MO NAACP Blog

Legislative Update 02/20/2026

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 23:13:40 GMT

Safety Looks Different for Our Community

This week we saw a number of so-called "safety" bills moving forward through the legislative process. For Black and Brown folks in Missouri, "safety" means finally being able to relax in our own backyards. In 2017, Missouri NAACP issued a travel warning for our State. This was an unprecedented but serious move to warn folks about the conditions they are likely to encounter when visiting Missouri. It came after the murder of Tory Sanders at the hands of the law enforcement officers he asked for help, the murder of Michael Brown just over 2 minutes after encountering Darren Wilson while walking down the street in his hometown, and the passage of legislation giving complete immunity to the individuals who racially discriminate in the workplace. In the years since, the Missouri NAACP's belief that the State of Missouri was not a welcoming place for Black and Brown people has been confirmed by examples such as the repeated introduction of legislation eliminating diversity programs, the shooting of Ralph Yarl when he approached the wrong door trying to pick up his little sister, and the numerous examples of young black men dying under suspicious circumstances without investigation or prosecution.

For us "safety" means being able to drive down the street without fear of being pulled over on a pretext just so the police can search our cars. It means knowing that when if we are shot and killed under the guise of "self-defense" the prosecutors will do a thorough investigation and file charges when warranted regardless of who the shooter is. It means going to work and being treated with dignity. These are not lofty goals, they are the least we should expect - equitable treatment under the law and the freedom to live without fear.

Actions Last Week

Clean Slate Act: This bill would automatically remove a limited number of misdemeanors and felonies from a person's criminal record after a set amount of time. The House version also removes a loophole from the law that allows judges to impose the death penalty when the jury is divided on the appropriate sentence.

SB854 and 1494 - Hearing on 02/18/2026
HB2747 - Voted Out of House Committees 02/19/2026

Removal of Safety Inspection Requirement: This bill eliminates the requirement for safety inspections for motor vehicles. It could reduce the number of pretext stops that happen to Black drivers.

HB1838 - Third Read in the House and Delivered to the Senate

Shoot First Act: This bill creates a presumption that any killing is done in self defense and prevents the arrest or detention of the shooter until after the prosecutor shows probable cause that the shooting was NOT in self-defense.

HB2176 (Also contains other provisions) - Voted Out of House Committee 02/18/2026

Please keep an eye on the tracking list at the top of this page. If you want to testify or visit the Capitol, send an email to sharon@jonesadvocacy.com to let us know so we can support your visit.

Legislative Update 02/13/2026

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 22:59:29 GMT

What is Adulthood?

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Legislative Update 02/06/2026

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 22:55:52 GMT

The Money Has to Come from Somewhere

There are a dozen or more bills dealing with taxes pending in the Missouri legislature this year. The big discussion is a plan to elminate the state income tax. The MO NAACP opposes this effort for one simple reason, the State will still need money to operate and provide services. Even things as simple as maintaining roads and licensing medical professionals require funding. If the state income tax is eliminated, the Federal income tax will still have to be paid and the State will have to raise other taxes in order to make up for the loss. The NAACP has a long standing position against increased sales taxes. Sales taxes hit the poorest families the hardest as it represents a larger portion of their income for the same purchases.

In addition to the elimination of the state income tax, we are also seeing provisions to eliminate property taxes, provide tax credits to a variety of people and companies, and even cut sales taxes on certain products. These may sound like good ideas at first glance, but it is unrealistic and dangerous to continue to cut taxes without a plan to make up the revenue. Schools cannot operate without funds. MO Healthnet cannot operate without funds. Basic services cannot operate without funds. Kansas tried this and suffered for years afterward as they tried to restore their revenue streams. We should learn from our neighbors and not do the same.

You can learn more about the MO Budget and how the proposals could affect our state from MO Budget Project.

Please keep an eye on the tracking lists at the top of this page based on the area of law you are most concerned about. If you want to testify or visit the Capitol, send an email to sharon@jonesadvocacy.com to let us know so we can support your visit.

Legislative Update 01/30/2026

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 22:35:22 GMT

A Week of Ups and Downs

This week there were mutliple hearings on bills dealing with the criminal legal system.

On the side of reform we saw bills to allow an offender to participate in programs while incarcerated to reduce the amount of time they spend incarcerated. There was also supposed to be a hearing on a bill to create an independent oversight office to inspect and hold accountable the department of corrections, but it was delayed. Next week we are expecting to see hearings on bills to restore voting rights to people who are no longer incarcerated but are still on probabtion or parole. Currently, people who have been convicted of a crime have their voting rights restored as soon as they are off-paper.

On the side of increased punishment, there are three bills running through the system that would lengthen the amount of time a person must spend incarcerated. The bill is being portrayed as a transparency measure that would provide certainty to victims of crimes about how long the offender will be incarcerated. In fact, the bill does nothing to increase certainty and instead just increases the minimum amount of time an offender will be incarcerated. In an time of over-crowding in our prisons, this is a terrible idea.

We will continue to monitor these issues and make sure that anything that gets passed into law will increase justice and not just increase punishment.

Legislative Update 01/23/2026

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 22:08:11 GMT

Legislature Gears Up for Criminal Justice Reform

I hope everyone had a peaceful and rejuvenating Martin Luther King, Jr. day. The legislature took Monday off. The rest of the week was also pretty quiet for our issues.

The coming week will be just the opposite. Even with the expected winter weather, we have multiple hearings scheduled for Tuesday.

HB 2747 and HB 2047 are both bills that would set up automatic expungement systems in Missouri. That means that many criminal convictions would automatically fall off a person's record once they are done with their sentence and a certain amount of time elapses. HB 2747 also includes language that would require a unanimous jury decision before the death sentence could be imposed.

HB 1616 creates an oversight system for the department of corrections. The office of oversight would be housed outside of the department of corrections.

HB 2751, 2831, and 2695 allow people incarcerated in a DOC facility to earn time off their sentence either through participation in programs or through good behavior. HB 2751 also includes language that would reinstate food stamp benefits for people previously convicted of a drug-related crime.

The MO NAACP supports all four issues. You can submit testimony online until midnight on Tuesday, if you want to show your support.

Legislative Update 01/16/2026

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 02:11:04 GMT

The State of the State is Broken

The Governor’s State of the State was this week. A portion of his address focused on education choice and voucher programs. These issues are framed as being about improving education quality and allowing parents to choose their students’ schools. However, the practical and intended effect is to erase conversation about the Black experience and re-segregate schools. The de-funding public schools in historically Black and Brown areas through vouchers and open-enrollment is not an unintended consequence or an accident. It is an intentional way of providing quantitative data to support the narrative that those schools are incapable of providing a quality education or safe learning environment. We are expecting the dismantling of public education to be a major priority in 2026.

MO State Conference President Nimrod Chapel, Jr. testified in favor of a series of bills that would remove the requirement for car inspections. This legislation would mean fewer reasons for police officers to pull over drivers and fewer opportunities for negative interactions between police and Black drivers. Black drivers are three times more likely to get ticketed, be searched, or be arrested than the white drivers in their same area. This is a continued problem and one that will be tracked and documented thanks to the successful recent lawsuit by the MO State Conference against then Attorney General Bailey and his refusal to follow the statute and publish the disparity index report.

Criminal justice issues will also be a major theme in the 2026 legislative session. Coming up next week is a hearing on a bill, HB2498, that would make it easier to certify juveniles as adults in criminal proceedings. This is another way to suppress and oppress our community as young Black boys are targeted. The same behaviors by white and Black children are treated very differently by teachers, principals, and police. Whether something is seen as a crime or simple youthful antics often depends on the skin color of the child more than the effect of the behavior.

Legislative Update 01/09/2026

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 02:08:03 GMT

Legislative Session Begins

Legislative session started off this week. We have seen a record number of bills pre-filed, but a slight drop in the number of bills directly aimed at preventing Diversity Equity and Inclusion efforts. We are already seeing hearings scheduled to move bills that would allow for students in K-12 schools to discriminate based on ideology without consequences.

We are expecting bills to remove the requirements for car inspections to be heard next week. This would remove a large number of “probable cause” violations that result in traffic stops. That means fewer chances for interactions with police and fewer excuses for unwarranted stops and pretext arrests. Given that the most recent Vehicle Stops and Arrests report shows that Black drivers in some parts of Missouri are three times more likely to be ticketed, searched, or arrested than their white counterparts.

MO NAACP Statement on Lack of Prosecution in Erik Spencer Murder

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 13:59:21 GMT

NAACP CALLS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SHARE EVIDENCE AS
JUSTICE IS DENIED IN ERIK SPENCER, JR. MURDER

Today Cole County Prosecutor Locke Thompson announced the Grand Jury in the Erik Spencer, Jr. shooting returned a finding of “no true bill.” This finding means that the Prosecutor decided to close the investigation into Spencer’s murder without bringing any charges. The Jefferson City community is shocked it happened here.

Jefferson City and State Conference NAACP Presidents are United in their Concern

“This is yet another example of a lower level of justice in the death of a young black man from a locally elected prosecutor in a rural Missouri community,” said Nimrod Chapel, Jr., President of the State Conference of the NAACP. “Erik’s death is the latest in a long line of shootings of young black men that go unprosecuted where the killers are Caucasian and were never arrested or prosecuted."

Erik Spencer, Jr. was shot by Spencer Scrivner on November 1, 2025 in the parking lot outside of Chili’s in Jefferson City. Erik and his girlfriend were having an argument and police were already on their way to the scene when Scriver decided to take matters into his own hands and murder Erik. There is no evidence that Erik was armed or physically attempting to attack Scrivner when he was shot 5 times and killed.

“Jefferson City is a small community and there is no reason for any person to kill another when law enforcement has already been called,” Jefferson City NAACP Branch President Glenn Bonner commented on the news. “It’s a shame that the man we elected to hold murderers accountable is unable or unwilling to seek justice when the life of a young black man was needlessly stolen. Is the new rule shoot first?”

New Evidence Could Re-Open the Investigation

The Jefferson City Branch and Missouri State Conference of the NAACP continue to ask for anyone with information about that night to come forward. Prosecutors can re-open investigations and file charges in murder cases when new evidence comes to light.

President Chapel added, “It’s not too late for Prosecutor Thompson to do the right thing and help Erik’s family find justice. We are hopeful we can help him find the missing piece of evidence that would make it clear that Erik’s death was not necessary.”

Further Response is Expected as the Family Decides How to Move Forward

The family of Erik Spencer, Jr. has been working with community members and other organizations to respond to both the investigation and this latest decision on the part of Prosecutor Thompson. The Jefferson City Branch and Missouri State Conference of the NAACP will follow their lead.

Updates and further calls to action can be found on the Missouri State Conference website https://www.monaacp.org/travel-advisory .

The Early History of the NAACP in Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 19:46:49 GMT

Article published in Urban Voices on November 15, 2025.

Lloyd Williams Nov 15, 2025

In the heart of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, the St. James A.M.E. Church has long stood as more than just a spiritual home — it has been a beacon of social justice, leadership, and community mobilization. It was at St. James that the local chapter of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) was first organized, laying the foundation for a century of civil rights advocacy in Southeast.

State NAACP President and Jones Advocacy Group Setting the Example of Leadership and Professionalism

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 16:57:29 GMT

Branch 4008-B were honored to have State Conference President Nimrod Chapel, Jr. and Sharon Geuea Jones of the Jones Advocacy Group as our guests at the November 5, 2025 General Body Meeting. They were in town to on-board new State Conference Secretary Tierra Harrell and to speak to the Branch.

MISSOURI NAACP MOURNS THE LOSS OF ERIC SPENCER II, CALLS FOR COMMUNITY COOPERATION AND JUSTICE

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 14:03:57 GMT

MISSOURI NAACP MOURNS THE LOSS OF ERIC SPENCER II, CALLS FOR

COMMUNITY COOPERATION AND JUSTICE

Jefferson City, MO — The Missouri State Conference of the NAACP is devastated by the loss of another member of our community, Eric Spencer II. His death is a heartbreaking reminder of the toll that senseless violence takes on families and neighborhoods across Missouri.

“Shooting violence in Jefferson City is not normal and will not be tolerated by our community,” said Nimrod T. Chapel, Jr., President of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP. “We mourn with the family of Eric Spencer II and extend our deepest condolences to all who are suffering from this tragedy.”

The Jefferson City Police Department has the responsibility to address crime and ensure public safety, and the NAACP awaits the results of the ongoing investigation. In the meantime, the organization joins the family in urging anyone who has information, video, or other evidence related to this shooting to come forward and share it — whether with the family, the NAACP, law enforcement, or another trusted community member.

About the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP The Missouri NAACP is dedicated to ensuring the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights for all persons and to eliminating race-based discrimination. For more information or to report civil rights concerns, visit www.monaacp.org.

NEW PHASE IN LITIGATION BY THE NAACP TO PUT LIMITS ON GOVERNOR’S ABILITY TO CALL EXTRAORDINARY SESSIONS

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 22:41:02 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 4, 2025

Contact: President Nimrod Chapel, Jr., president@monaacp.org

Jefferson City, Missouri — The Missouri State Conference of the NAACP and citizen plaintiffs Tracy Wilson-Kleekamp and Pat Jones-Macklin are pushing forward with their litigation to enforce the Constitutional requirements for calling extraordinary sessions of the legislature. This is part of the national movement by civil rights organizations to combat gerrymandering and political overreach through state constitutions.

Trial is scheduled for December 15, 2025 at 1:30pm. Today the Court held a case status hearing at which the NAACP requested an expedited briefing schedule and trial date before the end of the year. The litigation is one of at least four cases currently challenging the legislation passed during the Second Extraordinary Session of the General Assembly.

The Court recently denied the NAACP of Missouri’s request for injunctive relief as the extraordinary session was concluded before the decision was made. The failure to reach a decision prior to the legislature adjourning for the year was due in large part to the Attorney General’s requests for delays and filing of procedural motions. The denial of the motions clears the way for setting a trial date.

“We’re witnessing a national pattern where state governments manipulate the rules of democracy to entrench power and silence voters,” said Nimrod Chapel, Jr., President of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP and lead attorney on the case. “Our Constitution is clear: extraordinary power must meet extraordinary need — not political convenience.”

A New Civil Rights Strategy: State Constitutions as Shields Against Gerrymandering

The litigation challenges Governor Mike Kehoe’s use of executive power to call a special session under Article IV, Section 9 of the Missouri Constitution, which limits such calls to “extraordinary occasions.” The Governor’s justification — that “we might get sued by somebody sometime” — does not meet that standard, according to the plaintiffs. This is the first of 7 pending lawsuits filed against the State for its actions during the Second Extraordinary Session of 2025. More litigation is expected to be filed this year.

Unlike many challenges brought solely under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, the Missouri NAACP’s case relies on the plain text of Missouri’s Constitution — an approach that could signal a new direction for civil rights litigation nationwide. NAACP Life Member Sharon Geuea Jones was among the first to identify the constitutional defects in the Governor’s call, shaping what has become the only lawsuit in Missouri history to challenge the legitimacy of an entire special session.

If the Missouri Supreme Court agrees, the ruling could nullify both legislative actions taken under the unconstitutional call — the redrawing of congressional maps that eliminated or undermined districts represented by Congressmen Emanuel Cleaver and the joint resolution passed during that session that dismantled Missouri’s initiative petition process, a direct attack on the people’s right to legislate by popular vote.

Political Interference and Racial Consequences

The NAACP and its partners argue that these attacks are politically motivated and racially discriminatory, noting that former President Donald Trump directly urged Missouri lawmakers to adopt a map that weakened Black representation.

“This is the next wave in the national battle for fair representation,” Chapel said. “We’re using the very documents our democracy is built upon — our state constitutions — to hold those in power accountable.”

Missourians pay an average of $25,000 per day for legislative sessions, and the plaintiffs argue that taxpayer dollars are being spent to sustain a process that violates both the letter and the spirit of Missouri’s highest law.

Determined Parties in the Face of Extraordinary Delays

The NAACP of Missouri and the individual plaintiffs have done everything they can to move the litigation forward. Normally litigation of this nature would be expedited and have a decision out of the trial court within 45 days. This case has seen nothing but delays from the Attorney General and the Court. The plaintiffs went so far as to take the unusual step of filing a Writ to attempt to have the Supreme Court of Missouri order the trial court judge to make a ruling.

“The NAACP does not take this step lightly,” Chapel emphasized. “But when courts hesitate and democracy is at stake, we have a duty to act.” Now, the case is finally moving forward to trial. “We are hopeful that the Court will stop delaying and move quickly to a final decision. It is a near certainty that the decision of the trial court will be appealed,” Chapel explained. “It is imperative that this litigation, and the others pending over the actions of the Governor and General Assembly be completed before candidate filing begins on February 24, 2026.”

If successful, the case could become a national model for civil rights groups turning to state constitutional protections to defend democracy where federal protections have been weakened.

Pulaski County NAACP Calls for Action After Townhall Meeting

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 17:40:28 GMT

Pulaski County NAACP Urges Action to Protect Democracy in Missouri

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Tosombra Adecia, Community Connections Chair Pulaski County NAACP | pulaskicountynaacp@gmail.com

St. Robert, MO — The Pulaski County NAACP is calling on all Missourians who care about justice, equity, and democracy to take action now to stop the slide toward authoritarian rule. Two citizen-led petitions-Respect Missouri Voters and People Not Politicians-are circulating across the state, offering a direct way for residents to defend their right to fair representation and protect the integrity of the democratic process.

At the recent NAACP Advocacy & Voter Education Night, Yvonne Reeves-Chong, Vice Chair of the Missouri Democratic Party, delivered a stirring and urgent message about the fight for racial equity and voting rights in Missouri. She drew sharp attention to the contradictions in recent Supreme Court rulings that, in her words, “bar race from opening the doors to opportunity, yet allow it to open the doors to prison and lock them behind us.”

Reeves-Chong warned that these developments, combined with the dismantling of the Voting Rights Act and the gerrymandering of historically Black districts, signal a dangerous return to policies reminiscent of Jim Crow–era suppression.

“No one is coming to save us,” Reeves-Chong said. “Not Obama, not Malcolm, not Martin. The only person coming to save you is you. If we don’t move ourselves from complacency into action, we will lose the rights generations before us died to secure.”

Pulaski County NAACP President Cynthia Andry echoed that urgency:

“We are standing in a moment that requires both courage and clarity,” Andry said. “Our ancestors fought too hard for us to sit in silence. This is about making sure every Missourian’s voice—and every vote—truly counts. Together, we will rise, organize, and protect what’s ours.”

Take Action Now

● Verify or update your voter registration: www.sos.mo.gov

● Sign the petitions: Respect Missouri Voters and People Not Politicians

● Join the training: Signature Gathering Session, Sunday at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom

● Stay informed: Follow the Pulaski County NAACP on Facebook for advocacy updates.

Photos from Jefferson City Freedom Fund Dinner 2025

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 18:09:18 GMT

2025 Jefferson City Freedom Fund Dinner Photos

New Billboard in Pulaski County

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 23:18:33 GMT

The Pulaski County Branch is getting the word and awareness out to the community!

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MO NAACP Hosts Emergency Town Hall on Litigation Efforts

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 04:32:34 GMT

Watch our recent Townhall with information on our efforts to push back against the Governor's Unconstitutional call of a special session on redistricting and changing the way votes are counted when citizens amend the Constitution.

Attorney General is Playing Games - We Are Standing Strong

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 17:24:05 GMT

Legislature rushes through controversial measures while Attorney General's office causes unnecessary delays in Constitutional challenge.

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, September 12, 2025 - The NAACP Missouri State Conference today filed an amended petition seeking an injunction in its ongoing lawsuit challenging Governor Mike Kehoe's unconstitutional proclamation calling for an extraordinary legislative session. Despite the organization's legal challenge being filed as the session began, the Missouri Legislature has already rushed through the very legislation the NAACP sought to prevent.

"The speed at which the legislature acted stands in stark contrast to the unnecessary delays we've experienced from the Attorney General's office in defending this constitutional challenge," said Nimrod Chapel, Jr. President of the NAACP Missouri State Conference. "While our lawsuit sits stalled by procedural delays and unnecessary filings by the Attorney General’s office, taxpayers have been forced to fund an unconstitutional legislative session that should never have been called."

The legislation rushed through during this extraordinary session includes an unprecedented redrawing of congressional boundaries without any new census data, a move that violates established constitutional processes, and dramatic changes to Missouri's citizen initiative petition process that could significantly restrict citizens' ability to propose Constitutional reforms.

The NAACP's original petition, filed in Cole County Circuit Court, challenged Governor Kehoe's August 29, 2025 proclamation calling the legislature into extraordinary session to redraw congressional maps and change the way votes are counted for initiative petition elections. The organization argued that there was no change in circumstances in Missouri to constitute the "extraordinary occasion" required under Article IV, Section 9 of the Missouri Constitution.

Key Issues Raised by NAACP Missouri:

Unconstitutional Proclamation: The Governor failed to demonstrate any extraordinary circumstances justifying the costly special session, as required by the Missouri Constitution.

Unconstitutional Redistricting: No new census data exists, no federal reapportionment has occurred, and no court has invalidated existing congressional maps drawn in 2022.

Redundant Legislation: Most initiatives petition reforms sought by the Governor were already enacted in previous legislative sessions.

Taxpayer Burden: Each day of the extraordinary session costs taxpayers an estimated $25,000 in per diem and mileage payments to legislators alone. This is above any costs for overtime of staff members and security.

"The Attorney General's office has a constitutional duty to defend state actions, but that doesn't mean creating unnecessary procedural roadblocks when fundamental constitutional questions are at stake," said President Chapel. "Meanwhile, the legislature has acted with unprecedented speed to pass measures of questionable necessity while our constitutional challenge languishes."

The NAACP Missouri State Conference represents over 35 units across Missouri and works to achieve equity, political rights, and social inclusion by advancing policies that expand civil rights and eliminate discrimination.

The amended petition maintains the original claims about the Governor’s abuse of his authority under Art. IV Sec. 9 and seeks to enjoin the implementation of both HB1, Congressional maps, and HJR3, changing how votes are counted in initiative petition elections. The amended petition argues that continued delay and allowing the legislation to be implemented only compounds the harm to Missouri taxpayers and their voting rights.

See the suit here .

Missouri Is Suing Missouri AGAIN!!

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 22:07:47 GMT

We are suing to protect democracy from unchecked executive overreach.

Gov. Kehoe called a special legislative session to redistrict Missouri, not because of a court order, not because of an emergency, but because Donald Trump told Republicans to redraw the map. This is a direct attack on Black voters, Kansas City, St. Louis, and the very idea of democracy.

We won't stand for it.

The Missouri State Conference of the NAACP is suing to stop this illegal power grab. They did it in Texas, and if they get away with it here, they’ll do it everywhere.

On September 3, 2025, the NAACP Missouri State Conference and individual plaintiffs filed a Petition for Declaratory Judgment and Injunctive Relief against the State of Missouri, the Governor, and other state officials. The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of the Proclamation issued by Governor Mike Kehoe on August 29, 2025, calling the state legislature into an extraordinary session. The Proclamation purportedly was issued under the authority of Article IV, Section 9 of the Missouri Constitution and contains two general topic areas of consideration for the General Assembly – a new Congressional Map drafted under Article III, Section 45 and new laws relating to initiative petitions.

THIS MOVE IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL

Governor Kehoe is uing and invalid "extraordinary occasion" to call a special session. The state constitution only allows these sessions under actual emergencies - to partisan marching orders. There is no court order. No census trigger. Just a political stunt dressed up as law.

IT'S A TRUMP-INSPIRED POWER GRAB

This session follows a directive from Donald Trump urging states to redraw congressional maps mid-decade. It's a deliberate attack on Black and Urban voters in Kansas City, St. Louis, and mid-Missouri and a play to silence the people's voice at the ballot box.

The Governor’s goal of increasing his political party’s dominance by putting in jeopardy the Kansas City-area district Emanuel Cleaver of U.S. House of Representatives, an African-American congressperson. President Trump approved of Gover Kehoe’s actions, commenting on social media that Missouri voters will have “the tremendous opportunity to elect an additional MAGA Republican in the 2026 Midterm Elections,” adding the Governor’s new proposed map needs to be approved “AS IS.”

The lawsuit alleges that, although the question of what an “extraordinary occasion” under the Missouri Constitution has not been tested in the Courts, no governor has ever before convened the legislature based on similar facts. Moreover, Section 45 does not expressly grant the Governor the authority to request a new Congressional Map from the General Assembly without action from Congress. The Proclamation claims that the State of Missouri's current congressional district map may be vulnerable to a legal challenge. The lawsuit points out that no new congressional maps are required until after the 2030 census and alleges that the mere threat of litigation would not require redrawing district maps. Such action would be “necessary” only if a litigant actually initiated a lawsuit, prevailed against the State, and Missouri was ordered by a court to redraw district lines. None of that has transpired.

Plaintiffs ask that the court enter judgment declaring the Governor does not have the authority to designate the matter of redrawing congressional boundaries to the General Assembly under Article IV, Section 9 and declaring the General Assembly does not have the authority to act to draw new congressional boundaries outside of the provisions of Article III, Section 45.

Plaintiffs are represented by Jones Advocacy Group, The Chapel Law Group, and Reams Law.

Perspectives: Return to Home Values that Raised Us

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 00:21:53 GMT

Published in the Jefferson City News Tribune, August 24, 2025

They say you can’t go home. And in truth, many who left Jefferson City never did return. But we would be mistaken to see ourselves as wiser than those who left—or somehow lesser because we stayed. Because coming home has never just been about a place. It’s about a people. A purpose. An a return to values that remind us who we are—and who we are meant to be. In recent weeks, our community has been marked by grief. Parents. Elders. Children. An innocent youth lost their life in North Jefferson City, and still, no one has stepped forward. There’s been no reckoning. No accountability. And no peace for those who remain.

Among those we’ve lost is Reverend John Bennett. He has made his way home—not to Jefferson City, but to eternal rest. If you ever met him, you know he wasn’t just a preacher—he was a moral force. A truth-teller. A man who gave voice to the suffering around him and called others to do the same. That is what we mean when we call him a prophet. Not someone who predicts the future, but someone who speaks with clarity, compassion, and conviction in the face of injustice. He saw us—and called us to be better.

That calling was never more visible than when Rev. Bennett stood on the Capitol steps with hundreds of other clergy and faith leaders to demand that our lawmakers expand healthcare. Their demand was simple: listen to the voices of those who were dying. Parishioners, family members, neighbors—people suffering or dying because they didn’t have access to healthcare simply because they couldn’t afford it. And those who didn’t die lived sicker, poorer, and with more pain. In that fight, Rev. Bennett and others were arrested for refusing to be silent. They became known as the Medicaid 23—clergy prosecuted not for breaking the law, but for standing up for the right to live.

We cannot forget that history as we demand justice today.

As our community mourns, we are also confronted with rising threats—from bounty-style surveillance encouraged by elected officials to proposals for white-only towns masquerading as “community preservation.” These aren’t isolated incidents. They are echoes of our past—Missouri’s long history of sundown towns, redlining, and state-sanctioned segregation—and they are reminders that silence is never neutrality. And so, let us be clear in our demands:

We demand accountability from politicians—at every level. That means prosecutors, legislators, and governors must stand with the people, not over them.
We demand transparency. Attorney General Andrew Bailey and others must release public information to the public—not hide behind bureaucracy when lives and rights are at stake.
We demand protection for whistleblowers—like our neighbors and co-workers—whose moral courage in exposing corruption, abuse, or systemic failure should be honored, not punished.

Missouri is known as a second-chance state. In 2025, we will mark 204 years of statehood. What better moment than now to decide whether we will keep repeating cycles of exclusion—or build a future grounded in equity and compassion?

If Rev. Bennett were still here, he would be on the front lines. Praying for those demanding white-only settlements—and also for the soul of the person who ran down that child and never came forward. He would remind us that justice and mercy are not opposites—they are twin pillars of love. And that love cannot be abstract.

“Love thy neighbor as thyself.”

Let that scripture be more than a memory. Let it become our personal policy. Let it drive our laws, our politics, our economy, and our everyday choices. Love must become action. Accountability. Collective care.

Let us build systems rooted in justice, not fear. Let us elevate leaders who believe in the common good—not in maintaining control through cruelty. Let us fight for those who have been told they are invisible, disposable, or less deserving.

This is our return home. To the values that raised us. To the truth that grounds us. To the love that saves us.

MO NAACP Comments on EPA Emission Limits Rule Change

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 03:51:24 GMT

NAACP ST. LOUIS COUNTY PRESIDENT RESPONDS TO SLDC’S PAUSE ON CERTIFY STL BUSINESS CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 17:38:00 GMT

ST. LOUIS, MO – July 18, 2025 In response to the recent decision by St. Louis Development Corporation to pause Certify STL’s business certificate program, President John Bowman issues the following statement:

“We recognize political scapegoating when we see it. As the largest and oldest civil rights organization, and as a community in the St. Louis region, we have seen these maneuvers in spades across decades. Political agendas are strong-arming our friends and partners at SLDC, and the M/WBE (Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise) community is paying the price for it. It’s not lost on us that a St. Louis developer has just escalated a high-profile, compelling lawsuit in response to an 18-month-long federal investigation helped by SLDC alleging misuse of SLDC’s minority program.”

President Bowman continues, “We see the pressure these politicos are putting on our local programs and longstanding relationships in the St. Louis region, and we won’t stand for it. We recognize this as a political move, not one that considers the impact these decisions are having on the lives of thousands of minority and women-owned small and large businesses in the St. Louis area. SLDC, we stand with you and will work with you to ensure that the political pressures are lifted and these programs can continue in St. Louis.”

NAACP St. Louis County President John Bowman and community partners stand with the leaders of the St. Louis Development Corporation in advocating for what is fair and right for the thousands of minority and women-owned business owners they serve. To continue supporting programs that protect minority and women-owned business owners from being excluded from government contracts, NAACP St. Louis County President John Bowman will submit a formal complaint to NAACP National on behalf of the St. Louis Development Corporation and the region’s minority business owners, friends, partners, supporters, and program recipients. NAACP St. Louis County will continue working with County Executive Sam Page and Councilwoman Rita Days to ensure a fair and equal effort in supporting SLDC as they uphold their longstanding commitment to the St. Louis community. Change is inevitable, and we recognize that we are the agents of change.

NAACP President John Bowman is available for follow-up and questions at the email address below.

###

NAACP St. Louis County

John Bowman – President

PO BOX 210464 • St. Louis, MO 63121 ● 314.899.0033 ● naapstlouiscounty.org

President Chapel Speaks on John Lewis Day of Action

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 04:05:11 GMT

President Nimrod Chapel, Jr. Speaks to a Crowd in
Jefferson City on
John Lewis Day of Action 2025

Learn More About John Lewis Day of Action

pulaski county branch thanks their 2025 juneteenth golf tournament sponsors

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 23:16:43 GMT

NAACP Pulaski County Branch President Cynthia Andry traveled to Springfield, MO to present a certificate of appreciation to Mr. Burleson.

Pulaski Branch Officers presented a certificate of appreciation to Seeger Toyota.

Is There a Wasp Nest in Your Entry?

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 21:07:23 GMT

Watching the signs of danger grow isn’t enough—we must act.

Spring brought its surprises. From my window, I watched fescue green and pepper plants bloom. Children ran with laughter, and even our pets found renewed joy in the warmth. Like you, I eagerly watched things grow.

But not all growth is good.

One morning, I saw a wasp begin to build a nest on my porch. A single architect, crafting a paper dome from unseen fibers. I stood still, wondering—how does just one wasp start something that could soon swarm?

I live in a democracy. I am trained to watch. And I am seeing too many nests forming.

In Cape Girardeau, the “Save Carol” campaign pleads for a neighbor—deported not for breaking laws, but for never being permitted citizenship. Her children wait. Her coworkers wonder. Her friends ache in silence. That was one family. Tomorrow, it may be yours. I hear murmurs of reinstating the draft. My family served with pride, escaping Jim Crow’s grip through military service. But what cause calls our children now? Who do we trust to hold their lives in the balance?

And as summer nears, the sweetness of childhood is replaced by the hunger of policy. Food programs for children are being gutted. The hum of the ice cream truck may still pass by, but inside, stomachs groan.

These are the wasps I see: war, exile, and hunger. They spread their nests across this nation.

Now I ask you: What nests are forming at your door? Will you watch silently, or will you act?

Democracy does not defend itself. It requires guardians. Be one.

MO NAACP Files POST Complaint Against Tom Butkovich for Racist Social Media Posts

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 03:55:07 GMT

(Jefferson City, MO) - MO NAACP filed a complaint today asking the POST Commission to review the social media presence of former Clay County Detective Tom Butkovich. The complaint is in response to the February social media posts from Butkovich and the concern that he will find employment with another law enforcement agency. The Clay County Sheriff's Department fired Butkovich after an investigation into his social media posts. Nothing in Missouri law or police procedure prevents him from finding employment with another law enforcement agency. Revoking his POST Commission; however, would prevent employment as law enforcement in Missouri. The current POST Commission revocation process requires a complaint to be filed before any action is taken. This move by the MO NAACP will start the investigation process and may result in the removal of a person unable to fairly apply the law from our police forces.

Compliant Filed Against the License of Det. Tom Butkovich (Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Missouri)

The NAACP of the State of Missouri has reviewed the social media comments attributed to Clay County Sheriff’s Office Detective Tom Butkovich. Given the gravity of the situation, we believe the appropriate action is for the Department of Public Safety to revoke Mr. Butkovich’s Peace Officer license in the State of Missouri. We appreciate the Clay County Sheriff's quick action on the matter, but there is nothing preventing Mr. Butkovich from simply moving to another agency and continuing to act under the color of law while holding discriminatory and dangerous views.

Law enforcement officers must uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism, particularly when serving diverse communities. Mr. Butkovich’s alleged online statement, “Time to put the ‘panic’ back in Hispanic,” in response to a federal immigration enforcement action, is not only offensive but fundamentally undermines public trust in law enforcement. His statement promotes racial hostility and is in direct conflict with the duty of peace officers to serve and protect all communities equitably. A person who holds these views and expresses them publicly while carrying the authority of law enforcement cannot be trusted to administer justice impartially. His years of experience and past training have evidently failed to instill the professionalism and judgment required for his role, making additional training an insufficient remedy. The appropriate course of action is for the Department of Public Safety to revoke his Peace Officer license to prevent further harm and erosion of public trust.

MO NAACP Sues Over AG Bailey Violating State Statute

Tue, 27 May 2025 13:24:55 GMT

NAACP Files Suit Against Missouri Attorney General
Over Racial Profiling Data Suppression

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: May 27, 2025

Contact: Nimrod t. Chapel, Jr. 816-309-5009

Missouri State Conference of the NAACP

www.monaacp.org

Jefferson City, MO — The Missouri State Conference of the NAACP, along with its President, Nimrod Chapel, Jr., has filed legal action against Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey and other state officials for failing to comply with Missouri law requiring the publication of the Disparity Index, a critical measure of racial profiling in traffic stops. The legal petition, filed in Cole County Circuit Court, demands enforcement of Missouri Revised Statute § 590.650, which mandates an annual report analyzing law enforcement vehicle stop data by race.

Driving while black is not a crime. In the last century, we were promised that the perception of excessive black traffic stops was a misunderstanding. The racial reporting mandate has shown, and would continue to show, that driving while black is a real phenomenon. After state leaders failed to identify the cause or solve the indisputable problem, the NAACP issued its Missouri travel advisory. Six years later the Missouri Attorney General has decided to put the problem back in the closet by refusing to publish the statistics required by law. Hiding the problem is not leadership.

“For years, the Disparity Index has been the only statewide measure that gives communities of color in Missouri a clear view of how racial bias plays out on our roads,” said Nimrod Chapel, Jr., President of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP. “Its removal in 2023—without lawful authority or transparency—marks a shameful regression at a time when public accountability in policing is more urgent than ever.”

The lawsuit also seeks judicial enforcement of Missouri’s Sunshine Law against the Attorney General’s Office and the University of Missouri, both of which have failed to produce public records regarding the decision to eliminate the Disparity Index, despite formal requests and payment of required fees.

In 2017, the Missouri NAACP issued the first statewide travel advisory in the nation, warning that civil rights for Black travelers in Missouri could not be guaranteed. That warning was grounded in years of data showing that Black drivers are more likely to be stopped, searched, and arrested than white drivers—trends repeatedly validated by the state’s own Disparity Index. Yet despite national attention and widespread concern, state leaders have failed to correct these systemic disparities.

“By omitting the Disparity Index, the Attorney General has made it harder for families to protect themselves, for advocates to push for reform, and for the public to know the truth,” said Chapel. “This is not a clerical oversight—it’s a deliberate act that shields racial injustice from public scrutiny. The state’s refusal to uphold its duty under the law is an attack on transparency, accountability, and ultimately, on Black lives.”

The NAACP calls upon Governor Michael Kehoe, Attorney General Andrew Bailey, Director of Public Safety Mark James, and Colonel Michael Turner, Superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, to meet with us to plan how to end this issue along with St. Louis Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Tracy; Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves; Springfield Chief Paul Williams; Independence Police Chief Adam Dustman. To compel this long-overdue conversation, we have sued the Attorney General to compel his compliance with Missouri law. We will not allow the state of Missouri to go back to pretending that the driving while black phenomenon is not real.

The Missouri NAACP is calling for public support to fund its ongoing work collecting, analyzing, and responding to “Driving While Black” complaints throughout the state. This includes developing tools for community reporting, compiling regional data for legal action and advocacy, and empowering local branches to respond to incidents with speed and clarity.

CALL TO ACTION: Join us in the fight for justice on Missouri’s roads. Donate today at www.monaacp.org to support our legal and advocacy work against racial profiling. Every dollar helps shine a light on injustice and hold power to account.

Will of the People Must Be Protected

Mon, 26 May 2025 17:03:45 GMT

Editorial: Will of the People Must Be Protected

St. Louis American

by John Bowman | NAACP St. Louis County

May 26, 2025

Advocating for justice has always been important to me. Over my nearly 30 years in public service, I’ve witnessed much, both right and wrong. Just a few days ago, in a room filled with colleagues and individuals who genuinely care about the people’s concerns, I observed yet another injustice taking place. [Read More]

White Nationalists Invade Public Treasure — Missouri NAACP Calls for Action, Not Silence

Sun, 25 May 2025 04:53:40 GMT

White Nationalists Invade Public Treasure
Missouri NAACP Calls for Action, Not Silence

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: May 25, 2025

Contact: Nimrod T. Chapel, Jr. 816-309-5009

Missouri State Conference of the NAACP

www.monaacp.org

KANSAS CITY, MO — The Missouri State Conference of the NAACP condemns the unannounced invasion of the National World War I Memorial by more than 100 masked white nationalists affiliated with Patriot Front on Saturday, May 24. Arriving in the back of several U-Haul trucks and marching in formation with flags and covered faces, their presence was not only threatening but a desecration of a public monument honoring Americans who died fighting tyranny.

“This act was a calculated show of force meant to intimidate,” said Nimrod Chapel, Jr., President of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP. “And when hate parades down the steps of a sacred memorial and elected and unelected public servants charged with protecting the peace of our community fail to stand up immediately to condemn it by name, the silence speaks volumes. Good people cannot condone hate by sitting on the sidelines. Sideliners are participants—whether they like it or not.”

The Missouri NAACP calls on the public to stay vigilant and informed. Visit www.monaacp.org for updates on civil rights actions, public safety responses, and community organizing efforts. Report hate to the F.B.I. 816-512-8200.

“We are meeting with federal and state law enforcement who protect our civil rights” said Chapel “if 100 masked men shouting hate are coming to your town - everyone should be aware and ready.”

We urge every Missourian to join civil rights and faith-based organizations that promote dignity, equality, and community healing—whether it’s the NAACP, your local church, synagogue, mosque, or civic alliance. This moment demands more than discomfort. It demands action.

CALL TO ACTION: Join us in the fight for justice on Missouri’s roads. Join and donate to the www.monaacp.org to support our legal and advocacy work against hate. Every dollar helps shine a light on injustice and hold power to account.

2025 End of Session Report

Fri, 23 May 2025 02:05:32 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

Each year we see more legislation passed that attempts to take us back to the days of segregation and Jim Crow. Thankfully, we are able to stand together to fight these bills and occassionally make advances in civil justice. This year we passed the CROWN Act to protect our young scholars from discrimination based on their natural hair. We fought off attempts to ban books and cirriculum. We stopped efforts to legalize vigilantism. All of this thanks to the hundreds of you who showed up to lobby days hosted by us and our coalition partners and those of you who took the time to testify in legislative hearings.

This legislative session was unusual and hopefully does not mark the beginning of a new era. For the first time in modern memory, the legislature adjourned before the Constitutional deadline. The Senate finished two days early with two rounds of Previous Question (PQ) votes. This means the leadership chose to cut off debate and force a vote on issues Senators were not ready to vote on. The issues that were forced to a vote were two that had been the subject of negotiation and were reportedly close to a compromise. One of the two bills that was the subject of the PQ was HJR73, which is discussed in more detail below. The choice to cut off debate, especially in the middle of negotiations, definitely creates bad feelings between the Senators. It is unclear if that animus will continue into the next legislative session or to a special session called by the governor during the summer.

Here are some highlights of the legislative action that happened this year.

criminal justice

What Passed

HB495 - Rep. Brad Christ (R) - Modifies provisions relating to public safety

This is the omnibus crime bill of 2025. The bill is the result of weeks of discussions and compromise. It contains the langauge that removes local control of the St. Louis Police Department. This move puts back into place the civil war era policy to prevent St. Louis from operating its own police force. In the 1850s it was done to prevent abolitionist leaders from controlling the police. Now it is done to prevent modern policing practices and community-focused spending policies from replacing more traditional punishment-focused methods. The bill also contains a few other provisions of interest. These include:

Support - Transparency over informant testimony in criminal cases.
Support - Phone fees in correctional facilities limited to 12 cents per minute and reasonable access must be provided.
Oppose - A variety of new crimes were created. We did our best to make sure the new crime penalty is not any greater than the penalty for an existing crime based on the same activity. Overall, we were successful in making sure no activity was made criminal that was not previously criminal and no enhanced sentences were created.
Support - Additional police officer training hours have been added to the requirements. The new hours are specifically for anti-profiling and cultural sensitivity training.
Support - Restitution for wrongful convictions finally got passed this year. The language is a little more restrictive than we would like, but it is still more than what is currently available.

SB71 - Sen. David Gregory (R) - Creates and modifies provisions relating to public safety

This is the other omnibus bill that passed. It has fewer true criminal justice provisions in it, but it does create a couple of new criminal provisions. Specifically, it creates two provisions related to breaking into cars. The activity and penalties are both already in law. This just adds another name to the activity that is already a crime.

What Failed

“Truth in Sentencing” - Extending Minimum Sentences

The above bills all attempted to remove the tiers in Missouri’s mandatory minimum laws and require all offenders who have two or more convictions (not terms of imprisonment) to serve 80% of their sentence. The bills did not make it far through the process and were balanced by the next set of bills introduced to decrease mandatory minimum sentences and/or allow for compassionate release.

