, being the DNA of our state, needs to be a high threshold in order to change the constitution,” says Republican State Representative Brad Hudson from Stone and Christain Counties.
Once a constitution amendment is on the ballot, a simple majority of the voters is needed to make it law. Republican Representative Brad Hudson has introduced HJR 76. The bill would require a simple majority statewide, but also, for a constitutional amendment to pass, it would have a majority of votes in half of the congressional districts.
“As far as what issues could come up, we are not eliminating the people’s right to bring something before the voters and to potentially amend the constitution. We are just making it so there are voices heard from all parts of the state before that is done,” says Hudson.
Republican Majority Whip, State Rep. Hardy Billington, agrees.
”I think altering the constitution should require a more rigorous process compared to changing state laws. It doesn’t seem right that only six out of the eight House districts have a say; all districts should be involved,” said State Rep. Billington. “Our state constitution is about twenty times lengthier than the U.S. Constitution. Even though constitutional amendments can run several pages, voters only get a brief summary. On top of that, there’s a flow of out-of-state funds, and those groups frequently aren’t completely transparent.”
“While Republican dysfunction in Jefferson City has led to the number of bills actually passed to plummet, House Democrats will continue to focus and prioritize strengthening our public education system, reducing violent crime, protecting reproductive rights and access to birth control, and providing tax relief for working Missouri families,” said Democratic State Rep. Crystal Quade. “From now through the end of the session, House Democrats will remain committed to passing responsible legislation that improves the daily lives of Missourians throughout the state, and the dysfunction of the Republican-controlled legislature is the only thing that will continue derailing those efforts.”
For both sides of the aisle, the state constitution could take front and center this election year. From working to ensuring every vote is heard. “One of the top priorities is going to be the very issues is what we began in this discussion talking about deals with and this amending Missouri’s constitution. It is way too easy to amend Missouri’s constitution,” says Hudson. To ensure those in Jefferson City can’t overturn the voters’ wishes.”
“I am there to fight for the citizens of Missouri. The citizens of Missouri have passed that have been overthrown by the legislature, and I am quite upset about it,” says Adams.
To read the legislation pre-filed, CLICK HERE https://house.mo.gov/BillStatisticList.aspx?in=1&out=
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“Missouri legislators begin filing bills for upcoming session”
“Friday marked the first day for Missouri legislators to pre-file bills before the upcoming legislative session next year.
The array of bills filed includes House members proposing constitutional amendments for Missouri, modifying the offense of hazing, prohibiting Missouri from participating in daylight saving time unless the federal law is changed and designating cashew chicken as the state's official dish, according to the Missouri House of Representatives website.
The legislative session lasts five months, from Jan. 3 to May 17. Members can introduce bills until Mar. 1.
The Missouri House of Representatives said that, according to statistics, the order of pre-filing doesn't affect the chance for a bill's acceptance into becoming a law. This year's legislative session saw House members submit 336 bills on the opening day, which added to a total of 578 bills for the whole pre-filing period.
However, a new rule change for bill filings was passed on July 1 this year. It "restricts members from submitting more than 20 bills without obtaining prior approval from the Speaker of the House," according to an email from the Missouri House of Representatives.
State Rep. Jamie Johnson, D-Kansas City, filed two bills this morning, though she plans on filing more. One is to create a new state holiday for Election Day and require colleges and universities to close unless used as a polling place.
Johnson's concern is for communities with fewer polling places and people who might battle to wait in line before going back to work. Overall, she said the bill would make the ballot more accessible.
The other is an update to a bill filed last session, and it aims to require private insurance companies in Missouri to cover doula services, which she said can help improve maternal and infant health outcomes.
"(Doula services are) definitely something that is a very important thing for me, having had three children of my own, being a mother myself, and having gone through some birth trauma during that time," Johnson said. "It's definitely something that I want to champion and want to make sure that the citizens of Missouri have access to."
Johnson said the goal is to increase voter participation and bring resources to people. She emphasizes the importance of investing in the well-being of Missouri citizens and improving quality of life metrics in the state.
"I really want for the citizens of Missouri to be able to be supported by their government and not harmed by their government," Johnson said.
Johnson wants to deprioritize social issues that could take away the freedom of individuals.
"We aren't really addressing those quality of life issues that would allow us to invest in the future of Missouri and make sure that our citizens are able to live and earn and thrive in a way that they can then help us invest in the future of the state," she said.”
https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/missouri-legislators-begin-filing-bills-for-upcoming-session/article_680cb0e6-906e-11ee-9a79-2bc9d5762ac6.html Columbia Missourian Dec 1
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