• Legislators listen more closely to constituents - if you are in their district, tell them
• Legislators are interested in personal stories about how the proposed legislation will affect you and your pocketbook - look at the summaries and talking points and think about how the bill will affect you and talk about that in your phone call, testimony or email
• Look at the whole list of Calls to Action and pick the most important to you - we will be responding for months to come - don't get overwhelmed in the first few weeks
  

The SAVE Act

Bill #:HR 22 (The SAVE Act)

LWVUS OPPOSES this bill

Short Description: This bill would require citizenship documentation to register to vote in federal elections

Status of the Bill: Referred to the house committee on house administration.

Talking points:  

• It is already illegal for non citizens to register and vote in federal and state elections
  

• The bill’s requirement of a document to prove American citizenship to register to vote in federal elections is unnecessary and seeks to divide us. It also creates another barrier to voting

• Citizens of color are three times more likely to lack documents such as birth certificates, passports, naturalization certificates, or certificates of citizenship or face difficulties accessing them

Link to the summary of the bill: HR 22

Call to action: Call your congress person using Find Your Congressperson HERE and tell them you OPPOSE the SAVE Act.

Citizen Initiative Petitions

Bill #: SS/SB 152

LWVMO OPPOSES this bill

Short Description: This bill creates restrictions and mandates compliance regarding contributions of foreign nationals to Missouri Statewide ballot measures.

Status of the Bill: Scheduled for Hearing on Tuesday, April 8 at 12:00 PM in the House Government Efficiency Committee.

Talking points:  

• Makes ballot measure campaigns more expensive (and more susceptible to the influence of money) by increasing compliance costs

• Includes language about foreign nationals ""indirectly"" influencing a campaign. The term “indirectly”  seems vague and subject to abuse

• Grants the Attorney General vague discretion that could enable the Attorney General to create arbitrary obstacles to ballot initiatives

• There is no evidence of foreign contributions having a material impact on Missouri ballot measures. Why is this bill necessary?

Link to the summary of the bill: SB 152

Call to action: Only in person testimony is allowed for Senate hearings.  Contact members of the House Government Efficiency Committee HERE and tell them you OPPOSE this bill.  Click on the Senator’s picture to be taken to their individual page for their contact information.

LWV Position: The League believes responsible government should be responsive to the will of the people. (LWVUS Impact on Issues 2024 - 2026, p.11)

Voting Rights

Bill #: SB 485

LWVMO OPPOSES this bill

Short Description: Moves school board elections to the November general election.

Status of the Bill: Placed on the Senate Formal Perfection Calendar for Monday, April 7 at 8:00 AM.

Talking points:  

• Moves school board elections to the November general election making school board elections potentially partisan and more expensive

• Could potentially discourage citizens from running due to the added cost and difficulty in communicating to voters in a busy election season

• The school board election would appear at the bottom of long ballots and many people don't vote all the way down the ballot

Link to the summary of the bill: SB 485

Call to action: Contact your State Senator using the Legislative Lookup HERE and tell them you OPPOSE this bill.

LWV Position: LWV supports public schools that have accountability and transparency in matters of governance, accreditation, and funding (LWVMO Guide to State Action 2023-2025, p. 54).

Bill #: SB 606

LWVMO SUPPORTS this bill

Short Description: Modifies provisions relating to absentee ballots.

Status of the Bill: Scheduled for a Hearing on Monday, April 7 at 2:00 PM in the Senate Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee.

Talking points:  

• Currently if an absentee ballot has a clerical error, it is rejected

• Allows the ballot to be cured

• Repeals the five day limitation for election authorities to prepare absentee ballots for tabulation and permits preparation of absentee ballots for tabulation upon receipt

Link to the summary of the bill: SB 606

Call to action: Only in-person testimony is allowed at Senate hearings. Contact the members of the Senate Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee HERE and tell them you SUPPORT this bill. Click on the member’s picture to get to their home page and contact information.

LWV Position: Support no-excuse absentee voting either by mail or in person, advance voting and measures that facilitate participation in the election process and expand all forms of early voting and work to reduce election administration stress. (LWVMO Guide to State Action 2023-2025, p. 7)

Health Care

Bill #: HB 177

LWVMO SUPPORTS this bill 

Short Description:  Provides MO HealthNet coverage of hearing aids and cochlear implants.

Status of the Bill: Hearing scheduled Wednesday, April 9 at 8:00 AM in the Senate Families, Seniors and Health Committee.

Talking points:  

• Currently MO HealthNet payments for eligible needy children, pregnant women, and blind persons includes hearing aids

• This bill authorizes coverage for cochlear implants

Link to the summary of the bill: HB 177

Call to action:

Only in-person testimony is allowed at Senate hearings. Contact the members of the Senate Families, Seniors and Health Committee HERE and tell them you SUPPORT this bill. Click on the member’s picture to get to their home page and contact information.