Department of Corrections Accountability

There are some slight differences between these four bills, but they all essentially follow the FAMM model for oversight. They create an office of ombudsman that will be an intermediary between families of incarcerated people and the Department of Corrections. Additionally, the office will provide corrections officers with an anonymous way to make complaints about working conditions and abuses they witness. Conversations around the bills are going well, but it will likely be another year or two before it is passed into law.

Good Time and Earned Time Credits

Once again the good time credit bill ran into issues in the final days of session. The language was in a few omnibus bills in the last couple of days. Unfortunately, personality conflicts between Representative Collins and the sponsors of the omnibus bills meant the language was removed from the final Conference Committee Reports. Additionally, Department of Corrections personnel tried once again to say the language would provide early release dates for rapists and child abusers. We were able to show the language did not do that and held DOC’s feet to the fire to make sure they didn’t go back on their word. Also, we were able to get the Prosecutors to agree to the language. In the end, the personal conflicts as well as the blow-up in the Senate meant the omnibus bills didn’t pass at all, and so we once again have a year with no good time credit bill. I know the rumor got around the facilities again that it had passed, but none of the bills containing the language made it through.

Death Penalty Unanimous Juries

We are finding more and more allies every year for limiting or eliminating the death penalty. In addition to the above bills which require a unanimous jury decision for sentencing to the death penalty, we had 4 bills introduced to completely abolish it. This is not a partisan issue, both Democrats and Republicans acknowlege the innate unfairness of the current system by which the death penalty is handed down. More and more of the pro-life members of the legislature are also coming to support abolition of the death penalty. The issue was debated on both the House and Senate floor this year, but did not make it through to the Governor.

Death Penalty Expansion

While support for abolition is growing, we still see a few holdouts who are not only supportive of the current death penalty system but are in favor of expanding it. The good news is these bills recieved less attention than the bills to limit or abolish the death penalty.

HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT

What Passed

HB516 - Rep. Mark Matthiesen (R) - Modifies criteria of hazardous waste investigations and increases the hazardous waste fund appropriations

Decades of hazardous waste dumping in the St. Louis area has created serious health and environmental issues. These issues are concentrated in predominately black neighborhoods. The homeowners in these areas are facing unsellable properties and lifelong heath issues. This bill authorizes the State to do investigations and pay compensation for the damage caused by government contractors. This is important authorization for the residents of the impacted areas as the EPA has been slow to react and take responsibility for the Federal Government's role in the damage.

HB595 - Rep. Chris Brown (R) - Modifies provisions relating to real estate transactions

This bill overturns local ordinances that require landlords to accept housing vouchers as income. The bill is yet another example of the State Legislature preempting the actions of locally elected officials. It is an insult to the voters who voted in those local officials; the same voters who put the legislators in place. If voters are unhappy with the ordinances put in place by the local government, they can vote them out of office. Additionally, the language means the work done by government and nonprofit entities to provide housing assistance will be less effective. It is the policy of the MO NAACP to support the autonomy of local elected officials.

SB68 - Sen. Mike Henderson (R) - Creates, repeals, and modifies provisions relating to elementary and secondary education

This is a omnibus bill that contains a variety of provisions related to our public schools. The one of most interest is the provision that requires schools to remediate lead in the drinking water. Lead in school drinking water is responsible for a variety of long-term heath effects including developmental delays. The older school buildings and lack of resources are concentrated in urban and rural districts with older buildings. These areas are also where we find schools with high populations of students of color. Remediating lead in drinking water is a huge project and this will push schools to take real steps toward fixing the problem.

SB4 - Sen. Mike Cierpiot (R) - Modifies and creates new provisions relating to utilities

This omnibus utility bill makes a variety of changes to utility regulation. One of the major changes allows utility companies to request increases in rates before they have implemented service upgrades. That means low income households are likely to see rate increases without service upgrades. Currently rate increases are only allowed after new infrastructure is built and service capacity or reliability is increased. We will be carefully watching for rate increases and making sure that private utility companies aren't making profit on the backs of our families.

What Failed

Firearm Safety Issues

There is a push in the legislature to relax laws around firearm usage in public spaces. These laws range from allowing firearms on public transportation to preventing law enforcement from investigating a murder unless they can prove it was not self defense. Recent years have seen an increase in shootings of black men living their lives - such as Ralph Yarl who was shot for knocking on the wrong door while trying to pick up his sister. Even firearm owners know that allowing vigilantes to operate without accountability is dangerous. We oppose any measure that makes life more dangerous for black and brown Missourians.

Opportunity Race and Justice

What Passed

HB567 - Rep. Sherri Gallick (R) - Modifies provisions relating to employee compensation

This bill repeals portions of Proposition A from 2024. Specifically, it completely repeals the earned paid sick leave provision and caps minimum wage at $15 per hour ($31,200 per year). The bill is the second one that was passed via a Previous Question motion. The motion to end debate was made while negotiations were still going on and with two full days remaining in the legislative session. In addition to being a complete disrespect of the will of the voters, the ways the bill was passed shows a disrepect of the Senate and its members.

Budget Bills

A ban on DEI spending and other restrictions on DEI programs is a key platform of the Republican Party in 2025. Several budget bills include Unconstitutional language that prohibits the use of state funds for Diversity Equity and Inclusion programs or initiatives. Similar language was included in early Executive Orders from Governor Kehoe. This language has already led to several higher education institutions to withdraw scholarships based on race or gender requirements. The language is also likely to be subject to Constitutional challenges.

What Failed

DEI Bans

In addition to the language in the budget limiting certain departments' spending, there were a variety of bills introduced to prevent private entities, school districts, and state entities from considering or funding DEI programs. These bills didn’t go far in the legislative process. Ironically, a provision creating new requirements for DEI training for police officers was also passed this year in HB495, the omnibus crime bill. This will likely be a recurring issue we face each year.

Political power

What Passed

HJR73 - Rep. Ed Lewis (R) - Proposes a constitutional amendment that establishes provisions relating to reproductive health care

This is the attempt to repeal the reproductive healthcare provisions passed in Amendment 3 of 2024. The affirmation of reproductive freedom is replaced with a near-complete ban on abortion. The Amendment also includes a complete ban on gender affirming healthcare for anyone under the age of 18. This is yet another attack on the will of the people. The next step for this resolution is to file legal challenges to try to prevent it from going on the ballot. Failing that, we will need to mount an electoral campaign to defeat it during the 2026 General Election. This type of resolution does not need the Governor’s approval.

SB22 - Sen. Rick Brattin (R) - Modifies provisions relating to summary statements for statewide ballot measures

This bill is the only form of restriction on citizen Constitutional Amendments that made it through this year. The bill doesn't explicitly impact the filing of petitions or the gathering of signatures. Instead, the bill sets up a timeline for challenges to ballot summaries that is impossible to meet for legislatively passed Amendments in even numbered years. We are expecting there to be challenges to this provision in 2026 based on violations of the separation of powers provision of the Constitution.

SB152 - Sen. Ben Brown (R) - Creates new provisions relating to foreign spending in state ballot measure elections

This bill was originally a harsh restriction on the ability of individuals who are employed by international companies from giving to political campaigns. We worked with the bill sponsor and other allies to change the language to make it clear there is no impact on Missourians giving their own money as part of the political process.

What Failed

Voting Rights Restoration

There continues to be support for changes that would allow individuals on probation or parole to vote. Currently the right to vote is automatically restored once an individual's sentence is complete. However, some individuals are on probation or parole for extended periods of time. If these bills were to become law, only individuals who are convicted and incarcerated would be unable to vote.

Restrictions on Citizen Constitutional Amendments

13 Proposed Amendments
2 Proposed Statutes

None of the direct attacks on the citizen initative process passed this year. We saw all the usual Constitutional Amendments that would raise the vote threshold, change the signatures required, and create complicated requirements based on legislative or congressional districts. We also saw a few statutory changes that would make filing initiative petitions more expensive or change the process for verifying signatures. We were successful in defeating these provisions in 2025, but expect we will see them again in the coming years.

Education

SB160 - Sen. Brad Hudson (R) - Establishes provisions relating to educational institutions

This bill started as a high priority oppose. The end result; however, was a bill that we could withdraw opposition to and included an expansion of civil rights protections. The House added the CROWN Act to the bill. This version of the CROWN Act prohibits discrimination in elementary and secondary schools for natural and protective hairstyles. The bill’s final version contains: a modified version of the student organization discrimination bill that allows institutions to take adverse action if the organization is disruptive or infringes on the rights of other students; the CROWN Act which prohibits discrimination based on natural hair or protective hairstyles; a provision allowing Missouri State University to expand its degree programs; and a section that gives protections to someone who calls for help when an injury occurs during illegal hazing activities.

Tracking Lists

Full NAACP 2025 Tracking

All Truly Agreed and Finally Passed Bills

MAD AT MISSOURI POLITICIANS TRASHING YOUR VOTE? FIX IT FOR GOOD!

Thu, 22 May 2025 05:15:29 GMT

They aren’t just trying to overturn abortion rights and minimum wage — they’re taking aim at the initiative petition process. This amendment would stop them.

Opinion By Benjamin D. Singer and Nimrod “Rod” Chapel, Jr. Special to The Kansas City Star

Last week, the Missouri General Assembly brazenly attacked the will of the people. Again. Lawmakers repealed parts of Proposition A, the citizen initiative that passed with 57% support, to raise the minimum wage and secure paid sick leave. Politicians just tore it apart. And they pushed a near-total abortion ban onto the ballot with misleading language designed to undo Amendment 3, which voters passed with 52%. They’re not stopping there.

The legislature has also passed a law to sabotage future petition initiatives, trying to end the process altogether. This is not just wrong. It’s a fundamental threat to our freedom. The people of Missouri have used citizen initiatives for over a century to pass laws when politicians failed us. It’s how Missourians have fought corruption, raised wages, expanded access to health care and kept taxes reasonable. But instead of respecting voters, our legislature is attacking us — overturning our votes, blocking our needs and using dishonest ballot language to mislead us at the polls. It’s a blatant power grab. And we have one chance to stop it.

That’s why the Respect Missouri Voters Coalition — a grassroots, cross-partisan, volunteer-led campaign — is organizing to pass a constitutional amendment in November 2026 to ban politicians from overturning the will of the people. Our coalition is broad and diverse. We include the National Organization for Women, Metropolitan Congregations United, Veterans for All Voters, the Missouri NAACP, Show Me Integrity, the St. Louis Association of Community Organizations and many more. Together, we are standing up for every Missourian — left, right or center — who believes our vote should count and our voice should matter.

Our proposed amendment would do three things:

Protect voter-passed laws: It would prohibit legislators from changing or repealing anything passed by citizen initiative unless by an 80% bipartisan supermajority to address technical issues.
Defend the citizen initiative process: It would stop politicians from making it harder to get initiatives on the ballot and pass them.
Ensure honest ballot language: It would require clear, unbiased language so voters understand exactly what’s at stake.

Make no mistake — this is not a partisan issue. Politicians from both parties have tried to take away your freedom to use the initiative petition process and put all the power in their hands. It usually happens right after voters pass something the ruling party doesn’t like. In the 1980s, after Missourians approved the Hancock Amendment to limit taxes, the Democratic-led General Assembly tried to cripple the initiative process. Republican Gov. John Ashcroft vetoed the effort, rightly calling ballot initiatives a crucial voter freedom, and criticizing lawmakers who tried to silence the people. Today, Republican majorities are attacking initiatives they disagree with. As former GOP House Speaker Carl Bearden put it four years ago: “Neither party was or is correct in attacking the power the people have reserved to themselves to exercise a check against the General Assembly.”

Right now, Missouri is one of just 11 states with no law protecting citizen initiatives from being overturned. That’s unacceptable. So here’s the plan — and how you can help: We need to collect more than 300,000 signatures to get this amendment on the 2026 ballot. That takes a statewide, people-powered army of 2,500 volunteers committed to just two hours per week of signature gathering. And yes, we’re raising money. Every dollar helps us train volunteers, print petitions and fuel this movement. Let’s be clear: This isn’t about one issue. It’s about all of them. Whether you care about health care, jobs, taxes or education, the freedom of the citizen initiative petition is what gives us a fighting chance when politicians won’t listen.

So when you see another angry post about the legislature’s latest betrayal, drop a comment about the Respect Missouri Voters amendment: “We can ban them from overturning the will of the people.” This is our one shot. If we don’t act now, they’ll succeed in silencing us forever. But if we rise up together, organize and pass this amendment, we will make history — and be sure that when the people of Missouri speak, the politicians have no choice but to listen. Learn more and join us at RespectMOVoters.org.

Let’s win this — for Missouri’s democracy.

Benjamin D. Singer is CEO of the 501(c)(4) nonprofit Show Me Integrity. Nimrod “Rod” Chapel, Jr. is president of the 501(c)(4) nonprofit Missouri NAACP.

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 05/05/2025

Mon, 05 May 2025 15:48:58 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

The Last few weeks of this year's legislative session are upon us. The budget has entered what some would consider the final stages of completion. All of the budget bills, after having been amended by the Senate Appropriations Committee, are now being sent to conference committees. This process will likely take at least a day or two of next week while members of the Senate and the House will have to come to an agreement on what parts remain in the budget and what will be stripped out. Once the committees are done, both chambers will have to vote on them. This entire process must be completed no later than 6:00pm on this coming Friday per the constitution. The clock is now running out for the key legislative priorities to be completed this year. One that has been previously mentioned is the repeal of parts of Prop A, including removal of the mandatory sick-leave provision and changing the minimum wage scheduling. What we are expecting to be the biggest fight will be over HJR 73 which is an attempt to repeal last year’s abortion amendment and reinstate a ban with limited exceptions. For the most part, these three issues will consume the largest amount of time for the remainder of this year’s session.

The list of legislation that may pass this year is dwindling fast. There are lots of bills that we have fought this year that are no longer threats because of the lack of time to move on them. However, we continue to watch for amendments and discussions that threaten the human dignity of any person. There won't be another update until after legislative session. We will publish a full end of session report before the end of May. Thank you to everyone who came to the Capitol this year whether for a lobby day or to testify against one of the dangerous bills filed by our elected leaders.

OPPORTUNITY RACE AND JUSTICE

HB742 is the bill that would add a ban on DEI spending by the State to our State Statutes. This is dangerous because it does more than just require a review of programs and makes it illegal to spend money on programs and policies that are designed to specifically impact black and brown folks. Similar language is contained in several budget bills, and may make the passage of this bill unnecessary. The budget language is Unconstitutional and will likely be challenged by groups including the NAACP should it pass. We are expecting a big fight on this one and are asking all of our members and allies to contact their State Senator to ask them to stand strong against this kind of roll-back of the Civil Rights Act and return to Jim Crow policies.

HB567 is an attempt by the legislature to overturn the will of the people by repealing major portions of Proposition A. These laws would make earned paid sick leave a requirement for all employers and increase minimum wage over the next few years. The Senate Democratic Caucus continues to fight to preserve the will of the voters. Negotiations are ongoing, but the rumor is the Republican leadership will take the drastic step of cutting off debate using a Previous Question motion in order to get the bill done.

Tracking Lists

Criminal Justice

Health and the Environment

Opportunity, Race and Justice

Political Power

Education Innovation

*These lists are continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 04/28/2025

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 15:53:42 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

We are down to three weeks remaining in this year’s legislative session. The battle continues between the Republican majority in the Senate attempting to overturn Proposition A and the Senate Democrats holding the line using the filibuster. The threat of ending the filibuster using the motion of moving the previous question (PQ) looms over the remainder of this session however negotiations continue as the Senate leadership will likely require cooperation with the Democrats to pass the budget which has a constitutional deadline on May 9th. The final week of this legislative session will likely be the moment all of these issues come to a head. The House is continuing to pass legislation that will likely not become law as there simply is not enough time to go through the proper procedures to clear passage. The House is preparing for House bills in the Senate that have been amended which will either require approval from them or will be sent to a conference committee. We are expecting the majority of appropriations bills to go to conference the week after next among other bills. With such a short time frame and other leadership concerns taking priority, we are unlikely to see many more voting rights bills to be brought up this year.

political power

SB22 was officially signed into law on April 24th. We are highly disappointed in our Governor Mike Kehoe for signing this egregious affront to our system of checks and balances. What was interesting about this signing is that usually bill signings are done with much fanfare and publicity. This bill was signed quietly with only the bill sponsor, Senator Rick Brattin, and the house handler, Representative Ben Keathley, in attendance with no formal announcement until after it was signed. This indicates that the Governor and all involved are aware that this bill is highly contentious and may perhaps indicate that even they are aware that it is problematic. As a reminder, the bill’s emergency clause only pertains to the ability for the Attorney General to appeal preliminary injunctions so that part is the only statute that is law at this time. The part pertaining to the challenges and rewriting of ballot titles and summaries will not go in effect until August 28th of this year. We are expecting a flurry of lawsuits to begin as most if not all of this bill is likely to be found unconstitutional. We would like to once again thank everyone for their efforts to stop this bill. We may have lost this battle, but we will win the war.

Tracking Lists

Criminal Justice

Health and the Environment

Opportunity, Race and Justice

Political Power

Education Innovation

*These lists are continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 04/21/2025

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 23:44:45 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

Only 4 weeks remain until the legislature adjourns on May 16th at 6pm. This is the time of year when bad ideas fly faster than a bullet train. We are on the lookout for a few bad provisions related to justice and equity. There are a few other issues that will take up considerable time as session wraps up for the year.

HJR73 is a proposal to put abortion back on the ballot. The bill also contains language related to gender affirming care for minors. These two topics are not related to each other and should not be allowed in a single Constitutional amendment. It is likely the courts will have to make that decision between now and the 2026 General Election. Even without the gender-related issues, the amendment is yet another attempt to overturn a voter-approved Constitutional Amendment. It would completely repeal Amendment 3 and put in its place restrictions on access to abortion services and other reproductive healthcare.

The budget is not yet out of the Senate. HB 1-12 are the base budget for Missouri and will need to make it through the Senate floor debate before heading to "Conference" where any differences between the House and Senate versions will be resolved. HB3 , the Higher Education budget includes some harmful DEI language that is already being used to restrict private scholarships at Missouri colleges and universities. This language is specific to higher education institutions, but is similar to language in HB742 and Executive Order 18.

OPPORTUNITY RACE AND JUSTICE

HB742 is the bill that would add a ban on DEI spending by the State to our State Statutes. This is dangerous because it does more than just require a review of programs and makes it illegal to spend money on programs and policies that are designed to specifically impact black and brown folks. We are expecting a big fight on this one and are asking all of our members and allies to contact their State Senator to ask them to stand strong against this kind of roll-back of the Civil Rights Act and return to Jim Crow policies.

HB567 is an attempt by the legislature to overturn the will of the people by repealing major portions of Proposition A. These laws would make earned paid sick leave a requirement for all employers and increase minimum wage over the next few years. The Senate Democratic Caucus stood together until after 1am last Wednesday to make sure the bill would not pass. They will likely have to do so again before the legislature adjourns for the year. Please take a moment to thank the Senate Democrats for standing strong.

political power

SB22 was passed last week with langauge that would make it significantly harder to ensure fair ballot summaries for Constitutional Amendments. Often, the legislature will pass language to go on the ballot that misleads the voter as to what is included in the new law. Groups like the ACLU and the League of Women Voters regularly challenge these ballot summaries and win in the courts to put fair and accurate language on the ballot. This new law itself will likely be the subject of legal challenges in the near future.

Tracking Lists

Criminal Justice

Health and the Environment

Opportunity, Race and Justice

Political Power

Education Innovation

*These lists are continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 04/14/2025

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 00:26:55 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

The legislative session is a little more than 2/3rd of the way through. The bills that have made it through this session are a mixed lot of good and bad provisions. Here are some of the highlights and lowlights so far.

criminal justice

HB495 is the bill that takes away local control of the St. Louis Police Department and gives it to the State. The bill also has a variety of other provisions, most of which are positive for the values of NAACP. Among the other provisions are:

The repeal of the crime of rioting
New accountability for prosecutors using informant testimony at trial
The Missing and Murdered African American Women Taskforce

While we are disappointed the bill passed with the St. Louis Police takeover language, we are pleased to see some provisions that have been long-time goals of criminal justice reform advocates passed.

HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT

SB4 is an omnibus utilities bill. The bill contains a host of provisions that make it easier for utility companies to increase rates. These provisions are dangerous as there is no provision for low income households or economically depressed areas. The main provisions of the bill allow for rate increases based on future construction or improvements rather than requiring improved services before a rate increase is allowed. Additionally, the bill incentivizes building new facilities in predominantly black neighborhoods. This is a continuing trend of building infrastructure that creates high levels of pollution in areas where black and brown citizens reside.

expectations for the rest of session

We are expecting to see several major controversial issues debated between now and May 16th. There are Constitutional Amendments pending on creating Constitutional Sheriffs and repealing the Right to Reproductive Freedom as passed in Amendment 3. There are also bills pending to repeal Prop A, eliminate DEI programs and initiatives, and expand the Castle Doctrine to make it harder to prosecute people for murder when they falsely claim self-defense. Each of these issues has major opposition coming from a variety of groups. This includes our lobby team and leaders in the Capitol. We also have faith that our allies in the legislature will fight to stop these bills.

The CROWN Act was working its way through the legislative process cleanly until recently. Representative Proudie’s version of the bill has been added to a controversial anti-semitism bill. The language of the anti-semitism bill is supported by some Jewish groups and opposed by others. The same anti-semitism language is likely to be added to both Representative Proudie’s HB284 and Senator Washington’s SB38 .

Tracking Lists

Criminal Justice

Health and the Environment

Opportunity, Race and Justice

Political Power

Education Innovation

*These lists are continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 04/07/2025

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 15:42:38 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

The legislature is working overtime as they try to get as many bills passed out of the original chamber as possible. This means a flurry of hearings and floor activity for the next two weeks before things slow down again. Of all the activity, there are only a few bills that are important to pay attention to as we enter the last six weeks of session.

criminal justice

We had two hearings in the last week on the corrections oversight bills, HB774 and SB378 . Missouri's prisons are inhumane and uninhabitable. Both residents and DOC employees are in danger because of the poor conditions and constantly dropping staffing levels. The current system gives wardens almost unlimited control over their facility. Even the DOC is limited in its ability to require wardens to make changes. These bills will create an office of Corrections Ombudsman. The office will have authority to take and investigate complaints, inspect facilities, and make recommendations for statutes and regulations.The Senate bill was voted out of its committee, and the House bill should be voted out Wednesday.

HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT

HB595 makes it against state law for a local ordinance to require landlords to treat housing vouchers and other assistance the same as other sources of income. We oppose this bill because of the layering impact of multiple hurdles to housing faced by people of color. The bill is still early in the process, but the provision is likely to be added to any number of bills. We will continue to watch for it and oppose it where it appears.

Opportunity Race and Justice

HB742 is the most problematic bill this legislative session. The bill prohibits any state money from being spent on DEI programs, training, or initiatives. This means no more cultural sensitivity training for case workers, no more sexual harassment training for offices, and no more programs designed to help Black Entrepreneurs. The bill has already made it out of the House and is pending on the Senate calendar. We are asking everyone to contact their senator and tell them to stand strong against attempts to return to segregation.

Political power

SB22 contains language that would allow the SOS to re-write the ballot title up to four times before the court's action takes effect. The bill also gives new rights to the Attorney General with regard to injunctions. Put together this bill would eliminate the ability of taxpayers to demand ballot titles comply with the law. This bill is on its way to the House floor for debate and final passage. That means that it is one committee vote and one House vote away from the Governor’s desk.

HB617 was voted out of the House committee unanimously. The bill allows people who are on parole or probation to vote. We are hopeful this bill will make progress this year. The bill was combined with Representatives Collins and Anderson's bills. The bill is still early in the process, but has been voted out of committee unanimously.

Education

The Senate version of the CROWN Act, SB38 , was heard in the House Committee last week. The bill includes discrimination based on natural hair in the definition of racial discrimination. It now moves on to House Rules before getting a final vote on the House floor. The bill is in a very good position to pass as long as no changes are made.

SB160 is commonly known as the student organizations bill. This bill originally required colleges and Universities to give full recognition to all student organizations regardless of whether they have discriminatory viewpoints. In the Senate, a provision was added that clarifies organizations that infringe on the rights of other students can be removed from official recognition. This bill is still discriminatory and oppressive at its heart, but it no longer is as big of a threat thanks to the new provision. The bill is in the House and will likely pass unless

changes are made on the House floor.

Tracking Lists

Criminal Justice

Health and the Environment

Opportunity, Race and Justice

Political Power

Education Innovation

*These lists are continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

Vote No on KC Jail Tax

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 14:58:37 GMT

NAACP Missouri Urges NO Vote on Question 1 – The “Public Safety” Sales Tax

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Apr 4, 2025

Contacts:
Nimrod Chapel, Jr., President Missouri State Conference
(816) 309-5009, President@monaacp.org

As the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP, we stand in firm opposition to the Public Safety Sales Tax proposal—what we believe should rightfully be called the “Jail Tax”—which appears on the April 8, 2025, ballot in Kansas City.

This tax is a regressive, unjust, and fiscally irresponsible measure that would extract hundreds of millions of dollars from Kansas City and Missouri residents over the twenty years to build a jail that does nothing to address the root causes of crime. Rather than investing in housing, jobs, mental health, and education—strategies that actually prevent crime—this proposal chooses punishment over prevention.

The NAACP has long fought against policies that perpetuate mass incarceration and disproportionately harm Black communities. This proposal follows the same failed model of “public safety” that has devastated generations: locking people in cages while leaving communities without the resources they need to thrive.

We are particularly disturbed by:

The redirection of $250 million away from essential emergency services such as 911 operators and first responders, during a time when those systems are already strained.
The financial recklessness of proposing a $250 million jail facility—at a cost of $1 million per bed—without a plan for how it will be operated or sustained beyond construction.
The structural injustice of a regressive sales tax that forces the poorest residents to shoulder the heaviest burden.

The misleading and incomplete information being presented to the public by city leaders, which denies voters the full truth of what this tax would fund and who it would harm.

We cannot accept a future for Kansas City and our State that continues to rely on incarceration and that hurts the poor and working class.

The Missouri State Conference of the NAACP urges every voter in Kansas City to vote NO on Question 1.

We invite the public to join in op[position. For additional information, please visit www.monaacp.org . Join the NAACP and share this message in your community.

###

ABOUT NAACP

The NAACP advocates, agitates, and litigates for the civil rights due to Black America. Our legacy is built on the foundation of grassroots activism by the biggest civil rights pioneers of the 20th century and is sustained by 21st-century activists. From classrooms and courtrooms to city halls and Congress, our network of members across the country works to secure the social and political power that will end race-based discrimination. That work is rooted in racial equity, civic engagement, and supportive policies and institutions for all marginalized people. We are committed to a world without racism where Black people enjoy equitable opportunities in thriving communities.

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 03/31/2025

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 17:03:50 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

The legislature came back from Spring Break ready to work. We had several hearings over the week both for bills we support and some we oppose.

HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Housing Assistance Preemption

HB595 is a bill that overrules local ordinances that prohibit housing discrmination based on the source of the tenants income. In other words, some cities are requiring landlords to rent to families who qualify financially regardless of whether they need rental assistance or not. This bill puts families at risk by making it more likely they will be unable to find stable housing. It means children who are unsure where they will sleep when they get home from school. It means people who are getting back on their feet after an injury or job loss are unable to do so even after qualifying for rental assistance. We strongly oppose this bill and instead encourage the legislature to expand assistance and make it easier for Missourians to find housing.

Opportunity Race and Justice

DEI Restrictions

HB742 would eliminate provisions requiring training on anti-discrimination laws are up for hearings this week. It was voted out of the Senate Committee last week and is now on the Senate Calendar and could be debated at any time. These bills undermine the provisions of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Missouri Human Rights Act. The purpose is clear, the sponsors want to remove protections for black and brown people as well as make it possible for employers to cultivate segregated workplaces and businesses. Please reach out to your Senator this week to ask them to stand against this bill.

Tracking Lists

Criminal Justice

Health and the Environment

Opportunity, Race and Justice

Political Power

Education Innovation

*These lists are continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 03/24/2025

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 13:12:47 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

Governor Mike Kehoe has signed into law the 2025 Omnibus Crime Bill. The legislation contains many provisions including the takeover of the St. Louis City Police by a Governor-appointed board. Most of the other provisions are positive steps toward a more just criminal legal system. Here is a brief overview of the bill along with the position taken by the NAACP on each provision.

SHERIFF OF ST. LOUIS CITY – Support

This act requires any candidate for the office of sheriff of St. Louis City to hold a valid peace officer license within two years of being elected sheriff.

PROSECUTING AND CIRCUIT ATTORNEYS CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM – Support

This act requires that, beginning January 1, 2027, all police officers, sheriffs and deputy sheriffs, and the chief law enforcement official of the City of St. Louis shall submit referrals for any traffic violation, ordinance violation, or criminal offense to the prosecuting or circuit attorney. For felony offenses, referrals shall include a probable cause statement and an investigative report. Any law enforcement agency that violates this provision shall be ineligible to receive state or federal funds that would otherwise be paid for law enforcement, safety, or criminal justice purposes.
Additionally, the act requires all incentivized witnesses and the benefits they are offered or granted for their testimony to be recorded in the case management database. All the information related to the incentivized witnesses will be available to the attorneys in the case and any benefit will be reported to the victims of any crime of which the witness was previously convicted.

REPORTING OF IMMIGRATION STATUS OF CRIMINAL OFFENDERS – Oppose

This act requires every law enforcement agency in the state to submit to the Department of Public Safety information pertaining to the citizen or immigration status of any person arrested for an offense that is reportable under current law.

LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE FROM FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS – Support

This act provides that the chief law enforcement executive for any law enforcement agency may request assistance from a law enforcement agency of another United States jurisdiction outside this state. An offender arrested by a foreign law enforcement agency shall be delivered to the first available law enforcement officer in the jurisdiction of the arrest. The law enforcement officers shall remain employees of their respective agencies for the purposes of immunity, workers' compensation, and other employment-related matters. However, certain governmental immunities shall apply as interpreted by the federal and state courts of the responding agency.

FORFEITURE OF MOTOR VEHICLES – Oppose

Currently, the city of Springfield may enact ordinances that authorize forfeiture of a motor vehicle operated by a person who has had his or her driver's license suspended or revoked for certain criminal offenses. This act adds offenses involving two or more violations of stunt driving or street takeover committed on separate occasions where in each violation the person was operating a vehicle and another person was injured or killed as well as the offense of aggravated fleeing a stop or detention of a motor vehicle.
This act provides that any person convicted or who pleads guilty to a class E felony of resisting or interfering with arrest may have his or her vehicle impounded and forfeited pursuant to law.

SAINT LOUIS CITY POLICE FORCE – Oppose

No later than July 1, 2026, the Board of Police Commissioners ("Board") shall assume control of the municipal police department of St. Louis and no later than no later than 90 days after the effective date of these provisions, five citizen commissioners, with one nonvoting member, shall be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, to the Board who shall serve together with Mayor of the City of St. Louis.

PROHIBITION ON INJECTION SITES – Support

This act provides that no individual or entity shall knowingly open, lease, rent, use, maintain, manage, operate, or control a public or private facility, site, or building for the purpose of allowing individuals to self-administer preobtained controlled substances, the possession of which is criminally punishable and is not otherwise authorized by state law.

INMATE PHONE CALLS – Support

This provision provides that correctional centers shall provide offenders with reasonable access to phone services, unless such access is restricted as a disciplinary measure. Additionally, no correctional center shall charge more than 12 cents per minute for a domestic phone call of an inmate.

PREGNANT OFFENDERS – Support

Under this act, all county and city jails shall be prohibited, except in extraordinary circumstances, from using restraints on a pregnant offender in her third trimester, including during transportation or labor, delivery, and 48 hours post-delivery.
By January 1, 2026, all county and city jails shall develop specific procedures for intake and care of pregnant offenders, including maternal health evaluations, dietary supplements, nutritious meals, substance abuse treatment, HIV treatment, hepatitis C, sleeping arrangements, mental health, sanitary materials, postpartum recovery, and a requirement that a female medical professional be present during examinations.

STUNT DRIVING – Neutral

This act prohibits stunt driving and participation in street takeovers, as such terms are defined in the act. The act specifies criminal penalties and sentencing requirements, with enhanced penalties and sentencing requirements for repeat offenders.

SUNSET ON ELECTRONIC MONITORING OF PERSONS IN VIOLATION OF PROTECTION ORDERS – Neutral

Currently, the provision of law providing that a person found guilty of violating the conditions of a protection order can be sentenced with electronic monitoring or placed on probation with the condition of electronic monitoring shall sunset on August 28, 2024. This act repeals the sunset provision.

CRIMINAL ACTIVITY FORFEITURE ACT – Neutral

This act modifies the offenses included in the definition of "criminal activity" for purposes of the Criminal Activity Forfeiture Act. Specifically, it includes felony violations of the traffic laws of this state that involve the use of motor vehicle and offenses under the Missouri Criminal Street Gangs Prevention Act.

DANGEROUS FELONY – Neutral

This act adds the offense of bus hijacking when punished as a class A felony and the offense of planting a bomb or explosive near a bus or terminal to the definition of "dangerous felony."

OFFENSE OF SEXUAL TRAFFICKING OF A CHILD – Neutral

This act provides that a person commits the offense of sexual trafficking of a child in the first degree when he or she knowingly conducts certain sexual acts, as provided in current law, with a person under the age of fourteen, rather than twelve. Additionally, the eligibility for probation or parole for the offense of sexual trafficking of a child in the first degree is not available unless the offender has served no less than thirty, rather than twenty-five, years of the sentence.

OFFENSE OF ENDANGERING THE WELFARE OF A CHILD IN THE FIRST DEGREE – Neutral

Under current law, a person commits the offense of endangering the welfare of a child in the first degree if he or she unlawfully manufactures or possesses amphetamine, methamphetamine, or any of their analogues. This act adds fentanyl and carfentanil.
Additionally, this act provides that the offense of endangering the welfare of a child in the first degree if it involves fentanyl or carfentail is a class B felony. A person guilty of such offense shall not be eligible for conditional release or parole until he or she has served at least five years of imprisonment.

ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT - Neutral

This act provides that a person shall be guilty of the offense of stealing if he or she appropriates property as part of an organized retail theft and the value of the property is over $10,000. Such offense shall be a class B felony.
Additionally, this act provides that a person shall be guilty of the offense of stealing if he or she appropriates property as part of an organized retail theft and the value of the property is between $750 and $10,000. Such offense shall be a class C felony.

OFFENSE OF FILING A NONCONSENSUAL COMMON LAW LIEN – Neutral

This act provides that the second offense of filing a nonconsensual common law lien shall be a class A misdemeanor and any third or subsequent offense shall be a class E felony. Additionally, a person convicted of a third or subsequent offense shall be considered a persistent offender.

OFFENSE OF OBSTRUCTING GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS – Oppose

Currently, the offense of obstructing government operations is a class B misdemeanor. This act provides that such offense is a class A misdemeanor if the person uses violence or force during the commission of such offense.

OFFENSE OF TAMPERING WITH A WATER SUPPLY – Neutral

This act provides that the offense of tampering with a water supply shall be a class E felony if the person poisons, defiles, or in any way corrupts a water supply used for domestic or municipal purposes.

TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR PEACE OFFICERS – Support

This act provides that peace officers first licensed on or after August 28, 2027, shall receive at least six hours in the initial academy training focused on racial profiling training, implicit bias training, and de-escalation training.

COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL SAFETY – Neutral

This act establishes the "Committee on School Safety" within the Department of Public Safety with membership as provided in the act. The Committee shall at least quarterly evaluate and establish guidelines for school safety concerns, including plans to prevent school firearm violence. The Committee shall submit an annual report in writing to the Governor, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

MISSING AND MURDERED AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN AND GIRLS TASK FORCE - Support

This act creates the "Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls Task Force" with membership as provided in the act. The Task Force shall elect a chairperson and shall hold an initial meeting before October 1, 2025. The Task Force shall submit a report regarding policies and measures to address violence against African American women and girls as provided in the act to the Governor and General Assembly on or before December 31st of each year and the Task Force shall expire on December 31, 2027, unless the Department of Public Safety determines the Task Force should be extended until December 31, 2029.

CIVIL ACTIONS FOR WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS - Support

This act provides that any individual who was later determined to be innocent as a result of an evidentiary hearing and finding in an a habeas corpus proceeding or a proceeding held pursuant to the prosecution's motion to vacate or set aside a judgment may be paid restitution. Such individual may receive an amount of $179 per day for each day of postconviction incarceration for the offense the individual is found to be innocent, up to $65,000 per fiscal year.

REPEAL OF THE MISSOURI INCARCERATION REIMBURSEMENT ACT – Support

Current law allows the Attorney General to sue an incarcerated person to recover the cost of their incarceration. This act repeals that provision.

REPEAL OF THE CRIME OF RIOTING - Support

Current law prohibits the gathering of six or more people for the purpose of violating the criminal codes of the state. This act repeals that provision.

HB495 - Rep. Brad Christ (R) - Modifies provisions relating to public safety

Tracking Lists

Criminal Justice

Health and the Environment

Opportunity, Race and Justice

Political Power

Education Innovation

*These lists are continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 03/10/2025

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 14:06:18 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

There is just one week left before legislative spring break. This session has seen several bills voted out of their original chamber early, but so far nothing has been sent to the Governor. The NAACP lobby day is tomorrow, and we are expecting to have lots of good contact with our elected officials. Here are the bills we will be talking about.

CROWN ACT - Support

This bill includes discrimination against a student for wearing protective hairstyles in the definition of racial discrimination in education settings.

Students are being punished for wearing their hair naturally without harsh chemical treatments or a shaved head.
Black girls are more frequently disciplined and treated with less respect in their schools when they wear their hair naturally.
Black boys are more frequently disciplined and are often punished for “breaking dress code” when they wear their hair in braids or other styles that prevent breakage.
Maintaining black hair in non-natural styles is expensive and dangerous.
Black women with straight hair have to spend 3-4 hours at the salon every 3-4 weeks to maintain the style.
At-home products tend to be harsher than salon products and are more likely to be applied in ways that cause damage.
This bill doesn’t allow students to wear their hair “any way they want to.”
It is narrowly tailored to cover hairstyles that are necessary to prevent damage to hair and are historically viewed as a racial characteristic.

HB284 - Rep. Raychel Proudie (D) - Prohibits certain discriminatory practices on the basis of race
Priority: High (NAACP Leader Lobby Day)
Last Action: 02/25/2025 H - Reported Do Pass - House-Rules-Legislative

SB38 - Sen. Barbara Washington (D) - Creates the "Missouri Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (Missouri CROWN) Act" to prohibit certain discriminatory practices as such practices relate to hairstyles in elementary and secondary educational institutions
Priority: High (NAACP Leader Lobby Day)
Last Action: 03/10/2025 H - Read Second Time

GOOD TIME CREDIT - Support

This bill reduces the total length of a prison sentence based on the offender’s behavior and participation in rehabilitation programs.

These bills are modeled after President Donald Trump’s First Step Act of 2018 (FSA).
The FSA provides that incarcerated people in the federal system get 54 days off their sentence for every year of “exemplary” behavior while incarcerated, and 10 days off for every 30 days of participation in qualifying vocational and rehabilitative programming (getting a GED, substance abuse, parenting classes, financial literacy, etc.).
President Trump’s model is good for us as businesspeople, Christians, and Americans.
The bills incentivize vocational and work training, education, and treatment through “good time” and “earned time” credit.
Missouri has a law purporting to do this, but it’s not used or functional because it doesn’t lay out any standards. RSMo 558.041 .
These incentives not only promote good behavior; they also provide critical tools for our law enforcement community in corrections by giving them a safer, more orderly work environment.
As Americans, this is the land of opportunity and second chances. We need to make sure these folks have what it takes to pull themselves up once they get out.
Offering incentives for good behavior and program participation keep the prisons safer and more productive. It is bad business and a waste of financial resources to have people coming out worse than they went in.
90% of incarcerated people come home from prisons one day. It is incumbent on us to make sure that they leave state correctional facilities better than they came in. It’s crime prevention, it’s good for families, and it will save state resources long term.
Correctional staff leave the prisons every day, and they bring the work home with them to their spouses, children, and communities. Violent, miserable prisons are bad for everyone. Safe, productive prisons are good for correctional staff, incarcerated people, and their respective families.

HB728 - Rep. Kimberly-Ann Collins (D) - Modifies provisions relating to good time credit

Priority: High (NAACP Leader Lobby Day)

Last Action: 03/05/2025 H - Public hearing completed - House-Crime and Public Safety

HB1360 - Rep. Jamie Gragg (R) - Modifies provisions relating to credit earned by offenders committed to the department of corrections

Priority: High (NAACP Leader Lobby Day)

Last Action: 03/10/2025 H - Scheduled for Committee Hearing - 03/12/2025, 8:00 AM - House-Commerce, HR 6

GET THE LEAD OUT - Support

This bill requires all schools to test for lead in their drinking water and take steps to remove it.

· There is no safe level of lead so reducing all sources is important.

· Schools must test for the presence of lead at all taps used for drinking and cooking.

o It’s important for parents and guardians to know about their school’s lead testing results, therefore schools must communicate results.

· Schools must implement recommended strategies to reduce lead in drinking water.

o Final decisions on specific interventions to reduce lead exposure in individual facilities are made by local school districts based on guidance from DHSS and DESE.

o Best management practices should continue until subsequent testing indicates lead has been reduced to below 5 ppb.

HB995 - Rep. Jeff Knight (R) - Modifies provisions governing lead in school drinking water

Priority: High (NAACP Leader Lobby Day)

Last Action: 03/04/2025 H - Reported Do Pass - House-Conservation and Natural Resources

DEATH PENALTY LOOPHOLE - Support

This bill requires a unanimous jury verdict before a sentence of death can be issued.

· Currently, when the jury cannot unanimously agree to one sentence or the other however (i.e. Hung Jury), the courts have said the judge can then make the decision and sentence the defendant to life without the possibility of parole OR death by utilizing a loophole in Missouri statute. This is true even if only 1 juror has voted to recommend the death penalty.

· This has resulted in giving the power of the jury to sentence an individual to death to a judge. It undermines our system of justice and is a gross misuse of our legal system.

· The proposed language would require the judge to sentence the defendant to life without the possibility of parole if the jury does not determine a sentence. The death sentence could still be applied when unanimously agreed upon by the jury. This simple change would place the power of sentencing back into the hands of the jury of our peers instead of one person.

SB225 - Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman (R) - Modifies provisions relating to jury instructions for the offense of murder in the first degree

Priority: Medium (NAACP Leader Lobby Day)

Last Action: 03/10/2025 S - Reported Do Pass - Senate-General Laws

LOCAL HOUSING ORDINANCE PREEMPTION - Oppose

This bill invalidates local ordinances that prohibit “Source of Income Discrimination Bans.” Source of Income discrimination bans provide protections for tenants against discrimination that could prevent them from renting a unit based on how they would pay rent, whether that is with Housing Choice Vouchers or income through alternative sources, such as child support or gig work.

