Citizen Initiative Petitions

Bill: SB 22

LWVMO OPPOSES this bill.

Short Description:  Prohibits courts from re-writing summary statements on legislatively referred constitutional amendments.

Status of the Bill: Scheduled for a Senate Hearing on Monday, January 27, at 2:00 PM in the Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee.

Talking points: 

• Removes the ability of citizens to challenge unconstitutional or misleading language in legislatively referred constitutional amendments by prohibiting courts from changing summary statements

• Rectifying misleading summary statements has been an essential power of the courts, and this bill would add additional and expensive bureaucratic steps that continue to place the power of accurate summaries in the hands of the legislature

Link to the summary of the bill: SB 22

Call to action:

30 Minute Matters:  Only in person testimony is allowed for Senate hearings.  Please contact Committee Members and tell them you oppose this bill.  Members of the Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee are found HERE.  Click on their picture and you will be sent to their information page for their contact information.

LWV Position:  The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that democratic government depends upon informed and active participation at all levels of government. The League further believes that governmental bodies must protect the citizen’s right to know by giving adequate notice of proposed actions, holding open meetings, and making public records accessible. (Impact on Issues 2024 - 2026, p. 59)

Voting Rights and Elections

Bills: HJR 3 and HJR 23

LWVMO  NEITHER OPPOSES OR SUPPORTS - THIS ALERT IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY.

Short Description:  Subject to voter approval, the MO constitution would be amended to require the Jackson County assessor to be an elected official.

Status of the Bill: Scheduled for a hearing in the House on Tuesday, January 28, at 8:00 AM in the Elections Committee.

Talking points: 

• Elected assessors are in all charter counties in Missouri other than Jackson County 

• Supporters say electing the assessor makes them more accountable to those paying taxes on the assessed property 

• Opponents argue that the residents of Jackson County should determine if their assessor is elected or appointed rather than a statewide vote 

• The Jackson County legislature voted to put this question to Jackson County voters in 2024, but it was vetoed by the County Executive and the legislature did not have the votes to override the veto   

Link to the summary of the bills: HJR 3   HJR 23

Bill: SB 84

LWVMO  SUPPORTS this bill.

Short Description:  Creates the offense of tampering with an election official and provides protections to election workers.

Status of the Bill: Scheduled for a hearing in the Senate on Monday, January 27, at 2:00 PM in the Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee.

Talking points: 

• Election workers are necessary for a functioning democracy

• Election workers face growing incidents of harassment, causing them to resign from positions, creating further strain on our election system 

• Greater protections of election workers are necessary to ensure that we retain experienced and talented election workers

Link to the summary of the bill: SB 84

Call to action:  

30 Minute Matters:  Only in person testimony is allowed at Senate hearings.  Contact the members of the Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee HERE and tell them you support SB 84.  Click the member’s picture and you will be sent to their information page for contact information.

LWVMO Position:  The league supports measures aimed at protecting and retaining election workers and officials and supports penalties for those who threaten or harass election workers and officials.    (Guide to State Action 2023 - 2025, p. 7)

Firearms

Bill: SB 23

LWVMO OPPOSES this bill.

Short Description:  Amends the sections of the “Second Amendment Preservation Act” (SAPA) which were declared unconstitutional by the Missouri Supreme Court. The amended law would continue to restrict the federal government’s authority to limit or prohibit the manufacture, ownership, and use of firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition within the state.

Status of the Bill: Scheduled for a hearing in the Senate on Monday, January 27, at 2:00 PM, in the Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee.

Talking points:  

• SAPA, under the proposed amendment, would continue to violate the U.S. Constitution's Supremacy Clause, which establishes federal law as the Supreme Law of the Land

• SAPA has led to reduced cooperation between state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies, potentially hampering efforts to solve violent crimes, and would continue to do so under the proposed amendment

• SAPA, as amended, would continue to undermine public safety by weakening enforcement of federal gun laws and potentially allowing dangerous individuals to retain access to firearms

• SAPA currently exposes local law enforcement to potential lawsuits and fines of up to $50,000 for enforcing federal gun laws, creating a chilling effect on police activities;  the amendment would not eliminate this effect

• Police departments have withdrawnfrom federal task forces due to concerns about violating SAPA, potentially reducing their effectiveness in combating crime, and the amendment would not lessen these concerns

Link to the summary of the bill: SB 23

Call to action:  

30 Minute Matters:  Only in person testimony is allowed at Senate hearings.  Contact the members of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee HERE and tell them you oppose SB 23.  Click the member’s picture and you will be sent to their information page for contact information.

Links to further reading: Demystifying the Second Amendment Preservation Act: A Guide for Cities and Police Departments:  FEATURE Review by  Brian Malone

LWVMO Position: Statement of Position: - Protect the health and safety of citizens through limiting the accessibility and regulating the ownership of handguns and semi-automatic weapons.

-Support regulation of firearms and ammunition for consumer safety."  (MO Guide to State Action 2023 - 2025, p. 59)    

Social Justice

Bill: SB 38

LWVMO SUPPORTS this bill.

Short Description:  Creates the "Missouri Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (Missouri CROWN) Act" to prohibit certain discriminatory practices in educational institutions.

Status of the Bill:  Scheduled for a Senate hearing on Tuesday, January 28, at 12:00 PM in the Progress and Development Committee.