LWV Position: Every US resident should have access to basic level of care (Impact on Issues 2024-2026, p. 157)

Firearms

Bill #: HCS HB 328

LWVMO OPPOSES this bill

Short Description: Would allow concealed carry permit holders to carry firearms on public transportation and lowers the age requirement for concealed carry permits.

Status of the Bill: Placed on the House Formal Perfection Calendar for Monday, April 7 at 8:00 AM.

Talking points:  

• Allows guns on public transportation including buses

• Lowers the age of a concealed carry permit to 18

• Public transportation riders do not want more guns on public transportation (see article below)

Link to the summary of the bill: HB 328

Call to action: Contact your Representative using the Legislative Lookup HERE and tell them you OPPOSE this bill.

Links to further reading: 

Missouri House Committee hears legislation expanding gun access

LWV Position: Protect the health and safety of citizens through limiting the accessibility of guns. Support regulation of firearms and ammunition for consumer safety.(LWVMO Guide to State Action 2023-2025, p. 60)

LGBTQ Rights

Bill #: SS#10/SC/SB10

LWVMO OPPOSES this bill 

Short Description: 

The full act repeals dates for many different bills, including the August 28, 2027, expiration date of the "Missouri Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act" (Section 191.1720).

Status of the Bill: Scheduled for Executive Session on Tuesday, April 8 at 12:00 PM in the House Government Efficiency Committee.

Talking points:  

• Repeals a previously agreed expiration date

• Interferes with the medical decisions made by parents, their children and medical professionals

• Prevents medically necessary care established by professional medical organizations*, (*The American Academy of Pediatrics, The American Psychiatric Assoc., The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)

Link to the summary of the bill: SS#10/SC/SB10

Call to action: Contact the House Government Efficiency Committee HERE and tell them you OPPOSE Section 191.1720 of this bill.

Links to further reading: 

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. (LWVMO Guide to State Action 2023-2025, p.53 )

Bill #: HB 1362

LWVMO OPPOSES this bill 

Short Description: 

The bill requires a person seeking to obtain a driver's license, nondriver's license, or instruction permit denoting a sex other than an applicant's biological sex assigned at birth to provide an amended birth certificate that reflects the sex designation requested.

Status of the Bill: Scheduled for Executive Session on Monday, April 7 at 4:30 PM in the House Emerging Issues Committee.

Talking points:  

• Amending a birth certificate in Missouri requires a court order stating that your sex has been changed by surgical procedure and that your name has been changed

• Requiring proof of surgery is too restrictive; transgender people without gender-reassignment surgery should qualify to change their markers

• Many Missourians will be unable to obtain, renew, or replace their identification because they have not and do not plan to obtain the now-required surgical interventions and do not want an ID that does not have a marker that aligns with their identity

• This policy is discriminatory, adding that discrimination has severe negative impacts to mental and physical wellbeing

Link to the summary of the bill: HB 1362

Call to action: Contact the House Emerging Issues Committee  HERE and tell them you OPPOSE this bill.

Links to further reading: 

Lawmakers seek permanent restrictions on transgender Missourians’ IDs

Letter Re: Removal of Dept. of Revenue Form 5532 

LWV Position: Secure equal rights and equal opportunity for all. Promote social and economic justice, and the health and safety of all Americans. (LWVUS Impact on Issues 2024-2026, p.15)

Taxes

Bill #: SS#2 HCS HBs 594 & 508

LWVMO OPPOSES this bill

Short Description: Authorizes an income tax deduction for capital gains.

Status of the Bill:  Scheduled for Executive Session on Monday, April 7 at 3:15 PM in the Senate Fiscal Oversight Committee.

Talking points: 

• This bill would significantly reduce the state revenue

• This bill would benefit a small portion of Missourians, the majority of whom can best afford to pay the tax

• The loss of revenue would reduce the state's ability to provide services to those who need them the most 

Link to the summary of the bill: SS#2 HCS HBS 594 & 508

Call to action:

Contact the members of the Senate Fiscal Oversight Committee HERE and tell them you OPPOSE this bill.

LWVMO Position: 

League of Women Voters of Missouri supports a balanced and progressive tax system to finance necessary governmental services.  Support of an adequate, balanced, and progressive tax system to finance necessary governmental services, which emphasizes equity and fair sharing of the tax burden.  Financial stability should be one goal of fiscal policy.  (LWVMO Guide to State Action 2023 - 2025, p. 27)

To volunteer, join a committee, register for a special event, or view the Member Roster, please log in to your member account on our League website lwvkc.org: 

• Click on "Member Login" in the upper right corner of the website lwvkc.org.  The "Login" page will appear.
• Enter your User Name and Password.  If you are on a device you own, check the box "Remember me on this computer" so it will remember your User Name and Password for next time.  Click the "Login" button.
• Or, if you forgot your Username or Password, click the "Forgot my Username / Password" button on the "Login" page. The "Forgot Username/Password" box will appear.
• Enter your email address and first name and click the "OK" button.Your Username and a temporary Password will be emailed to you.Be sure to use the email address you provided to the League!