· This bill is unnecessary.

o Tenants who have a voucher are subject to the same lease requirements and background and credit checks as other tenants.

o They are also subject to the same eviction requirements as tenants without subsidies, and tenants with vouchers have a housing case manager to ensure that the housing is safe and that the tenant is abiding by the terms of the lease.

· The bill is likely to create greater discrimination in housing.

o Historically, access to safe and affordable housing has not been equitable, especially for Black mothers, who have long been used as the face of subsidized housing.

o Source of Income discrimination also impacts tenants who are older, disabled, or female.

o Landlords often require a higher score than applicants who were not using subsidies or had employment income.

· Source of Income Discrimination bans are a solution for accessible and affordable housing not a problem.

o As we are facing both a historic one-year increase in homelessness of 18 percent, higher rates of vacancies in subsidized housing versus unsubsidized housing, and an ongoing shortage of housing that is driving up rent prices, making housing less accessible is not the solution.

o Denying local governments the freedom to make decisions based on what is best for their communities creates more barriers to addressing the housing crisis in Missouri.

o Less access to housing means more money needs to be spent on short-term solutions like emergency rental assistance and shelters. Both of these resources are necessary but face their own challenges as communities vote against shelters opening in their neighborhoods and funding for emergency assistance is limited. The long-term solution that makes sense is equitable access to housing for every tenant in Missouri.

HB595 - Rep. Chris Brown (R) - Prohibits local governments from requiring private property owners to accept Section 8 vouchers

Priority: Medium (NAACP Leader Lobby Day)

Last Action: 03/10/2025 S - Voted Do Pass - Senate-Local Government, Elections, and Pensions

DEI STATE SPENDING BAN - Oppose

This bill prevents any state spending on diversity, equity, and inclusion training or programs.

· Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs are still relevant and needed.

o Students in Missouri's public schools are reporting increased occurrences and severity of racially motivated bullying, hate crimes and violence.

o School administrators seem afraid to punish students using racial epithets, physically attacking Black and multi-racial students, and hanging symbols of hate in the school halls because of backlash from white parents and culture warrior legislators.

o Black employees continue to be paid less than their white peers for the same work and Black student enrollment and retention is decreasing due to lack of scholarships and other programs.

The Missouri NAACP fully denounces any attempt to remove or downplay anti-discrimination, anti-racism, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, or cultural sensitivity programs as evidence of racial bias on the part of the individual or organization that does so.

HB742 - Rep. Ben Baker (R) - Prohibits state departments from spending money on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives

Priority: High (NAACP Leader Lobby Day)

Last Action: 03/10/2025 S - Voted Do Pass as substituted - Senate-Government Efficiency

BALLOT MEASURE SUMMARY STATEMENTS - Oppose

This bill eliminates a court's ability to revise deceptive language, instead giving the Secretary of State repeated chances to write fair and impartial language.

· Missouri law has long required that the summary language that voters see on an initiative referred to the voters not be misleading.

o Unfortunately, there is a long history of Missouri court rulings that found elected officials drafted biased or misleading ballot summaries - particularly in recent elections. This is why judicial checks on the legislative branch are so important.

o If a court finds that the summary language is deceptive, misleading or insufficient, the court should be able to redraft the language to meet legal specifications.

· The original SB22 would prevent courts from fixing legally flawed language.

o The sub would only allow a court to fix the illegal language after giving the SOS three additional tries to get it right. It would then require additional litigation — after each additional draft by the SOS — for the court to determine if *that* language is legally flawed. And if so, to send it back again, and again.

· This would impose additional delays to citizen advocates - who can’t start collecting signatures until the title and summary language are adjudicated.

o This would allow partisan actors to weaponize this process and open the door to the perpetuation of delay-inducing unfair language, blocking the courts from fixing the legal problem straight away.

· The result will be an ongoing merry go round between the SOS’s office and the courts - particularly where the citizen proposal relates to an issue disliked by the Secretary, leaving voters with no remedy. This is not what our system of justice is designed to do.

The separation of powers between the legislative, judicial and executive branches ensure necessary checks and balances, allowing courts to correct legally flawed language proposed by the legislature or Secretary of State (in the case of citizen initiatives). Courts should continue to retain their authority to edit the language of summary statements the Court concludes - based on evidence - to violate Missouri law.

SB22 - Sen. Rick Brattin (R) - Creates new provisions relating to the treatment of summary statements prepared by the General Assembly for ballot measures

Priority: High (NAACP Leader Lobby Day)

Last Action: 02/28/2025 H - Read Second Time

GUNS ON BUSSES – Oppose

This bill allows a person with a concealed carry permit to carry a weapon on any public transportation system.

· The bill puts transit workers and law enforcement in danger.

o When there are many people carry weapons, it is difficult for transit workers or law enforcement to tell the difference between a good citizen trying to protect themselves and a dangerous person who may cause a serious incident.

· The bill doesn’t take into account the different rules between jurisdictions and states.

o Some public transit is actually covered by Federal law. Additionally, some public transit systems regularly cross state lines.

· While the right to bear arms is in the Constitution, the right to use public transit is not.

o It is not an infringement of a right to regulate the time, place and manner in which it is exercised. It is a reasonable restriction to prohibit weapons on public transit. A person is not required to use the public transit systems, and there are many more options for transportation that do not put law enforcement, transit workers, and the general public in the same precarious situation as this bill would.

SB77 - Sen. Adam Schnelting (R) - Modifies provisions relating to the carrying of firearms on public transit systems

Priority: High (NAACP Leader Lobby Day)

Last Action: 02/25/2025 S - Reported Do Pass - Senate-Transportation, Infrastructure, and Public Safety

Tracking Lists

Criminal Justice

Health and the Environment

Opportunity, Race and Justice

Political Power

Education Innovation

*These lists are continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

MO NAACP Responds to Passage of St. Louis Police Takeover

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 00:14:31 GMT

Missouri’s Public Safety Bill 495 Strips St. Louis of Local Control and Reeks of Taxation Without Representation

Jefferson City, MO – Pregnant women thrown to the ground. Teenagers with their teeth knocked out after violent, baseless arrests. Black sons and daughters dead at the hands of those sworn to protect them. This is what unchecked state control of police forces has brought to Missouri. And now, with HB495 , the Missouri Legislature is moving to strip the people of St. Louis of their right to govern their own police department, forcing them to fund an unaccountable force they have no say over.

“If this were tea, it would be thrown into the Missouri River,”
said Nimrod Chapel, Jr., President of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP.
“The question now is, what will the people do, and when?
Taxation without representation has always had consequences.”

This latest attack on local majority rule mirrors Missouri’s long-standing state control of the Kansas City Police Department, originally imposed due to internal corruption—corruption that remains so entrenched that the Department of Justice is still investigating the department today. Meanwhile, state lawmakers claim that St. Louis is incapable of managing its own public safety, even as Springfield—a city with similar or worse crime rates in key categories—remains untouched.

“This isn’t about public safety,” continued Chapel.

“This is about control—white politicians using the tax dollars of a

majority-black city to fund a police force that will not answer to them.

The same politicians who push for state control refuse to increase officer salaries,

provide meaningful educational opportunities, or

ensure proper accountability when officers violate civil rights. Their moral authority is lost.”

The Missouri NAACP has long warned that the state is unsafe for Black and brown people. And while a handful of dedicated legislators—led by Senator Karla May—managed to insert limited safeguards into HB495 , the core of the bill remains a dangerous power grab. Those Senators fought hard for concessions to allow for more accountability to the officials elected by the residents of the City, and to include some long-needed criminal justice reforms. They did a good job and made the bill better, but the fundamental problem remains. The roots of the proposal are racist and a fundamental lack of respect for the local leaders elected by the black residents of our major metropolitan areas.

At its heart, this is a civil rights issue. As W.E.B. Du Bois once wrote, “The cost of liberty is less than the price of repression.” The people of Missouri must now decide: will they accept martial law under the guise of public safety, or will they take action before their rights disappear entirely?

Media Contact:

Nimrod T. Chapel, Jr., President
Missouri State Conference of the NAACP

President@monaacp.org

Butler County Presdient, Michele Webb Pushes Back on Removal of DEI Requirements

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 23:11:53 GMT

DEI rollbacks affect more areas than race, says local NAACP

DEI rollbacks, initiated by President Trump and echoed by Missouri Gov. Kehoe, impact more than racial equality, affecting women's and disability rights. Local NAACP voices concern over these changes.

Poplar Bluff, Daily American Republican, Jonathan Dawe, March 7, 2025

“I personally think that DEI is being used as a divisive political tool that keeps people separated when we should all be working together,” Webb remarked. “And I think Gov. (Mike) Kehoe is simply just following Trump’s lead. I don’t believe he has had enough time to look at the data to make an informed decision.”

Afton Nazi Graffiti Response from St. Louis County NAACP

Fri, 07 Mar 2025 17:52:07 GMT

NAACP ST. LOUIS COUNTY PRESIDENT CONDEMS ACT OF RACIST VANDALISM AT AFFTON HIGH SCHOOL AND STANDS IN SUPPORT OF INCOMING ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT DR. CASSANDRA SUGGS

In response to the overnight vandalism at Affton High School in Affton, Missouri, President John Bowman issued the following statement:

“Our concern, in addition to holding our schools to the highest standard of educational excellence, is the safety and protection of our children, staff and community members. Racially motivated acts of vandalism have no place in or around our schools. We are very concerned at the timing of the vandalism. Spray painting “WITE POWER” and swastikas on school property only one day after the announcement of Dr. Cassandra Walker Suggs, a known advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion, as Affton School District’s next Assistant Superintendent seems a bit off to me. Let’s hope these things aren’t related.”

NAACP St. Louis County continues to stand for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion across the county and will continue to support all efforts to maintain balance and justice in the state of Missouri. We also stand with Dr. Cassandra Walker Suggs in her professional mission to create equitable learning environments using her exceptional qualifications, including civil rights investigations.

President Bowman continues, “We call on our leaders and community officials to do what is right and not only issue statements but actually do the work necessary to ensure safety and inclusion of black and brown students and staff. I’ve reached out to Superintendent Travis Bracht to join the conversation on this issue and have not received a response.”

NAACP St. Louis County believes that anti-discriminatory environments are worth fighting for. We support President Bowman’s stance against racist acts of vandalism and fully support the Affton School District’s and St. Louis County Police Department’s commitment to investigating this hate crime. We are prepared to provide any assistance needed to the St. Louis County Police Department, the Affton School District, its staff, and community partners during this time. We also support President Bowman’s endorsement of Dr. Suggs and firmly believe in the value of her voice within the Affton School District.

NAACP President John Bowman is available for follow-up and questions at the above email.

###

All Jurors Deserve More

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 19:24:26 GMT

Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

Serving on a jury is one of the cornerstones of our democracy, a civic duty that ensures fairness and justice in our courts. However, for too long, that duty has come at a steep personal cost to working people across Missouri. We deserve better. Representative Rudi Veit’s proposed legislation, HB 131, offers a step toward rectifying this inequity, and I write today in strong support of this bill on behalf of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP.

Missouri’s current juror compensation system effectively excludes entire groups of people from participating in one of the most fundamental rights and responsibilities of citizenship. The financial burden placed on jurors—especially those who are hourly wage workers, single parents, and low-income individuals—means that only those who can afford to forgo their paychecks can afford to serve. This is not justice; it is exclusion. Walter Johnson’s The Broken Heart of America starkly illustrates the deep divides that have shaped our state, and HB 131 presents a chance to mend one of those fractures by ensuring that economic hardship is no longer a barrier to participation in the judicial system.

Under HB 131, jurors would be fairly compensated at $50 per day after the second day of service, ensuring that jury duty does not force everyday Missourians into financial distress. This is a common-sense measure that strengthens our judicial system by broadening participation, leading to juries that are more representative of our communities and the people they serve. Representative Veit deserves praise for his leadership in bringing this issue forward. The Missouri NAACP stands behind this bill and urges our members—and all Missourians—to contact their elected officials to express their support. True justice requires the voices of all citizens, not just those who can afford to take time off work. Ensuring fair compensation for jurors is a step toward a more just, equitable Missouri. We deserve that.

Sincerely,

Nimrod Chapel, Jr.

President, MO State Conference NAACP

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 03/03/2025

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 16:36:42 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

The general assembly had quite a busy schedule this last week. With everything from honoring Chief Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court, Justice Mary R. Russell, as Stateswoman of the Year on Tuesday, a “Taste of the Bootheel’ reception on Wednesday night, the State of the Judiciary address, and so many competing lobby days that the Capitol building was packed to the brim with people the legislature was very preoccupied this week. It did not stop both chambers from getting quite a lot of work done however. Legislative priorities are finally moving out of their original chambers and have started having hearings on the other side of the building.

criminal justice

Death Penalty Judicial Loophole

HB953 by Representative Bishop Davidson (R-130) was heard in the House Economic Development Committee on Tuesday. This bill closes the judicial loophole by requiring a unanimous jury verdict to sentence someone to death. The bill also includes provisions related to automatic expungement of certain crimes. We would like to thank everyone who testified in support of this legislation. We had a fantastic turnout which showed how important this issue is. We will continue to follow this bill which is scheduled to be voted out of committee on this coming Tuesday, March 4th.

SB225 by Senator Mary Elizabeth Coleman was voted out of committee on this last Tuesday. While we were highly confident that the bill would pass out the committee, we were pleasantly surprised that it passed by a unanimous vote. This is a fantastic indicator that the issue has become less divisive and is receiving bi-partisan support. Our discussions with legislators who have previously been obstacles regarding the loophole issue have also yielded great results as their concerns were alleviated. We are remaining optimistic that this bill will have some time on the Senate floor for debate and we can hopefully get the bill to the House quickly.

Truth in Sentencing - Extended Mandatory Minimums

The House and Senate have both had hearings on bills that would increase mandatory minimums in Missouri. The main supporter of the bills is the Sheriff's association. They argue the current sentencing rules mean people don't serve time after a conviction when they should. Opposing the bill are a long list of criminal justice reform organizations. We are hopeful we will be able to stop the bills and instead look at the probation and parole process more thoroughly with the Governor's Parole Taskforce under Executive Order 25-07 .

HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Housing Preemption

Several local governments in Missouri have passed ordinances that try to protect the rights of tenants. These include things such as preempting eviction moratoriums, protection for people using vouchers or rental assistance, and even building codes. The Missouri NAACP opposes these bills because they silence the voices of the voters who elected the local government that is passing the ordinances. Additionally, many of the ordinances being preempted are designed to prevent discrimination and make up for the legacy of redlining in our major metropolitan areas. There will be hearings on some of these bills in the coming week.

3/3/25 1:00 PM Senate-Local Government, Elections, and Pensions , Senate Lounge

HB595 - Rep. Chris Brown (R) - Prohibits local governments from requiring private property owners to accept Section 8 vouchers

3/4/25 8:00 AM Senate-General Laws , SCR 1

SB507 - Sen. Nick Schroer (R) - Provides that counties and cities shall not enact, maintain, or enforce certain ordinances relating to landlords and tenants

Lead in School Drinking Water

In a piece of positive news, the legislature is once again considering bills that would mandate testing and remediation of lead in school drinking water. The harm lead can cause to developing brains is well documented, but many of our K-12 school buildings are older and plagued with out-dated plumbing. Finding and remediating high lead levels will be a huge step toward a healthier and better educated community. The House Bill, HB995 , was heard last week and will be voted out of House Committee today.

Opportunity Race and Justice

DEI Restrictions

Two bills that would eliminate provisions requiring training on anti-discrimination laws are up for hearings this week. One of the HB742, has already been voted out of one chamber. These bills undermine the provisions of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Missouri Human Rights Act. The purpose is clear, the sponsors want to remove protections for black and brown people as well as make it possible for employers to cultivate segregated workplaces and businesses.

3/3/25 2:00 PM Senate-Government Efficiency , SCR 2

HB742 - Rep. Ben Baker (R) - Prohibits state departments from spending money on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives

3/5/25 8:00 AM Senate-Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence , Senate Lounge

SB506 - Sen. Nick Schroer (R) - Amends Supreme Court Rule 15.05 relating to continuing legal education requirements for lawyers

Political power

Initiative Petition Restrictions

Despite the best efforts of the Senate Democratic Caucus, SB22 was third read and passed the Senate this last Thursday. The bill had changed substantially from its original version. The biggest changes made it so ballot titles and summaries can be re-written up to 3 times by the Secretary of State before a Circuit Court Judge can rewrite the summary if found to be misleading or unfair. Obviously, this still creates a partisan delay tactic to hinder or fully stop ballot initiatives or to force misleading ballot language to the polls and make challenges more difficult. The bill also creates conditions for filing appeals, allows the attorney general to appeal injunctions, and includes an emergency clause that would allow the attorney general to appeal ANY injunction ordered by the courts even before the passage of this bill. The only positive change in the bill is that while the ballot title or summary is being challenged, signatures can still be gathered and they won’t be invalidated if the title or summary is changed. This alone does not save the bill and it must still be drastically changed or simply defeated. MOVPC’s position remains unchanged: we stand vehemently opposed to the erosion of our system of checks and balances and we remain opposed to this bill. The bill still has a long way to go through the process so there is still a lot of work to be done.

This afternoon, a major hearing is taking place in the Senate Local Government Committee. The list of bills is below. All of these bills would require a concurrent majority for passage of a Constitutional Amendment. This is a direct attack on majority rule in Missouri. It is one of our top issues, and we are working on it with a large number of coalition table members.

3/3/25 1:00 PM Senate-Local Government, Elections, and Pensions , Senate Lounge

Voter Registration Restrictions

SB62 (Brown-26) is on the Formal Perfection Calendar in the Senate, meaning it is potentially up for floor debate as early as Monday. This bill requires documentary proof of US citizenship in order to register to vote. It also contains provisions requiring the clerks of the circuit courts in Missouri to report any non-citizens to the Secretary of State through the jury selection poll. This bill is another example of the anti-immigrant rhetoric that has become pervasive in our society. After several meetings with the bill sponsor and our partners in the Association of County Clerks we are working diligently to draft language that everyone can agree on. We are expecting that, as this bill continues to change and evolve, it won’t have too much time for a floor debate immediately but we remain ready to oppose this bill in its current form. Please keep an eye out for any action alerts regarding this legislation if it comes to floor for debate. The ask will be that you reach out to your Senator and ask them to vote no on SB62.

Education

Discriminatory Student Organizations

Last week the full Senate debated a bill, SB160 , which would allow student organizations that have discriminatory stances to get full recognition of the college or university, including student government fees. The debate was fruitful and resulted in a new provision being added that would allow the college or university to take action against an organization that infringes on the rights of other students or which causes a disruption on campus. The companion bill, HB875 , was voted out of the House. The sponsor said on the floor that he supported the Senate making the same change to his bill. The amendment is absolutely necessary to prevent a re-segregation of campuses.

Tracking Lists

Criminal Justice

Health and the Environment

Opportunity, Race and Justice

Political Power

Education Innovation

*These lists are continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

For the Fox is Guarding the Hen House

Fri, 28 Feb 2025 22:25:53 GMT

He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, And He will pay back what he has given. Proverbs 19:17

It is with increasing curiosity that we watch the melodrama currently going by the dubious name of DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency). It was revealed this week that DOGE will pay dividend checks in the amount of five thousand dollars to Americans who make forty thousand or more. This forty-thousand-dollar threshold leaves out fifty-five percent of Black Americans.

Who has checked the unintended consequences of this code endeavor? DOGE should not be allowed to access any data pertaining to those who will not receive any checks. It is no stretch of the imagination that the code that DOGE is using for data mining could be used for nefarious reasons. The news that they discovered 150-year-olds receiving Social Security checks and no one has been arrested for fraud seems as if prosecutors are not doing their assigned duties or this is just more disinformation to engage in their own version of "Fake News." If these cases of "fraud" are found let there be public televised trials.

One of the more thoughtful insights is that if someone wanted to start a "Mark of the Beast" computer program, they would need to start, with all the information that is being gathered, with the DOGE code system.

Where and when does this code get deleted and who holds onto the information, that has been gathered?

Is there a tech company that gets access to the information?

Where are the talking heads of finance on this issue? In a world where, the interest rate on the National Debt is 4.25% of the Gross Domestic Product and only going to increase, any "found" savings should be used to pay down the debt. To give people money that should be used to pay down the debt, is the equivalent of credit card maxed out and going out to be a new car, sooner or later, debt will rear its ugly head, and the fiddler must be paid.

If the purpose of unifying the country there should be no attempt at dividing the country through ignoring the poor amongst us, by granting the rich cash handouts and tax breaks at the detriment of the poorest amongst us.

MO NAACP Condemns Attempt to Undermine the Initiative Petition Process

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 21:15:18 GMT

Missouri NAACP Condemns Attempt to Undermine the Initiative Petition Process: A Direct Attack on Democracy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, February 27, 2025

Contact: Nimrod Chapel, Jr., President, Missouri State Conference of the NAACP

president@monaacp.org | (816) 309-5009

JEFFERSON CITY, MO – The Missouri NAACP strongly condemns the Missouri Legislature’s attempt to gut the initiative petition process, a fundamental tool of direct democracy that has empowered citizens for over a century. The latest attack, dubbed by Missourians as the “Let Politicians Lie Act,” would allow partisan officials to manipulate ballot language to mislead voters and prevent the courts from acting as a safeguard against such deception.

Senate Bill 22 (SB22) would grant the Secretary of State up to three chances to rewrite ballot language, even after a court finds it deceptive, and would empower partisan judges to approve misleading language. This blatant power grab seeks to silence voters and consolidate control over Missouri’s elections in the hands of politicians who have repeatedly shown their willingness to suppress democratic participation.

“The Missouri Legislature is working to petrify Jim Crow into law by dismantling one of the last protections voters have against government overreach,” said Nimrod Chapel, Jr., President of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP. “By attacking the initiative petition process, lawmakers are attempting to take away the people’s power to decide what’s best for their own communities. We know from history that when politicians manipulate voting laws, it disproportionately harms Black Missourians and other marginalized communities. This is a direct assault on our democracy, and we will not stand idly by while our rights are stripped away.”

The initiative petition process has long served as a critical tool for Missourians to push for policies when politicians refuse to act—whether it’s expanding Medicaid, raising wages, or advancing civil rights. By undermining this process, SB22 disproportionately impacts Black and Brown communities, who have historically used ballot measures to fight for justice and equality when lawmakers failed to represent their interests.

“This is not just about language on a ballot—it’s about power and who gets to wield it,” Chapel continued. “This legislation is designed to suppress the voices of Missouri’s most vulnerable communities and rig the system to benefit those in power. We’ve seen this strategy before—whether it was literacy tests during Jim Crow or modern-day voter suppression laws—when politicians try to manipulate democracy, it is always at the expense of the people they are supposed to serve.”

The Missouri NAACP has already reached out to Senator Doug Beck regarding the urgent need for legislators to be coordinated, engaged, and not allow dangerous bills like SB22 to sail through the Senate without even a mumble of opposition. The responsibility of our elected officials is not to remain silent in the face of attacks on democracy, but to actively defend the rights of their constituents. We expect Missouri’s leaders to stand firm against this blatant attempt to subvert the will of the people.

If SB22 becomes law, it will set a dangerous precedent, allowing partisan officials to distort the truth and deceive voters without consequence. The Missouri NAACP calls on all

Missourians—Black, white, and Brown—to reject this attack on our democracy and stand together in defense of our right to fair and honest elections. The Missouri NAACP urges all voters, civil rights advocates, and democracy defenders to take action. Call your legislators and demand they oppose SB22. We must protect the initiative petition process and ensure that the will of the people—not the will of politicians—determines the future of our state.

For more information or to join the fight against voter suppression, please contact Nimrod Chapel, Jr. at president@monaacp.org or visit www.monaacp.org.

### END ###

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 02/24/2025

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 04:33:21 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

Despite the bitter winter weather we faced this prior week, the general assembly accomplished quite a lot this past week. The Senate President Pro Tem, Senator Cindy O’Laughlin put out a statement stating that since the Senators would already be here once the snow begins, they might as well get some work done. This mentality basically drove this week because both chambers passed more bills this week than they did by this time last year. They are working diligently on their respective priority pieces of legislation and we are seeing where the important issues are for both chambers and both sides of the political aisle. As always, someone will be in the building whenever they are in session to monitor and ensure that we have a voice in negotiations whenever they occur.

criminal justice

Death Penalty Judicial Loophole

SB225 by Senator Mary Elizabeth Coleman (R-22) was heard in committee this last week. Despite the hazardous winter weather conditions, the turnout was very good in support of the bill and no testimony in opposition was provided. We would like to thank everyone who came and testified in support of the bill.

HB953 by Representative Bishop Davidson (R-130) will be heard in the House Economic Development Committee on Tuesday, 2/25 at 8:00am. This bill closes the judicial loophole by requiring a unanimous jury verdict to sentence someone to death. The bill also includes provisions related to automatic expungement of certain crimes. We will be testifying in support of this bill and we are encouraging everyone to come to the capitol to testify or at least submit testimony online. If you’d like to come and testify, please contact Connor Luebbert to help coordinate the effort.

Truth in Sentencing - Extended Mandatory Minimums

The House had hearings a couple weeks ago on their version of the Truth in Sentencing bills. The bills are scheduled to be voted out of the Rules Committee on Monday. They could be debated on the House floor as early as Wednesday morning. The Senate versions have hearings scheduled for Tuesday. The big change they make is to move all offenders with their second conviction to 80% and "persistent" offenders to 100%. They vary a bit in small ways, but the basics are the same. These bills are horrible for the State of Missouri. Not only to they create arbitrary and unnecessary lenthy sentences, but they also make prison more dangerous by increasing over crowding.

HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Shoot First

Several bills have been introduced that would prevent law enforcement from detaining or investigating murders until they can prove it was not self-defense. This extremely dangerous language is opposed by law enforcement and prosecutors because even they recognize it is a ridiculous overreach. WE oppose it because too often we see young black men and women shot merely for existing. The first of these bills, SB147 , had a hearing last week. We expect to see the other bills heard in the coming weeks.

Lead in School Drinking Water

Opportunity Race and Justice

DEI Restrictions

Missouri is following the lead of the Federal Government and the Political Right and eliminating Diversity Equity and Inclusion programs and training. The bill that would prevent any state funding going toward DEI, HB742 , passed out of the House this week. The bill may be unnecessary given the recent Executive Order from Kehoe. This is the latest in a long line of efforts to eliminate discrimination protections. The debate on the floor got interesting as Republican Rene Reuter stood and pointed out the elimination of "DEI" training also included elimination of sexual harassment training. The programs being eliminated are not "quota" systems or "affirmative action." They are the policies and trainings that seek to make sure State agencies and employees are following anti-discrimination laws and that there aren't any barriers that prevent access to jobs, programs, benefits, and contract bids.

President Chapel released this statement in response to the Executive Orders:

"The executive order from Governor Kehoe is extremely disturbing. It is part of an anti-Black agenda that seeks to revert our nation back to segregation and Jim Crow. We refuse to go back. We will not sit quietly while our dignity and humanity are under attack. DEI programs are not quota systems or affirmative action. They are the foundation of a safe and legal workplace that follows anti-discrimination laws and fosters understanding between employees of different backgrounds. More importantly for state agencies, the DEI programs help service providers connect with their clients and better serve their needs. This is a step backward for everyone."

Political power

Initiative Petition Restrictions

The Senate Local Government, Elections, and Pensions Committee heard SB152 sponsored by Senator Ben Brown (R-26) which would ban foreign spending in ballot measures and create provisions on how violations would be prosecuted. This is already the case on the federal level and does not make any major changes to how the IP process works in Missouri. MOVPC will continue to monitor the bill for any amendments that may alter the bill significantly that would force us to take a position. For now, we do not take a position other than to simply monitor.

The House Elections Committee will hear HB793 by Representative Ben Baker. This bill is the same as SB152 which bans foreign spending in ballot measures. Our position remains unchanged and we will not be taking a position on the bill.

Poll Worker Protections

HB507 by Representative Peggy McGaugh was heard in the House Elections Committee. This bill is essentially identical to SB182 (Crawford) which in addition to other provisions we like includes the poll worker protections we have been fighting for. The hearing took place this last Tuesday morning, which is when the winter storm came in making road conditions quite hazardous. The physical turnout at the hearing was understandably small, however there was quite a lot of online testimony submitted in support of this legislation. We would like to thank everyone who submitted testimony online in support of this bill and we are hopeful that this bill will begin moving quickly.

The Elections Committee will hear HB638 by Representative Mark Matthiesen. This bill would allow election challengers to be present any time that votes are being cast. Currently, election challengers are allowed to be present when ballots are being counted. This isn’t a very consequential issue for MOVPC but we do share concerns that this could lead towards voter intimidation. As of this time, we are not taking a position on the bill but will continue to monitor the bill.

Presidential Preference Primary

In the same House Elections Hearing as HB507, we heard HB126 by Representative Rudy Veit (R-59) and HB367 by Brad Banderman (R-119). Both bills reinstate the Presidential Preference Primary while HB367 also expands absentee voting. These bills received overwhelming support in the form of online testimony and while the physical turnout was low, there was no testimony in opposition to these bills. Thank you to everyone who submitted testimony and we are looking forward to working with the sponsors of these bills to get them passed.

Education

CROWN Act

The CROWN Act bill is progressing through the legislature. This year's versions are only for educational institutions, but students are the most vulnerable people when it comes to discrimination on the basis of one's natural hair. The House Bills are stuck in the Rules Committee, and the Senate Bill has been voted out of its committee and is ready to be put on the Senate Calendar. This important change recognizes that many times racial discrimination hides behind dresscodes. We have been working on it for a number of years, and are hopeful this will be the year we see it passed.

Tracking Lists

Criminal Justice

Health and the Environment

Opportunity, Race and Justice

Political Power

Education Innovation

*These lists are continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 02/17/2025

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 18:05:16 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

The general assembly braved the snow and the cold as they worked this last week. Bills are being passed out of their respective chambers and jumping the first hurdles to become law. Some of the more controversial bills were brought up in the Senate and debated at length before being tabled for a later date. This is an indicator that the Senate is gearing up for the bigger fights soon, which will most definitely include our areas of work. The House also debated a decent amount of bills including some legislation that the leadership indicated as high priority. This week was a test to see how the respective members of each party will react to these issues and what, if any, deals will need to be cut before they can be voted on. There will be someone in the Capitol at all times when they are in session.

voting rights

Initiative Petition Restrictions

SB22 was brought up Wednesday evening and was debated for several hours before being returned to the informal calendar (referred to as laid-over). The discussion on the bill was the same arguments we heard in committee with the sponsor, Senator Rick Brattin, referring to the lawsuit over the ballot title of Amendment 3 from this last election and a similar lawsuit over Amendment 6’s ballot title and summary. It didn’t take very long for Senator Maggie Nurrenbern to stand up and add an amendment giving her control of the debate. This was the beginning of the Democrats filibuster which lasted for a few hours. The amendment would have given the Supreme Court exclusive authority to change ballot titles and summaries. As long as the original bill remains the same by taking away the authority of the courts to fix ballot titles and summaries, we will remain opposed to the bill. Please keep an eye out for our action alerts if and when the bill comes up for debate once again.

HB414 and HB684 were heard on Tuesday in the House Elections Committee. These bills are essentially the same as SB 22. The majority of the testimony was in opposition to these bills with only about 1 or 2 people testifying in favor. We would like to thank everyone who came down and testified against these bills and those who submitted online testimony.

Poll Worker Protections

SB84 (Burger) was brought up for debate on the Senate floor earlier this week. This bill has seen some very broad bi-partisan support thanks in part to the urging of the County Clerks’ Association who have been heavily advocating for its passage. Unfortunately, there were about 2 Senators who expressed deep concern about the constitutionality of these bills and spent a large portion of the debate arguing against it. The bill was discussed for about 2 hours then tabled for a later date. Negotiations are ongoing to get this bill to pass and we remain optimistic that we can get this bill into law.

SB182 by Senator Sandy Crawford (R-28) was heard in the Senate Local Government, Elections, and Pensions Committee on Monday. This is a large bill that covers several election related issues and contains provisions that we are in support of including poll worker protections. The hearing went very well and every witness testimony was in favor of the bill. We are looking forward to working with the Senator to get this bill some time for floor debate and hopefully get it passed. Once again, we’d like to thank everyone who came and testified in favor of this bill.

HB507 by Representative Peggy McGaugh is up for a hearing on Tuesday morning, 2/18 at 8:00am in the House Elections Committee. This bill is essentially identical to SB182 (Crawford) which in addition to other provisions we like includes the poll worker protections we have been fighting for. Since it is a House hearing, online testimony is accepted although testifying in person is more effective.
Presidential Preference Primary

HB126 by Representative Rudy Veit (R-59) will have a hearing on Tuesday, 2/18 at 8:00am. This bill is fairly plain and simply reinstates the Presidential Preference Primary election. In the same hearing, HB367 by Brad Banderman (R-119) is being heard. This bill also reinstates the Presidential Preference Primary while also expanding absentee voting. We are once again seeing a renewed push to revert back to the primary system after the results of the disastrous caucus system implemented back in 2022. These bills usually enjoy broad bi-partisan support and we are encouraging everyone to testify, whether in-person or online, in support of these efforts.

criminal justice

Death Penalty Judicial Loophole

SB225 by Senator Mary Elizabeth Coleman (R-22) will have a hearing on Tuesday morning 2/18 at 8:00am in the Senate General Laws Committee. This is legislation that will close the judicial loophole in first degree murder cases, requiring a unanimous jury verdict to sentence someone to death. In the case of a hung jury, the sentence will be life in prison without the possibility of probation or parole. We are currently gathering people and preparing our coalition to go and testify in support of the bill.

Omnibus Crime Bills - St. Louis Police Takeover

We are still waiting to see what the Senate will bring to the floor with regard to an omnibus crime bill. We know it will contain language about the St. Louis Police Takeover, but what else will be included is still unclear. The House is likely to Perfect the St. Louis Police Takeover in the coming week.

Education

Bills that create a new "Parents' Bill of Rights" and seek to limit cirriculum are very prevalent this year. We are watching all of these bills. So far, none of them have made it out of committee for a debate on the floor of the House or Senate.

Opportunity Race and Justice

Diversity Equity and Inclusion programs and trainings are under attack from all sides this year. The bill in the House, HB742 , has been voted out of committee and is on the calendar for possible debate next week. These programs and trainings are about more than just race, they are about creating a safe and welcoming working environment for everyone. More importantly, they are about growing our economy by creating a workforce that people want to be a part of.

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/aXrLkmnWp7

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

Five MO NAACP Tips for Surviving Tariffs, Trump and Tyranny

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 23:15:30 GMT

As a trial lawyer, civil rights advocate, and someone with a background in economics and tax policy, I understand that recent economic policies—especially the tariffs imposed by President Trump—are affecting our everyday lives. These policies can lead to higher prices on goods we rely on, job uncertainty, and financial strain. Mean Missouri policies have already stripped nearly one billion dollars of state contracts away from Blacks and others that had fought for and won those contracts. Republican Governor Parson did that as he

exited the Capitol to return to his farm. Is this? It is access to this sort of generational wealth that we could loose if we do not act.

Missouri has a long track record of taking food out of our mouths. Now generations will know loss from these racist recent reckless Republican acts too. As a community we earn less for the same work, obtain less employment opportunities and suffer injustice in all of the ways identified in the Missouri NAACP Travel Advisory. https://www.monaacp.org/travel-advisory The Travel Advisory is still in effect. We should take steps to preserve ourselves while we can. In response to Republicans pushing racist Jim Crow policies like Project 2025, I offer five practical steps that every community member can take to lessen these effects, along with the support our NAACP units are providing to help make these initiatives a reality.

1. Support Local and Black-Owned Businesses Recommendation: Choose to spend your dollars locally by supporting Black-owned businesses.

Community Support: The NAACP has created a comprehensive directory of Black-owned and supportive businesses, available for community members to shop with. For more information, please visit www.monaacp.org. If you are a business that should be listed - contact the NAACP at info@monaacp.org so people can more easily find you. Everyone can still win. See our Buy Better Be Better page for more information and to find a Black Business near you.

Outcome: Keeping money in our community fosters local prosperity and reduces reliance on imported goods burdened by tariffs.

2. Boost Financial Literacy and Savings Recommendation: Enhance your financial skills by learning budgeting, saving, and investment strategies. Money is already too tight, the rent is high and Ameren is raising your bill by 15%.

Community Support: The NAACP is set to announce partnerships with leading banks and financial institutions to provide financial literacy workshops and expert advice. Details and schedules for these workshops will soon be available on the NAACP website. Payday and title loans are sucking the life out of our communities, but we have alternatives.

Outcome: Improved financial literacy empowers families and working people to protect their finances from rising costs, creating a more stable economic environment for families. That stability will be needed as a billion dollars taken away from us.

3. Join or Form Community Buying Groups Recommendation: Organize or participate in cooperative buying groups to negotiate better prices on everyday items, particularly through local channels.

Community Support: Our collaboration with the Missouri NAACP Agriculture Committee is underway, aiming to connect community members with local Missouri farmers and meat producers. Our community gardens and educational programs can replace fast food with good food your grandmother would want you to eat and it can be good to you and for you. If a few families buy a cow and split it up, everyone can eat well.

Outcome: Collective purchasing can help offset the cost increases from tariffs, and help families eat better.

4. Stay Informed and Actively Participate in Local Policy Discussions Recommendation: Attend community meetings and engage in local discussion to understand and

influence decisions that affect us. For example, the NAACP is holding more than 2 dozen townhalls to hear from you about the needs in your community. Visit www.monaacp.org for a complete listing of the townhalls and lets use our voice collectively.

Community Support: The NAACP actively participates in local coalitions and leads efforts opposing policies such as sales taxes that disproportionately impact working families, especially in Black and Brown communities across Missouri. While politicians seek to reduce income taxes for the rich, we cannot let them leave us holding the bag. Oppose new and renewing sales taxes. Stay informed with the NAACP Legislative Update - it is free on our website and full of all that is happening.

Outcome: Active civic engagement helps shape policies that protect our interests and promotes

community-driven solutions.

5. Invest in Skill Development and Education Recommendation: Enhance your job skills through local training programs and educational opportunities to secure better employment prospects. You may need those skills to improve your prospects or help you move to a state that is prosperous and supportive to you and yours.

Community Support: We are collaborating with institutions like Lincoln University, Harris Stowe, and other universities with a long history of promoting educational equity. These partnerships aim to support ongoing learning, even as some state institutions like the University of Missouri and Missouri State University scale back their commitments to inclusion and equity.

Outcome: Greater skills and education lead to improved job security and income for the next generations, buffering the community against economic disruptions and preparing families with skills that are transferable wherever they may go.

By taking these steps, each of us can contribute to building a stronger, more resilient community. The initiatives outlined above are supported by our local and state NAACP units, which are committed to ensuring that Black Americans in our urban centers have the resources and opportunities needed to thrive in challenging economic times.

MO NAACP Calls for the Revoking of POST Certification of Tom Butkovich

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:15:48 GMT

Letter to the Department of Public Safety Calling for Revocation of the Peace Officer License of Detective Tom Butkovich (Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Missouri)

February 12, 2025

Department of Public Safety

Peace Officer Standards & Training (POST) Program

To Whom It May Concern:

A person who holds these views and expresses them publicly while carrying the authority of law enforcement cannot be trusted to administer justice impartially. His years of experience and past training have evidently failed to instill the professionalism and judgment required for his role, making additional training an insufficient remedy. The appropriate course of action is for the Department of Public Safety to revoke his Peace Officer license to prevent further harm and erosion of public trust.

Furthermore, we urge the Missouri Department of Public Safety to maintain a publicly accessible list of individuals who have been deemed ineligible to hold a Peace Officer License in Missouri, similar to the disqualification lists maintained by the Missouri Department of Mental Health and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services:

• Missouri Department of Mental Health Employee Disqualification List:

https://dmh.mo.gov/hr/caregiver-background-screening/employee-disqualification-list

• Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Licensee Search:

https://health.mo.gov/safety/ems/licenseesearch.php

Ensuring transparency in Peace Officer licensure is critical to upholding the integrity of law enforcement agencies across the state.

Sincerely,

Nimrod Chapel, Jr.
President

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 02/10/2025

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 18:41:53 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

The general assembly was hard at work this last week. Bills are starting to come out of their committees and are getting some floor time at least in the Senate. The big focus has been over some utilities regulations and discussions about cotton trailers for the moment. Both chambers are holding off on the more controversial issues for the time being but we are prepared for when those issues hit the floor. This upcoming week may be in disarray as there are several outside factors that may affect the capitol schedule including a strain of influenza that is spreading throughout the building, a large winter storm that may hit sometime this week, and a potential Superbowl parade depending on the outcome of the Kansas City Chiefs game on Sunday. We will continue to monitor the situation and will keep you all informed of any schedule changes.

voting rights

Initiative Petition Restrictions

SB22 was voted out of the Senate Elections Committee with an amendment that applies the bill to citizen-led ballot initiatives in addition to joint resolutions passed by the general assembly. This was not a surprise even though the bill sponsor originally stated that it would only apply to the joint resolutions. We will continue to oppose this bill and will send out an action alert when it comes up for floor debate.

HB414 and HB684 will be heard on Tuesday, 2/11 at 8:00am in the House Elections Committee. These bills are the same as SB22, in that they make it so that a court cannot rewrite a misleading ballot summary and/or title if passed by the general assembly via a joint resolution. With the changes in the Senate version of the bill, we are expecting these bills to be expanded to include citizen-led ballot initiatives. As a reminder these bills are a clear power grab by the general assembly and an attempt to remove a level of checks and balances that protect the people from the government. As this is a House hearing, online testimony is accepted and encouraged. Please contact Denise Lieberman or Connor Luebbert if you have any questions or would like to come and testify against these bills.

HB551 and HB575 were heard on Tuesday in the House Election Committee. We have heard these bills before although there were a few changes from previous versions with the underlying issue remaining the same. The hearing had quite the spirited debate as both sides of the aisle had issues with the language and there was a lot of confusion regarding various court rulings that appeared to contradict each other about the petition circulator residency requirement piece. MOVPC has reached out to the members of the committee and provided additional information about the legal precedent set by these court rulings. The majority of the testimony in this hearing was in opposition with only one person testifying in favor. We will continue to oppose these bills as we will always oppose any attempt to restrict the right of the initiative petition process.

criminal justice

The House had a hearing on several "truth in sentencing" bills. These bills would increase the minimum amount of a sentence that any person has to complete before being eligible for parole. One of the bills go so far as to include all convictions not just terms of imprisonment in the calculation of who is considered a repeat offender. Sharon Geuea Jones testified against these bills and brought two individuals with histories of working in facilities to testify as well. Several other criminal legal reform organizations also testified against the bills. Only the sheriffs testified in favor of the bills. Their argument is that they don’t like not knowing how long a person will actually be in jail after their conviction. They don’t seem to have a strong understanding of how sentencing and timed serve calculations work in addition to their overall prejudice against the people they arrest. The bills still have a very long way to go before they get to a vote of the full House.

HEARINGS

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/aXrLkmnWp7

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

New Hands Free Law Holds Special Dangers for Black Drivers

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 15:58:49 GMT

Driving While Black Should Not Be A Crime!