Talking points:  

• Workplaces and schools are still able to discriminate against persons because of their natural or protective hairstyle

• Hair discrimination remains a source of racial injustice with serious economic consequences for Black people

• Black people in this country are shamed and punished for wearing hairstyles consistent with their natural hair

• Black Missourians are denied employment opportunities, unfairly targeted in education, and deprived of their dignity through dress code policies and concepts like ‘professionalism’ set by employers and institutions designed to discriminate against Black people

Link to the summary of the bill: SB 38

Call to action:

30 Minute Matters: Only in person testimony is allowed for Senate Hearings.  Contact members of the Progress and Development Committee and tell them you support this bill  HERE.  Click on the Senator’s picture and you will be sent to their information page for their contact information.

Links to further reading: KC Star:  MO has yet to pass the CROWN Act to ban hair discrimination;  PBS News:  When CROWN Acts stall in states

LWV Position: The League supports federal efforts to prevent and/or remove discrimination in education, employment, and housing and to help   communities bring about racial integration of their school systems.

(MO Guide to State Action 2023-2025, p.59)

There shall be no barriers to full participation in this organization on the basis of gender, gender identity, ethnicity, race, native or indigenous origin, age, generation, sexual orientation, culture,religion, belief system, marital status, parental status, socioeconomic status, language, accent, ability status, mental health, educational level or background, geography, nationality, work

style, work experience, job role function, thinking style, personality type, physical appearance, political perspective or affiliation and/or any other characteristic that can be identified as recognizing or illustrating diversity. (MO Guide to State Action 2023-2025, p.53)

Bill: SB 72

LWVMO OPPOSES this bill.

Short Description: Creates provisions relating to illegal aliens, including the Missouri Illegal Alien Certified Bounty Hunter Program, including reporting and criminal arrest of such individuals.

Status of the Bill: Scheduled for a Senate Hearing on Monday, January 27, at 2:00 PM in the Transportation, Infrastructure, and Public Safety Committee.

Talking points:  

• Threatens the rights, safety, and dignity of undocumented immigrants 

• Incentivizes harassing immigrants and citizens alike about their immigration status

• Will lead to false accusations and racial profiling

Link to the summary of the bill:  SB 72

Call to action:

30 Minute Matters: Only in person testimony is allowed at Senate hearings.  Please contact committee members and let them know you oppose this bill. Members of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee are found HERE .  Click on the Senator’s picture and you will be taken to their information page for their contact information.

Links to further reading:

KHQA:  Senate bill would pay bounty hunters to catch undocumented immigrants

Votp-news, Instagram

LWV Position: In achieving overall policy goals, the League supports a system for individuals living in the country without legal permission to earn legal status, including citizenship, by paying taxes, studying civics, and meeting other relevant criteria. While policy reforms including a path to legal status remain unachieved, the League does not support deporting these immigrants who have no history of major and/or violent criminal activity. (Impact on Issues 2024-2026, p. 168)

Bill: HB 742

LWVMO OPPOSES this bill.

Short Description:  Prohibits state departments from spending money on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Status of the Bill: Scheduled for Executive Session in the House on Monday, January 27, at 4:30 PM in the Emerging Issues Committee.

Talking points:  

• Diversity, equity, and inclusion are intrinsically linked to the strength and vibrancy of workplace culture (WebMD Health Services)

• Inclusivity opens the door to a larger, more diverse talent workforce (360 learning)

• Employees who feel included and accepted are more engaged and productive

• Diverse workforces reflect the communities in which they operate

Link to the summary of the bill: HB 742

Call to action:

30 Minute Matters: Please contact the members of the Emerging Issues Committee HERE and let them know you oppose this bill.  Click on the Representative’s picture to be sent to their information page for their contact information.

LWV Position: LWV is an organization fully committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in principle and in practice to all persons regardless of their race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, or disability. (MO Guide to State Action 2023-2025, p. 53)

Climate and Environment

Bill: HB 544

LWVMO OPPOSES this bill.

Short Description:  Allows pesticide manufacturers to advise users of their products of the safety or hazards of their pesticides based on EPA required labeling.

Status of the Bill:  Scheduled for a hearing in the House on Tuesday, January 28, at 8:00 AM in the Agriculture Committee.

Talking points:  

• The financial interests of pesticide manufacturers would be put above the well-being of Missouri residents under this bill by hampering the public's right to know the potential hazards and risks of their products - information that is currently required under state law 

• Manufacturers of potentially harmful chemicals would be protected from being sued for the harm their products cause Missouri residents under this bill which would provide them a diluted duty to warn of the hazards of using their product 

• Federal EPA required warnings are inadequate because these warnings are largely based on safety studies conducted by the pesticide companies themselves, who have a vested interest in skewing the results to make it appear that they are unaware of the real hazards of their products 

Link to the summary of the bill: HB 544

Call to action:

5 for Democracy:  Submit testimony to oppose HB 544 HERE

Links to further reading: 

Witness Testimony from the MO Coalition for the Environment on prior similar bills 

LWV Position: 

The League supports consideration of environmental, public health, social, and economic impacts of proposed plans and actions. (Impact on Issues 2024-26, p.107)   The public has a right to know about pollution levels, dangers to health and the environment, and proposed resource management policies and options. (Impact on Issues 2024-26, p.128)

Education

Bill: HB 875

LWVMO NEITHER OPPOSES OR SUPPORTS - THIS ALERT IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY.

Short Description:  Prohibits public institutions of higher learning from discriminating against religious, political, or ideological associations based on its requirement that leaders of the association adhere to its sincerely held beliefs, practice requirements, or standards of conduct.

Status of the Bill: Scheduled for a House Hearing on Monday, January 27, at 4:30 PM in the Emerging Issues Committee.

Talking points:  

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