Law enforcement officers will begin issuing citations for violations of the hands-free law beginning January 1, 2025. This law is likely to be more heavily enforced against black drivers than non-black drivers. It may also be used as an excuse to detain you, search your vehicle, or even take you into custody on "suspicion" of other crimes. We know that in Missouri far too many traffic stops end in death for black men. Be aware and protect yourself.

In Missouri, it is illegal to hold or support a cell phone or an electronic communication device in your hand, lap, or other parts of the body while driving on Missouri roads.

Drivers can make or receive calls via hands-free devices, such as:

Using Speakerphone
Connecting their phone to the vehicle
Using aftermarket Bluetooth devices

In most cases, functions that cannot be activated, deactivated, or initiated with a single swipe or touch are in violation.

What's Off-Limits?

With very few exceptions, anything that involves typing, scrolling, holding, or supporting a device while driving is off-limits. In addition, the law prohibits watching movies/videos as well as recording, posting, sending, or broadcasting videos, even if the phone is securely mounted.

Staying Connected and Compliant

Use in-vehicle mounts to support a cell phone while driving
Use hands-free or voice-operated functions, such as voice-to-text or virtual assistants
Navigate with GPS/map displays while the cell phone or device is mounted. Engage navigation features while parked and prior to driving.
Play music or audio apps while the cell phone or device is mounted. Connect audio features while parked and prior to driving.

Penalties

1st conviction in two years: up to a $150 fine
2nd conviction in two years: up to a $250 fine
3rd or more conviction in two years: up to a $500 fine
If a violation occurs in a school or work zone, fines up to $500
If a violation occurs and causes a serious injury crash, up to six months in jail and/or fines up to $1,000
If a violation occurs and causes a fatal crash, up to seven years in prison

Missouri NAACP Testifies in Support of CROWN Act Legislation to End Hair Discrimination

Fri, 07 Feb 2025 15:18:38 GMT

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Jefferson City, MO – The Missouri State Conference of the NAACP proudly testified in support of House Bill 284, sponsored by Representative Raychel Proudie, the Missouri CROWN Act, during a legislative hearing this week. Representing the NAACP, Nimrod Chapel, Jr., trial lawyer and president of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP and justice advocate, delivered powerful testimony urging lawmakers to pass this critical civil rights legislation. The Missouri NAACP also attended the Senate hearing the previous week for a Senate Bill 38, sponsored by Senator Barbara Ann Washington.

The Missouri CROWN Act, sponsored by Representative Proudie and Senator Washington, would prohibit discrimination based on natural hair textures and protective hairstyles in educational institutions that receive state financial assistance. This measure affirms the dignity and humanity of Black students, ensuring they are not denied opportunities or targeted for discipline simply for embracing their natural hair.

We were encouraged by the strong public turnout in support of this legislation and remain committed to advocating for the passage of both bills. The widespread backing for these measures underscores the urgent need to address hair-based discrimination as a civil rights issue.

“This is about more than hair—it’s about justice, equity, and ensuring that no student is penalized for embracing their racial and cultural identity,” said Nimrod Chapel, Jr. “The

Missouri NAACP stands firmly in support of the CROWN Act and urges lawmakers to pass these bills without delay.”

The Missouri NAACP recognizes that hair-based discrimination has impacted many families across the state. We encourage members, particularly parents and students affected by these policies, to reach out and share their experiences. Community members can contact us at director@monaacp.org to file a complaint of discrimination at www.monaacp.org to make their voices heard as we continue to follow this important legislation.

The Missouri NAACP remains steadfast in the fight against discrimination in all its forms. We will continue to monitor the progress of these bills and advocate for policies that promote fairness, dignity, and respect for all Missourians.

Bipartisan coalition launches initiative to ban lawmakers from “attacking the will of the people”

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 22:50:08 GMT

https://www.missourinet.com/2025/02/04/bipartisan-coalition-launches-initiative-to-ban-lawmakers-from-attacking-the-will-of-the-people/

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 02/03/2025

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 18:05:35 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

The frantic pace of change from the President's executive orders is trickling down to Missouri. We are seeing more and more energy being put into efforts that lead back to segregation and Jim Crow. More frighteningly, these efforts are less disguised than ever before. In a hearing last week we heard a State Representative say that the KKK should be allowed on campus so that their ideas could be heard and rejected by the students. Not since the era of segregation has an elected officially so openly suggested that hate speech and racial violence should have an equal footing with social and philisophical debates. This is a frightening time to be a Black Missourian, but we will not be disuaded.

Education

A bill that would allow discrimination on college campuses was introduced again this year. HB875 was voted out of committee last week on a party-line vote. The bill would allow state resources to be spent on student groups that include discriminatory criteria in their membership and leadership requirements. The bill is often portrayed as a religious freedom issue, but the truth is much darker. We argue every year that religion cannot be an excuse for discrimination in public accommodations. The bill now moves on to the House Rules-Administrative Committee for approval before being added to the floor calendar for debate by the full House.

voting rights

Initiative Petition Restrictions

The Senate Elections Committee heard SB22 (Brattin) which would not allow the courts to rewrite inaccurate ballot summaries drafted by the general assembly. The testimony for the bill was overwhelmingly in opposition and we would like to thank everyone who came down and testified against the bill. The biggest concern about the bill from the committee was that this is a clear checks and balances issue, as it makes it harder for the courts to keep the legislature in check. We will continue to monitor and oppose this legislation as it works its way through the process.

On Tuesday, Feb 4th at 8:00, the House Elections Committee will be hearing two identical bills about the IP process. HB551 and HB575 make procedural changes to the IP process that would allow ballot initiatives to be rejected on a more technical basis. These include rules about paper size, ink color, etc. The big issues with the bills are residency requirements and no compensation for petition circulators. We’ve seen this language last year and will continue to oppose it. Since it is a House hearing, people are allowed to submit testimony online if they are unable to attend the hearing in person. Please contact Denise Lieberman or Connor Luebbert if you’d like to come and testify.

Poll Worker Protections

SB 84 (Burger) was heard in the Senate Election committee and received overwhelmingly positive support. It is apparent that this issue has truly become a bi-partisan concern throughout the general assembly. There was little to no opposition and groups from all over the political spectrum testified in favor. Thanks again to everyone who testified in favor of this bill and we are excited to help this bill make its way through the process and hopefully arrive at the Governor’s desk.

This year’s lobby day was a massive success! We had over 120 people come down to Jefferson City and help defend our democracy. Thanks in no small part to our wonderful volunteers who worked overtime to make everything happen, we had great meetings with a huge amount of legislators and our teams did a great job advocating our issues. I want to thank everyone who donated, who showed up, and who worked to make all this possible. We couldn’t have done it without you!

criminal justice

Clean Slate / Expungement

On Wednesday, January 29, SB 19 was heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee . Missouri NAACP and our Clean Slate Partners joined from across the state in support of this bill which will ultimately help with expungement .

Death Penalty Abolition

Unfortunately at the time of this writing, no bills regarding the death penalty have been referred to committees for a hearing. While there are several criminal justice bills beginning to move, they are not directly related to the death penalty. We are continuing to monitor these bills and will notify you if they become a concern.

Omnibus Crime Bills

A key focus of the 2025 legislative session will be working on large omnibus crime bills. These bills are not out-of-place and are generally worked on every year. These bills usually contain input from both parties as they attempt to come to an agreement on what is acceptable or not. These bills are usually good vehicles to try to either hinder the death penalty or abolish it completely. One must be careful when trying to add legislation to these bills as the bad in the bill may outweigh the good. We will continue to monitor the situation and will inform you when we see movement.

Discrimination

There was a hearing last week on a bill, HB742 that would prohibit state funds from being spent on any DEI program, initiative, or training. This is not the first time we’ve seen the bill. It directly conflicts with a number of other state and federal laws. It is unclear how the sponsors and supporters think the bill will be implemented, but it is clear their goal is to make sure no one has to hear any statement of inclusivity that makes them feel guilty or in any way negative. The hearing was cut short and heard on a different day than the committee normally meets. The bill will likely be voted out of committee on Monday night.

Senator Patty Lewis introduced a bill that would roll back many of the changes to the Missouri Human Rights Act from 2017. The bill, SB608 , may or may not get a hearing this year. However, it is good to see people continuing to push back against the return to segregation.

HEARINGS

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/aXrLkmnWp7

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 01/27/2025

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 18:22:36 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

The legislature started very slowly, but more than made up for it last week. Every committee received bills and began scheduling committee hearings. There are lots of theories about why this is the case, but both the House and the Senate went from limited activity to a full schedule overnight. This means that there could be bills on the floor for debate very soon.

Education

A bill that would allow discrimination on college campuses was introduced again this year. HB875 is scheduled for a hearing on Monday at 4:30pm. The bill would allow state resources to be spent on student groups that include discriminatory criteria in their membership and leadership requirements. The bill is often portrayed as a religious freedom issue, but the truth is much darker. We argue every year that religion cannot be an excuse for discrimination in public accommodations.

voting rights

Initiative Petition Restrictions

In the Senate Elections committee on Monday at 2:00pm they will be hearing SB 22 by Senator Rick Brattin. This bill is another attempt to restrict the people’s ability to directly influence their government but in a less apparent way. This bill makes it so that misleading ballot summaries adopted by the general assembly, usually through Joint Resolutions, cannot be re-written by courts if found to be misleading. They would only be re-written by the general assembly if they are in session and if not, it will be by the Secretary of State. In this case they are taking the power of correcting ballot summaries away from the impartial judicial system and placing it in the hands of the partisan legislature and executive branch. This is another attempt to give the legislature more power by taking it away from the courts and ultimately the people. We vehemently oppose this bill and will be testifying against it. Please contact Denise Lieberman or Connor Luebbert if you would like to come and testify.

Poll Worker Protections

In the same Senate Elections Committee hearing on Monday, they will be hearing SB 84 by Senator Jamie Burger. This is the poll workers protection bill that we have been advocating for. As a reminder, the bill creates the crime of tampering with an elected official and creates penalties for harassing, threatening, doxxing, etc. This bill expands the scope of protections to last all year-round and include immediate family members. We are very happy to support these efforts and will be testifying strongly in favor of these protections. Please contact Denise Lieberman or Connor Luebbert if you would like to come and testify.

criminal justice

Clean Slate / Expungement

There is a hearing this week on one of the automatic expungement bills, SB19 . The bill is usually opposed by the Office of State Courts Administrators as being too big of a burden to ramp up as quickly as it requires. We have talked in the past about trying to find a compromise with them, or a dedicated funding source so they can hire the necessary staff. The bill is spearheaded by Empower Missouri; so I try to follow their lead as much as possible.

Other Issues

There were hearings last week on bills to remove local control from the City of St. Louis’ police department, HB495 and SB52 . One of the bills also included language that would make it easier to charge people with “rioting” and increase the penalty to a felony even for the first offense. NAACP Criminal Justice Committee Chair James Robnett testified against these bills for both reasons.

Discrimination

HEARINGS

1/27/25 2:00 PM Senate-Local Government, Elections, and Pensions, Senate Lounge
SB22 Creates new provisions relating to the treatment of summary statements prepared by the General Assembly for ballot measures Sen. Rick Brattin (R)
SB84 Creates the offense of tampering with an election official Sen. Jamie Burger (R)
1/27/25 2:00 PM Senate-Transportation, Infrastructure, and Public Safety, SCR 1
SB23 Modifies provisions relating to additional protections to bear arms Sen. Rick Brattin (R)
SB58 Creates new provisions relating to illegal immigrants Sen. Jill Carter (R)
SB72 Creates provisions relating to illegal aliens Sen. David Gregory (R)
1/27/25 4:30 PM House-Emerging Issues, HR 7
HB875 Prohibits public institutions of higher learning from discriminating against religious, political, or ideological associations Rep. Darin Chappell (R)
1/28/25 12:00 PM Senate-Progress and Development, SCR 1
SB38 Creates the "Missouri Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (Missouri CROWN) Act" to prohibit certain discriminatory practices in educational institutions Sen. Barbara Washington (D)
SB110 Designates the week in which January 5 falls each year as "Kappa Alpha Psi Week" in Missouri Sen. Karla May (D)
1/29/25 8:30 AM Senate-Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence, Senate Lounge
SB19 Creates provisions relating to expungement Sen. Brian Williams (D)

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/aXrLkmnWp7

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 01/20/2025

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 04:18:19 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

Week 2 of the Legislative Session is behind us here in Missouri. It was another week of mostly pomp and circumstance with the Governor’s inauguration, formal appointment of committee chairs, and adoption of permanent rules for the House. The Senate committees are completely filled out, but the House Democrats have still not named their members of the House Committees. We did see a few bill referrals this week, but expect many more next week. As a reminder, the Senate has to refer bills in the order they were filed, but the House may refer any bill the Speaker chooses.

Here are some of the Committees of Interest in the House and Senate

Senate Judiciary

Senate Transportation and Public Safety

House Judiciary

House Crime and Public Safety

House Corrections and Public Institutions

The Jones Advocacy Group team has already been reaching out to most of these committee members, but will make targeted contact next week to discuss the bills we expect to go to each committee.

criminal justice

Criminal Justice: Governor’s Executive Order 25-07

The Governor issued an executive order last week that requires the Department of Corrections and the Parole Board to create a working group to review the rules and regulations around parole including the frequency and demographics of people released. The NAACP Leadership has reached out to the Department and the Parole board and will push to have one of our people involved in the process. One of the things the working group should address is the rules around earned time credits and medical release. Missouri already has the regulations in place for both, but they are generally not used.

Call to Action

Call to Action: Attend a Legislative Advocacy Day!!

Making our voices heard is more important now than ever. Our various coalition partners are planning legislative action days throughout the year. Please consider making time to join one or more of these important events.

January 28, 2025 MO Voter Protection Coalition
bit.ly/Jan28Lobby
February 5, 2025 Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty
March 5, 2025 Day of Empathy
https://www.mobilize.us/dream/event/745831/

This coming week will be the last slow week before things speed up dramatically. Please be on the lookout for calls for people to testify and make plans to attend one of our partner advocacy days.

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/aXrLkmnWp7

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

Washington University Starts New NAACP Chapter

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 19:53:02 GMT

We are pleased to announce the formation of a new College Chapter of the NAACP at Washington University. The chartering President will be Precious Barry. Other officers include Secretary, Bralin Duckett; Treasurer, Ava Shropshire; and Vice President, Myla McGhee.This Chapter will be sponsored by the St. Louis County Branch led by President John Bowman.

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 01/13/2025

Sun, 12 Jan 2025 21:13:23 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

The first week of session was marked with many rumors of potential drama. We had heard that there would be a challenge to speaker Patterson's position in the House mounted by Representative Sparks. So he had also heard that Senator Moon intended to make significant changes to the Senate rules and would have eliminated most of the power of the Senate President Pro Ten position. Representative Sparks did in fact mount a challenge and received 10 out of 163 votes for his speaker bid. Senator Moon did not attempt to change the temporary rules, but he may still do so when the permanent rules come to a vote. Both the House and Senate are currently operating under temporary rules until they return next week. We are not expecting major changes in the Senate, assuming Senator Moon is not successful, but we are expecting major changes to the committee structure and operation in the House.

Given that this is an odd numbered year following an election, we are seeing all new leadership teams in both the House and the Senate. The House is preparing to make dramatic changes to their committee structures and the Senate is also taking its time in making early committee appointments. What this means is that we are unlikely to see any committee meetings until the week of the 27th. We still don't have any idea who the House committee chairs will be and the full list of committees has not even been officially approved. We usually have a pretty good idea at this point of who the chairs will be, even if it isn't official. Given the challenge to speaker Patterson's position that happened on Tuesday, have not received a leaked list. We have a better idea of who the Senate Committee Chairs will be, but that is all still unofficial.

Over 2,000 bills have been filed so far this year. The team at Jones Advocacy Group has been reading each and every bill and are tracking all bills of interest. A link to the tracking list can be found at the end of this report.

Education

Issues around public school funding, curriculum, and school choice will once again be on the forefront in the Missouri Legislature. The usual folks have filed legislation to limit cirriculum and prevent any kind of cultural competency or diversity education. The more influential legislators have filed bills that are about allowing all students to have open enrollment within the public schools of the state or allow for public funding of private schools. We will be monitoring the state of these bills and send out a call for volunteers to speak when the time comes.

voting rights

The ususal bills attempting to attack voting rights and discourage the registration of all eligible voters have been filed. On the other hand, a variety of provisions to protect election workers and make it easier to vote have also been filed. We are also seeing a repeat of last year's attacks on the citizen's iniative petition powers. Watch for more information as the bills that are most concerning and show the most promise become clear.

criminal justice

As with all the other previous categories, both ends of the spectrum are covered in this year's legislative filings. There is a near even split between legislation filed to make the criminal legal system more just and balance and those that are designed to create an even more punitive system for those without power and money. These bills usual get combined into a single criminal law bill by the end of the legislative session. The goal is to prevent the worst provisions from getting in and get at least a few good ones on the books.

Discrimination

When members of the NAACP leadership say that the Travel Advisory is still in place or that we are entering another era of Jim Crow they are often met with skepticism. Yet, there are multiple bills filed this year that remove protections from racial discrimination and even a few that prevent any private contracts from including equity considerations. These bills prove that we are not over-estimating the danger we are in. These bills will be our highest priority this year. We will need any and everyone who possibly can to come to Jefferson City when they are up for a hearing to make our objections known.

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/aXrLkmnWp7

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

Governor’s Record Clemency Pace Disproportionately Benefits White Applicants

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 23:06:20 GMT

Governor Mike Parson granted clemency to more than 700 individuals during his second term as Governor of Missouri. He worked through more than 3,000 petitions while determining to grant clemency to nearly 20% of applicant. As a result of Parson’s actions, Missouri is now categorized by the Restoration of Rights Project as one of 16 states granting frequent or regular pardons. A predictable schedule, like Parson’s monthly announcements, can help dispel impressions that the process is corrupt, said Margaret Love, executive director of the nonprofit Collateral Consequences Resource Center, which runs the project. Of those granted clemency by Parson, 42% had been convicted of drug crimes, 28% of theft and 14% of burglary, according to an AP analysis. The next most common felony convictions were for driving while intoxicated, forgery and passing bad checks. On average, nearly 28 years had passed since their last convictions. In other circumstances, this would be cause for celebration; however, a closer look at the trends of clemency in Missouri show a serious problem.

Who gets clemency?

A Missouri News Network analysis of people granted clemency from December 2020 through May 2022 points to a race gap. Their analysis of available demographic data indicates that almost 90% of those who have been granted clemency by the governor are white. Because of the lack of public information, reporters matched names of those granted clemency by the governor during that time period with names in the state Department of Corrections’ public database. That database includes demographic information and charge information of people convicted of crimes in Missouri through 2021. The analysis matched 219 of 318 names. Of the 219 matches, 89% were white and 85% were male. Parson pardoned nine more people in June who were not included in this study. The almost 100 people who could not be conclusively identified were either not present in the database under the same name, or there were too many people with the same name, so their demographic information could not be determined.

The governor’s office said there is no breakdown of applications by race or how many people of each race have applied for clemency. Mr. Andrew Bailey (Formerly The Governor’s Chief General Legal Counsel and now Attorney General) acknowledged more data should be collected. But sending back applications that have already been received to collect new information, such as additional demographics, could further the backlog, he said. The office will brief the next governor on its processes, however, and hopes to see further reform, Bailey said. “There is no available data to demonstrate the racial makeup of applicants for clemency,” the governor’s spokesperson, Kelli Jones, said in an email. “Thus, the Governor’s Office does not know the race of clemency applicants.” Not knowing the race of an applicant could limit case-by-case bias, but it also makes it difficult to track disparities.

The above statement shows that the Governor’s office is not interested in transparency and accountability when granting clemency. The remarkable difference in the percentage of white to non-white applicants cannot be attributed to cooincidence. Nor is it reasonable to believe the Governor does not know the demographic makeup of the individual and their supporters granting clemency. The Governor and his staff looked at each case individually and did full investigations before granting clemency of any kind in each case.

Three Prominent Examples

Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the St. Louis couple who gained national attention for waving guns at racial injustice protesters, were pardoned by Parson on July 30, 2021, just six weeks after Mark McCloskey pleaded guilty to misdemeanor fourth-degree assault and Patricia McCloskey pleaded guilty to misdemeanor harassment.

Britt Reid , son of KC Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, had his sentence for drunk driving that injured 11 and left one child permanently brain damaged, commuted from a 3-year prison term to house arrest.

Eric DeValkenaere , a police officer who shot and killed a black man in his own backyard and then planted evidence, had his sentence for murder commuted to parole after spending less than a year in a prison in another state. This was over the objections of Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker and the family of Cameron Lamb, DeValkenaere's victim.

In all of these cases, the person being pardoned is politically connected, white, and guilty of the crime of which they were convicted. These are not examples of a failed system incorrectly convicting or sentencing someone. These are not examples of a person having served decades of an overly harsh sentence, most of Governor Parson's pardons and commutations went to people whose last criminal activity was more than 28 years ago. These are not examples of someone whose actions are no longer considered criminal or are otherwise justified in the circumstances. That the governor even considered clemency in these cases is shocking, for one thing because Parson so often points to a conviction as a reason not to show mercy to the innocent but wrongly convicted. These are political favors pure and simple. They show the major flaw in our clemency system in Missouri.

How Clemency Works

The actions were taken in accordance with Article IV, Section 7 of the Missouri Constitution, which empowers the governor to offer clemency in certain cases. A simple application is filed with the Probation and Parole Board who forward the application and a confidential recommendation to the Governor. The Governor then has the power to pardon or commute whomever he or she wants.

The question the NAACP should demand from the Governor office, what are the standards, processes, and procedures? If there are none, and the Governor simply pardons and commutes as he or she wants opens the door for personal/favoritism pardons. Clemency, then, is not a part of the justice system. It is a part of political patronage and posturing. That is a dangerous fact as clemency is often seen as a last ray of hope for individuals who are facing execution, wrongfully convicted, or have already served a significant portion of their sentence and have reformed their lives.

The ability to pardon those convicted of crimes is one of the most unilateral executive powers enjoyed by Missouri’s governor. Clemency for DeValkenaere shows just how unilateral that power is. The decision was made against the recommendation of the Prosecutor, after multiple judges had reviewed the conviction and found it sound, and after refusing to discuss the potential clemency with the family of the victim. In announcing his verdict in November of 2021, Judge Youngs said DeValkenaere and his partner did not have a search warrant or probable cause to be on Lamb’s property. During the criminal trial, prosecutors alleged the crime scene was staged and evidence was planted. They also said it took only nine seconds from the time DeValkenaere arrived in the yard of the house to the moment he fatally shot Lamb. This case shows clear violations of the privacy rights of Cameron Lamb, and clear criminal conduct while in uniform by DeValkenaere, yet Goveror Parson saw fit that he should be free from the consequences of those actions.

Conclusion

The Governor of Missouri has to be a difficult job. Making the call for Justice is hard, but we personify justice with a blindfold with a scales and a sword because it should seek only truth and not be swayed by anything other than the facts before the court. Therefore, Lady Justice is our moral force in judicial system, criminal justice system, and the American people way of life. We tell the American people we are a nation of laws and we follow the Constitution, but for many years we have falling short for Justice for all. It is clear that clemency and hope are reserved in Missouri for white people convicted of a crime. We need to find a new path that creates impartial standards and allows for more transparency in how these clemency decisions are made. Mercy may be a virtue, but when applied with prejudice, malice, and corruption, it is violence against the people.

Voter Advocate Condemn Photo ID Ruling

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 22:24:19 GMT

Missouri Supreme Court Appeal Anticipated

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 26, 2024

CONTACT:

Tom Bastian, ACLU of Missouri, tbastian@aclu-mo.org | 816-249-2679

Denise Lieberman, Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, media@movpc.org | 314-780-1833

JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Missouri voter advocates condemned a ruling Monday by a Cole County Circuit Court Judge upholding a law that unconstitutionally burdens Missouri voters by further restricting Missouri’s photo ID requirements to vote.

The case, brought by the ACLU of Missouri and Missouri Voter Protection Coalition on behalf of the organizations and several individuals impacted by the law, challenges the photo ID restrictions contained in HB 1878 (2022), which strictly limits the forms of ID Missouri voters may show to cast an in-person ballot. In 2006, the Missouri Supreme Court found a similar law violated the right to vote, and in 2020, the Missouri Supreme Court expressed skepticism that a provision like the one challenged in this case would be valid.

The Order - following more than two years of court appearances and a trial late last year - found that the organizations and the individual voters lacked standing to challenge the photo ID restrictions, and that a 2016 voter ID constitutional amendment allows the law. The state’s own data shows that more than 200,000 Missouri voters lack a current Missouri ID.

The ACLU of Missouri and the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition issued the following joint statement:

“We are disappointed with the decision and will appeal to protect Missourians’ fundamental right to vote. The evidence at trial showed the significant burdens some voters face to obtain the limited form of ID this law requires to vote, especially for low-income voters, seniors, and voters with disabilities, due to challenges obtaining and paying for underlying documents, changing inaccurate official documents, and securing transportation. Moreover, expert analysis at trial also found this law’s signature match process arbitrary and unreliable. The evidence further showed that the voter ID restrictions do not fix actual election problems or make our elections more secure. The Missouri Supreme Court will ultimately review this decision - as it has with previous iterations of this law, and hopefully conclude, again, that these restrictions improperly limit valid Missouri voters from participating in the democratic process.

Marilyn McLeod, President of League of Women Voters of Missouri, issued the following statement:

"The League believes the state should be making it easier, not harder, for Missourians to exercise their fundamental right to vote. There's no evidence of voter impersonation in Missouri, so these extreme restrictions don’t make our elections any safer or more secure. We will appeal this decision."

Nimrod Chapel, Jr., President of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP, issued the following statement:

“The NAACP will continue to fight against discriminatory laws that add barriers for people of color, seniors, students, and others to exercise our fundamental right to cast a ballot in Missouri. While these laws aim to fix an imaginary problem, the disenfranchisement from the unnecessary and burdensome legal obstacles they create for voters is very real.”

NAACP CONDEMNS RACIST MESSAGES TARGETING BLACK STUDENTS

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 22:14:56 GMT

NEWS AND UPDATES ON THIS STORY

Racist text messages referencing slavery raise alarms in multiple states and prompt investigations (11/07/2024)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Springfield, MO—November 7, 2024 – The NAACP Missouri State Conference, Springfield Branch, and Missouri State Chapter unequivocally condemn the recent terroristic wave of racist messages directed at Black students following the recent Presidential Election. Messages were received by Missouri State students and reported to the NAACP. Similar incidents have been reported on the campus of colleges and universities around the Nation.

“This is terrorism plain and simple. It points to a well-organized and resourced group that has decided to target Americans on our home soil based on the color of our skin. The schools that were targeted and law enforcement need to take these reports seriously and act quickly to prevent the escalation to physical violence.”

- Nimrod Chapel, Jr., President of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP

“We are appalled by these acts of hatred and intimidation, which not only undermine our core values of equality and justice but also threaten the safety and well-being of our students in educational environments that should be inclusive and nurturing for all.”

- Kai Sutton, President of the Springfield Branch of the NAACP

These messages serve as a stark reminder that the struggle against racism and discrimination is far from over. They create an atmosphere of fear and hostility that is unacceptable and unworthy of our society. We stand in solidarity with the affected students and their families, affirming their right to pursue education free from harassment and discrimination.

As we continue to process these incidents, we call upon educational institutions, community leaders, and law enforcement to take immediate action to address the fallout from these heinous acts and to ensure that all students can learn and thrive in a safe environment. We demand robust investigations into these incidents, transparent communication with affected communities, and a commitment to implementing policies that protect and support our students. The widespread nature of the attack points to a coordinated effort of terrorism against Black Americans. How did the terrorists get the phone numbers and demographic

information of the students? Did the school’s internal emergency alert systems get hacked? Is this just the beginning of a larger attack that ends in physical violence?

It is imperative that we collectively confront racism and terrorism in all its forms. Let this be a moment of reflection and action as we recommit ourselves to the struggle for justice and equality. We implore everyone in our community to join us in rejecting hate and uplifting one another in the ongoing fight for a more equitable future. Together, we can build a society that values every individual, regardless of their race, and ensures that hate has no place in our schools or in our communities.

IF YOU HAVE RECIEVED A MESSAGE OR OTHER FORM OF HARASSMENT:

Take a screen shot of the message.
Report the incident to local law enforcement. This creates an official record that will be helpful as we document a pattern of these terroristic attacks.
Report the incident to your University administration immediately. The University must be kept aware of potential dangers on campus.
Notify your local NAACP Branch and the State Conference. You can find your local branch information here . Please also send reports to president@monaacp.org.

###

ABOUT NAACP

Congratulations to Missouri State Conference At-Large Officer Pat Jones Macklin!

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 22:48:48 GMT

Congratulations to Missouri State Conference
At-Large Officer Pat Jones Macklin!

Since 2006, Pat has co-lead MOVPC's Election Protection program in Kansas City. She has coordinated numerous voter registration events, registering thousands of Missourians to vote. A leader in A.Philip Randolph Institute, the Kansas City NAACP and Faith and Labor Alliance, Pat speaks truth to power and brings her passion for racial justice and voting rights to everything she does. In 2020, Pat was a plaintiff in MOVPC's lawsuit to ensure equal access to mail in voting in OBS v. Ashcroft, and was a part of our successful litigation in APRI v Missouri to ensure voter registration rolls were updated by DOR.

St. Louis County 2024 Freedom Fund Dinner

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 19:58:36 GMT

PROJECT 2025 PANEL GREAT SUCCESS IN JEFFERSON CITY

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 17:50:42 GMT

NAACP Partners with Missouri Faith Voices and Concerned Clergy Statewide for
"Project 2025: What it Means to You"

The Missouri State Conference of the NAACP was proud to partner with Missouri Faith Voices and concerned clergy, to host an important community event titled "Project 2025: What it Means to You". The evening began with a keynote address by Brian Kaylor, President and Editor in Chief Word and Way followed by a dynamic panel discussion featuring: Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould, Senior Strategist, Faith In Action, Nimrod Chapel, Jr., President, Missouri State Conference NAACP, and Tori Schaefer, Policy Director with ACLU of Missouri. Attendees engaged directly with the panelists and gained insights on Project 2025 and its impact on the local community and broader social landscape.

Project 2025 is a critical initiative designed to address key policy changes that will affect our communities over the next year and beyond. Attendees came from all walks of life joined in this important conversation about the future of our community and the steps we can take together to create positive change.

You can watch the full panel discussion at the link below.

Full Re-Play of the Panel Discussion

Story from the Jefferson City News Tribune

A PRISONER'S REALITY

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 22:31:03 GMT

On the typical Monday through Friday, my day would start out by waking up around 4 a.m., having a cup of coffee and then taking care of my personal hygiene, brushing my teeth and hair, putting on deodorant and the like. Then I would go down to Frances' cell to wake him up so that he could get ready to get his medication at 4:30a.m.

At that time is when many DLA’s, that is Daily Living Assistants, assist the elderly inmates, also known as patients, get to the Medical building. Once there, they take their insulin shots or medications that are considered "Watch Take,” meaning they must take that particular medication in front of medical staff so staff can verified it's been taken.

All DLA's have permission to enter any cell with a patient. Before I entered, I would call his name to wake him and ask him, " Are you ready for today?" My question would always be met with a grouchy response of, "No!” While Frances would put on his clothes and shoes, I would prepare his mouth wash and a warm face cloth for him. Once he was done, he would walk out of his cell and sit in his wheelchair and off to medical we would go.

Once at medical, I would push Frances up to the " Medication Watch Take” area at the entrance of the Medical Unit. Most of the nursing personnel know all the inmates who take 4:30a.m. medications by name! Frances would always be greeted with an expression of kindness. " How is your morning, Mr. Frances?”, the nurse would ask. Frances would normally say, " I haven't had a cup of coffee yet.” The nurse and I would both just smile. After he's taken his medication, I would push him back to our housing unit where his cup of coffee would await him -no cream, no sugar.

If the patients do not eat in the housing units, they are then pushed to the chow hall for breakfast. Frances is not a morning person, so he did not go to the chow hall for breakfast. After breakfast, all cell doors are required to be locked until after morning count is completed. I would go to my cell and take a nap while waiting on the doors to open back up, usually sometime around 7:30a.m.

Once the doors are opened for the morning, our daily activities are resumed until 10 a.m. when we would go back to the chow hall for lunch. Some patients would choose to stay in their rooms, while others, like Frances, would come out into the unit -or wings -to participate in activities. Being that most of the patients have debilitating illnesses, most would rather not go outside, preferring the relative comfort of the wing. Frances enjoyed his coloring books while listening to his audio books that he has on his tablet. I would usually be off in another conversation with another patient.

When he was ready to shower, I would push the button in the shower to get the water nice and hot before he entered it. I would already have his shampoo out and his towel and clothing neatly folded and ready for him by the time he headed to the shower.

I would then mark that Frances had a shower on my log sheet. I would also mark that he did not go to breakfast and that his mood levels were normal. These weekly log sheets are essential for classification staff to fully be informed concerning the patients and their daily activities.

The entire environment in these wings is similar to a day room for elderly in a nursing home. It's pretty much quiet, for the most part, which is something that the patients enjoy the most. Sometimes the inmates would just rather be in their own little world, and the quiet setting helps.

We would often change up the routines and the prison's "Puppies for Parole” dog handlers would bring in the dogs to spend time with the elderly. It usually really brightens their day to get to play with the dogs. The dog handlers would have the dogs do tricks on command and rewarded them with treats.

By 10:45 a.m., lunch would be announced over the loudspeaker in each wing calling us to go to the chow hall to eat. There is a short distance walk from the housing unit to the chow hall. As I push Frances down the path to the show hall -called the Boulevard -we would see other inmates from other housing units that are usually having conversations about who may have been transferred or went to the hole or solitary confinement.

Once in the chow hall, we’d roll up to the small window where our food trays get pushed out to us from the kitchen, Frances would grab one for himself and one for me, then I'd find a wheel chair accessible spot for him at one of the tables, I would then go and grab him some juice or water, depending on what he was feeling like having, and utensils to eat. There is always commotion in the chow hall, enough usually to keep people’s attention.

Frances continues to reflect on how much better the food is in outside society. He does not enjoy his food cold. Almost all prison food is served cold. There is something that usually triggers him to not want to interact very much. Sometimes he would say, out loud in a mild voice, "They feed us like animals.” I would often allow him to say his peace concerning whatever issue that may have triggered an emotional reaction out of him that day, without responding, He would look at me and ask, "Antwann, was the food anything like this 27years ago? I don't know how you could've done it." I would respond, "No! Food was much better back then." Then I would say, "I'll tell you what, let’s go back to the housing unit and I'll cook you your favorite meal." He would chuckle and say, "Okay!" Frances loves egg noodles with chicken gravy and roast beef.

After the meal, time would pass by so fast. Before we knew it, it was time to lock down for count at 2:30 p.m.. The doors would stay closed until 4 p.m. and then stay opened until 10p.m.

Around 4:45 p.m., dinner would be announced over the loudspeaker. Once again, Frances and I would be off to the chow hall. Today’s meal wasn't so bad. We had chicken patty, mashed taters, coleslaw and iced cake. " Mmmm mmmm", Frances said as he grabbed our trays. Of course, he would always say, "Antwann, I know you're not going to eat this tray," the inflection in his voice posed as if he did not already know the answer to that question. I always give Frances my trays because I am blessed to be able to afford canteen, and therefore rarely eat at the chow hall. So, I'd reply, "Frances, you're the only person I'll give this tray to." It would take nearly 25 minutes for him to finish eating.

When it's time for Frances to lock down for the night, he always calls me over to his table and shows me the picture he's just finished coloring and says with a smile, "I appreciate you Antwann, I'll see you at 4 a.m. Okay?"

This I can honestly say; all in all, we make the best out of what's available and are always optimistic in stressful situations.

REGARDING THE DISPARITY INDEX

Sat, 28 Sep 2024 20:08:45 GMT

RESOLUTION OF THE MISSOURI STATE CONFERENCE OF THE NAACP REGARDING THE FAILURE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL BAILEY TO COMPLY WITH STATE STATUTE AND INCLUDE THE DISPARITY INDEX IN THE ANNUAL VEHICLE STOPS REPORT

Whereas , Missouri Statute 590.650.4(2)(c) requires a comparison of the percentage of stopped motor vehicles driven by each minority group and the percentage of the state's population that each minority group comprises, otherwise known as the “disparity index,” to be included in an annual vehicle stops report to the General Assembly; and

Whereas , every Attorney General prior to Andrew Bailey complied with the statute and included the disparity index in their report; and

Whereas , Attorney General Bailey has publicly stated his intention to continue to violate the statute; and

Whereas , this information allows the public to monitor the rate at which people of color are pulled over and issued tickets compared to their white peers; and

Whereas , the disparity index has shown a persistent trend upward from 1.27 in 2000 to 1.61 in 2022; and

Whereas , law enforcement agencies have failed to take accountability for or address this disparity and have instead made excuses and attempted to deny the veracity of the data;

Now therefore, be it resolved , that the Missouri NAACP calls on Attorney General Bailey to comply with Missouri Statutes and issue a disparity index report; and

Be it finally resolved , that the Missouri NAACP will take such legal action as is necessary to force the Missouri Attorney General to follow the law related to the creation and publication of a disparity index pursuant to RSMo 590.650.4(2)(c).

REGARDING THE VALUE OF DEI PROGRAMS

Sat, 28 Sep 2024 20:01:38 GMT

RESOLUTION OF THE MISSOURI STATE CONFERENCE OF THE NAACP REGARDING THE VALUE OF DEI PROGRAMS

Whereas , Missouri’s legislature has seen an increase in anti-DEI, anti-Black inclusion in history, and pro-discrimination legislation over the last four years; and

Whereas , the Supreme Court of the United States handed down an opinion prohibiting affirmative action enrollment policies in higher education institutions; and

Whereas , public agencies are removing DEI policies and offices from their structure even without legislation requiring it; and

Whereas , colleges and universities are withdrawing or rewriting privately funded scholarships with racial criteria from the students who depended on them without providing alternative funding to those students; and

Whereas , the University of Missouri has also closed down the office charged with ensuring anti-discrimination policies are followed and required the Legion of Black Collegians to re-name their annual “Welcome Black BBQ;” and

Whereas , students in Missouri's public schools are reporting increased occurrences and severity of racially motivated bullying, hate crimes and violence; and

Whereas , school administrators seem afraid to punish students using racial epithets, physically attacking Black and multi-racial students, and hanging symbols of hate in the school halls because of backlash from white parents and culture warrior legislators; and

Whereas , Juneteenth is not considered a paid holiday in all workplaces despite being a Federal holiday; and

Whereas , Black employees continue to be paid less than their white peers for the same work and Black student enrollment and retention is decreasing due to lack of scholarships and other programs; and

Whereas , the conditions which led to the passing of the 2017 Travel Advisory in Missouri have only gotten worse; and

Whereas , the National NAACP passed a resolution supporting DEI and Anti-Racism policies;

Now therefore, be it resolved , that the Missouri NAACP fully denounces any attempt to remove or downplay anti-discrimination, anti-racism, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, or cultural sensitivity programs as evidence of racial bias on the part of the individual or organization that does so; and

Be it further resolved , that the Missouri NAACP will oppose any attempts to put into law or regulation the removal of anti-discrimination, anti-racism, Diversity Equity and Inclusion, or cultural sensitivity programs; and

Be it finally resolved , that the Missouri NAACP will seek approval to file litigation challenging the constitutionality and lawfulness of such legislation, regulations, and policies that have passed or been implemented.

REGARDING THE USE OF THE DEATH PENALTY IN MISSOURI

Sat, 28 Sep 2024 19:55:09 GMT

RESOLUTION OF THE MISSOURI STATE CONFERENCE OF THE NAACP
REGARDING THE USE OF THE DEATH PENALTY IN MISSOURI

Whereas , Missouri is actively engaged in the execution of people convicted and sentenced to death; and

Whereas , the recent execution of Marcellus Khaliifah Williams marked the 100th execution since the US Supreme Court case requiring the use of lethal injection in 1976; and

Whereas , individuals and organizations across Missouri have been unsuccessful in attempts to obtain clemency from the current Governor; and

Whereas , even after receiving letters from Corrections Officers calling for clemency in the case of Brian Dorsey, the Governor refused to grant it; and

Whereas , the informant testimony in the cases of Leonard Raheem Taylor and Marcellus Khaliifah Williams was incentivized and not well corroborated; and

Whereas , there are significant concerns over the jury selection process that excluded all but one Black person during the initial trial of Marcellus Khaliifah Williams; and

Whereas , the evidence that would have proven the innocence of Marcellus Khaliifah Williams was not properly preserved and therefore could no longer be used in court to exonerate him; and

Whereas , Amber McLaughlin was sentenced to death by a judge after a jury did not; and

Whereas , the National NAACP reaffirmed its support of abolishing the death penalty across the United States and called for racial equity throughout the criminal justice system as recently as 2022.

Now therefore, be it resolved , that the Missouri NAACP urges any Governor unwilling to grant clemency attend in person any execution they are allowing to go forward; and

Be it further resolved , that the Missouri NAACP supports legislation that would increase transparency around paid informant testimony, enshrine anti-discrimination rules for jury selection in statute and court rule, require the indefinite preservation of all evidence related to cases involving charges of first or second degree murder, and prevent a single judge from issuing a death sentence; and

Be it finally resolved , that the Missouri NAACP joins the National NAACP in supporting the abolition of the death penalty and calling for racial equity in the courts.

LABOR & INDUSTRY COMMITTEE REPORT

Sat, 28 Sep 2024 17:43:30 GMT

labor & industry committee report—2024 annual meeting

The labor committee has been quite busy over the last year. Chair Bowman was able to get Congressperson Jasmine Crockett to speak at the St. Louis County Freedom Fund Dinner.

Members of the committee attended the National NAACP Convention in Las Vegas, including the Labor Luncheon. During the luncheon, we heard from Robin Williams, Chairwoman of the NAACP Labor Committee. She said union leadership has traditionally been a man’s world, but that women are the backbone of policy, economic security and saving our democracy, and it is important to have women leading the workforce development space. President Joe Biden, recognized as one of the strongest labor Presidents in history, spoke during one of the plenary sessions at the National Convention. It was one of his last appearances before Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee for President. Also during the National Convention, William ‘Bill’ Lucy (Past International Secretary-Treasurer of AFSCME), Don Cash (Past President of United Food and Commercial Workers Union’s Minority Coalition), Loretta Johnson (Secretary-Treasurer Emeritus of AFT), and Liz Powell (Secretary-Treasurer of the American Postal Workers Union) were honored as Labor Leaders.

The National Delegate Assembly passed resolutions relating to the following:

Calling for protection of cannabis workers as the market emerges and grows,
Calling on Units to work to engage with and hold accountable their respective trade unions with regard to exclusion of people of color in their apprenticeship programs and membership, and
Supporting protections for whistleblowers at the federal, state and local government levels, and the need for more independent oversight to prevent retaliatory behaviors in organizations.

Locally, we are supporting Proposition A on the November ballot, which is a common sense policy for working families. It provides paid time off, increased minimum wage, and other changes that are long past time to make mandatory.

We also sent a support letter standing in solidarity with Amazon workers at STL8 warehouse. The employees are demanding changes to Amazon policy including removing the 36-month cap on step wage increases, making cross-training volunteer-based only, banning computer-generated write-ups, add productivity performance bonuses, and ending the use of working rate as a criteria for discipline.

As was heard on the picket line, it’s Prime Time for a Raise!

Justice for the Voiceless

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 19:22:29 GMT

The culture of death in Missouri must end.

Former Police Officer Eric DeValkenaere took the life of Cameron Lamb, without legal recourse, reason or common decency. When the Courts of the State of Missouri, have to set aside the “qualified immunity” the Officers actions have went beyond the scope of what “qualified immunity” was supposed to protect the State and the Law Enforcement community from.

Unjust and unreasonable lawsuits, in the case of Mr. Cameron Lamb, imagine sitting in your car in your backyard and a police officer without a warrant or a reasonable suspicion decides to enter your backyard and in the process end your life, with no one being able to get a reasonable explanation or having recourse to bring your death before a Court of Law to seek simple justice.

The Governor of the State makes public statements that he does not want to see DeValkenaere where he is at (referring to jail), we the people are supposed to believe that the Governor who came to office, after another Governor could not simply follow the law, now wants a person convicted in a Court of Law to be out of jail. Please Governor, answer the simple question “Where is Justice for Mr. Lamb and his family and friends?”

"The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice." stated Martin Luther King, he truly understood that Governors, Attorney Generals and others will try to stop, justice and not do their biblical duty to give a Voice to the Voiceless, and that they would use their positions to maintain the Status Quo, if we are persistent may we live to watch the arc of the moral universe bend towards justice for all.

We ask that you help keep the arc bending towards Justices by calling upon all elected and non elected officials to see that those who have the audacity to kill a man in his backyard and try to cover up their actions face the consequences of the Law. May we remember the immortal words of “Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent!’ contributed to Adam Smith.

Sadly, Marcellus Williams is innocent and spent a lifetime on death row with an execution date of September 24, 2024. DeValkenaere is guilty and just does not want to be in prison. Who deserves to be in prison and who should be set free?

We already had to standby and watch as a well connected coaches son, cripple a child, where does the madness stop?

Statement on Execution of Marcellus Khaliifah Williams

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 23:12:51 GMT

Missouri's Culture of Death and Jim Crow Legacy Continue

The Missouri State Conference of the NAACP is heartsick to learn of compounding rulings from the Missouri Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of the United States, denying stays of execution for Marcellus Khaliifah Williams. More than one and a half million people at this point have petitioned the governor of Missouri to stay the execution. Signatures are continuing to come in even after the printed petitions were delivered to the Governor this afternoon. The choice of Attorney General Bailey and Governor Parson to work against a local prosecutor to move forward with an execution is disheartening and shows a lack of respect between the three branches of government we work so hard to preserve.

Juries are sacrosanct, and their determinations are not to be violated, but when African-Americans are prevented from being on the jury simply because of the skin color given to them by our creator, this cannot be the rule. When evidentiary rules require the State to safeguard evidence but failed to do so, the original result must be questioned. In this case, the murder item knife was touched so many times that DNA samples cannot be cleanly retrieved. Common sense tells us when the evidence cannot be relied on, it must be thrown out, and if there is no evidence, a conviction cannot stand. When witnesses are paid to testify, and their testimony is unsupported by physical evidence, there must be accountability and any resulting conviction must be questioned.

Tonight's execution may be another cautionary tale from the same state that has already produced the most audacious Jim Crow laws still taught in history classes today. From the sickening endorsement of slavery through the Missouri Compromise, to the Dred Scott decision and all the way through the recent decision to lessen the protections of the Missouri Human Rights Act, there must be some acknowledgment from the Republican and Democratic elected officials, who are sustaining this culture of death. Our government must take ownership of what they’ve created. We are supposedly a pro-life state, but where are the pro-life legislators who weep openly for the death of unborn children when their elected officials decide to take a life in the face of overwhelming evidence, massive public outcry, and the prosecutor in charge of the case arguing against it. The lives of black Missourians are valued less in Missouri.

The Missouri NAACP, led by black Missourians, issued a Travel Advisory in 2017 so that our brothers and sisters will know that Missouri is not a place where black people can expect to live safely and quietly. Black Missourians know that if you live here, you have to be very careful about what you do and how you do it. There is a system of justice where it doesn’t matter whether you’re on the streets, in a hospital, at school, on the sidewalk, or in your own home, if you’re black, the law as it applies to you is desperately different than for the rest of Missourians. We know that if you’re traveling through the state, you should be extra careful or have a local with you because not only do you not know the jurisdictions that might harm you the most, but the people that you rely on for assistance might make you a ghost. We regularly have conversations with our young family members, that if you have an alternative to being here, you would be better off financially, physically, and mentally in any other state. Missouri's government systems look the other way when black children are attacked or black women go missing, but if a white person calls the police because they feel uncomfortable with something a black man is doing in a car wash, the black man is sent to prison. We got the word out in our Travel Advisory and we continue to issue the same warning today.

The Missouri state conference suggest kindly that individuals who have a capacity to lend their voice to equality and justice do so in a way that not only elects more anti-death legislators, but that also supports institutions such as churches, the NAACP, Missourians to Abolish the death penalty, and other civil rights organizations immediately. The cost to us and others of not doing so maybe far greater for our families communities and state than I could ever express now.

NAACP Partners with Missouri Faith Voices and Concerned Clergy Statewide for "Project 2025: What it Means to You"

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 21:32:51 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 26, 2024

Contact: Nimrod Chapel, Jr., president@monaacp.org

JEFFERSON CITY, MO – The Missouri State Conference of the NAACP is proud to partner with Missouri Faith Voices and concerned clergy to host an important community event titled "Project 2025: What it Means to You" . The event will take place on October 10, 2024 , from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM at the Lincoln University Martin Luther King Hall – Pawley Theater , located at 812 E. Dunklin St., Jefferson City, MO . The evening will begin with a keynote address by Brian Kaylor , President and Editor-in-Chief of Word&Way, followed by a dynamic panel discussion featuring:

Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould , Senior Strategist, Faith In Action
Nimrod Chapel, Jr. , President, Missouri State Conference NAACP
Luz Henríquez , Director, ACLU

The program will conclude with an interactive Question and Answer session , where attendees can engage directly with the panelists and gain insights on Project 2025 and its impact on the local community and broader social landscape. Project 2025 is a critical initiative designed to address key policy changes that will affect our communities over the next year and beyond. We encourage all community members to attend, ask questions, and learn how this project will impact them. The event is free and open to the public . Attendees from all walks of life are invited to join us in this important conversation about the future of our community and the steps we can take together to create positive change. Missouri Faith Voices envisions a Missouri where we restore hope, produce the power and political will needed to create a just society for all Missourians.

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About NAACP

The NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization, committed to ensuring the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and eliminating racial hatred and discrimination.

ACT NOW TO SAVE A LIFE

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 22:04:24 GMT

Countdown to a State Sanctioned Murder - Act Now!

Sign the Petition

Download the Toolkit

Contact Governor Parson

A Message from NAACP National President Derrick Johnson:

A n innocent man is facing execution in Missouri TOMORROW!

I’ve sent a letter to Governor Michael L. Parson urging him to halt the execution. Today, I need you to do the same. Here’s what you need to know and how you can take action immediately:

On September 24, Marcellus Williams is scheduled to be executed after spending over two decades on death row despite DNA evidence proving his innocence.

Mr. Williams did not commit the murder for which he was convicted. The prosecutor knows it, and the citizens of Missouri know it.

Even though the vast majority of murders involve an offender and victim(s) of the same race, 54% of the African-American men executed by Missouri were convicted of crimes involving White victims.

Executing Marcellus Williams would not be seen as just punishment for a crime. It would not be viewed as Missouri being “tough on crime,” being “a law and order” state or as any other bumper sticker political rhetoric.

Instead, taking the life of Marcellus Williams would be an unequivocal statement that when a White woman is killed, a Black man must die. And any Black man will do.

Governor Parson has the power to prove that Missouri is better than its ugly history of racism and unspeakable treatment of its Black residents. The NAACP is urging him to do the right thing – stop the execution of Marcellus Williams.

Rod, if we apply enough pressure we can stop this miscarriage of justice. Will you add your voice to ours and send a letter in support of Mr. Williams? We’re running out of time, please act now:

For Culture. For Community.

Derrick Johnson

President and CEO

NAACP

MO NAACP Stands with the Students of Park Hill

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 21:12:25 GMT

Missouri NAACP Stands with Students Against
Racial Violence and Sexual Harassment at Park Hill High School

For Immediate Release
September 5, 2024

Media Contact
President Nimrod Chapel, Jr.
(816) 309-5009
president@monaacp.org

The Missouri NAACP stands in full support of Colby Barker, a 17-year-old Black student from Park Hill High School in Kansas City, Missouri, who was unjustly suspended after defending a female classmate from a peer who has been known to make racist remarks and issue threats of sexual violence. This incident highlights the alarming culture of racial terror and sexual misconduct that Missouri students continue to face—one that is too often overlooked or excused by school administrators. This is the third similar incident of racial violence we have been made aware of in Missouri since schools began the 2024-25 academic year in August.

It takes immense courage for students to unify and stand up against this kind of systemic abuse. Barker's suspension, following his efforts to protect a friend from a classmate's threat to rape her, is unacceptable. Even more disturbing is the fact that while Barker, who was subjected to racial slurs, has been suspended, the white student who initiated the threats has faced delayed and insufficient disciplinary action, only after public outcry.

"It is unacceptable that in 2024, a Black student who reports a threat of sexual violence and is called the N-word in a school hallway is suspended, while the student issuing the threat and racial slur walks free. Missouri's culture of silence on racial terror and sexual harassment must end," said Nimrod Chapel, Jr., President of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP.

As the NAACP continues its investigation into this incident, we urge the public to remember their own experiences of being bullied for characteristics they cannot change—whether it be race, gender, or other attributes. Colby's experience echoes a reality many Black youth know all too well: when racial slurs and threats are hurled, they are often followed by acts of physical violence or emotional trauma. The use of the N-word is not just a verbal assault but an act that conjures the very real fear of further violence.

"I remember growing up, hearing hurtful names. But what scared me most was the violence that often followed those words," added Chapel. "Schools should be safe places where students are protected, not punished for defending their peers from harm. Park Hill is teaching the wrong lesson."

Colby's case is not just an individual issue but part of a broader failure in Missouri’s educational system to protect Black students and students who speak out against harassment. We are calling on the Park Hill School District to reassess its disciplinary procedures and ensure that students like Colby, who stand up against sexual violence and racism, are supported rather than penalized.

"Athletes and scholars who take a stand for community values must be supported, not silenced. Colby Barker has been victimized twice—first by a peer and then by the very institution that should be protecting him. This cannot continue," said Chapel. "The Missouri NAACP will not stand by while our youth face these injustices. We will hold the school and district accountable and ensure Colby and others like him are defended."

The NAACP will specifically address the issues of racially biased discipline at the September 28, 2024 Annual Meeting. If you or your loved one has an experience to share or concern to raise, www.monaacp.org for more information as we call on Park Hill to end the terror on its Black and female students.

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The Missouri State Conference of the NAACP is dedicated to ensuring the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination. With a rich history of advocacy and progress, the NAACP continues to be at the forefront of the fight for civil rights in America.

MO NAACP Demands Release of Exonerated Christopher Dunn

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 14:13:02 GMT

Press Conference and Rally to Demand Justice for Christopher Dunn:
Protest Against Attorney General Andrew Bailey

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 29, 2024

Contact: Nimrod Chapel, Jr., President@monaacp.org

St. Louis, MO – July 27, 2024 – The Missouri State Conference of the NAACP, along with the St. Louis City NAACP, will hold a press conference and rally in front of the St. Louis office of Attorney General Andrew Bailey to demand the immediate release of Christopher Dunn. The event will take place at 815 Olive Street, Suite 200, St. Louis, MO 63101. The press conference will begin at 10:30 AM on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, followed by the rally.

Christopher Dunn has been imprisoned for 34 years for a crime he did not commit. Despite a recent adjudication by a distinguished jurist in St. Louis City ordering his release, Attorney General Andrew Bailey continues to block his freedom, keeping an innocent man behind bars.

Attorney Nimrod Chapel, Jr., President of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP, questions the legal and moral justifications for Dunn’s continued imprisonment: “How can Attorney General Andrew Bailey legally or morally justify the imprisonment of an innocent man, especially following the recent adjudication by a distinguished jurist in St. Louis City? This blatant disregard for justice must end.”

Reverend Darryl Gray, Director General for Social Justice, Progressive National Baptist Convention, speaks to the biblical implications of Dunn’s confinement: “The immoral confinement of Christopher Dunn is a direct affront to the teachings of our faith. Proverbs 31:8-9 calls us to ‘speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.’ It is our duty to stand against this injustice.”

St. Louis City President Adolphus Pruitt warns “The wrongful conviction of Marcellus Williams is another stark example of the failures of our justice system. Williams stands on the brink of execution, with his hearing pending and his execution date set for September 24. Immediate findings from the court or a stay of execution from the governor or the Missouri Supreme Court are necessary. With Attorney General Bailey's engagement in delaying justice, we cannot allow Marcellus Williams' life to be taken through illegal and immoral tactics. Such delays threaten not only Williams' life but also our faith in the principles of democracy and justice.”

Reverend Linden Bowie, President of the Missouri Progressive Baptist Convention and Missouri Missionary Baptist Convention, condemns Dunn’s continued confinement: “The continued confinement of Christopher Dunn is an abomination and in stark contrast to our Christian faith and the tenets of law we all follow in this country. Justice must be served, and Christopher Dunn must be freed immediately.”

Mother Jamala Rogers, representing the Organization for Black Struggle, emphasized the broader implications of this case: “The fight for Christopher Dunn’s freedom is a continuation of the struggle against the historical bondage based on race, schism, and discrimination. His wrongful imprisonment is a stark reminder of the systemic injustices that have plagued Black people for centuries. We must stand united in dismantling these oppressive structures.”

The press conference and rally are supported by several organizations committed to justice and the abolition of wrongful imprisonment, including Missourians for Abolition of the Death Penalty (MADP); Reverend Duane Burch, President of the St. Louis Metropolitan Clergy Coalition; Michelle Smith of MADP; and the Missouri Black Caucus. Kenya Brumfield-Young, a civil rights advocate and scholar, also supports this effort, underscoring the need for systemic reform and justice.

The public is encouraged to join the press conference and rally to demand justice for Christopher Dunn. Attendees and concerned people are urged to call the Attorney General’s Office at 314-340-6816 to voice their support for Dunn’s immediate release.

The NAACP is dedicated to ensuring that all voters in Missouri have the opportunity to participate in the electoral process without undue hardship. We urge all citizens to stay informed and proactive in protecting and exercising their voting rights. The organization is mobilizing resources and volunteers to educate and assist voters in navigating the upcoming elections. For more information or to get involved, please visit naacp.org/volunteer .

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ABOUT NAACP

NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund – also referred to as the NAACP-LDF - was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but now operates as a completely separate entity.

Missouri NAACP Statement on Protecting the Vote In Light of National Presidential Choices

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 22:19:57 GMT

The MO NAACP urges all citizens to stay informed and proactive in protecting and exercising their voting rights in August and November.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 22, 2024

Contact: Nimrod Chapel, Jr., President@monaacp.org

Missouri NAACP Statement on Protecting the Vote In Light of National Presidential Choices

JEFFERSON CITY, MO - As the changes to the Presidential Ticket create uncertainty about the upcoming elections. The Missouri State Conference of the NAACP, under the leadership of President Nimrod Chapel, Jr., is closely monitoring the national electoral process and voting in Missouri, and urging every citizen to exercise their right to vote.

Yesterday, President Joseph R. Biden Jr. announced that he would step aside from his re-election campaign to focus on his presidential duties, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for the 47th President of the United States. In response, NAACP National President & CEO Derrick Johnson emphasized the organization's ongoing efforts to galvanize the Black vote and advance policies that benefit the community.

"As we approach the November elections, it is more important than ever to ensure that our voices are heard. The NAACP is all in on educating, engaging, and mobilizing voters. We must remain united in defending democracy and determining our futures," said Johnson.

While the Presidential ballot options may be in chaos, the importance of voting this year has not changed. The August 6, 2024 ballot contains a number of state and local primary races and a critical Constitutional Amendment that, if passed, would take away the right of the local elected government of Kansas City to control its own budget. The outcome of many of the primary elections will determine the next State Representative or State Senator in that area before the November election. This is not an election to skip.

The November 5, 2024 ballot is likewise full of questions that go well beyond who the next President of the United States will be. We are choosing the Secretary of State who determines the rules for future elections, the Governor who determines whether we continue to execute people at the highest rate in the world, and almost half of the seats in the Missouri General Assembly will be held by brand new State Representatives. The critical nature of these races is why the Missouri NAACP continues to litigate to overturn photo identification laws that reject forms of identification that are accepted in every other context.

President Chapel stated, "The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy. It is the right that ensures we get to keep all the others. Voting is a duty that we strongly encourage all citizens to perform. We will fight to make sure no one takes away their opportunity to do so, whether it be elected officials or people trying to disrupt the process."

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ABOUT NAACP

NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund – also referred to as the NAACP-LDF - was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but now operates as a completely separate entity.

No Lawyer, No Chance

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 22:54:36 GMT

The Cost of Justice in the U.S. Criminal Legal System

Overturning A Wrongful Conviction As A Pro Se Litigant Is Challenging

In Missouri, there are nearly 25,000 inmates incarcerated. The inmates who've attempted and continue to seek justice as Pro Se litigants experience bias and discrimination contrary to the Constitution and the Equal Protection Law.

In the past 10 years, Missouri has exonerated 15 inmates who were all represented by skillful attorneys or innocence organizations. Missouri's court system is created to only accept cases of innocence under the cause and prejudice gateway if the inmate can establish a constitutional violation occurred prior to trial. Meaning the State had to have failed to disclose exculpatory evidence that would have proved the inmates innocence.

Many of Missouri's Pro Se litigants, who are indigent and lack adequate representation, find themselves tangled up in what's known as the "judicial web". While it may not appear as such, money, influence or adequate resources played a role in all exonerations. The harsh reality is that these are a major factor in exonerations. Once a defendant is jailed, he/she is given a State appointed Public Defender during 3 stages; trial, direct appeal and PCR - Post Conviction Relief. After these stages, a prisoner can file a 2254 Federal Habeas Corpus and then appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court. During the Habeas Corpus and Supreme Court appeal stages, the prisoner becomes a Pro Se litigant and is left to challenge the conviction on their own because the courts rarely appoint counsel after the PCR has been denied. This posses a problem for the incarcerated because 95% of prisoners have no experience or education in Criminal Law.

The Challenge A Pro Se Litigant Faces When Filing Claims With The Courts

When an inmate challenges their conviction with the courts as a Pro Se litigant, 99.6% of the time the claims are denied.

What society and the media doesn't know is that Pro Se litigants have to become their own private investigators and attorneys. It's been proven that the courts have taken this as an insult towards their law degrees and higher education.

Once a prisoner has exhausted all their appeals with the state and federal courts, they can file a Rule 91 State Habeas with the circuit of the county of that district. It's during this proceeding that the Pro Se litigant faces a heavy burden and obstacles because only the Judge and the Attorney General are present during all counsel status hearings. So the claims files by the Pro Se litigant will be denied and unjustly justified.

After this, again, the prisoner is left to research and investigate their own case. This also has become an obstacle for the Pro Se litigants who've obtained statements from potential witnesses - those who may now be incarcerated themselves - or are requesting information through the FOIA - Freedom of Information Act, also know as the Sunshine Law. The courts fail to accept and grant Pro Se litigants claims of innocence when the evidence clearly discredits the State's theory.

The courts only respect and accept cases from innocence organizations, private attorneys or big corporate law firms; like Bryan Cave. And these groups primarily accept case where evidence is clear cut; like someone else confessing to the crime the prisoner is convicted of, the presence of DNA that points to another suspect, or the prisoner was solely convicted on the testimony of witnesses. Outside of these factors, the Pro Se litigant faces a burden even getting representation by either the innocence organizations or Pro-Bono attorneys if their case is complex, arduous or deals with a confession.

Hypothetically, if you're reviewing a case where there is a confession involved but there was irrefutable evidence of a 3'd party's guilt that was never disclosed by the State prior to trial, would that make a difference in a conviction based on a false confession? If another inmate comes fmward and admits that his actions were the reason the prisoner gave a false confession that can be refuted by forensic science, would it make a difference? If another suspect's DNA skin cells were on the victim's pockets, and that was never disclosed by the State, would that make a difference? If there's no eye witnesses that testify during trial or who now identify the prisoner as the shooter, would that make a difference?

With evidence like this the courts will unjustly deny these claims to escape accountability for the State. Innocence organizations have strict criteria when accepting wrongful conviction cases. It's very clear that, in Missouri, once a prisoner is convicted, the burden becomes theirs to prove someone else committed the crime in order to obtain any relief or representation.

I sincerely know that this is a topic that nobody wants to cover in the media or court system, but the truth of the matter is it's real and it effects us all. If we don't address this crisis now there will be more wrongful convictions.

I'm asking that there be an exclusive in-depth news coverage on this issue to fully inform society concerning the challenges for Pro Se litigants.

NAACP DEMANDS ANSWERS FOR THE FAMILY OF EARL MANUEL, SR.

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 19:07:22 GMT

Family of Earl Manuel, Sr., Clergy, NAACP, and Community Members Demand Accountability and Transparency from Cole County Sheriff's Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cole County, MO, June 27, 2024 – In response to the recent death of Earl Manuel, Sr. in the Cole County Jail, the family, clergy and the NAACP, along with local community members, will hold a press conference to demand accountability and transparency from local authorities. The press conference will take place at 10 AM tomorrow in front of the Cole County Sheriff’s Office, located at 350 E. High Street.

Earl Manuel, Sr., a 67-year-old inmate, was found unresponsive in his cell on Saturday, June 1, 2024, and was pronounced dead at 4:28 PM . There are concerns raised by the family about the care he received. The Callaway County Sheriff's Department, which has been requested by Cole County Sheriff John Wheeler to conduct an official investigation, has reported no evidence of foul play. However, the cause of death remains unknown pending an official autopsy. The family has asked for video and information about the care Mr. Manuel received.

Nimrod Chapel, Jr., President of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP, issued the following statement: “We are deeply saddened and concerned by the death of Mr. Earl Manuel, Sr. in the custody of the Cole County Jail. We are calling for an immediate, thorough, and independent investigation by the Missouri State Highway Patrol to ensure that all circumstances surrounding Mr. Manuel’s death are fully transparent. Furthermore, we demand that all findings be shared with Mr. Manuel’s family and the public.”

Rev. Daryl Gray, Director General for Social Justice, Progressive National Baptist Convention added: “This tragic incident raises serious questions about the care and oversight provided to inmates, especially those with known health issues. We stand with Mr. Manuel’s family in seeking truth and justice.”

The family of Earl Manuel, Sr. expressed their grief and frustration, stating: “We have lost a beloved family member under circumstances that remain unclear. We deserve to know what happened, and we call on the authorities to provide us with the answers we need to find closure.”

About NAACP: Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Our mission is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.

CAPE GIRARDEAU BRANCH CONTINUES SUCCESSFUL VOTER REGISTRATION EFFORTS

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 17:59:31 GMT

Door-to-Door Campaign is Essential to Reaching Eligible Voters

After the great success of our first voter registration canvass, the Cape Girardeau Branch of the NAACP is continuing voter registration activities in South Cape Girardeau. Some of the canvassers, who are college students, have returned to their home for the summer and are canvassing in their hometown. When they return to SEMO in the fall they will rejoin the rest of our crew to continue canvassing efforts in Cape Girardeau.

We are working through a list of addresses that was generated by Missouri Jobs with Justice based on the voter registration list compared to a list of eligible voters. Thanks to this collaboration, we are able to greet the person behind the door by name, confirm registration status, update information on the voter registration record such as change of address, name, etc., and assist with online voter registration for other residents of the home if needed. We are also able to update the listing provided by Missouri Jobs with Justice to make future efforts at voter registration and turnout more efficient.

One of the people on the list was deceased, but their family was still living at the address provided. We spoke with the family, offered our condolences, and updated his record accordingly as well as assisting the other family members of the home with their voter registration records.

I met another gentleman who had been on probation for a short time thirty years ago. This gentleman was under the assumption he could never vote again. Thanks to our training and the door-to-door nature of the program, we were able to help him get legally registered to vote. Imagine! After thirty years, he is a registered voter!

I met a mother who has two sons in prison. According to the mother, the sons decided they wanted to take control of their lives. They contacted the probation office and made the request to serve their time rather than being on probation and face the risk of being accused of a crime they did not commit. In six months they will be released and will not have any probation time to serve. Their mother is excited to have her sons back and wants to help get them registered to vote. She is going to reach out when they get home so I can confirm their eligibility to vote with the Cape Girardeau County Clerk’s office and hopefully, move forward with completing voter registration.

This is why it is so important that we do door to door canvassing and provide the education that is needed. I appreciate the support of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP, Missouri Jobs with Justice, and Women in Politics Foundation, Inc. in the program's success and continued activity.

Pat McBride, President

Cape Girardeau NAACP 4058.

2024 End of Session Report

Mon, 20 May 2024 20:14:02 GMT

Overview

It was a record setting year for the Missouri General Assembly. For the first time in modern history, there were zero conference committee reports created. This includes no conference committees on the budget. This means the House and Senate had to just take up and pass bills as they came from the opposite chamber. The longest filibuster record was set by the Freedom Caucus at 41 hours, then promptly broken by the Democratic Caucus with a 50-hour filibuster. There was a record low number of bills passed with only 27 non-budget measures making it through the process. Unlike previous years, most of these 27 bills and joint resolutions were not comprehensive/omnibus bills, but were fairly limited single issue bills. Only a few of the bills contained multiple provisions, and none of them were changed dramatically in the last week of the session. This means that Capitol watchers have the full final versions of the bills already, unlike most years when we have to wait for a week or so to see the fully printed final version of the bills.

Criminal courts reform

We were tracking a variety of bills that contained criminal court provisions this year. Many of them contained duplicate provisions and had expanded to over 300 pages by the end of the Session. Only 1 bill made it through the process. This bill contains many of the provisions that were vetoed in SB189 in 2023. The bill is SB754 and it was passed on the last day of session. The bill contains both good and bad provisions.

Good

Raises the age for certification of juveniles as adults from 12 to 14 for offenses that are not dangerous felonies.
This measure is a small but important change. We are hopeful in future years to also raise the age for mandatory certification hearings from 12 to 14.
Prohibits an arrest warrant from being issued for failure to appear on a traffic violation.
This measure should reduce the number of arrests and searches of people who have not committed crimes. Currently, the police are able to claim probable cause if they think you may have a warrant and can stop a vehicle where the driver is wanted for failure to appear and search the vehicle looking for additional violations. Anything that reduces the number of people who are forced into the criminal courts is an improvement.
Creates a statewide Conviction Integrity Review Unit to make recommendations to prosecutors to file motions to vacate wrongful convictions.
The Unit will have staff and resources to investigate any suspected wrongful conviction. It is run by the Office of Prosecutorial Services, not the Attorney General, and may take applications from convicted individuals for a small fee which shall be waived if they can show indigence. While this Unit is not as robust as those in other states, it is a start and is the first method for investigating wrongful convictions of any crime and not just those with death penalty convictions. The results of the Unit’s investigation will be given to the local prosecuting attorney who may file a motion to vacate the judgment.
Removes separate provisions in the law related to crack cocaine so that the penalties and amounts are the same for all distribution or possession charges as powder cocaine.
This is a simple and necessary fix that will have a huge impact on people struggling with drug addiction. The current law treats powder and crack cocaine differently even though they have identical rates of addiction and chemical impact on the brain. The “war on drugs” is actually a war on black and brown people and the poor. This is a small but significant step toward ending that war.
Expands the kinds of criminal records that can be expunged (erased).
While we were not successful this year in passing Clean Slate legislation, we were successful in expanding the number of criminal records that can be expunged and reducing the amount of time a person must wait before seeking expungement. Last year, the fee for filing an expungement petition was eliminated. Both of these provisions work toward making expungement a more realistic option while we continue to press for automatic expungement under Clean Slate.

Bad

Allows a juvenile who participated in a killing but was charged with Second Degree Murder to be eligible for life without the possibility of parole.
This provision is likely unconstitutional, but is something that a family whose daughter was killed by a 15 year old have been pushing for. It is very likely to be challenged soon and is unlikely to have any actual effect on future sentencing.
Creates several new offenses for actions that were already crimes.
This happens every year. A bill will be introduced to create a new specific crime where a current general crime could otherwise be used. This includes things like evading arrest in a motor vehicle, harming a police animal, reckless discharge of a weapon, and distribution of fentanyl. In general, we oppose creating new crimes because it provides prosecutors with a means to inflate the number of charges based on a single act.
Changes the definition of “persistent offender” so that a person who has been convicted of a dangerous felony prior to their current charges can be considered a persistent offender.
This language is bad because it allows a person with a single prior conviction to be considered a persistent offender. Persistent offenders are required to serve a larger percentage of their sentence and may be subject to longer minimum sentences.

Overall, the good in this bill will impact a larger number of people than the bad. It is unfortunate that we are unable to pass good provisions without including some of the bad ones, but that is the current political atmosphere of our State. We will continue pushing forward in the future and continue to make steady progress however small each piece may be.

Another measure that is indirectly related to criminal courts is heading to the ballot this year. SJR71 would authorize court fees to pay for prosecutors’ and sheriffs’ salaries, benefits, and retirement. There is a problem with the sheriffs’ and prosecutors’ pension systems, but this is not the way to fix them. There is no limit on the amount of fees or requirement for the legislature to authorize the fees, which is the current law. This opens the door to misuse and abuse of court fees which amount to a financial barrier to anyone attempting to defend themselves against criminal charges. Even something as minor as a traffic ticket is subject to criminal court fees on top of any fine for the violation. We need to strongly oppose this measure and encourage people to VOTE NO in November..

voting rights

After months of hard work and nail-biting, the proposal to end majority rule by citizen initiative petition died this year. SJR74 was sent back to the House after a 50+ hour filibuster by the Democratic caucus with a request to pass the version without ballot candy. The House failed to do so and instead tried some political posturing. The Senate adjourned for the year without taking further action on the bill and the House chose not to pass the clean version. This means changes to the way we amend the Constitution will not be on the ballot this year.

Unfortunately, a different SJR with some harmful provisions did get sent to the ballot. SJR78 contains the misleading and potentially harmful “only citizens” language, requires paper or “mechanical” ballots, and prohibits rank choice or approval voting unless it was implemented prior to the November election. It is likely the “only citizens” language will impact future attempts to protect the right to vote. We are also concerned that the paper ballot requirement would disenfranchise voters with visual impairment. We will be encouraging people to VOTE NO on this measure in November.

Other proposals we had been supporting, including poll worker protections, did not make it through the process. We are hopeful that we will have more success next year and will continue to push for provisions that make our election workers safe and our elections free and fair.

education

There were many bills this year that would have made the racial disparities and racist environment in schools worse. These included provisions that blatantly prohibit DEI training and allow student organizations to discriminate while receiving state resources and funding. None of these provisions made it through the process. This was due in large part to the work of President Chapel, Olivia Pener, and other NAACP officers who took the time to come to Jefferson City to talk to legislators and testify in committee. Continued regular contact with elected officials is necessary to prevent the passage of harmful legislation.

One bill did pass related to education that could have a major impact on public education in Missouri. The bill is SB727 , and it contains a number of provisions that impact public education. In large part the bill would allow for the expansion of the “Education Savings Account” program which gives tax credits to certain families who pay tuition to enroll their children in a private school, and increase the number of charter schools in Missouri. The bill also contains a significant pay increase for public school teachers, but has no way of funding the increase in the future. The full impact of the bill is unlikely to be seen for a couple of years, but it is expected to be harmful. We anticipate future legislation to either roll back provisions from the bill or create a new way of calculating the amount of state funding a public school receives. We will be watching closely how this bill impacts schools that have been historically underfunded and have a high percentage of black and brown students.

Another piece of legislation that could have impacts on public school systems is HB2111. The new law expands a State Auditor’s power to audit local political subdivisions, including School Districts. The bill does not cause problems from its plain language, but could be abused by an unscrupulous State Auditor. The concern is an Auditor may choose to start deciding what an appropriate use of funds may be. This could mean negative audit reports for school districts that provide DEI professional development training to teachers and staff or for student activities that the Auditor does not think are necessary. Again, this is unlikely to happen, but we should be prepared to sue or intervene should the Auditor try to exceed their authority.

Economic development

Many of our NAACP members and leaders are also entrepreneurs. Owning a business is a path to financial independence and generational wealth, and it is important to stay up to date with the laws and regulations related to small business ownership.

Taxation will change pretty dramatically for people who file as an S-Corp. HB1912 makes several changes to how state taxes will be filed for non-resident and resident S-Corp owners. You should be sure to ask your tax professional how these new rules will affect your 2024 tax filing.

A major piece of legislation, SB894 , related to economic development and business ownership passed this year. The bill creates the Office of Entrepreneurship to assist people starting and growing businesses with less than 10 employees. The bill also creates the Right to Start Act which encourages the State and local governments to award contracts to new businesses. Both provisions include strong equity statements and particularly require assistance and benefits for certified “Minority Business Enterprises.” While not specifically for small businesses, SB802 is another bill that deals with investment in new and growing businesses in Missouri. It includes, among other things, a provision which allows businesses to operate with limited regulation for a short period of time if they can show they are offering an innovative product or service. Both of these bills are attempting to support and encourage business development in Missouri by Missourians.

On a related note, HB2062 (discussed in detail below) deals primarily with Real Property from a housing and land use perspective. However, it also contains a provision that will make it easier to preserve historic properties. The language allows non-profit organizations to take advantage of tax credits and allows for residential property owners to get tax credits to restore their property even if they are not currently living in it. Both of these provisions have the potential to increase the number of black history sites that are maintained and promoted in Missouri.

veterans

Two bills passed this year focused on veterans, HB1495 and SB912 . Both of these bills contain language that requires the Missouri Veterans Commission to implement measures to prevent suicide. This includes treatment, outreach, and financial assistance as the Commission deems necessary. The larger bill, SB912, also includes two new medals of honor, license plate designations, tax deductions, tuition assistance program, and a few other miscellaneous provisions. These provisions are designed to honor and assist veterans, but their practical impact is unknown.

housing

Housing availability and affordability are an ongoing problem in America. People are struggling to find a place to live or to stay in their home as rents are increased and salaries don’t keep up. There were a couple of bills that passed this year that are likely to increase this problem.

An omnibus “Real Property” bill was passed with several provisions relating to housing, HB2062 . The bill is in large part about land banks and how they operate. These provisions may be helpful for areas with strong land banks already formed, but it is at best an indirect impact on housing. The most concerning provisions of the bill relate to the rights of tenants. The bill creates a new process for a landlord to immediately remove someone from their property if they are not legally entitled to be there. This would include tenants whose lease has expired and people who are residing with the tenant but aren’t listed on the lease. There is no requirement other than the person’s presence on the property before the court can issue an ex parte order immediately removing and preventing that person from re-entering the property. This provision is ripe for abuse. The other concerning provision prohibits local government entities from establishing a moratorium on evictions. Most municipalities in America prohibited landlords from evicting tenants during 2020 and 2021 because of the impact COVID had on both the economy and public health. The new law would require action from the legislature before a moratorium could be put in place. The same provision was also in SB895 as a stand-alone bill.

HEALTH

State Representative Chantelle Nickson-Clark introduced HB2875 which would require MO Healthnet to cover breast cancer and cervical cancer screenings even if the provider is not in the MO Healthnet provider network. This language was included in SB1359 which is an omnibus bill with a variety of provisions related to insurance and banking. This language is especially important as the legislation which prohibits any state money from going to Planned Parenthood also passed this year. Cancer screenings are incredibly important to survival rates, and this language will make those screenings more accessible for folks of all income levels.

GOOD BILLS THAT DID NOT PASS

There were a few bills of note which we supported that didn’t make it across the line this year. We expect these bills or ones similar to be introduced again next year. It can be frustrating to watch a bill fail to pass year after year, but it’s important to remember that most bills introduced in Missouri don’t pass. Of the 2,603 bills and resolutions passed this year, only 45 made it through the legislative process in 2024. We will continue to advocate for good legislation and thank the sponsors for their continued efforts.

HB1446 and HB2654 Provides Coverage and Funding for Doula Services - These bills require doula services to be covered as part of maternity care by private insurance and Mo Healthnet respectively.
HB1900 CROWN Act - Prohibits racial discrimination based on protective hairstyles in elementary and secondary schools.
SB890 Missing and Murdered African American Women Task Force - Creates a task force to audit local law enforcement policies and submit a report regarding policies and measures to address violence against African American women and girls to the Governor and General Assembly on or before December 31st of each year.
SB1412 Ebony Alert System - Creates the Ebony Alert System, which is designed to aid in the identification and location of abducted or missing Black youth and young adults who are reasonably believed to be the victim of a kidnapping or trafficking offense as provided in the act.
SB1446 Curriculum Framework on the Dehumanization of Marginalized Groups - Inspired by the work of the family of Celia Newsom, this bill requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop a framework for teaching the history of dehumanization of marginalized groups in Missouri, the United States, and the World.

Tracking ListS

Full List of Bills That Passed: https://govwatch.net/report/19q6z6Pqa7

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 05/13/2024

Mon, 13 May 2024 15:44:15 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

There are just 5 days left in the 2024 legislative session. The legislature must adjourn sine die (without setting another day) before 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Any bills that are required to go to conference committee must be on the desks of the House members before they adjourn on Thursday. There isn't much time left for doing conference committees, and so far no bills have been sent to conference where members from both chambers could sit down to work out the differences between the two versions of the bill.

The house sent the final budget Bill to the governor with just a couple of hours to spare. This was a major accomplishment and required some unusual maneuvering by the House Budget and Senate Appropriations Chairs. The Senate sent the FRA reauthorization to the House late last week, and the House has scheduled its first hearing on the bill for this afternoon at 1:00 p.m. . The House requires 3 of the next 5 days in order to get the FRA reauthorization through the final bit of the process. This assumes no one in the House attempts to amend the bill in any way. They can work on other legislation while this bill is working its way through the 3 days required for its final passage in the House. With the budget and the FRA likely to be on the Governor's desk during the regular session, the potential for some kind of special session becomes very low.

Of the 2,602 bills that were filed this year, 30 have made it to the Governor, including the 18 budget bills. Conflicting reports continue as to whether or not there are enough votes to pass IP restrictions this year, and whether there are any other priority bills the legislature will try to pass before Friday. Both the house and the Senate have calendars full of bills from the other chamber that they could just take up and pass. Some of these are very controversial, and some have broad support. It is likely both Chambers spend their sessions on Monday and Tuesday trying to pick through what they can still send to the governor without much controversy.

voting rights

SJR 74 (Coleman) the initiative petition restrictions that threaten majority rule here in Missouri, are still on the priority agenda for the freedom caucus. The Senate Democrats are ready to stand and filibuster and insist that if they go to a vote of the people, they go without the smoke screen of ballot candy. Procedurally, the bill is pending a vote to accept the changes made by the house. Those changes reinserted a variety of ballot candy provisions that had been taken out in the earlier Senate debate. Strategically, this means there are two choices for Senator Coleman. She can either continue pushing the Senate to accept the House’s changes and face the very uphill battle of getting 18 votes to cut off the Democrats’ filibuster, or she could make a substitute motion to reject the House's changes and ask the House to pick up and pass the Senate version of the bill. As time ticks down, it becomes less and less likely that the House will be able to go to any kind of a conference committee to work out differences between the two versions of the bill. The House could then vote to either accept the Senate version of the resolution, or send it to a conference committee where members from both Chambers sit down to work out differences between the versions.

Tensions will be running high for the next week. Rumors are likely to get more and more far-fetched as we get closer to 6:00 p.m. on Friday. Please know your lobby team at the Jones Advocacy Group, well as the full-time professional lobbyists from our allies, are in the building everyday and every night as the Senate is in session. They are in constant contact with both the Democrats and Republican leadership. They have their finger directly on the pulse of the issue, and are reporting back as things develop. Denise Liberman will send an action alert if and when action is needed.

SJR 78 (Brown 26) is still not on the House Calendar, but is still a potential threat. It could get put on the Calendar early this week. That would set it up for a potential vote in the House to put it on the ballot. Assuming no changes are made, it would not need to return to the Senate for a final vote. That measure contains only citizen language, requires paper or mechanical ballots only, and prohibits any kind of rank choice or approval voting that was not already in place prior to November of this year.

criminal justice

There are three potential crime bills still pending in the Senate. These bills could be vehicles for both good and bad provisions, and as of right now all of them are some mixture of the two. The good time credit language was added to Senate Bill 1659 as we had been requesting, but at the last minute Senator Luetkemeyer changed the language significantly so anyone with a dangerous felony would not be eligible to earn good time credit. This was unexpected, and may explain part of the reason the language has had a difficult time the last couple of years despite being supported by the Department of Corrections. At this point we face the same questions we do almost every year on issues of criminal or civil justice. Do the good provisions make things better than they are currently, and will the bad provisions impact more people than those good provisions will help? These bills are well over 100 pages long, in one case approaching 300 pages, and are still changing and growing. Any bill that does make it out of the Senate will still have to go back to the House for at least one more vote before it moves to the Governor for signing. They could also send it to conference committee where members from both chambers sit down to hash out what the final bill will look like.

Crime Bill Comparison: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IPmHrOzKsTAyZJHI-jme37WmSku1cagN/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104630237112565542110&rtpof=true&sd=true

Call to Action

Please bear with us as we come to the end of this legislative session. These last few days are likely to be very hectic and full of shifting ground. The good news is that anything that isn’t Truly Agreed and Finally Passed (TAFP) by 6pm on Friday will have to start over as a new bill when the legislature reconvenes in 2025. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions..

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/M6q8o0GrzR

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

Successful First Weekend for Cape Girardeau NAACP Canvassing Team

Thu, 09 May 2024 00:39:17 GMT

This year the Cape Girardeau Branch is focused on voter registration. We have formed The Cape Girardeau Branch NAACP Canvassing Team, which consist of students from Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO). The students have registered more than two-hundred students on campus this school year, and are now working with me to register voters off-campus. They have named themselves the "SEMO Democrats." We have received donations from a variety of sources to support the students' efforts.

Prior to canvassing the South Cape Community, the team received training from the Cape Girardeau County Clerk office and me. We wanted them to clearly understand that the NAACP Canvassing team is nonpartisan, what the requirements of the law for registrars currently is, and how to properly make sure only eligible voters are registering through us. We are serving people and not a particular party or agenda - other than the importance of voter participation.

Within two hours, we knocked on fifty-three doors. We held several impromptu conversations on the street. We registered one convicted felon who recently regained their eligibility but wasn't aware.

We met one person who did not want to complete voter registration. I will re-visit this door. The team also had the opportunity to canvass a community event who provided our hard working students food.

I have been canvassing and working as a Cape Girardeau Election Officer since I retired from the State of Missouri in 2015 and have canvassed for voter registration since that time. I have learned that there is much need for voter registration and education activities in the South Cape community. We have families who are not registered to vote; ones who are registered but do not vote; some who need a voter registration record update ; and finally, many who have been on probation in the past and do not realize they are eligible to

vote. I am proud of our students and our branch for making this project a priority.

We plan to canvass weekly on Saturday (weather permitting) through October 2024.

I will provide updates on our registration progress as we work to make sure every eligible voter in our area has a chance to register.

We really appreciate the support of the MO State Conference of the NAACP!

Project to Assist the MO Bootheel Regional Consortium with Maternal Health Project

Tue, 07 May 2024 22:18:49 GMT

Collaboration with MO NAACP & The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Bless Families in Southeast Missouri

Sikeston, MO - The Missouri State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (Missouri NAACP) in collaboration with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is donating baby products, diapers, and food commodities to Missouri Bootheel Regional Consortium (MBRC) to distribute based upon the ongoing crisis of poor and inadequate maternal health resources in the region and the recent issues caused by the closure of two large employers.

This collaboration will provide much-needed maternal and infant wellness commodities to 600 families enrolled in MBRC programs as well as food assistance to 2,000 individuals in the area.

MBRC is a not-for-profit community-based organization located in the southeast corner of Missouri. For more than a decade, MBRC has participated in the Maternal Child & Family Health Federal Healthy Start program to improve outcomes for families with expecting parents and newborns. This includes a doula training program, providing supplies and education to expecting parents, and support for the family during the first two years of a child’s life.

The first shipments are expected to be delivered over an extended period of time.

During the planning for shipments related to maternal health, Missouri NAACP identified an urgent need for food supplies after the sudden closing of the Magnitude 7 aluminum smelter and the earlier closing of the Tyson Chicken plant. To meet this unexpected need in the area, The Church of Jesus Christ recently sent a semi-truck of food to the SE Missouri Food Bank.

The Church gives assistance without regard to race, religious affiliation or nationality. Aid is based on the core principles of personal responsibility, community support, self-reliance and sustainability.

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 05/06/2024

Mon, 06 May 2024 15:46:35 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

We are facing the last two weeks of Session. The budget’s Constitutional deadline is Friday at 6pm. If the budget is not done by then, the legislature will have to pick it up again in a Special Session called by the Governor. That Special Session could happen any time between Saturday and when the fiscal year ends on June 30. The Federal Reimbursement Allowance (FRA) is far from done as it needs 1 more vote in the Senate and to go through the entire House process. At this point, it will require the waiver of some of the rules on timing to get done. Also causing tension is the lingering IP Restriction Resolution. All three of these issues are intertwined and all three of them are highly likely to spark a filibuster from one faction or another.

voting rights

SJR 74 (Coleman) is sitting on the Senate Senate Bills with House Amendments Calendar. Calendars do not indicate the day a bill will be debated, only that it could be brought to the Floor that day. Knowing that the bill will be filibustered when it comes to the floor, Senate leadership is going to spend most of this coming week focusing on the budget as they are constitutionally required to do so. MOVPC is asking everyone to remain calm and wait until you hear from Denise if the bill is brought up. We know there are threats around motion of moving the previous question (PQ), we are not overly concerned. Using the PQ is generally considered to be the end of the Senate because if it is used it will result in a cascade of PQ’s because all other debates will result in a filibuster. It is a last resort/nuclear option in the Senate and everyone wants to avoid this outcome at all costs. The JAG team will be monitoring the situation in the building and be in constant communication with everyone in the Senate as well as all of our coalition partners. Again, please keep an eye out for any MOVPC action alerts.

SJR 78 (Brown 26) was passed out of the House Elections Committee and has one more vote before heading to the House floor. Following a lengthy debate in committee it is clear that this bill has unforeseen consequences that could potentially be placed in the constitution. While at this moment, the House is sitting on all Senate bills so that the Senate can focus on the budget, this bill can be brought up anytime after this coming Tuesday. Please keep an eye out for any action alerts regarding this bill.

criminal justice

The increased tension and looming deadlines mean most other bills are stuck behind the log jam. However, there are several things poised to move quickly should the log jam break. Among those are HB2700 and HB2064, the “Comprehensive Criminal” and “Comprehensive Civil” bills respectively. Both bills are being tracked in our bill comparison spreadsheet linked below. They have been pared down to only provisions that won’t spark lengthy debate. They are also likely to continue to change slightly as the Senate finishes its work.

We are expecting Good Time Credit and the restoration of SNAP benefits to people with previous drug offenses to be added to HB2700. As of now, we aren’t expecting any bad language to be added, and are ready to object and get it removed if it is.

Crime Bill Comparison: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IPmHrOzKsTAyZJHI-jme37WmSku1cagN/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104630237112565542110&rtpof=true&sd=true

Call to Action

Please bear with us as we come to the end of this legislative session. Things move quickly and predictions are only good for the 5 minutes it takes to give them. This is also an election year so the political motivations are extremely high. We will notify everyone immediately should anything pass. Otherwise, just keep an eye out for these updates and we will send them when we can.

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/M6q8o0GrzR

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI MATERNAL HEALTH PROJECT IS A GREAT SUCCESS

Thu, 02 May 2024 16:46:55 GMT

Collaboration with MO NAACP & The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Bless Families in Southeast Missouri.

Press Conference

Thursday May 2, 2024, 3pm

111 W High, Jefferson City, MO 65102

Media Contact

Olivia Pener

573-375-5705

info@monaacp.org

This collaboration will provide much-needed maternal and infant wellness commodities to 600 families enrolled in MBRC programs as well as food assistance to 2,000 individuals in the area.

The first shipments are expected to be delivered over an extended period of time. During the planning for shipments related to maternal health, Missouri NAACP identified an urgent need for food supplies after the sudden closing of the Magnitude 7 aluminum smelter and the earlier closing of the Tyson Chicken plant. To meet this unexpected need in the area, The Church of Jesus Christ recently sent a semi-truck of food to the SE Missouri Food Bank.

In 2018, The Church of Jesus Christ and national leadership of NAACP called for greater civility and racial harmony. The Church of Jesus Christ strives to care for those in need by engaging in humanitarian efforts, including prioritizing the care of women and children. The Church gives assistance without regard to race, religious affiliation or nationality. Aid is based on the core principles of personal responsibility, community support, self-reliance and sustainability.

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 04/29/2024

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 15:35:06 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

Things are getting even more tense in the Missouri General Assembly. The House has passed the budget off to the Senate who is taking their time getting it to the floor. The Freedom Caucus is blocking movement on just about everything. The Senate leadership seems to change up strategy for getting the budget done as often as people change socks. All this adds up to the general consensus that less than 50 of the 2596 bills filed this year will make it to the Governor. More alarmingly is the concern that the budget may not get done before the Constitutional Deadline of 6pm, Friday, May 10, 2024.

voting rights

SJR 74 (Coleman) has passed the House and is now heading back to the Senate. This is due to the amendments that were added in the House as any changes necessitate the bill returning to its original chamber for debate. The Senate now has to make a decision: accept the changes and pass the bill, or reject the changes and send the bill to a joint conference committee. In either case, the bill must be debated on the Senate floor where the Democrats have made their position clear. All of the ballot candy must once again be removed from the bill or they will filibuster until the end of session. The only way the bill passes as is is if the majority party uses the motion of moving the Previous Question (PQ). They would need eighteen votes in order to forcibly end debate and as of writing this report the majority party does not have the votes. We are expecting a long couple of weeks with a few overnights but ultimately we believe the bill will have all of the ballot candy removed and placed on the ballot in November.

The House floor debate on SJR 74 was quite long and very intense at certain moments. The final vote count in the House was 102-49 with 11 absent. It was a straight party line vote save for the one Republican to vote against it: Majority Floor Leader and next Speaker of the House Jon Patterson. We were a little surprised that the debate went as long as it did (nearly 2 hours on the House floor is unheard of). In most cases, after maybe 20 minutes or so, the majority floor leader would move the previous question and end the debate. We believe because of the importance of this legislation it was given enough time for a lengthy debate. The Democrats in the House did a fantastic job fighting to protect one person-one vote and we thank them for all of their efforts. We also want to give a little extra appreciation to the ones who got up to speak against the bill including Eric Woods, David Tyson Smith, Deb Lavender, Jamie Johnson, Joe Adams, Kevin Windham, Lakeysha Bosley, Peter Merideth, Barbara Phifer, Maggie Nurrenbern and the leadership of the House Democrats who helped organize the fight including Minority Leader Crystal Quade and Minority Whip Ashley Aune. Please be sure to reach out to these Representatives and thank them for everything they have done and continue to do to protect our rights.

The bill now sits on the Senate Calendar: Senate Bills with House Amendments and will remain there until it is brought up again for debate.

criminal justice

There are a number of omnibus crime bills that are still in a good position to be sent to the Governor if the log jam breaks. These include provisions such as good time credit and limits on phone fees. The bill numbers we are carefully tracking include: HB2064 , HB1659 , HB2700 , HB1886 , and HB1777 . They are likely to be combined into 1 or 2 comprehensive bills sometime this week.

Crime Bill Comparison: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IPmHrOzKsTAyZJHI-jme37WmSku1cagN/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104630237112565542110&rtpof=true&sd=true

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/M6q8o0GrzR

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

NAACP SUPPORTS LOCAL VOTERS RIGHT TO CHOOSE THEIR GOVERNMENT

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 21:33:59 GMT

The Missouri legislature is taking away the rights of the voters in St. Louis to run their own local government.

This isn't a new tactic. Since the Civil War, the State of Missouri has tried to remove self-governance from our two metropolitan areas — the two areas of our state with large black populations. The statute that gave control to the State Board of Police Commissioners in the first place was passed by Claiborne Fox Jackson, a pro-slavery Missouri governor who didn’t want St. Louis, which supported the Union, to have control of its own ammunition arsenal. St. Louis finally regained control of their police department a decade ago.

The same racist thought process that led Confederate sympathizers to take control away is in play today. It is impossible to ignore the clear racist motivations behind the move to block accountability of the St. Louis Police Departments to the people they serve.

Springfield has a very similar crime rate to Kansas City and it is still rising, but no one is talking about needing to take over their law enforcement agency. This isn't about crime prevention. Simply put, the state legislature doesn’t want a city with different political leanings and racial makeup than the Governor to be able to make decisions about how they govern.

State Control of Local Police blocks real accountability to the people the police are sworn to protect. In every city in the country except Kansas City, the voters elect a local government that hires and oversees the local police force. This would take away any ability for the local elected officials to do the job they were elected to do — run the local government. The Mayor and Board of Aldermen would no longer be able to control the budget and policies or even choose the head of the local police department. All of these functions will be under a statewide board of unelected people appointed by the Governor. The ability of the local voters to make their voices heard will be diluted by the statewide vote for governor. We have already seen this happen in Kansas City.

The NAACP believes all our rights flow from the right to elect our government. Without this crucial voice, we are not a government of the people. The crime rate in St. Louis City is dropping and Chief Tracy is working hard to improve working conditions for officers. We need to trust the people of St. Louis City to choose the government that works for them. Anything else will serve only to further erode trust between the community and the police. The NAACP is asking the Missouri legislature to trust the exact same people who voted them into office to choose what's best on the local level.

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 04/22/2024

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 00:50:01 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

The days are counting down for the 2024 Missouri legislative session. The bill tally is not increasing but the tension certainly is. Last week the Senate adjourned abruptly on Tuesday and took a “30 minute” recess that lasted for 6 hours on Wednesday. By the end of the week they had passed out two controversial pieces of legislation, and narrowly avoided protracted debates in the process. The Senate still has to work on the Budget and a key piece of legislation called the “Federal Reimbursement Authorization” which funds hospitals. There is also a long list of Gubernatorial appointments that still need to be confirmed before May 17. It’s expected that the total number of bills passed this year will be under 50. Last year the legislature passed 57 total bills, including 20 budget bills. We think we will beat that record this year.

voting rights

SJR 74 (Coleman) is on the House perfection calendar. This means that it can be brought up at any point. As a reminder, because it is a Senate bill that was amended in the House it must return to the Senate for debate. The Democrats have already promised that they will filibuster the bill if the ballot candy remains on. The bill will likely pass out of the House with all the ballot candy on it. The main issue now is the Senate. Without a budget passed, which the Freedom Caucus has already threatened to slow down and possibly filibuster, the likelihood of a motion to move the previous question (PQ) becomes increasingly plausible. In order to have a PQ, 5 senators must sign on to bring the motion to the floor and 18 senators must vote in favor. They will need 3 consecutive PQ votes to force a bill through. The problem is once that door is opened, it will likely be the end of the Senate for this year as all bills coming through will have to go through the same process. Once they do the first PQ, more are likely to follow. Once the final House vote is done, we encourage everyone to contact their Senator and urge them to say no to a PQ and vote down the bill. Many of these will be at the last minute so please closely monitor for any action alerts from MOVPC.

On Monday, 4/22, the House Elections Committee will hold their likely final committee meeting to vote on the two Presidential Preference Primary bills, HB 1525 (Bucheit-Courtway) and HB 2895 (Gregory). We are expecting that both of these bills will pass out of committee but will likely go no further as there simply isn’t enough time to get them through. However, having a vote on these bills is very important and will likely help us in the future.

During what was the final public hearing, we heard HB 1445 by Representative Jaime Johnson. This bill would designate the general election day as a state holiday. Most members of the committee were on board with the idea although there were some concerns regarding the fiscal note that had its own issues. All-in-all it was good that we are talking about it and we are pushing for it to be heard earlier next year.

During the hearing this last week, Chairwoman Peggy McGaugh stated that it was the last meeting of the House Elections committee for public testimony. Because it was the final time, Chairwoman McGaugh allowed Ranking Minority Party member Joe Adams to the Chair the committee as a sign of respect. Representative Adams did a fantastic job and served his constituents and the state very well. Rep. Adams is unfortunately termed out but his legacy will live on as we continue to fight the good fight. We would like to thank everyone who came down to Jefferson City to testify in person and those who took time to send testimony. We couldn’t have done this without all of your support.

criminal justice

The comprehensive crime bills, HB1659 had a hearing last week. It’s expected to be voted out of the Senate Committee this week. The bill is an attempt to re-pass provisions from last year’s vetoed comprehensive crime bill, SB189 (2023). We have asked for amendments to be added, including informant transparency, closing the death penalty judicial loophole, and caps on phone fees.

The comprehensive corrections bill, HB1777 , was finally referred to Judiciary. The hearing will likely take place next Monday. The current bill has a lot of good provisions and a few bad ones. We are working with the Judiciary Chair, the bill sponsor, and the Senate handler on what the final bill will look like.

A bill that would reduce the use of the death penalty, HB2468 , was voted out of the House General Laws Committee. The bill is now stuck waiting for a referral to a House Rules Committee by Speaker Plocher. We are not hopeful the referral will happen, but are working on attaching the language to another bill. The good news is, we have a strong vote count of House members who support the concept that the death penalty should be rarely imposed and only by a unanimous jury. A slightly smaller number is supportive of repealing the death penalty altogether. This is language that is likely to at least pass the House next year.

The informant transparency bills ( HB2648 & SB1271 ), will be offered as an amendment on bills in the Senate before the end of session. While the prosecutors continue to drag their feet on working with us to find a compromise, we will continue to push forward.

upcoming hearings

Senate-Select Committee on Empowering Missouri Parents and Children

SB1125 (Brown) Prohibits public institutions of postsecondary education from requiring the submission of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

calls to action

If you have any questions about any of the legislation mentioned here or the legislative program generally, please contact President Chapel or Olivia Pener.

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/M6q8o0GrzR

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

Lincoln University Chapter President Testifies on the CROWN Act

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 23:46:29 GMT

"Black people were never intended to be American citizens."

While testifying in favor of state legislation that would have passed the C.R.O.W.N. Act and protected Black Missourians from facing hair discrimination in the classroom and the workplace, Lincoln University NAACP Chapter President Makhi Jaff plainly stated to the members of the House Special Committee on Urban Issues that if the intent of our nation's founders was to include the voices of Black people, we would not need to fight to protect ourselves from mistreatment. President Jaff's words reminded our legislators not only that we will continue to advocate for ourselves, but also that our young leaders are just as fierce and capable of strong leadership as their older counterparts.

Clemency for Brian Dorsey

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 23:18:21 GMT

The Execution of Brian Dorsey

On Tuesday I joined again with members of the Missouri Catholic Conference and Missourians Against the Death Penalty at a noon vigil outside the Governors Office at the State Capitol. We were there to oppose the 10th execution that has ocurred during the six year tenure of Governor Parson. We stood in prayerful support of three distraught cousins of Brian Dorsey who was later executed that evening for the 2006 murder of his cousin ( and theirs) , New Bloomfield residents , Sarah Bonnie and her husband, Benjamin. His lawyers said the the murder had ocurred during a drug induced psychosis and that he had been rehabilited and has been recognized by prison officials as a model prisoner. Numerous corrections officers, state legislators, concerned citizens, including his former high school football coach, Coach Pete Atkins, and members of his family signed petions for clemency. Governor Parson again ignored pleas for mercy. In my prayer offered at the somber event I lamented that “Governor Parson is guided by the retribution of his politics and not the mercy of his faith…. Gracious mercy is called for and the Governor has chosen the way of death. We lament that our state continues to commit murder rather than the redemptive alternative of clemency which would have allowed Brian to continue the path of his reformed life.” Tragically, that will no longer be possible. So help us God!

Rev. Dr. John H. Bennett
Disciples of Christ Clergy (ret.)

“Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an everflowing stream.”
(Amos 5:24)

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 04/08/2024

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 23:02:31 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

This year is marked by the longest possible legislative session, leap year, early easter, and now an eclipse. You don't have to be superstitious to notice all of the phenomena are correlated to a strange legislative session. Did these things cause the budget to be late and the Senate to be locked in multiple filibusters on issues unrelated to the legislation on the floor? Probably not, but it makes for a better story if they are.

Last week and the coming week tend to be slow as bills begin to cross over to the next chamber. Missouri doesn't have official deadlines for committee action or cross over dates, but unofficially, if a bill hasn’t been voted on in its original chamber by Tax Day, it’s likely dead. This leads to lots of abandoning of the original bill number(s) and looking for amendment strategies.

student organization discrimination

The Senate Education Committee heard a bill last week, SB 1446 , that would require the State Board of Education to form a work group called the "Humanity Education Curriculum Framework Work Group" for purposes of developing a curriculum framework that teachers may use when teaching students in grades 6-12 about the dehumanization of marginalized groups in Missouri. The bill was brought to Senator Brian Williams by the family of Celia Newsom who was an enslaved person who had been repeatedly impregnated by the man who claimed to own her. She killed him in self-defense and was hung on the courthouse steps in Fulton, MO. Stories like Celia's provide important context for the society we live in today. The goal of the work group is to develop curriculum to tell stories like hers.

voting rights

SJR 74 (Coleman) was voted out of committee this last Tuesday. As expected, the ballot candy was added back in via an amendment by Representative Brad Banderman. This amendment caused quite a bit of debate among the committee members. During this debate Representative Ken Waller emphasized that the one of the reasons the language was being put back in was to appease the Senate sponsor of the bill. Representative Eric Woods retorted by stating that they were not elected to do what the Senator wishes. Representative David Tyson Smith also spoke out against the amendment, defending the work the Senate Democrats did to remove the ballot candy only for the House to put it back. Included in the amendment was a provision not present in the original Senate version: a public forum for all ballot initiatives to be hosted by the Secretary of State. This is problematic because as Representative Donna Baringer put it, “what is to stop the Secretary of State from putting their personal input about the ballot in the public forum presentation?” After a lengthy debate, the amendment was added and the bill was voted out of committee down a party line vote. The debate ended with an impassioned speech by Representative Joe Adams who reiterated the racist roots of these attempts and the ties to slavery that these restrictions have. The bill has one more vote before it heads to the House floor to be debated. As a reminder, because an amendment was added, the bill must return to the Senate for one more deliberation.

SB 1120 (Carter) was voted out of committee by a unanimous vote. This is a good sign that both parties agree that the caucus system is a problem and have a desire to return to the Presidential Preference Primary. We will continue to support the return of the Presidential Preference Primary and will continue to work on the issue. The bill is now heading to the Senate calendar to be debated on the floor.

SJR 78 (Brown-26) was debated on the floor of the Senate this week and was amended and ultimately passed. This bill is a strange one as it seeks to preemptively ban Ranked Choice Voting, Approval Voting, or any other system that allows someone to vote for more than one person per position. It also includes the “only citizens” ballot candy and some strange provisions regarding paper ballots and voting machine verifications. During debate, there was a lot of confusion about municipal elections including but not limited to school board elections, Kansas City and St. Louis mayoral elections, and St. Louis aldermanic elections and whether or not this bill would apply to them. It was apparent that there is a very clear lack of education surrounding these forms of voting. The resulting amendment excluded any area that already had these alternative voting systems in place and specifically excluded school board elections. Although the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition does not take a stance on these alternative voting systems, we support everyone’s right to choose how they wish to vote. As a reminder, because this is a Senate Joint Resolution , this bill must be voted on by a majority of the people. We will continue to oppose this bill as it heads over to the House.

criminal justice

The comprehensive crime bills, HB1659 and SB754 , are moving slowly but surely through the process. They are currently poised for debate in the opposite chamber. The bills both attempt to re-pass provisions from last year’s vetoed comprehensive crime bill, SB189 (2023). The bills are slightly different, but both contain more good than bad provisions. The team at JAG is putting together a spreadsheet showing the different provisions of these bills as well as the corrections bills.

The comprehensive corrections bill, HB1777 , was turned in to the Senate and will likely be referred to Senate Judiciary soon. We have already talked to the bill sponsor and the Senate Judiciary Chair about removing the mandatory minimum sentences language. The language would include convictions that did not result in terms of imprisonment in the calculation for the percentage of a sentence that must be served before being eligible for release. Currently, only prior convictions that resulted in imprisonment are counted when determining this percentage. In addition to issues of justice and over-incarceration, the current overcrowding situation in Missouri is leading to hundreds of unnecessary deaths and violence. The Senate may also be willing to add a few other non-controversial provisions before sending it back to the House for approval. This does make the bill slightly less likely to pass, but is necessary given the harm caused by the Hovis Amendment.

The Clean Slate bills, HB2555 , was voted out of committee. The bill includes automatic expungement for a variety of offenses. It is a major improvement over the current expungement system in Missouri. The only objections to the Clean Slate concept are related to the burden on the circuit court clerks. The way Missouri’s charging codes work mean that most cases will have to be actually opened and inspected for eligibility. This has been a major problem in relation to the marijuana expungement that passed on the ballot in 2022. The leads on the Clean Slate language are working with the clerks, the Missouri Supreme Court, and the bill sponsor to find solutions to the concern.

upcoming hearings

No Public Hearings Scheduled this Week

calls to action

If you have any questions about any of the legislation mentioned here or the legislative program generally, please contact President Chapel or Olivia Pener.

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/M6q8o0GrzR

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

DEATH ROW: ONE WAY OUT

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 22:22:19 GMT

For just a brief moment, I would like the reader to visualize themselves only having one week to live; knowing that you only have 7 days left to speak to loved ones ... cherish fond memories ... to breathe the sweet breath of life ... trying to make peace with your fate in the best way that you can. Imagine thinking about all of the opportunities you took for granted ... mistakes you've made along the way ... the harm you've caused to yourself and others. Imagine waking up every day and counting down the hours ... minutes ... seconds ... until your eyes will close for the last time. Envision yourself waking up on that final day, to what you know will be the last 24 hours of your life on this Earth. Eating your final meal and knowing it will be the last food you ever taste. Imagine being led Into the death chamber and seeing the look of pain on the faces of those you have hurt as well as your friends and family. Feel your heart beating faster by the minute, as if it also realizes that the beats will soon cease. Imagine spending hours pondering what your last words will be, and praying that God truly will have mercy on your soul for all of the wrong you have done in your lifetime.

My desire is to tap into the hearts of mankind to ensure that people fully grasp the agony that delivers a daily assault on the minds and souls of those on death row. It's been said that death by lethal injection is one of America's most painful and inhumane ways to die. Taking one life for another is not the solution; it only perpetuates death which the law of God forbids. For the men and women across the country facing death row, no one knows their struggle - they only see the outcome of what they have been charged for. Society has a way of removing humanity from the inmates in the prison system and labeling the vast majority, if not all, of those who are incarcerated as monsters who are incapable of change.

Despite the crimes we have been charged with, each one of us is still a human being and it is hard to carry on feeling as though no one loves you. If prison is supposed to be about correction and rehabilitation, why is more time not spent trying to understand why those who are incarcerated have become the people that they are and why they commit these crimes in order to attempt to correct the

thought processes? Even in the beginning stages of going through the judicial system, why is more effort not placed on psychological treatment for individuals? It seems as if more focus is placed on getting a conviction than on truly trying to help those who go before the judge. Although it is man who has sentenced you to die, it's God who provides eternal life. The following is my humbling experience living among a few of those individuals who were on death row in Missouri.

When I first arrived at Potosi Correctional Center in January of 1999, I did not know what to expect. Being surrounded by men on death row was somewhat confusing at first. The fact that I was 23 years old at the time serving Life without Parole was stressful enough in itself, but there was something about death row inmates that was different. Their presence had a unique kind of energy. For the ones I remember dearly, I can still hear their names: DJ, SD, Stan, Rambo, Marlone, Big Moe, and Jarome Mallete. The one thing I quickly noticed about these men was that despite being sentenced to die, their hearts were filled with love; there was no sign of bitterness in them, only worry of what was to come. For me, the precious moments I spent with these individuals were priceless. They are still remembered as if they were just yesterday, replaying over and over again on the movie reel in my mind. I would watch how these men interacted with one another, as well as with new death row inmates; doing their best to spend their time in good spirits. If we weren't all busy trading "war stories," there were debates about politics, religion, laws, entertainment, or whatever the hot topic of the day was. You never saw a death row inmate become violent or harm anyone. I would listen in humble silence as one by one they poured their hearts out to me in their stories of what caused them to be on death row. Each one of them carried a deep sadness and expressed sincere regret and remorse for what they'd done. One of the things that impacted me the most is that despite all coming from varying backgrounds and being on death row for different reasons, all of them told me something similar at the end of their stories...

"It may be too late for me, and I'm ok with that ...

But for you, Antwann? You still have a fighting chance ... "

I had grown close to one of the guys In there whose name was Mose Young, but we all called him "Big Moe". We would have deep, meaningful conversations and he once told me, "If just one of us on death row makes it back out alive, a part of all of us made it." I watched as the tears rolled down his face while he told me this, and the sincerity in his voice was heart wrenching. I was so engrossed in the conversation we were having that reality took on a whole new meaning.

Each one of those men that I was incarcerated with at that point in my bid made it very clear that they had lost trust and hope in this judicial system. It was their only desire to gain faith in their maker, God. Living carefree and running wild was the life we had chosen, but many of us knew that this lifestyle would prove to be short-lived. For those living on death row, the stress and anxiety of not knowing when your day, time and final hour will come to die creates an emptiness of fear deep inside.

I found this to be so true when we all found ourselves mourning the loss of "Rambo", the first individual to be executed after I arrived. When Mose (Big Moe) was escorted off to be executed I was in tears because of the bond we had developed, and to watch him walk out of that door; knowing that he would never return; filled me with a mixture of emotions that ranged from sadness to anger. Not long after he left, breaking news came across the TV screen. It was the St. Louis City Assistant Circuit Attorney Jane Geiler. She was giving a press statement to the media expressing that she was being threatened with the loss of her career if she revealed the truth that there was wrongdoings involved to secure the conviction against Big Moe.** It was announced that he would be given a stay of execution, and everybody rejoiced. It was an emotional moment because there was a prosecutor speaking in his favor, which was a rare occurrence. Big Moe was given a 30 day stay, but the excitement was short-lived because the stay was revoked and Big Moe would indeed be executed. It was in the moment that we all received the bad news that someone in the wing placed their boom box radio at the foot of their cell door where there was a 2-lnch gap at the bottom and turned their radio on; playing the song "Life Goes On" by 2Pac. It was a very painful time for everyone who knew Big Moe.

Even though all 7 men I once lived with have been executed, I've managed to not focus so much on their deaths. What really counts is what I've learned and gained from them while they were here. It took me 47 years to finally realize and accept that death is inevitable. Everyone has a dash in between their birth date and the date of their death. Only God has the power to decide who goes and who stays, but it's up to us to decide how we choose to live our lives and what to fill in that dash with. For me, being told by detectives during my arrest and interrogation that I was facing the death penalty was overwhelming in itself. Actually experience being around those who were on death row helped me to understand how precious life truly is and to be grateful for the things which I used to take for granted. Often times we don't understand how truly blessed we are until we are placed in a situation which the things that we should have been holding sacred are taken away. Especially if you end up making the unfortunate life decisions that leave you on death row with only one way out.

Please become an advocate to abolish the death penalty.

**You can read more about the circumstances surrounding Mr. Young's case by reading the opinion of the Eighth Circuit: Mose Young v. Jennifer Joyce, 218 F.3d 850 (8th Cir. 2000)

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 04/01/2024

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 20:43:36 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

This last week the legislature resumed business following a week-long break. The hope was that everyone would return to the capitol refreshed, relaxed, and perhaps leaving the animosity of the previous weeks behind. This was not the case. The same old fights picked up just where they had left off and with seven weeks left in this year’s legislative session, expect the deadlock to get much worse. This is generally a good thing as it means very few bills that could threaten the Seventh Amendment will get through.

The focus of the House this coming week will be entirely on the budget. The legislature is constitutionally required to pass a budget and they are running out of time to get it done. We do not expect much else from the House other than the budget.

student organization discrimination

HB 1518 (Hudson) was second read in the Senate and was referred to the Senate Government Accountability Committee. While it is not the best committee that it could’ve been referred to, it is certainly not the worst. Given the makeup of the committee members, we are not expecting this bill to move with any sense of urgency. We will continue to monitor this bill and will notify you when it is scheduled for a hearing. We are asking folks to send Shira and Robert their stories involving college students and student organizations and how they would be negatively impacted by this bill. Any stories about discrimination by student groups would also be very helpful.

voting rights

SJR 74 (Coleman) is now scheduled to be voted out of the House Elections Committee on Tuesday, 4/2, at 11:00 AM. As public testimony has closed, they will not accept anymore testimony about the bill. However, we encourage everyone to contact their legislators and the legislators on the House Elections Committee to please vote against this attack on our rights. We will be monitoring the bill for any amendments to reinstate the ballot candy language that was previously on the bill. As a reminder, any changes to the bill will result in the bill being sent back to the Senate where our legislative allies are prepared to block it.

HJR 86 (Black) was debated and perfected in the House this last week. This is another IP Restriction bill that contains all of the ballot candy from SJR 74 and also raises the threshold for a petition to even be placed on the ballot. It still has a final third read vote before it can head to the Senate. Our understanding is that the Senate still wants SJR 74 to be the main IP bill so HJR 86 is unlikely to move if it makes it to the Senate. We will continue to monitor and push back against these attacks on our democracy. During the debate on the House floor, Representative Joe Adams began to give a history lesson on the racist and slavery roots of these restrictions. He was interrupted and told to stop because the discussion was “not about the bill at hand.” This is just another blatant example of racial minorities being ignored and disregarded for bringing up uncomfortable truths. We would like to thank Representative Joe Adams and all House members who stood up to help protect our rights.

SB 1120 (Carter) is scheduled to be voted out of committee this coming Tuesday at 1:00 pm in the Senate Elections Committee. We are encouraging everyone to contact their Senator and ask them to vote yes on this bill and to reinstate the Presidential Preference Primary.

HB 1749 (Haffner) is scheduled to be voted out of committee this coming Tuesday at 1:00 pm in the Senate Elections Committee. We are encouraging everyone to please contact their Senator and ask them to vote no on this bill. As any changes would send it back to the House, we are monitoring the hearing for any amendments that could derail this legislation.

criminal justice

The comprehensive crime bills, HB1659 and SB754 , are still waiting for their committee hearings in the opposite chamber. The bills both attempt to re-pass provisions from last year’s vetoed comprehensive crime bill, SB189 (2023). The bills are slightly different, but both contain more good than bad provisions. The team at JAG is putting together a spreadsheet showing the different provisions of these bills as well as the corrections bills. It will be available at the link below as it is being created.

The hearings on the Clean Slate bills, HB2108 and HB2555 , went very well. These bills both include automatic expungement for a variety of offenses. There are slight differences between the two, but both are an improvement over the current expungement system in Missouri. The only objections to the Clean Slate concept are related to the burden on the circuit court clerks. The way Missouri’s charging codes work mean that most cases will have to be actually opened and inspected for eligibility. This has been a major problem in relation to the marijuana expungement that passed on the ballot in 2022. The leads on the Clean Slate language are working with the clerks, the Missouri Supreme Court, and the bill sponsor to find solutions to the concern. The bills are scheduled for a committee vote later this week.

upcoming hearings

No Public Hearings Scheduled this Week

calls to action

Send thank you note to Representative Alex Riley for holding the hearings on the Clean Slate bills (alex.riley@house.mo.gov).
If you have any questions about any of the legislation mentioned here or the legislative program generally, please contact President Chapel or Olivia Pener.

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/M6q8o0GrzR

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 03/18/2024

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 22:35:16 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

This week is legislative spring break. For the next 5 days legislators will be back in their home districts having meetings and events, or taking a much-needed break on vacation with their loved ones. This legislative session is the longest allowed under the Missouri Constitution, and tensions were running high going into the break. With 11 weeks before the break and 8 weeks after the break, we can only hope that a rest will mean legislators return to work ready to pass the budget and the FRA. The House did not get the budget out of committee prior to the break; so it is very likely that will be their first order of business and the budget will take up the bulk of floor time for the week they return. The Senate got a couple of major "priorities" through before the break, but not the FRA. So far, the tension in the Senate continues to dominate the calendar.

student organization discrimination

HB 1518 (Hudson) has not moved since our last report. As of the time of writing this report the bill has not been referred to committee yet. Please keep an eye out for any alerts from Robert or Shira regarding a committee hearing on this bill, as you will be informed as soon as we know. Now would be a good time to contact your Senator and let them know to oppose this bill.

voting rights

SJR 74 (Coleman) was heard in the House Elections Committee this past Tuesday afternoon. It was quite a long hearing with a completely packed room and over 800 pieces of testimony submitted online, with 97% in opposition. We would like to thank everyone who came down and testified and those who submitted testimony online. During the hearing, Senator Coleman asked the House committee to reintroduce the “ballot candy” language that was removed during the 21 hour Senate filibuster prior. When asked if bringing back this language would result in another filibuster when it goes back to the Senate, Senator Coleman discussed using the “PQ” or previous question which is designed to shut down debate and force a vote on the bill. It is considered in extremely poor taste to discuss this prior to the debate and even more so to discuss this with the lower chamber (meaning the House). The following day, the Senate Democrats led by Minority Floor Leader JJ Rizzo began a filibuster to grind all Senate business to a halt in retaliation for the attack against them. The Democrats spent several hours discussing why what Senator Coleman said was in bad taste and showed the Senate that they will not simply give up on their position. It was a sign that the dysfunction in the Senate still remains even as we head into the weeklong break.

On Tuesday, March 26th at Noon in the House Elections and Elected Officials Committee will be hearing two identical bills to reinstate the Presidential Preference Primary. HB 1525 by Rep. Cyndi Buchheit-Courtway and HB 2895 by Rep. Kurtis Gregory both reinstate the Presidential Preference Primary and will likely be heard together. We will once again be testifying to show our support to reinstate this process. We are encouraging anyone who can come down to the Capitol to do so and testify in person at the hearing. If you are not able to travel on Tuesday, you are able to submit testimony online.

On Monday, March 3/25 at 2:00pm in the Senate Elections and Local Government Committee will be hearing HB 1749 by Representative Mike Haffner. Among other provisions in this bill, it would restrict petition circulators by requiring them to be Missouri residents and prohibiting paying signature gatherers based on the number of signatures gathered. This is yet another attempt to make it harder for people to utilize the initiative petition process. We will be testifying against this bill and we are encouraging everyone to come and testify in person as the Senate does not accept any online testimony. We are all encouraging everyone to contact their Senator and ask them to oppose this bill.

criminal justice

The comprehensive crime bills, HB1659 and SB754 , are still slowly moving through the process. The bills both attempt to re-pass provisions from last year’s vetoed comprehensive crime bill, SB189 (2023). The bills are slightly different, but both contain more good than bad provisions. HB1659 has been referred to Senate Judiciary and is likely to have a hearing before April 1. SB754 has been sent to the House and will also likely have a hearing soon. The team at JAG is putting together a spreadsheet showing the different provisions of these bills as well as the corrections bills. It will be available at the link below as it is being created.

The comprehensive corrections bill, HB1777 , was brought up and Perfected last week. This means the bill was amended and voted on by the full House. Unfortunately, a very bad provision that changes the way minimum sentences are calculated was added to the bill. The language, amended by Representative Barry Hovis, would include convictions that did not result in terms of imprisonment in the calculation for the percentage of a sentence that must be served before being eligible for release. Currently, only prior convictions that resulted in imprisonment are counted when determining this percentage. In addition to issues of justice and over-incarceration, the current overcrowding situation in Missouri is leading to hundreds of unnecessary deaths and violence.

This bill is also the vehicle for several good provisions including the corrected Good Time Credit language. The bill needs one more vote in the House before it will be sent to the Senate to go through the committee and amendment process there. We will try to get the bad provision removed on the Senate side, but may have to let the entire bill fail because of the effect of the one provision.

In the good news category, two bills, HB2108 and HB2555 , that would clear past criminal records are scheduled for hearings next week. These bills both include automatic expungement for a variety of offenses. There are slight differences between the two, but both are an improvement over the current expungement system in Missouri. We are asking everyone to submit written testimony at the links below. Several groups are also going to appear in person with impacted individuals to show the importance of not allowing past mistakes to prevent a person from moving forward in their life.

Another great bill is also getting a hearing this week. This bill requires any death penalty sentence in Missouri to be handed down by a unanimous jury. Currently, if a jury is unable to come to a unanimous decision, the judge is able to issue a sentence of either life without parole or death. This is not the original intent of the statute, but a decades worth of court decisions has resulted in this interpretation. We are pleased to finally be getting a hearing on this clarifying language. Of the 10 people who are currently eligible for execution in Missouri, two were sentenced by a judge instead of a jury. While this change won’t prevent any additional death sentences from being handed down, it will prevent a single individual from making the decision to order a state-sanctioned murder. Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty (MADP) is organizing testimony on the bill both in-person and written online. If you would like to testify, the link is posted at the end of this report.

upcoming hearings

No Public Hearings This Week Because of Spring Break

03/26/2024 2:00 PM House-General Laws Committee

HB2108 Establishes provisions relating to expungement
Rep. Phil Christofanelli (R)
HB2555 Establishes provisions relating to expungement
Rep. Justin Hicks (R)
HB2468 Modifies provisions relating to trial procedures for murder in the first degree
Rep. Bishop Davidson (R)

calls to action

Send written testimony supporting the bill closing the judicial loophole for
death penalty cases, HB2468.
https://witness.house.mo.gov/Default.aspx?bill=HB2468&noticeid=8700
Send written testimony supporting the Clean Slate bills, HB2108 and HB2555.
https://witness.house.mo.gov/Default.aspx?bill=HB2108&noticeid=8700
If you have any questions about any of the legislation mentioned here or the legislative program generally, please contact President Chapel or Olivia Pener.

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/M6q8o0GrzR

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 03/11/2024

Sun, 10 Mar 2024 21:25:29 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

After a very rough start, the Missouri Senate is working more or less normally. Senator O’Laughlin, the Majority Floor Leader, has found ways to avoid unnecessary conflict or to end the day when things get too personal or combative. The tentative peace means that a group of relatively non-controversial measures were passed out of the Senate in the last 10 days or so. The House continues to work through the list of bills that have been passed out of Committee at a regular pace. Unfortunately, they have not started sending budget bills to the Floor yet. The traditional thought is that the House should have the budget to the floor before Spring Break begins. This will not happen this year as the bills have not officially had hearings yet. Over the next week, we can expect the House to work less on the floor as they allow the Budget Committee to meet to go over the bills, make amendments, and eventually vote them out of Committee.

student organization discrimination

The bill that allows student organizations in colleges and universities to illegally discriminate in their bylaws, membership, and other activities, HB 1518, has now passed the House and has been introduced in the Senate. It will still have to go through the committee process before it can be debated on the Senate floor. As of the time of writing this report the bill has not been referred to committee yet. Please keep an eye out for any alerts from Olivia or Rod regarding a committee hearing on this bill. Now would be a good time to contact your Senator and let them know to oppose this bill.

voting rights

The attempt to restrict the citizen initiative petition process, SJR 74, is now scheduled for a hearing in the House Elections and Elected Officials on Tuesday, March 12th at Noon. As it stands, the only part of the bill that remains from its original form is the concurrent congressional jurisdictions. We are asking everyone to come down and testify in person against this attack on our constitutional rights. If you are unable to travel to Jefferson City, you can submit your testimony online as the House does accept online testimony. This is our best chance to stop this bill from passing so we are encouraging everyone to help stop this attack on majority rule. Please coordinate with Connor Luebbert if you would like to come testify against this bill.

On Monday, March 11th at 2:00pm, the Senate Local Government and Elections Committee will be hearing SB 1120. This bill would reinstate the presidential preference primary elections that were stripped out in HB 1878 from 2022. It would return them to the first Tuesday in March every year there is a presidential election. Our allies with the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition are in support of this legislation. The Republican Caucuses, which were held earlier this month, were a disaster of confusion. The Democratic Party is attempting to hold a vote to determine the Missouri Democratic Presidential preference, but that system is causing confusion as well. In order for the highest number of Missouri voters to participate and have their voice heard, we need a standard and well-run system. Going back to a State-Run Primary is the best way.

criminal justice

The comprehensive crime bills, HB1659 and SB754, are still moving through the process. The bills both attempt to re-pass provisions from last year’s vetoed comprehensive crime bill, SB189 (2023). The bills are slightly different, but both contain more good than bad provisions. HB1659 has been referred to Senate Judiciary and is likely to have a hearing as soon as we return from Spring Break on March 25. SB754 has been sent to the House and will also likely have a hearing as soon as it is eligible. The team at JAG is putting together

The comprehensive corrections bill, HB1777, was brought up briefly last week but hasn’t finished the Perfection process yet. The list of amendments that are eligible to be put on the bill are available in the “Bill Documents” section of the bill page. The JAG team worked with the Public Defenders, the private defense attorneys, and the Department of Corrections to get the language on Good Time Credit cleaned up. The language will now require the Department (not the individual wardens) to calculate the amount of credits that the offender earned off their sentence and apply it to the entire sentence length. This means that every date calculated off that sentence will also be moved up. So parole hearings would happen earlier, as would the conditional release date and any other date that is calculated off the entire sentence. The number of days earned will vary with each program based on length of the program, but will range between 5 and 360 days with a maximum of 90 days in a year. This is more than what is currently in the Missouri Code of State Regulations for Good Time Credit. Getting this language right has been difficult, but it’s important to make sure any change in the statute is better than the current policy.

upcoming hearings

03/11/2024 1:30 PM Senate-Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee

SB951 Establishes the penalty of death for certain sexual offenses
Sen. Mike Moon (R)
SB1372 Creates new provisions relating to illegal immigrants
Sen. Bill Eigel (R)
SB1468 Modifies provisions relating to the condemnation of property
Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer (R)

03/11/2024 2:00 PM Senate-Local Government and Elections Committee

SB1045 Modifies provisions relating to street light maintenance districts
Sen. Angela Mosley (D)
SB1120 Reinstates the Presidential Preference Primary Election
Sen. Jill Carter (R)
SB1389 Modifies the compensation of circuit clerks
Sen. Sandy Crawford (R)
SJR84 Exempts certain disabled veterans from property taxes
Sen. Angela Mosley (D)

03/12/2024 8:00 AM Senate-Select Committee on Empowering Missouri Parents and Children Committee

SB882 Modifies the required school year start date for school districts in which a charter school operates
Sen. Greg Razer (D)
SB1056 Increases the maximum gross income for eligibility for the Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant
Sen. Rusty Black (R)
SB1153 Requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to conduct safety assessments of all public schools in the state
Sen. Angela Mosley (D)
SB1203 Establishes provisions relating to transparency of school staff straining, instructional, and curricular materials
Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman (R)
SB1208 Provides that the State Board of Education shall cause its annual report to be published on the website of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Sen. Andrew Koenig (R)

03/12/2024 12:00 PM House-Elections and Elected Officials Committee

SJR74 Modifies provisions relating to constitutional amendments
Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman (R)

calls to action

Attend the MADP Lobby Day on March 12th
Lobby day- bit.ly/MADPLobbyDay2024
Please send stories of unacceptable conditions inside of correctional facilities.
Let Olivia Pener or Sandy Jiles know if there is a week between now and May 17th you are willing to be on call to come to the Capitol on short notice.
If you have any questions about any of the legislation mentioned here or the legislative program generally, please contact President Chapel or Olivia Pener.

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/M6q8o0GrzR

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

A Call to Action: The Fight for Justice and Equality in Missouri

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 18:50:25 GMT

A Call to Action: The Fight for Justice and Equality in Missouri

In a time when progress should be marching forward, Missouri stands at the precipice of a legislative move that threatens to hurl us back into the shadows of discrimination and segregation reminiscent of the Jim Crow era. Senate Bill 980, while masquerading as an attempt to lessen regulatory burdens on small businesses, is a stark reminder of the continuous efforts to undermine diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in our state.

Thanks to the Jones Advocacy Group, we've been alerted to this bill's Jim Crow implications. Senator Rusty Black, the bill's sponsor, insists it's about reducing regulation. However, the reality is that SB 980 broadly targets DEI initiatives—so broadly, in fact, that it could prevent companies from considering or discussing skin color and race in private contracts. This isn't just a step backward; it's an outright leap into regressive, discriminatory practices we commonly refer to as Jim Crow - putting discrimination in the law. Even more concerning is the fact that the bill was put forward not by a member of the far right culture wars caucus, but by a well respected mainstream Senator. The casual attitude towards resegregation in the law is terrifying.

NAACP opposition to this bill is firm and unwavering. Drawing from the lessons of the Travel Advisory and the repercussions of SB 43—which essentially legalized discrimination in Missouri—I've voiced my concerns, highlighting the Jim Crow nature of SB 980. Please recognize the danger it poses not just to DEI efforts but to the fabric of our society.

This bill is a stark reminder of the challenges we face as Black people in Missouri. It underscores the urgency to be flexible, responsive, and supportive of the NAACP and groups fighting on the front lines for justice and equality. We need you in this fight. Join the NAACP today and oppose this measure. If you are already a member, consider giving an additional donation to support our efforts. www.monaacp.org .

The bill's likely demise is a testament to the power of collective action and advocacy. Yet, we cannot become complacent. We must remain vigilant, informed, and ready to act against any legislation that seeks to diminish our rights or silence our voices.

I urge you to familiarize yourself with Senate Bill 980 and understand its implications. Work with us as we strategize and fight against this and other challenges to our community. Let us show that in Missouri, we will not stand quietly by while the efforts our mothers and fathers fought and died for are discarded less than two generations after they were passed.

Together, we can overcome these turbulent times and continue to champion the cause of justice and equality for all Missourians. Let's make our voices heard in the halls of the Capitol, in the streets, and at the ballot box. The fight for justice and equality needs every one of us, now more than ever.

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 03/04/2024

olivia@jonesadvocacy.com (Olivia Pener) — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 16:33:10 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

We have now entered the third month of the 2024 legislative session and it would appear that the log jam in the Senate has begun to break. Both chambers of the Missouri Legislature are moving forward with legislation both in committees and on their respective floors for debate. Both chambers are appearing to be productive but it is very apparent that anything controversial could immediately derail this apparent harmony.

lobby day recap

We would like to say thank you to everyone who was able to attend our press conference and mini lobby day last week. We had lots of good conversations with legislators on both sides, including many members of the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus.

attacks on dei

This week continued the trend of attacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion not only in our schools but in our workplaces. SB 980 (Black) is another one of these attacks that focuses on private companies. The hearing about this bill was this last Thursday, and it was a highly contentious one as there was a lot of pushback, particularly from business groups who don’t like the government telling private businesses what they can and can’t do. We testified against this bill.

student organization discrimination

HB 1518, the focus of last week’s mini lobby day, is on the House Informal Calendar. This does not mean it will come up on any given day, but it does mean that it could be debated at any time. We will continue to educate legislators on the dangers of the legislation and just how broadly it is currently drafted.

initiative petition restrictions

Now that SJR 74 has passed the Senate and been read a second time in the House, it can be scheduled for a committee hearing at any moment. The only requirement is that we are given a minimum of a 24-hour notice before the hearing. Please keep an eye out for any action alerts regarding this bill.

HJR 86 (Black) has been placed on the House calendar and can be brought up for a floor debate at any time as well. While we do not expect it to move quickly, we encourage everyone to contact their respective legislators to vote against this bill.

SJR 78 did not receive a vote in committee last week as it did not have enough votes to pass. It is scheduled for another vote this week.

comprehensive crime bills

Two comprehensive crime bills, HB1659 and SB754, are progressing quickly through the process. The bills both attempt to re-pass provisions from last year’s vetoed comprehensive crime bill, SB189 (2023). The bills are slightly different, but both contain more good than bad provisions. The bills are a good representation of the current tension felt by legislators between wanting to decrease the number of incarcerated people and a desire to punish the high profile crimes we are seeing today. So far, no bills have been introduced that would address root causes of criminal activity such as increased funding for schools and after school programs or robust expungement and prevention of discrimination in housing for people who have been incarcerated.

comprehensive corrections bill

The comprehensive corrections bill, HB1777 , should be brought to the House floor soon. At least two more positive provisions should be added during the perfection debate. This includes the correct Good Time Credit language, the elimination of fines and fees in juvenile court, and caps on fees for phone calls in jails and corrections facilities. We will be keeping a close eye on the bill as it moves forward. The bill currently contains the following provisions:

Access To Snap Benefits For Previous Drug Convictions
Ban On Restraints On Children In Juvenile Court
Documents For Inmates Released From Corrections
Ban On Restrains For Pregnant Offenders
Requirements For Care Of Pregnant Offenders
Admissibility Of Evidence From Minors In Criminal Cases
Good Time Credit (Needs Amendment)

state control of st. louis police department

The House version of the bill that would put control of the St. Louis Police Department in the hands of the Governor’s hand-picked board is moving forward. This controversy started while Kim Gardner was the Circuit Attorney for St. Louis City, but has not ended since her resignation last year. The desire to control the two areas of the State with high black and brown populations is not a coincidence. The crime rate for Springfield and Greene County is rising and is almost identical to that of Kansas City, but no one is calling for a takeover of Springfield’s law enforcement. Kansas City is currently the only area of the country that doesn’t control its own law enforcement. That scheme hasn’t led to anyone in the legislature praising their low crime rate or suggesting they are a model metropolitan area; so, why do the legislators think putting St. Louis under the same scheme will make anyone safer. What it will do is create a law enforcement agency that is more concerned about keeping the state legislature happy than in serving their own citizens.

upcoming hearings

03/04/2024 8:00 AM Senate-Committee on Empowering Missouri Parents and Children

SB918 Establishes provisions relating to public school curriculum and instruction

Sen. Denny Hoskins (R)

calls to action

Register for the Day of Empathy on March 6th: https://www.mobilize.us/dream/event/598957/
Attend the MADP Lobby Day on March 12th
Training - bit.ly/MADPTraining2024
Lobby day- bit.ly/MADPLobbyDay2024
Please send stories of unacceptable conditions inside of correctional facilities.
Let Olivia Pener or Sandy Jiles know if there is a week between now and May 17th you are willing to be on call to come to the Capitol on short notice.

If you have any questions about any of the legislation mentioned here or the legislative program generally, please contact President Chapel or Olivia Pener.

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/M6q8o0GrzR

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 02/26/2024

olivia@jonesadvocacy.com (Olivia Pener) — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 01:05:34 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

While it felt like the previous week flew by quickly (since it did end early), this past week felt like it took an entire month to wrap up. This was the week that we had been waiting on and dreading as the sole focus of the Senate was squarely on initiative petition restrictions. There were late nights, personal attacks, and a few moments of childish antics that all culminated in the passage of SJR 74. We will discuss this more later on in this report. The fighting has continued to deepen the divide amongst the moderate Republicans and the Freedom Caucus and united the Democrats into a solid front against them. Even with this issue seemingly put to bed, we still have a rough couple of months ahead of us.

The House continues to work through its legislative priorities with the occasional grandstanding, albeit less than the Senate. Bills are finally being debated on the House floor, votes are being taken and are now being run into the log jam that is the Missouri Senate. Don’t be fooled by the apparent cohesion of the House as there is plenty of controversy and infighting bubbling just beneath the surface.

initiative petition restrictions - sjr 74

The moment that we have been preparing for has truly come to pass: SJR 74 was third read and finally passed this last Thursday. While there had been some discussion last week, the leadership in the Senate decided that SJR 74 was to be brought up on Monday and would not be put to rest until it was done. Around 4:00 pm on Monday, SJR 74 was brought up for debate and the Democrats began their filibuster. They worked around the clock, pairing off and debating in shifts so that their other colleagues could rest up for their turns. They made it clear that they would not rest until their demands were met and they had the capacity to do so. After nearly 21 uninterrupted hours, the Republicans gave in and introduced an amendment that was the compromise the Democrats were asking for: the removal of ALL ballot candy, leaving only the congressional concurrent jurisdictions. This way, they cannot trick voters into giving their rights away. The amendment was added by a narrow 18-12 margin and the final bill was voted do pass by a party line vote. SJR 74 has now been sent to the House, where it will proceed through the same process of committee hearing to floor debate. If the House does not change the bill in any way it can be voted out and sent straight to the ballot in November. If the House does change the bill, once it is voted out of the House it will be sent to a joint chamber conference committee where it will be discussed and changed to compromise on the language. If the ballot candy is placed back into the bill, expect another lengthy filibuster by the Democrats. The Democrats showed great strength and unity in holding the line and we want to thank them for their efforts.

more ip restrictions

HB 1749 (Haffner) was voted out of the House this last week. This bill has restrictions on the process of bringing an initiative to the ballot itself. Provisions of this bill include but are not limited to invalidating all signatures if a court changes the ballot title significantly, restricting payments to petition circulators based on number of signatures, and residency requirements for said petition circulators. Since this bill is not a joint resolution, it does not require a vote by the people and will become law if signed by the Governor. We are strongly opposed to this bill and will continue to challenge it both in the legislature and in the courts as there are constitutional questions about the residency requirements.

SJR 78 (Ben Brown) is going to be voted out of Senate Elections this coming Monday. This bill has restrictions regarding voting machines and paper ballots, a pre-emptive banning of ranked choice/approval voting, and most importantly contains the problematic “only citizens” language that the Freedom Caucus desperately wants included. The likelihood of this bill being debated on the floor is minimal because the Senate is tired of debating the issue. However, it could be used as a compromise because of the “only citizens” language. We will continue to oppose and monitor the bill.

HJR 86 (Black) is another IP restriction bill that has congressional concurrent jurisdictions along with “only citizens” ballot candy, raising the threshold to put the IP on the ballot, and giving the General Assembly exclusive authority to enact laws enforcing provisions to the IP process. This bill is up for a vote in the House Rules - Legislative Oversight committee which does not accept testimony. Given the knockdown dragout fight regarding IP in the Senate, if this bill is voted out of the House it will most likely go nowhere in the Senate. We will continue to fight against these attacks.

There are a few other IP restrictions that are in committees and are moving slowly but we highly doubt they will move too much given how much of a fight it was to get SJR 74 out of the Senate. We will continue to monitor and oppose any and all attacks on our democratic process.

comprehensive crime bill

A bill, HB1659 , that attempts to re-pass the provisions from last year’s vetoed comprehensive crime bill has made it to the Senate. We don’t know when this bill will be heard in the Senate, but don’t expect it to move until some of the Senate deadlock is broken. This year’s version is missing a few provisions, but still has a couple of positive provisions. The bill ends different sentencing guidelines for crack cocaine and powdered cocaine. It also raises the age at which juvenile offenders may be certified as an adult for most crimes. The bill isn’t great, but the remaining provisions are minor in comparison to some of the extremely harmful bills we are fighting this year.

comprehensive corrections bill

The comprehensive corrections bill, HB1777 , also advanced this week. We expect it to be brought to the floor soon. At least two more positive provisions should be added during the perfection debate. This includes the correct Good Time Credit language, the elimination of fines and fees in juvenile court, and caps on fees for phone calls in jails and corrections facilities. We will be keeping a close eye on the bill as it moves forward.

diversity, equity, and inclusion

HB2619 et. al. will be voted out of the House Rules committee today. This anti-DEI bill supersedes all other anti-DEI bills and will be the vehicle for anti-DEI legislation. We expect this bill to be a lengthy debate once it hits the House floor and will be a major source of contention if it makes it over to the Senate.

student organizations bill

The bill that allows student organizations to illegally discriminate while receiving state resources was voted out of the Rules committee this last Monday. The bill is now in the hands of House Majority Floor Leader Jon Patterson. We are working with his office to determine when or if the bill is scheduled to be brought to the floor. If this bill does receive floor time and potentially voted out of the House, the likelihood of passing out of the Senate without controversy is slim to none. If you haven’t already, please contact your legislator and ask them to vote against this bill.

upcoming hearings

02/26/2024 12:00 PM House-Special Committee on Government Accountability

HB1763 Establishes provisions relating to prosecuting and circuit attorneys

Rep. Justin Hicks (R)

02/28/2024 12:00 PM Senate-Progress and Development

SB890 Creates the “Missing and Murdered African American Women Task Force”

Sen. Angela Mosley (D)

SB969 Creates new provisions on discriminatory practices related to hair

Sen. Barbara Washington (D)

SB1099 Establishes the “Cronkite New Voices Act” to protect the freedom of press in school-sponsored media

Sen. Barbara Washington (D)

calls to action

Attend the NAACP Leaders Lobby Day on February 27th
Register for the Day of Empathy on March 6th: https://www.mobilize.us/dream/event/598957/
Attend the MADP Lobby Day on March 12th
Training - bit.ly/MADPTraining2024
Lobby day- bit.ly/MADPLobbyDay2024
Let Olivia Pener or Sandy Jiles know if there is a week between now and May 17th you are willing to be on call to come to the Capitol on short notice.

If you have any questions about any of the legislation mentioned here or the legislative program generally, please contact President Chapel or Olivia Pener.

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/M6q8o0GrzR

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 02/19/2024

olivia@jonesadvocacy.com (Olivia Pener) — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 19:37:49 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

This week was cut short by the celebration of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win. Both the House and the Senate adjourned for the week Tuesday afternoon. There were a few hearings on Wednesday and Thursday, including lengthy Budget hearings. The Senate spent their limited time on the floor debating changes to the initiative petition process, and the House worked on a few comprehensive bills to send over to the Senate. The House seems to have shifted focus to the Budget to try to get that language over to the Senate floor as quickly as possible.

comprehensive crime bill

A bill, HB1659 , that attempts to re-pass the provisions from last year’s vetoed comprehensive crime bill was perfected in the House last week. This year’s version is missing a few provisions, but still has a couple of positive provisions. The bill ends different sentencing guidelines for crack cocaine and powdered cocaine. It also raises the age at which juvenile offenders may be certified as an adult for most crimes. The bill isn’t great, but the remaining provisions are minor in comparison to some of the extremely harmful bills we are fighting this year.

comprehensive corrections bill

Unlike the comprehensive crime bill, the corrections bill, HB1777 , is full of good provisions. It includes:

Access to SNAP benefits for people with prior drug convictions.
Prohibition on restraints on children in juvenile court.
Requires the Department of Corrections to provide ID documentation and interview training to inmates scheduled for release.
Prohibits restraints on pregnant inmates in their third trimester and requires certain levels of care for all pregnant inmates.
Provides certain protections for children testifying in court.
Modifies the current “Good Time Credit” provisions of the law. THIS SECTION STILL NEEDS SOME WORK!

The bill was voted out of Committee last week. It needs one more Committee vote before it is eligible to be debated on the House floor.

voting rights restoration

The bill that would restore voting rights to people on probation and parole was voted out of the Senate Elections Committee last week. The Senate climate is such that the bill won’t likely be discussed on the floor any time soon, but having the committee vote makes it easier to attach the provision to other bills as they come to the floor.

diversity, equity, and inclusion

The hearing on the bills, HB2619 et. al. , to prohibit state spending on DEI initiatives or programs and to prohibit medical schools from doing any training in DEI was held on Tuesday before the House members left for the Chiefs Parade. The hearing was full of professional associations and medical professionals asking the legislature to consider the practical harm the bill would cause. The language is likely to be combined under HB2619 and voted out of Committee on Tuesday.

student organizations bill

The bill that allows student organizations to illegally discriminate while receiving state resources is likely to be voted out of the Rules committee on Monday. The bill will then be in the hands of House Majority Floor Leader Jon Patterson. We are working with his office to determine when or if the bill is scheduled to be brought to the floor.

upcoming hearings

02/20/2024 2:00 PM House-Healthcare Reform

HB2654 Creates provisions relating to maternal health care services

Rep. LaKeySha Bosley (D)

HB2671 Creates provisions relating to maternal health care services

Rep. Jamie Gragg (R)

02/21/2024 4:30 PM House-Corrections and Public Institutions Committee Hearing

HB1679 Creates provisions regarding the use of phones in correctional facilities
Rep. Michael Davis (R)
HB2169 Establishes provisions regarding the use of phones in correctional facilities and jails
Rep. Aaron McMullen (R)

calls to action

Attend Missouri Day of Empathy - Support Criminal Justice Reform on March 6th
https://www.mobilize.us/dream/event/598957/
Attend Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty Lobby Day - Support Proposals to Reduce and Eliminate State Murder on March 12th
Training - bit.ly/MADPTraining2024
Lobby day - bit.ly/MADPLobbyDay2024
Let Olivia Pener or Sandy Jiles know if there is a week between now and May 17th you are willing to be on call to come to the Capitol on short notice.

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/M6q8o0GrzR

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

MISSOURI'S NAACP LEADERSHIP ADVOCATES FOR ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 17:45:10 GMT

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT: Press Conference and Missouri NAACP Leadership Lobby Day

NAACP Leaders from across Missouri will come together to advocate for legislative policies that promote

dignity for all humans. There will be a press conference to discuss the various lobby days that NAACP is

partnering on this year. Following the press conference, attendees will visit legislators to discuss the

organization’s legislative priorities.

WHO: Officers of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP and its Local Units

President Nimrod Chapel, Jr. will speak to the press along with other featured local leaders and members of

the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus.

WHEN & WHERE: 1:00 pm, Tuesday, Feb. 27, in the 1st Floor Capitol Rotunda.

WHY: A variety of legislative proposals have been filed this year that would prohibit DEI training and policies

in education and State agencies, take-over of law enforcement in Missouri’s two majority non-white metro

areas, and would allow people to carry concealed weapons in places of worship without permission or

knowledge of the leadership. Other proposals that would allow for increased voting rights, support doula

services, and provide for full funding of Lincoln University’s agriculture program are not receiving the attention

the importance of the issues warrant.

These kinds of legislative proposals require active participation in the legislative process as well as engaged

and informed voter participation. In addition to focusing on legislative proposals, the leaders of the NAACP

are working to make sure all eligible voters are registered and provide information on the upcoming elections

to their members and anyone else seeking to educate themselves before going to the polls.

Link to Full Advisory

My Idea of Living the Dream

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 23:17:48 GMT

Springfield NAACP Essay Contest Winner - Malik, 8th Grade

Living the dream to me is not to be discriminated against because of the way I look or how I'm supposed to talk and walk. Not have these stereotypes for the rest of my life because for most of my life I have been told by people at school how black people are supposed to be. Some white people have said, "You're black so you need to wear your pants low," and all these other stereotypes. For a long time, I felt like if I was white then maybe I would be accepted and not be discriminated against. I felt like I wasn't good enough for the world and maybe I just shouldn't be here because clearly people hated me and wanted me to be gone.

One of the worst stereotypes in my opinion is how black people are supposed to act. Like I act the way I act, how else am I supposed to act? Stereotypes shouldn't be put on anyone. Stereotypes: an often unfair an untrue belief that many people have about people or things with a particular characteristic. Black people have been through so many terrible, horrible, unimaginable things because we don't look the same.

Bayard Rustin way Martin Luther King, Jr.'s right hand man. One of Rustin's most notable contributions to the African American Civil Rights Movement was his plan of the 915 march on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. "We need, in every community, a group of angelic troublemakers." (Bayard Rustin 1912 - 1987) Some challenges he faced were because in 1953, he was an outwardly gay man who faced discrimination because he was gay and African American.

In the words of MLK, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. ... I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.'"

Another way of living the dream is to always love yourself no matter what happens because there are many things that could be worse. We all have gone through things but the bad things are what make us stronger and more vigilant. As Fredrick Douglas once said, "If there is no struggle, there is no progress. If you can't fly, then run. If you can't run, then walk. If you can't walk, then crawl. But whatever you do you have to keep moving forward."

My idea of living the dream is to be accepted for who I am. Black is amazing, strong, resilient. We are so much more than the suffering.

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 02/12/2024

olivia@jonesadvocacy.com (Olivia Pener) — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 22:13:59 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

If you thought this week was going to be any different in the Missouri General Assembly, I am sorry to disappoint you. The Senate has spent another week in interpersonal negotiations and jockeying for position. The goals of the leadership of the Senate are very clear, they intend to do the necessary business of the people. Senator Caleb Rowden and Senator Cindy O’Laughlin are very focused on the Federal Reimbursement Act Authorization (FRA) before they do any other business. Rather than tackling the FRA directly at first, they are trying to offer an olive branch by first passing statutory language to prevent any State money from going to Planned Parenthood. The bill is being carried by Senator Mary Elizabeth Coleman, and is one of her long-term priorities. There is a rumor that Missouri Right to Life thinks the language in Senator Coleman's bill does not go far enough and is asking for amendments. The bill is currently the order of business that is before the Senate, with a point of order still pending. This means that when the Senate reconvenes on Monday, they will have to first deal with the point order. Before they can move on to other topics or finish the work on that bill. Once the bill dealing with my parenthood funding is completed one way or another, the plan is to go directly to the FRA.

The House on the other hand, continues to work through legislation, although at a slower pace than they started. They are getting ready to load up the House Floor Calendar. With a variety of legislation that was recently voted out of Committees, the House has plenty of flexibility to work on issues that they think are important to pass or that will make political points. We are still hearing not much legislation is likely to make it to the Governor. The House budget process has been quietly working in the background, and should start picking up steam and committee hours in the next couple of weeks. The mood in the capital among long-time observers and Senior Legislators is one of frustration. Most people when asked what will actually get passed this year shrug.

Discrimination in Higher education

The House Special Committee on Government Accountability heard HB 1518 by Rep. Brad Hudson which claims to prohibit colleges and universities from “discriminating” against student organizations based upon their belief systems. In actuality, this bill allows for hate speech and hateful conduct to be protected and spread on campuses. There was quite a bit of debate during this hearing both in support of and against the bill. Representative Stephanie Hein (D) actually pointed out some major issues surrounding the bill which brought about some pushback even from the Republicans on the committee. It is clear that this bill is still more contentious than we’re sure the sponsor had intended. The bill is scheduled to be voted out of committee this coming Monday. We will be monitoring the hearing to watch for any amendments.

diversity, equity, and inclusion

Last year, a hot button issue for certain members of the Republican Party was the use of DEI in anything funded by the state. This year appears to be no different. On Tuesday at 2:00pm the House General Laws Committee will be hearing 4 separate anti-DEI bills that are essentially the same. Three of these bills are sponsored by the usual suspects of this type of legislation (Reps. Ben Baker, Doug Richey, and Brad Hudson). The fourth sponsor is Rep. Cody Smith who also happens to be the chair of the House Budget committee, meaning he has quite a bit of influence in the MO House. He also supported an amendment last year that did precisely what these bills aim to do, although the amendment was defeated on the House floor. The scope of these bills is to prohibit state departments from spending money on any initiatives that they consider to be DEI, although the definitions they use in the bills is misleading. Please coordinate with Shira or Robert if you’d like to come testify in person. If you are unable to testify in person, you may submit testimony online up until Midnight on Tuesday, 2/13.

comprehensive corrections bill

Several provisions that would affect the lives of incarcerated people were combined into a single bill, HB1777 . The bill is being carried by Rep Chad Perkins who is dedicated to making the criminal courts more fair and the corrections centers more humane. The bill now contains the following provisions:

Repeals Provisions That Ban People Convicted of a Drug Crime from Receiving SNAP Benefits
Prohibits Restraints on Juveniles in the Courtroom in Most Circumstances
Requires DOC to Provide Identification Documents and Interview Skills Training to Inmates Upon Release
Prohibits Restraints on Women in the Third Trimester of Pregnancy in Most Circumstances
Increases Care Requirements for All Incarcerated Pregnant Women
Raises the Age for Protected Testimony and Adds Vulnerable Person to the List of People Whose Testimony is Treated Differently
Good Time Credit Language (still needs some work)

This bill will now go to another committee for an additional vote before going to the full House. It will then need to start the process in the Senate where chaos is still the order of the day.

voting rights issues

Voting Rights Restoration

We had a fantastic hearing in Senate Elections discussing SB 1199. The bill is continuing to have bi-partisan support and is already scheduled for a vote out of committee this coming Monday, Feb. 12th at 2:00pm. We will be in attendance to ensure that it passes out clean. The House version (HB 1927) is seemingly stalled out in House Judiciary for personal reasons, but Rep. Stinnett has begun shopping the language around to try to get it included on another bill that is likely to pass. We will keep you updated on the situation as it progresses.

IP Restrictions

The chaos of the Senate has been to our benefit as any changes to the Initiative Petition process in the Senate has been held up by discussion about defunding planned parenthood and trying to pass a clean FRA. The House, meanwhile continues to chug along and will be voting out some of their versions of IP Restrictions including concurrent congressional districts (HJR 72), concurrent state senatorial districts (HJR 86), the vetting by general assembly bill (including an increase to 55% threshold to passage - HJR 119), and increasing the amount of signatures required to put a initiative on the ballot (HJR 67). We will monitor this hearing for any amendments and will continue to oppose them as they make their way to the House floor.

upcoming hearings

No Hearings Scheduled at this Time

calls to action

Attend Missouri Day of Empathy - Support Criminal Justice Reform on March 6th
https://www.mobilize.us/dream/event/598957/
Attend Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty Lobby Day - Support Proposals to Reduce and Eliminate State Murder on March 12th
Training - bit.ly/MADPTraining2024
Lobby day - bit.ly/MADPLobbyDay2024
Let Olivia Pener or Sandy Jiles know if there is a week between now and May 17th you are willing to be on call to come to the Capitol on short notice.

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/M6q8o0GrzR

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 02/05/2024

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 17:45:22 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

Groundhog Day started early this year as the Senate floor was once again prevented from accomplishing even their procedural orders of business by the members of the Missouri Freedom Caucus. They are demanding Senate leadership fast track bills that would restrict the citizen initiative process in Missouri. The Senate leadership is, in this veteran lobbyist’s opinion, doing a good job of navigating the delays. While no one has much hope of major legislation getting to the Governor, there are two necessary items for the Missouri State Legislature to accomplish in order to actually govern the State. Specifically, they are required to pass the state budget and must reauthorize the Federal Reimbursement Act (FRA) legislation. As a reminder, the FRA accounts for about half of hospital budgets statewide and must be reauthorized every 3 years or Missouri hospitals lose out on the Federal money permanently. Even as the well orchestrated chaos prevents the passage of harmful proposals, it is blocking the two obligations of the legislature.

This week the House continued down the path of getting as much done as possible given delays in the Senate. The House passed out an open enrollment bill by bipartisan vote of 86 to 73. This bill would allow public school students to transfer from one district to another and send the State portion of the school district’s per-student funding to the new district. The language was changed in the House Committee to remove some protections for majority free and reduced lunch districts and districts with a high percentage of black and brown students. Prior to the removal of that language the bill was considered relatively non-controversial.

The Senate also has education issues teed up to potentially be debated sometime this week. However, in the Senate the bill language would authorize increased use of charter schools and private school tax credits. It is unclear what orders of business the Senate will be able to get to this week, but the top three issues on the former calendar are, in order: FRA Authorization, Charter Schools and ESA Expansion, and Initiative Petition Restrictions. All this adds up to a very contentious week expected in the Senate, and a calm march down a list of issues in the House.

DEI in Higher education

This coming Monday, Feb. 5th, the House Special Committee on Government Accountability will be hearing HB 1518 by Rep. Brad Hudson (the same Rep. behind the anti-Trans legislation from earlier this year). This bill prohibits a college or university from “discriminating” against religious student groups who deny leadership or even membership in some cases to whomever they want. What this means is that a religious or ideological student group would be allowed to discriminate against anyone who might not be in-line with their beliefs. An example of this was in Iowa where a student was elected to a leadership position in a religious student group but was removed because the student happened to be gay. The aim of this type of legislation is to allow for open discriminatory practices among student groups. We will be there to testify against the bill and we are encouraging everyone to submit testimony in opposition to this bill. Please coordinate with Shira or Robert if you’d like to testify in person.

criminal justice reform

We have scheduled a meeting with the DOC and a representative from the MO Public Defenders’ Office to talk about the issues with the Good Time Credit language. The House Corrections Committee held a hearing on the bill, but the language will still need to be worked out before the bill gets voted on in Committee. We also expect it will be combined into a comprehensive corrections bill with proposals like a cap on phone fees and a prohibition on shackling pregnant women.

voting rights issues

Voting Rights Restoration

The Senate will hear a bill to restore voting rights to individuals who have been released from incarceration on Monday. The House has already had its hearing. We believe most people are in favor of this change, but there are some who are resistant. The Missouri Voter Protection Coalition is leading the work on this issue along with Secure Democracy. We have a plan to work around the few Senators that may try to block its passage. Although, it’s worth noting that because of all the reasons discussed in the intro, the chances of passage this year are low.

IP Restrictions

upcoming hearings

No Hearings Scheduled at this Time

calls to action

Save the Dates! Come to the Capitol to Support Our Legislative Issues

February 6 - MO Education Equity Partnership Lobby Day - Oppose Efforts to Ban Black History Curriculum
March 6 - Day of Empathy - Support Criminal Justice Reform
https://www.mobilize.us/dream/event/598957/
March 12 - MO to Abolish the Death Penalty Lobby Day - Support Proposals to Reduce and Eliminate State Murder
Training - bit.ly/MADPTraining2024
Lobby day- bit.ly/MADPLobbyDay2024
Let Olivia Pener or Sandy Jiles know if there is a week between now and May 17th you are willing to be on call to come to the Capitol on short notice.

If you have any questions about any of the legislation mentioned here or the legislative program generally, please contact President Chapel or Olivia Pener.

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/M6q8o0GrzR

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 01/29/2024

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 17:55:21 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

Drama continues in the Missouri Senate as the Senate leadership that was elected last January starts taking steps to punish the Senators that have been preventing the Senate from conducting regular business. The four Senators targeted were removed as committee chairs, which means their office budget was reduced and they were bumped down in the parking seniority list. Senator Eigel also reportedly had the furniture that is owned by the Senate removed from his office. Regardless of whether or not you want the Senate to be able to conduct regular business and pass legislation this is a reason for concern over the state of politics in Missouri. While the Senate drama has taken up a lot of the oxygen in the room, the House has been quietly going about their regular business in a new way. Speaker Dean Plocher has put several control mechanisms in place to prevent the House from working on anything other than what he deems to be caucus priorities. Committee chairs are limited to two bills from each committee without sign off from Speaker Plocher. Additionally, the number of bills referred is relatively low as Speaker Plocher picks and chooses which priorities he wants the House to work on.The difference in structure and leadership style between the two Chambers is by design, but is also exacerbated by the current political mood in the capitol. It will be interesting to see how long this level of animosity can continue. As recently observed by a long-time capitol denizen, “It takes a lot of energy to be this outraged. It’s hard to keep it up week after week.”

discrimination and cultural competency in education

This week we expect the House and possibly even the Senate to start taking up education legislation. The only thing on the House calendar is the public school open enrollment bill. The bill started as non-controversial, but changes in committee have caused concern over the intentional re-segregation of schools. The Senate has two bills on its calendar - the FRA Authorization and a bill that expands private school tax credits and charter school authorizations. The FRA Authorization is the only bill, other than the budget, that must be passed this year. Without the FRA Authorization, hospitals will lose out on Federal money that makes up approximately 50% of their operating budgets. The debate over the language is expected to be long and unpleasant. The Senate bill is focused on diverting public school dollars into the pockets of parents who send their children to private schools and to charter school companies. The NAACP is currently opposed to all of the bills that deal with “school choice” or “parents’ bill of rights.” If you have interest in testifying against any of these bills, please reach out to Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

voting rights issues

Tuesday is the MO Voter Protection Coalition lobby day. Several NAACP members are planning to attend. The focus of the lobby day is to oppose initiative petition restrictions, support restoration of voting rights to people on probation or parole, and support election worker protections. Today and tomorrow there are hearings on initiative petition restrictions in both the House and Senate. Denise Lieberman will be there along with several other coalition members to testify against the IP Restriction bills.

criminal justice reform

We are still working with the Department of Corrections to correct the good time credit language. Further research and discussions with criminal defense attorneys brought to light the current policy in place with the Department of Corrections relating to good time credit. The current policy can be read to be much more generous than what is being offered to be put in statute. It is incredibly important to make sure that we get this language right. Missouri is already unusual in that we combine good time and earned time credits into a single category. In other states some number of days off a sentence are available simply by not getting into trouble while you are incarcerated, and another set of days off a sentence are available for engaging in programs. In Missouri, you have to both not get into trouble and participate in programs in order to get a single day of credit applied to your sentence. There is also the problem that the Department of Corrections has fewer and fewer programs available for people to participate in that would lead to them getting time off their sentence. The House Corrections Committee held a hearing on the bill, but the language will still need to be worked out before the bill gets voted on in Committee.

The House held a hearing on a bill to restore voting rights to individuals who have been released from incarceration. Currently, voting rights are not restored until the individual is completely off paper - meaning all probation and or parole terms have been completed. This becomes a problem given the tendency for long terms of probation or parole issues in Missouri. There are many people who have served their prison term and been released by the parole board, but have terms of probation or parole that last decades or even the remainder of their life. This means that some people never stop being punished for a crime and find themselves in the impossible situation of having to participate in society while living under a massive social disability. While restoring voting rights doesn't fix the underlying problem of excessive probation or parole, it does allow a person to regain some of their feelings of social responsibility and dignity.

upcoming hearings

NO HEARINGS OF INTEREST SCHEDULED YET.

calls to action

Attend the MOVPC Lobby Day on Jan 30th 9am - 2pm https://www.movpc.org/movpc-latest-news
Let Olivia Pener or Sandy Jiles know if there is a week between now and May 17th you are willing to be on call to come to the Capitol on short notice.

If you have any questions about any of the legislation mentioned here or the legislative program generally, please contact President Chapel or Olivia Pener.

Save the Dates! Come to the Capitol to Support Our Legislative Issues

January 30 - MOVPC Lobby Day - Support Free and Fair Elections
February 6 - MO Education Equity Partnership Lobby Day - Oppose Efforts to Ban Black History Curriculum
March 6 - Day of Empathy - Support Criminal Justice Reform
March 12 - MO to Abolish the Death Penalty Lobby Day - Support Proposals to Reduce and Eliminate State Murder

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/M6q8o0GrzR

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 01/22/2024

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 18:10:31 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

If you had predicted that the Missouri Senate would enter into an extended filibuster going late past dinner on a random Thursday with no legislation actually on the calendar, you should be playing the lottery. And an incredibly unusual move, senators Bill Eigel and Rick Brattin held the Missouri Senate floor for almost 12 hours. There was no pending legislation, but the move blocked a slate of gubernatorial appointments before the body. The appointments have to be made before February or the people who have been appointed by the governor will not be able to hold the offices to which they were nominated ever in their lifetime. The Freedom Caucus members had repeatedly and unsuccessfully attempted to bring IP Restrictions to the senate floor without going through the committee process. The objections to the citizen initiative process is a response to the pro-choice petition that began collecting signatures this last week. This strategy of early obstruction of non-controversial measures shows just how powerful the Missouri conservatives have become. The debate got very personal at times. As of the writing of this report, nothing has been referred to the Senate regarding IP Restrictions and we truly won't know the repercussions of this tactic until the Senate reconvenes on Monday.

The house in reaction to the lack of movement in the Senate has been trying to get as much done in the early part of session as possible. The house emerging issues committee on Wednesday night works late into the evening to hear legislation dealing with trans youth and bathroom use in the workplace. The house education and education reform committees have already heard legislation dealing with open enrollment and charter schools. The house judiciary committee has already passed out a comprehensive judicial procedures bill. We are expecting to start hearing floor debate on legislation that has been passed out of committee next week in the house. This year will likely continue to be a study in contrast as the house attempts to work at a breakneck pace while the Senate continues to be delivered and focused on a very few number of priorities for each senator.

discrimination and cultural competency in education

Education is definitely the big topic of 2024. Whether it’s open enrollment, charter school authorization, or tax credits for private education tuition (vouchers), there is a lot of energy behind alternatives to the current public education system. All of these proposals would take resources out of the local public schools - even if it is only being shifted to another public school.

We are also seeing parents’ bills of rights and curriculum and book bans introduced again this year. These proposals are a way for those who do not support public education to build a case for using taxpayer dollars to fund private schools. The argument follows the flawed logic that parents should be able to control every aspect of their children’s education even at the expense of the other children in the classroom. Since the locally elected public school boards are focused on quality education for all children, the small but vocal group of anti-public school parents believe they should be able to take their tax money to a private school.

The NAACP is currently opposed to all of the bills that deal with “school choice” or “parents’ bill of rights.” If you have interest in testifying against any of these bills, please reach out to Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

voting rights issues

Election Worker Protections

Last week, the House Elections and Elected Officials Committee heard HB2140 , sponsored by Representative Peggy McGaugh who is the chair of the committee. This is the bill MOVPC has been working on with the County Clerks and Representative McGaugh. It contains the election worker protections that MOVPC supports. The discussion about this bill went very well. Denise Lieberman was present to testify in favor of the bills while advocating for a few small changes. There was overwhelming support for this bill and this issue seems to be gathering momentum and a large amount of bi-partisan support. While we remain optimistic, with the current issues within the Senate it’ll be difficult to get this across the finish line clean. We encourage everyone to voice their support of poll worker protections. The bill is not currently scheduled for Committee Vote. We will keep you informed on when it will be voted out and any changes that may be made.

IP Restrictions

As I stated in the opening, IP Restrictions have once again become a key issue for the Senate. While the Republican caucus in the House has stated that it was one of their key issues for this legislative session, the Senate leadership has been less enthusiastic. The recent movement on the petition to restore reproductive rights has brought renewed focus to the issue. It is now likely that the Senate will be referring IP restriction bills to committee this week. However, the Senate leadership is still holding all other legislation and pushing forward on the Federal Reimbursement Act enabling legislation, the Budget, and the Gubernatorial appointments that need to be confirmed or withdrawn before February. We’ll be keeping a close watch on these bills and where they go and how much support they will get from Senate Leadership.

The House, on the other hand, is moving quickly through Speaker Plocher’s priorities. There is a hearing this Tuesday, 1/23 at 10:30 am on several IP Restriction bills. The bills are HB 1749, HJR 72, and HJR 102. Both HJR 72 and HJR 102 are sponsored by Representative Ed Lewis and require the concurrent majority votes from both statewide and the majority of congressional districts. They are designed to make it harder to pass any sort of constitutional ballot initiatives. Both bills would be required to go to a vote of the people if they were to pass. HB 1749, sponsored by Representative Mike Haffner, makes starting initiative petitions significantly harder and would make it so that if the courts issued a title change after signatures have been gathered, it would nullify all previous signatures. We are strongly opposed to all three bills. Opposing these bills are one of the top priorities of the MOVPC. We encourage everyone to submit online testimony opposing these bills. We have in-person testimony lined up, but the volume of online testimony is a message in itself.

cOMPREHENSIVE CRIME BILL(s)

HB1659 (Roberts 161) - The Comprehensive Crime Bill has been voted out of committee with significant changes. The bill now includes the following provisions:

Juvenile LWOP for 2nd Degree Murder if the Actually Participated in the Killing
Cocaine Parity
Cyberstalking Taskforce
“Persistent Offender” Includes People with a Single Prior Conviction for a Dangerous Felony
Increased Penalty for Unlawful Possession
Max’s Law
Blair’s Law
ACA is an Unclassified Felony
Motion to Vacate Venue Fix
Narrowing of Focus for CPRBs
Allows Funding to Go Into the Public Defender Fund
New Crimes:
Delivering a contaminated controlled substance
Involving a minor in a weapons offense

There is a hearing on Monday on several Senate bills that will likely be combined to create the Senate version of the Comprehensive Crime Bill. The House and Senate versions will likely be identical before they go to the floor. Also, each provision was passed in SB189 from 2023.

upcoming hearings

01/22/2024 2:00 PM Senate-Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee

SB765 Establishes a conviction review unit — Sen. Brian Williams (D)
SB841 Modifies provisions relating to funding for the Office of the Public Defender — Sen. Lauren Arthur (D)
SB861 Modifies provisions relating to expungement — Sen. Brian Williams (D)
SB887 Modifies provisions relating to certification of juveniles for trial as adults — Sen. Barbara Washington (D)

01/23/2024 8:00 AM Senate-Education and Workforce Development Committee

SB780 Modifies provisions relating to student enrollment in the Missouri Course Access and Virtual School Program — Sen. Karla Eslinger (R)
SB867 Authorizes a tax credit for certain educational expenses — Sen. Rick Brattin (R)
SB902 Creates and modifies provisions relating to elementary and secondary education — Sen. Nick Schroer (R)

01/23/2024 10:30 AM House-Elections and Elected Officials Committee

HB1749 Modifies provisions for initiative petitions and referendums — Rep. Mike Haffner (R)
HJR72 Modifies provisions for initiative petitions — Rep. Ed Lewis (R)
HJR102 Modifies provisions for initiative petitions — Rep. Ed Lewis (R)

calls to action

Attend the MOVPC Lobby Day on Jan 30th 9am - 2pm https://www.movpc.org/movpc-latest-news
Let Olivia Pener or Sandy Jiles know if there is a week between now and May 17th you are willing to be on call to come to the Capitol on short notice.

If you have any questions about any of the legislation mentioned here or the legislative program generally, please contact President Chapel or Olivia Pener.

Save the Dates! Come to the Capitol to Support Our Legislative Issues

January 30 - MOVPC Lobby Day - Support Free and Fair Elections
February 6 - MO Education Equity Partnership Lobby Day - Oppose Efforts to Ban Black History Curriculum
March 6 - Day of Empathy - Support Criminal Justice Reform
March 12 - MO to Abolish the Death Penalty Lobby Day - Support Proposals to Reduce and Eliminate State Murder

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/M6q8o0GrzR

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 01/15/2024

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 18:23:04 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

This week was the first full week of the legislative session and the ball has started rolling much faster than anticipated. There was still plenty of grandstanding to be had however. In both chambers you will find that members are using their time to speak as an opportunity to campaign for their next office. This is something we will be seeing all throughout this legislative session.

Both chambers have been second reading and referring bills to their respective committees so the work has actually begun. Inclimate weather has impacted the legislature so there hasn’t been too much work this past week, as everything is being pushed to this upcoming week. There are a lot of committee hearings coming up in the next few weeks so please keep an eye on the action alerts.

So far there have been over 1,500 bills introduced. Topics range from the now too familiar culture wars issues to basic good governance such as making sure schools are able to spend down Federal money to help with safety improvements. Here are some of the major issues that will be coming up this week for voting rights.

discrimination and cultural competency in education

Earlier in the week we heard HB 1989 by Representative Brad Pollit, the chair of the House Elementary and Secondary Education committee. The topic was about school choice and HB 1989 was intended to be a compromise between the pro-voucher groups and the public schools. However, during the testimony, the bill sponsor explained that there were going to be changes. The most consequential change would be the

removal of protections for minority students and a cap on minority student transfers. While originally we had planned to remain somewhat neutral on the bill, perhaps amending the bill slightly, if these removals take place we will stand in full opposition to HB 1989.

On the same day when we heard HB 1989 in the House Ed Committee, we also heard SB 729 and SB 727 in the Senate Education and Workforce Development Committee. SB 729, sponsored by Senator Andrew Koenig, would allow for parents who pay for private tuition to apply for a tax credit to be reimbursed for said tuition. This is a plan that only benefits the wealthiest parents and will harm smaller schools and students in low-income neighborhoods. SB 727, which was also sponsored by Sen. Koenig pertains to the ESA program. It contains a provision that would exempt homeschool parents from having to go through background checks. This could potentially place children into very harmful situations. We are in opposition to both of these Senate bills.

More hearings are expected on Wednesday of this week. If you want to testify against this type of legislation this week, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

voting rights issues

This coming Tuesday, 1/16, at noon the House Elections and Elected Officials Committee will be hearing HB 2140, sponsored by Representative Peggy McGaugh who is the chair of the committee. This is the big election worker protection bill that we are supportive of. It makes tampering with an election official a class one election offense. This is one of our biggest proactive pieces of legislation that has been shown to have

bi-partisan support. There are other provisions in this bill that we are mostly neutral on or supportive of, such as the changing of candidate filing dates (similar to what has heard this last week), absentee voting for new state residents, keeping lists of voters with permanent disabilities private, expansion of provisional ballots, and protections against electioneering activities for absentee voting. The key components of this bill are the election worker protections. We are encouraging those who cannot testify in person to send written testimony in favor of this legislation. Denise will be coming down to testify in person on behalf of MOVPC.

criminal justice issues

Informant Transparency

Interest is growing in the informant transparency bill. There is some disagreement between the various parties supporting the legislation on exactly what the final language will look like. Jones Advocacy Group is gathering the various proposals from supportive groups and will facilitate a discussion between those groups and the prosecutors association. The bottom line is, if anything is going to happen with this issue, it will be after an attempt to satisfy at least some of the concerns from the prosecutors.

Good Time and Earned Time Credit

While there is wide support for expanding and standardizing the kinds of credits an incarcerated person can earn off their sentence, the current language has some significant issues. These issues are easily addressed and Jones Advocacy Group is working with a variety of people who understand how DOC programs work to make sure the credits are feasible and will provide a benefit to most incarcerated people. This includes

making sure good time credits are not dependent on participating in programs and that the credits earned reflect the nature of the program. For example, that a full bachelors degree program isn’t rewarded with just 60 days off a sentence. We will keep you updated as we get closer to the language moving forward.

upcoming hearings

01/17/2024 8:15 AM Senate-Transportation, Infrastructure, and Public Safety Committee

SB808 Creates a series of mandates for St. Louis City Police Department operations — Sen. Nick Schroer (R)

01/17/2024 12:00 PM House-Special Committee on Small Business Committee

HB2062 Prohibits moratoriums on eviction proceedings — Rep. Chris Brown (R)

01/17/2024 1:00 PM Senate-Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee

SB746 Authorizes life without parole for juvenile defendants — Sen. Mike Bernskoetter (R)
SB754 Increases penalties for harm to law enforcement animals — Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer (R)
SB760 Modifies provisions relating to the critical incident stress management program — Sen. Karla May (D)
SB788 Blair’s Law — Sen. Greg Razer (D)

01/17/2024 1:00 PM Senate-Education and Workforce Development Committee

SB728 Parent’s Bill of Rights — Sen. Andrew Koenig (R)

01/18/2024 8:00 AM House-Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee

HB1659 Modifies provisions relating to criminal laws — Rep. Lane Roberts (R)

calls to action

Attend the MOVPC Lobby Day on Jan 30th 9am - 2pm https://www.movpc.org/movpc-latest-news
Let Olivia Pener or Sandy Jiles know if there is a week between now and May 17th you are willing to be on call to come to the Capitol on short notice.

If you have any questions about any of the legislation mentioned here or the legislative program generally, please contact President Chapel or Olivia Pener.

Save the Dates! Come to the Capitol to Support Our Legislative Issues

January 30 - MOVPC Lobby Day - Support Free and Fair Elections
February 6 - MO Education Equity Partnership Lobby Day - Oppose Efforts to Ban Black History Curriculum
March 6 - Day of Empathy - Support Criminal Justice Reform
March 12 - MO to Abolish the Death Penalty Lobby Day - Support Proposals to Reduce and Eliminate State Murder

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/M6q8o0GrzR

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

WEEKLY LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 01/08/2024

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 18:32:48 GMT

The Mood at the Capitol

The Missouri legislature is back at work. The first week of session was a short one with the legislature only being in on Wednesday and Thursday. Unlike even number years, odd numbered years have much less ceremony and organizational matters to attend to so work will get started first thing. In fact, this year the house budget committees were meeting as early as December 1 to try to get a head start on the work of building out the state's budget. There is some doubt as to whether or not this tactic will actually save any time, but regardless, it is what is happening.

While the house is trying to get directly into legislation, the Senate spent the first two days of session in filibusters over disputes that came to a head in the last days of the 2023 legislative session. It is unclear whether anything will have been resolved by Monday. Rumor has it, State Senator Bill Eigel fully intends to continue blocking work until some kind of agreement is made with the Senate Republican leadership. Exactly

what he will be asking for is unknown. For anyone who is trying to block harmful measures though, the Senate looks to be even more dysfunctional than it has been in the last couple of years.

guns in places of worship

Tuesday at 2pm the House General Laws Committee will hold a hearing on a bill that would allow concealed firearms in churches and other places of worship without the knowledge or permission of the faith leaders. We know that places of worship are often the target of hate crimes. We also value the autonomy of the leaders of each faith community. The default option should not be that any person in the crowd could be carrying a loaded and concealed weapon. The current law allows any place of worship to allow concealed firearms or to designate specific people to be able to carry concealed. This change is not needed for security purposes. It will only make our places of worship more vulnerable. If you want to testify against this bill on Tuesday, please contact Olivia Pener at olivia@jonesadvocacy.com . You can also submit testimony online by following the link in the hearings list below.

discrimination and cultural competency in education

The legislature is once again trying to remove an open and transparent teaching of history and discussion of cultural differences from our classrooms. On the heels of the US Supreme Court decision on affirmative action, the legislature is taking aim at educational instruction on all levels. This includes higher education institutions such as medical schools. This creates a real threat to the health and safety of black and brown

folks as we know medical outcomes are worse for people of color due to a lack of cultural sensitivity and even untrue “scientific” information that is passed from generation to generation of medical care providers. When the year is 2024 but medical students are still under the belief that black skin is “thicker” than white skin, the problem runs deep. We need cultural sensitivity training and consequences for instructors who perpetuate dangerous mythologies.

voting rights issues

We are once again working with the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition on issues related to ballot access. Election workers continue to receive threats for doing their jobs. Representative Peggy McGaugh (Chair of the House Elections Committee) has been working with the County Clerks and has put forward a clean bill to keep our election workers safe both during election day and all year round. The bill would not be in effect until after the August Primary, but it is still an important piece of legislation and one we will generally support. Last year’s version needed a couple of small changes, and we will watch to make sure those stay in place as the bill moves through the process.

The House and Senate may be in different places when it comes to the energy behind restricting access to Citizen Initiative Petitions, but the House will still have its hearings. The proposals this year are virtually identical to the ones from last year. The biggest change is in a statutory measure that was introduced. The statutory change wouldn’t require any more signatures or a higher vote percentage, but it would prohibit

providing compensation to signature gatherers. Those of us who have been involved in these campaigns, know it is impossible to collect enough signatures in the amount of time provided after legal challenges to collect signatures without using a signature gathering company or otherwise compensating the gatherers. This change alone would severely restrict the ability of citizens to put measures on the ballot and would require a major change in the way the process is approached in Missouri.

criminal justice issues

Every year there are several omnibus bills that deal with crimes and public safety. Most years they are a mixture of good and bad provisions. This year there are a few that we believe may have a chance to pass. Then there are a few others that are high on the priority list, but will need a while longer to make it across the line.

Voting rights restoration has a lot of energy behind it and is likely to become law in the near future. The bill would allow people who have been released from incarceration but are still on probation or parole to vote. This is a simple matter of restoring to citizens the rights afforded to them by the Constitution as quickly as possible. Criminal punishment should not be a life-time sentence for every crime, but continuing to deny

people fundamental rights after they have finished their sentence makes it so.

Sentencing credits for good behavior and program participation is another issue that has broad support. This bill would allow incarcerated citizens to complete their sentence earlier by avoiding getting into trouble and by participating in job training and other positive programs. The bill almost passed in 2023 before getting tripped up in the last week of session.

upcoming hearings

01/09/2024 2:00 PM House-General Laws

HB1708 - Changes the law regarding firearm concealed carry permits — Rep. Adam Schnelting (R)

calls to action

Attend the MOVPC Lobby Day on Jan 30th 9am - 2pm https://www.movpc.org/movpc-latest-news
Let Olivia Pener or Sandy Jiles know if there is a week between now and May 17th you are willing to be on call to come to the Capitol on short notice.

If you have any questions about any of the legislation mentioned here or the legislative program generally, please contact President Chapel or Olivia Pener.

Save the Dates! Come to the Capitol to Support Our Legislative Issues

January 30 - MOVPC Lobby Day - Support Free and Fair Elections
February 6 - MO Education Equity Partnership Lobby Day - Oppose Efforts to Ban Black History Curriculum
March 6 - Day of Empathy - Support Criminal Justice Reform
March 12 - MO to Abolish the Death Penalty Lobby Day - Support Proposals to Reduce and Eliminate State Murder

Tracking List

https://govwatch.net/report/M6q8o0GrzR

*This list is continually updated and improved. If you have questions, please contact Sharon Geuea Jones at sharon@jonesadvocacy.com .

HOSPICE: Providing Professional Care

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 00:45:42 GMT

Hospice:
Providing Professional Care
By: Antwann Johnson #524659
Jefferson City Correctional Center

If I may, I would like to share with you my personal journey as a volunteer Hospice worker while incarcerated. Prior to working In Hospice, I was unsure of myself in terms of my purpose; searching for some sense of peace and happiness. I thought I had an inkling of what to expect when taking on the task of this job, but nothing could have prepared me for such a life-altering experience. The primary role of a Hospice worker is to provide companionship, assistance, and comfort to a dying patient. As a volunteer, I assisted the medical care team in their efforts to maintain the psychological and spiritual well-being of people who were terminally ill. My Job duties consisted of feeding the patient, offering spiritual support through prayer, reading to the patient, changing linens, assisting with dressing, eating and oral care, helping the nurses with lifting and/or repositioning the patient, and a variety of other duties. I was there to help give as much comfort and support to the patient in the last phase of their Incurable disease, or old age, as possible so that they could live as fully and comfortably as they could before they passed on. Many of them wanted freedom from emotional, spiritual, and physical pain. I witnessed a few of them make peace with God before they died, while for others it was difficult to accept dying in a cold cell without the presence of family at their side.

"Hospice does not prolong life or facilitate death..."

These words were spoken to me by staff when I was first hired as a Hospice worker. Before long, I began to look at the Individuals as more than Just patients, as I started to form deeply rooted bonds with the people that I assisted. Although I have endured the pain of the deaths of people close to me many times before, it still touched a nerve deep down inside of me every time I received the news that someone I was caring for had passed away or when I witnessed someone take their final breath as they passed on into the afterlife. Some of these experiences were very hard for me to process, but I would like to tell you about a connection that I had formed with a certain individual in particular so that my story may perhaps be as a seed of hope for others.

It was the winter of 2015, not long after I had found God, and I was desperately seeking a meaning for my life. Someone suggested that I should volunteer as a Hospice worker and rely on God to use me to comfort those in need. They told me that it would definitely change my perspective on life. After being hired, I didn't know what to expect on my first day. The nurses explained the job duties to me, and I was briefed on how to monitor the patients who were on ventilator breathing machines. I was then provided with papers that further explained my job description and what was required of me. Within a few weeks, I was very secure in the knowledge of my job duties were. I was eventually promoted to the lead Hospice coordinator and was assigned to train and show the new Hospice workers their job duties. I truly found this job to be a gift, as it gave my life purpose by helping others.

Every day I made it my business to visit each patient individually. Each person had their own personality that I adapted to, and I wanted to hear the concerns of each patient so that I could ensure that their needs would be fulfilled. There was one patient that would be more difficult for us Hospice workers to deal with than others; and, for me, it was both a challenge and opportunity for me to grow in patience and spirituality. The man's name was Dillion, and through constant efforts to show him true care, concern, compassion, the walls he had built up towards others for so many years finally crumbled down. There were times where we would laugh and joke as we shared our past experiences with each other, but there were also days when silence would overcome the room due to a lack of understanding. Most times, I would just agree to disagree with him for the sake of keeping the peace. It was on those days when one of the nurses having a sense of humor and cracking a joke would lighten the mood. The atmosphere within the medical unit was the closest experience that I've had to freedom while incarcerated; it was truly my escape from prison. As Dillion's health rapidly declined, it was clear that cancer had taken over his body. Before Dillion slipped into a coma; with a half-smile and a lonesome tear; he said to me,

“Antwann... when the time comes, will you be there?"

For me, that was enough reassurance that Dillion trusted me. I had done everything in my power to ensure he was comfortable prior to his transition; I had talked to him as I cleaned his cell, and I even read scriptures from the Bible to him. It was very difficult for me to sit in complete silence and watch his breathing decline. Looking at Dillon in his unconscious state caused me to drift off, replaying scenes of our past and previous encounters. It took another Hospice worker to bring me back to reality when he said,

"'Antwann ... he's gone, bro"

As the other Hospice worker went to notify the nurses, I looked to the Heavens; with my own half-smile; and thought,

"Dillion, when MY time comes, will YOU be up there?"

I believe Dillon was used to people giving up on him. I am familiar with that feeling as well, but it was in those experiences with him that I believe God used me to be selfless and supportive in his final hours. You never truly realize how much you miss a person until they're gone.

I watched a multitude of Hospice workers come and go. Many of them found the job overwhelming and/or traumatic. There were times when a patient would fight to hold on long enough to have that one, final, personal, and intimate visit with a spouse or family member. The visit was usually filled with jovial conversation and laughter; enjoying conversations regarding memories of better times; follow by silent moments of mixed emotions; with everyone involved struggling to find the words to convey how they felt. This last visit would often give the patient some semblance of peace, just knowing that loved ones were thinking about them, then they would cease fighting and let go. Hospice has definitely taught me the true meaning of life. I've grown to value my relationships with friends and family more than ever. Knowing you could be of service to those who are terminally ill shows there's compassion in the hearts of men. It's the transitional phase of watching someone slowly enter the afterlife that robs you of joy, but I know the Lord's plan is far greater than man’s. That's what puts things in perspective for me.

I never knew until now how much effort and full commitment went into caring for patients. Although I enjoyed the job, I took a step back to redirect my focus; simply because I never wanted to become numb to death (even though It's inevitable). I'm very grateful that I had the opportunity to work in the prison's medical (TCU) Transitional Care Unit as a volunteer Hospice worker. If I could encourage someone to do one thing that would show the true value and importance of another human being's life, I would tell them to please go visit a hospital, nursing home, or intensive care unit. It will change your perspective on life and you will perhaps gain more appreciation for those who are selfless enough to be passionate about caring for others. Please share my story with the media or anyone in society that you feel may be touched by this experience.

Photo ID Trial 2023

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:24:00 GMT

During the week of Thanksgiving 2023 , the MO State Conference of the NAACP, in conjunction with the ACLU, the League of Women Voters, and the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, has been engaged in a lawsuit against the State of MO. This lawsuit is to challenge the state’s Voter ID law. This law, which has already been determined to be unconstitutional by the MO Supreme Court on two separate occasions, is yet another attempt to further marginalize groups and disenfranchise black and brown Missourians.

According to the Missouri Secretary of State, there are over 100,000 who do not have a state issued ID and another 100,000 who have an ID that is expired or otherwise voided. Prior to the passage of HB 1878 in 2022, these people were able to register and to vote. Over 200,000 Missouri citizens were denied their constitutional right to vote after this law was passed. The people most affected by this legislation are the most marginalized groups in our state. This is yet another attempt to harm and deny citizens fundamental rights by attacking those most vulnerable.

The attacks on our democratic process are under the guise of trying to stop voter fraud. Proponents of these types of legislation claim that there is rampant voter fraud in our elections. This is simply not the case. By our own Secretary of State’s data, corroborated by independent investigations, there have been no instances of voter fraud found in the last 20 years that would’ve been prevented by these policies. These policies only create undue burdens on registered voters and decrease voter turnout. The only way for someone under these strict ID requirements to be able to vote under these circumstances would be to cast a provisional ballot. With our provisional ballot system, one’s vote may not even be counted if it doesn’t comply with dubious and unclear signature matching processes. The aim of these types of laws is not to protect our constitutional right to vote but to make it more difficult and cumbersome for the most marginalized groups in our society.

This trial presents a pivotal moment in our ongoing efforts to ensure a fair and just voting process for all Missourians. We need your participation and kindly ask that you extend this invitation to the members of your units. Your presence, along with the members of your units, would greatly underscore the united stand of the NAACP against discriminatory practices. Let's stand together. We encourage attendees to wear the NAACP branded Buttons provided each morning to represent our solidarity and collective resolve. This is an occasion where our united front can significantly impact public perception and the cause we stand for.

This attack on our constitutional right to make our voices heard is yet another validation for our travel advisory against the State of Missouri. This state has proven time and again that it is not a place that is safe for black and brown people. The hostility towards allowing everyone to have equal protection under the law and to exercise one’s guaranteed right to have a say in their government is why travel advisory will remain. The MO State Conference of the NAACP will continue to fight against bigotry and racism as we have done since our inception in 1909. We will continue to stand up to violence against our people and defend our rights to have our voices heard. We will not be silenced by those who seek to oppress us. I would like to once again thank our allies with the ACLU, the League of Women Voters, and the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition for standing with us against these attacks. Together we can work to make Missouri a better place for everyone.

SENTENCED TO LIFE WITHOUT... HOPE

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 21:49:17 GMT

WARNING: The following post contains discussion of suicide, rape, and mental distress.

FOREWORD:

For the thousands of inmates serving Life Without Parole and multiple life sentences across the U.S., the probability of seeing the free world, as we once knew it, is slim to none. Prison can be a cold world to survive in without any resources to rely on from the free world. Many of the inmates who feel as if they have lost everything, doomed to be members of a hopeless and forgotten society of their own, choosing death on their own terms seems as if it is the only end to the day-to-day suffering brought about by living in prison. Although the method differs, suicide has become the final option for many of those who've felt hopeless while incarcerated. For the countless others who try to find something meaningful to hold onto in order to keep striving. Religion, family, friends, children or significant others become the roots that help keep them grounded throughout all of the chaos and inconsistency in their lives. Unfortunately, sometimes even this is not enough; as the emotional impact of being in prison with no end in sight often causes individuals to wither away so much mentally and spiritually that they simply become mere shells of the men that they once were.

I was 21 years old when I was arrested and convicted for a crime I did not commit. The uncertainties concerning the prison's Do's & Don'ts left me confused. Nothing could have prepared me for the prison "politics" and the culture created by the older seasoned inmates. Several times, I felt it necessary to intervene to protect others at risk to myself. It was clear I had to learn the ropes fast; or become a victim. So I sincerely ask that you please consider my personal story, as I pray that one day we will no longer have to live in fear of being victimized or dying under such an inhumane sentence serving Life Without ... hope.

This is my story; and that of many others ...

"All rise!"

The bailiff announced, as the Judge entered the court room.

"Please be seated."

He stated, once the Judge had settled into his seat. The Judge then said,

"Would the defendant please rise?"

As I stood to my feet, he asked,

"Is there any reason why you feel I should vacate or set aside your conviction?"

Although extremely nervous and afraid because of my uncertainty about my future, I somehow found the strength to state,

''Your honor, I did not kill this man"

The judge then said,

"Since I've heard no other reason as to why I should vacate the defendant's sentence, Mr. Johnson, you are hereby sentenced to Life Without the Possibility of Parole - to be served in the Department of Corrections, starting immediately."

When the Judge's gavel slammed, it seemed as if all time slowed to a stop.

My entire body felt numb, and it took me a moment to collect my senses after hearing what I had been sentenced to.

After my conviction, my life would take on a brand new meaning. The reality of never seeing the streets again had begun to set in, as me and around 50 other convicted prisoners were being transported to an entirely different world that many of us had never experienced before, called "PRISON". There was almost complete silence the entire ride. Other than a few scattered conversations here and there, many of the other prisoners either had their eyes closed In quiet reflection or were gazing intently out of the prison bus windows; as if recording their final views of society in their minds to think back on at later points in their prison bids. Shackled like a slave in chains, "So Many Tears," by 2Pac was playing in my head as silent tears filled the wells of my eyes and a few began to stream down my face. I began to try to understand how I would be spending the rest of my life behind bars for a crime that I did not commit. Even though the situation was bleak, I still somehow sensed that there was a purpose for me within the madness.

After I was transported from Potosi Correctional Center to Missouri State Penitentiary (or "The Walls", is it was often referred to), the reality of prison life became brutal and real; trying to find my place in the midst of it all was a difficult task . It was there where I witnessed rapes, stabbings, gang assaults, suicides, and many other chaotic elements of prison firsthand. It was very clear; if those walls

could talk, there was a dark and sinister story to be told. As I adjusted to my new environment, all I could think about was what the prison guard who was driving the bus said as we made our way towards the entrance of the prison.

"Listen up, Gentlemen!"

He bellowed.

"See what It says an the sign above the prison entrance?

Once we cross this threshold, you are to 'Leave all your hopes and dreams behind!'"

Can you Imagine the psychological effect that had on the prisoners? More importantly, what it did to the still-malleable hearts and minds of those who were 21 years of age and younger who were forced to survive in such a violent, inhumane environment?

Psychologists have discovered through years of study and research that the human brain doesn't fully develop until around 25 years of age and older. It wasn't long into my prison bid before I began to meet inmates who had been sentenced to Life without Parole as juveniles, but their sentencing would change over the years. A United States Supreme Court decision meant 80 or so Inmates would become eligible for parole after 25 years. It was declared that Life Without Parole was "unconstitutional" for juveniles, and many of them given parole since that ruling have never returned to prison. So for those of us who were not considered juveniles, but were still 21 and under, I ask that you imagine what life would be like if we were given a meaningful opportunity at freedom once again as well. There was a small window of hope for individuals like me when a bill was submitted for those who were sentenced when they were 21 and younger to be eligible for parole after 30 years, but unfortunately it never passed.

The bit of hope I once used to see in many of the inmates is slowly but steadily wearing away with time, and their new demeanor shows in their body language; heads slumped, shuffling feet; broken spirits, and lack of motivation. When you take hope away from anyone, you're robbing them of life. It's evident in their dally routine that keeps them institutionalized. Although I no longer indulge in substance abuse, I would like to emphasize that prisoners primarily turn to drugs to escape their reality. It numbs the pain and temporarily takes away all of life's problems, but once the drugs subside, you're faced with reality once again. Most inmates are just going through the motions; living one day at a time. For myself, it's only when I feel my plea for real justice is being ignored that I feel that I have to find a way to escape it all, but I have matured enough to be able to turn my previously self-destructive habits into positive ones, and used what I have to help other inmates.

It was many years into my prison term when a guy by the name of Mr. Jones would say something so profound to me: "Goldie," he said as he laid his frail hand upon my shoulder. "Nobody will ever remember you for the good you've done to help others in here. People will not be concerned as to why you got involved in these issues. They will remember you for only the bad things." So when I found myself confronting predators who prey on the elderly and weak; I would want to give up because it's true. I have been viewed as the bad guy. There was another elderly inmate to told me; "God sees your heart, and He knows what you're going through, so no good deed goes unnoticed with Him, and no bad deed goes unpunished." I can remember a guy telling me something about myself. "Goldie," he said. "Many inmates look at how you send out all those letters day after day, and it seems nobody has helped you yet. People are laughing at you, Goldie." It was what he said next that made me more determined than ever. "Let it go Goldie. You're not worth fighting for." In that moment, I thought about how Job must have felt when everyone told him to curse God.

When I decided to get baptized on October 22, 2015; I told God before I went under the water, "If You protect me through the valley of the shadow of death; I will fear no evil. For You are with me." When I came up from under that water, I refused to live my old life! I don't expect everyone to be receptive to the truth. Besides those I've helped, Ms. Vickie Price has believed in me. Even though I was living in prison, I wasn't going to allow prison to live inside me. It was either I decide, or someone is going to decide for me.

Many people have no clue or idea why I fight so hard to prove myself. It's because all my life I was verbally abuse, bullied, and picked on as a child. So I learned to box, my coach gave me the confidence I had previously lacked as a child. My grandmother did her best to shield me. So when I witness someone being picked on, it triggers an emotion that compels me to what to help; because I never had anyone who stood up for me. As a child watching television & seeing 'David Banner' turn into the "Incredible Hulk", it did something to me. It solidified that the bad guys would be punished. Whether or not my good deeds were seen by prison official was unclear, but they were received well by all the inmates I've aided over the years. I knew God had received my acts with good intentions; because He placed Vickie Price, from the Catholic community, into my life to mentor me through my darkest hours.

In the summer of 2007 I was at Bonne Terre. The prison was okay; despite the normal prison monotony. Several inmates were fully engulfed in the prison lifestyle, and that regularly led to problems. There was a young white kid by the name of Steve; whom couldn't have been more than 19 years old. I would frequently hang out at his cell just to have casual conversations. After a few months, we laughed and joked about different things. However, little did I know the Evil that lurked amongst us. Two seasoned inmates were watching and studying our interactions. They were sexual predators. One morning I woke up and started my regular routine (I would shadow box every morning before the cell door would pop open). As the cell doors opened; I immediately notice Steve coming towards me, and the look in his eyes was clear. Something had him troubled. With a noticeable tremble in his voice; he said; "Goldie, I need your help. There are a couple of guys who keep asking me to hang out with them, What should I do?" I told him that when they come back, come get me. A few days later, I noticed something was off in the wing. My senses were keen on picking up certain things, and I immediately looked up to Steve's cell. I saw two guys at his door. I hurried up the stairs as fast I could and yelled; "A .... , who you looking for?" As I approached, I could see Steve over the shoulder of one of the guys. He was standing there lost, but it was fear and terror that I saw in his eyes. I looked both creeps straight in the eyes, and with a voice of conviction I said, "Leave him alone." It appeared this created a scene, because a guy I knew came up and asked, "Is there a problem?" The two predators said no, walked off, and never returned. As I was attempting to explain, he said; "Let me talk with you." It was clear from our conversation that I had just prevented Steve from being raped. Steve thanked me for being there. As time went on, Steve gained his confidence and everyone liked him.

A few years later, I met an elderly white guy who was born in 1930. "Wow", I said to myself. He had a great sense of humor, and even in his 70's; he was good hearted. Well, one day I went to his cell to joke around like usual, but he had a cold stare in his eyes. I asked, "What's wrong Mr. Charlie?" He responded; "Someone robbed my cell while I was at rec. That was all the canteen I had to survive off of for the month," If you could imagine how this made me feel. Just listening to Mr. Charlie feel so helpless touched me deeply. I told Mr. Charlie not to worry; "I got something for you." I gave Mr. Charlie twice the amount that was stolen from him. Then one day while I was at Mr. Charlie's door; out the corner of my eye I see these two guys (about my age) walk up. "I heard your name is Goldie!"; one of them said trying to sound tough. "Yeah, what's it to you?", I replied as I positioned myself for a boxing match. I tightened my fists and prayed these words; "God, if I can't help them; please don't let me hurt them." One of the guys told the other; "Let's go! Not right now." Later on that day, the same two guys rolled up on me again. This time one of them said, "That old man Mr. Charlie owes us. Are you going to pay for him?" I asked God for strength and blacked out. When I realized what had happened, both guys were trying to regain their composure from the few lefts & rights. To my far left I could hear Mr. Charlie saying, "That'll teach you punks a lesson."

I now realize that God has a way of revealing himself to us through us, and that sometimes it is not meant for others to see our vision until it has been fully brought to fruition. During our main recreation period, I often go to the "big yard". The "big yard" is a field on the prison compound where inmates can engage in different outside activities, such as ultimate Frisbee or softball, or socialize amongst each other or with other housing units through the gate that surrounds the field. The outer perimeter of the "big yard" Is a track, and that is where I find my strength and motivation as I run while listening to music through my tablet. It gives me a sense of peace and freedom from the prison mentality. It's very easy for one on the outside looking in to say "keep the faith", but it is hard for an individual in the free world to fully comprehend and understand this life unless they were to experience prison firsthand.

Two separate suicides happened recently that led many of us to wondering if we are truly only citizens of a lost and forgotten world. I was asked by a friend, "Antwann, do you honestly believe we'll ever make it out of prison alive?" My response was, "It's my hope, but only the Lord Knows." The next day, he was notified that his mother had just succumbed to cancer and died. He took it very hard, and it was clear from his statement to me that he had lost the only person in the world worth living for when he said, "Antwann, keep writing; maybe hope will come for you." I gave him what little encouragement I could, but I knew my words fell on deaf ears, and that was the last conversation I had with him before he took his own life.

Then there was "Limbo", who many of us considered a good friend and looked at as an uncle of sorts. He was a "seasoned convict" who loved to eat, play chess, and listen to his music. He struggled with substance abuse due to having to accept the reality that he would never see society again. Limbo told me one day that my ambition behind my drive to bring awareness for change reminded him of the song "What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye. It was in that moment after I listened to the words spoken in this song that I became compelled to begin writing State and Federal legislators in order to share my experiences, strengths and hopes; but what could I say to such influential people that would make my pain resonate so deeply within a legislative session to give hope to those serving Life Without Parole for the first time in history?

Many of us are now mature and over 45 years of age. We don't think, act, or process situations as young children anymore. After 24 years of Incarceration, inmates begin to become more concerned about their health, lost loved ones, grandchildren being born, and trying to determine how long they can survive in hopes that they will one day see freedom. It's natural for us as humans to want to experience some sense of unconditional love, especially while in prison, because the masses have been trained to view all of us as monsters who are unfit for society. Life Without Parole gives a person no sense of hope, and nothing to look forward to. The hopelessness stems from facing the reality that one day we will be committed to "Hospice Care" because we are dying a slow death; many with no family or friends left. In essence, it has become an extended death sentence for those who don't choose to end their own life.

If I could make a dire plea to legislators, it would be to consider giving those who are serving Life Without Parole and multiple life sentences a second chance. Statistics concerning most inmates' institutional adjustment will show that the majority of those serving Life Without Parole have become more calm and mature with age and time. Many have shown the ability to hold a steady job for years, handle any situation responsibly, and become productive members of society if given the meaningful opportunity to do so. Their chances of reoffending are slim to none. The success in society of the juveniles who had previously been sentenced to Life Without Parole attests to this.

I've continued to search for the truth as to why I was removed from my job as a medical hospice porter. Is it because I, in addition to caring for the inmate patients, I tried to keep others from taking advantage of these men. I'll never forget a quote I saw hanging on the prison wall. "Stand for what's right - Even If you're standing along." Oh Jesus! All the possibilities of what my life could have been. But now 24 years later at 45 years old; I'm beginning to feel BROKEN!

I strongly believe that a difference can be made through those who have the ability to create new laws and rulings in favor of giving a second chance to individuals in prison with lengthy sentences who have shown that they are rehabilitated. We can't change the past, nor can we bring Limbo back or any of those who have given up and made the decision to take their own lives. However, an opportunity can be given to those who truly deserve it because there are many who are doing all they can to become better versions of themselves than they once were. Despite what the sign above the entrance to "The Walls" said, there are those of us that still dream of one day soon having the privilege of being able to say: We now have life with ... hope.

I only have one question for the person who's reading this story.

What could I, and the other inmates like me, have done different to be...

"WORTH FIGHTING FOR?"

May God bless the families and watch over the souls of all those who ended their own lives because they gave up on ever seeing freedom again.

MO NAACP Travel Advisory

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 20:10:38 GMT

Until the culture of death changes, we will remain vigilant!

Recently I was asked why the travel advisory we issued in conjunction with the National NAACP in 2017 is still in effect. More to the point, I was asked what we as an organization would need to see before we would withdraw the advisory. It’s a fair question. The real answer is a change in the culture of death that surrounds Missouri. I know that is a goal that we won’t reach tomorrow, but here are some of the specifics of why I think the travel advisory is still important.

Ralph Yarl was shot for innocently knocking on the wrong door while picking up his siblings. The prosecutor and judge have allowed the shooter to return to his home and, while charges have been filed, have refused to include a count calling it at hate crime. Marcellus Williams is sitting on death row with a credible claim of innocence. In 2017, then Governor Grietens put a stay on the execution and began a board of inquiry. The board moved slowly, or not at all, between 2017 and 2023. In 2023 Governor Parson removed the stay and dissolved the board of inquiry.

The CROWN Act would prevent discrimination in education and the workplace for wearing protective hairstyles that are historically associated with black and brown people. This legislation is consistently blocked by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and other business and education groups who claim it would result in lawsuits against them. What they are really saying is they don’t want to be held accountable for requiring black and brown folks to assimilate to white culture.

The “Shoot First” bill would prohibit the arrest of any person who has killed someone until law enforcement can prove it was not self defense. This flips the law on its head. Not only that, but recent events in Missouri prove that this benefit of the doubt will only be given to white shooters while a black person who may be trying to protect themselves will still be subjected to immediate arrest without bail.

What we need to see in order to withdraw the travel advisory is prosecutors who investigate and prosecute the deaths of young black men with the same fervor as they do the deaths of young white women. Communities that don’t see a black man washing his car at a public car wash as a threat. Police forces that listen to black women when they report abductions and abuse. These are things that would make it safe for black folks to travel throughout our State safely and make their homes here with confidence.

What we are doing to try to reach that goal is meeting with legislators, registering people to vote, and educating voters on the importance of voting in local elections. Elected prosecutors should be held accountable by those of us who elect them. We will be creating a prosecutor voters guide and score card for our local units to use in the upcoming elections. Meetings with elected leaders on all levels happen regularly. Unfortunately, many of those leaders say the right thing then do nothing to make a change.

We need to keep the pressure and visibility up on the daily atrocities across Missouri. You can help us do that by emailing us at mostatepresident@gmail.com when something happens in your area. You are on the front lines of the fight for human dignity.

INCARCERATED: PRISON'S EMOTIONAL IMPACT

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 19:26:28 GMT

WARNING: The following post contains significant discussion of suicide and mental distress.

Thursday, July 22, 2021 started out as any other day for me. It was around 10:00 A.M. that something struck me as odd. As I stared out of my window, which was facing the back of the prison compound, I watched as an ambulance, fire truck, and sheriff's car trailed one another onto the prison premises. I didn't pay It too much attention at first, and drifted off into thought until I began to hear a

commotion outside of my cell in the wing of the housing unit where I reside. It was the sound of several inmates returning back to the housing unit from their respective work sites. Suddenly, a chill overcame me and my intuition told me that something was amiss, but I wasn't exactly sure what it was yet. At that time, no one was aware of what had just taken place a few housing units down from ours.

Time continued to pass, and again I found myself lost in thought. Our official count time came and went, but we still had not been released yet from our cells. As usual, I figured that the count had gotten messed up somehow. It wasn't until a little after 3 p.m. when I finally found out the reason why we hadn't been allowed to leave our cells. Another worker had returned to the H.U. from his work site; and as he entered the wing, he yelled out, "Hey y'all we're on lockdown because somebody just hung himself in 3-House!" It was at that moment when I remembered the three emergency vehicles entering the prison grounds earlier. With each passing moment, my curiosity grew as to the identity of the man who had decided to take his own life. As I lay in my bunk staring up at the celling, the question that seemed to run laps through my brain again and again was "Why did he do it?"

As all of the cells opened and things resumed to normal, I jumped out of my bunk, slipped into my state-issued boots, and headed towards the cell door. As I exited my cell, I nodded at my cousin, Johnny, or "Sleepy'' as we all call him, who resides a few cells down from me. What he said to me was a short statement, but quite profound. He said, "Antwann, prison has caused many of us to become emotionally desensitized," and walked away. As those words resonated in my head, I cautiously scanned the wing from the top walk as everyone continued on as though nothing had ever happened.

Eventually, we found out the true reason of why he committed suicide. It was because the emotional impact that incarceration has on prisoners had become too much for him and he felt that a permanent solution was the only way to solve the problems he was facing. I found myself disputing my thoughts and beliefs regarding taking one's own life, but eventually came to realize that he was now at

peace because the war that had been raging inside of him was finally over. This time, the tears that fell from my face were because I didn't have to watch him suffer and fight with himself any longer. Some encounters have just become too unbearable to watch. You begin to appreciate life when you see it slip away from someone else. I felt the need to have a sit-down with a few individuals that I considered to be contentious so that I could make sense of this act. One of them said, "When we are going through a mental and/or emotional crisis It appears that there is no solution to them but to refer us to mental health only to be placed on psychiatric medication, which is often either experimental or generic, and usually just compounds the problem." I found this statement to be true, but I still didn't feel any sense of peace about the matter. I've seen firsthand how prison robs you of your soul, just as I watched the COVID-19 virus rob inmates of their lives, but to witness someone hang themselves takes your breath away. It's an image that will be imbedded in your mind for life.

While reflecting on the California prison system's new "restricted housing" policy , and how solitary confinement can drive prisoners to harm themselves, you can't Ignore what this kind of mental torture does to the mind. As I was writing this, there was a knock at my cell door. It was my cousin Johnny again. He said, "What's up? Let's go outside and get some air". As we stood on our housing unit's recreation court in front of the barren prison yard, we noticed an unfamiliar face approach us both. The individual said, "Excuse me Antwann, can I talk to you?" Curious as to what he wanted, I told my cousin to hold on. The guy said he remembered me from being a facilitator In the I.T.C prison drug and alcohol program and liked the way that I taught my classes. He said that he needed someone to talk to; and as he began to speak, I listened with a sympathetic ear.

He confided in me that his father had just died, and that this was his only source of income to survive. He also told me that for some reason unknown to him, the institution had removed him from his honor status and placed him in a lockdown wing as punishment. He was not used to all of the noise and not being able to moving around freely and experience the privileges that he worked so hard to achieve by having good behavior was taking its toll on him. As he continued to talk, it was as if time had stopped and I was overcome by pure silence as flashes of my own past experiences with death while in prison floated through my mind.

When I came back to reality, he was mentioning how rough it was for him to endure the fact that even though he had been staying out of trouble, avoiding confrontation, and trying his best to maintain a consistent pattern of responsible behavior, it was still all stripped away from him without any justification or warning. Then he said, "What should I do, Antwann?" These are the words that sent chills

through my body because I knew that here standing before me was someone crying out for help. I gave him what little advice I could to explore responsible options and tried my best to console him; but I knew that despite my words, he still felt like he was dying on the Inside.

This situation is not as uncommon as one on the outside looking In may think. Those in control have the power and authority to actually help rehabilitate individuals who are incarcerated by granting them rewards for good behavior and instituting more programs that will aid in us getting out and staying out. Instead, many of them would rather either find the smallest reasons to take things away from us or just punish everyone as a collective whole for the actions of a few due to their personal feelings and misgivings regarding people who are locked up. Going through this day after day, year after year, you begin to lose hope, feel unworthy, and tell yourself, "Maybe I have no place on Earth, anyway." After this, I found myself reflecting on conversations I'd had with my newfound brother in values, Rashad El. Rashad is often the voice of reason; because with having been locked up for over a decade himself while serving a life sentence, he fully knows the emotional impact prison has on us who strive so hard to do right in the midst of so much chaos.

As I write this, I think about being faced with one of man's greatest fears, passing on from this physical form. I had come face-to-face with this many times as a hospice worker in the facility. You never truly recover from the experience of looking death straight in the eye, and the death of two inmates in particular will live with me forever. The emptiness that lies within the cold stare makes it clear that there lies a shell without a soul. There would be times when I would just stand in the unoccupied hospice cells and allow the silence to envelop me, knowing that recently someone had just died in this room. Sometimes I would even touch the bed or run my hand along the top of empty locker, hoping I could still feel the remnants of the energy of whoever had recently passed on; remembering the conversations, laughs, and memories that I had shared with that person. So many thoughts would pass through my mind during these times alone, but the biggest one would always be wondering what it felt like being in their shoes. To know that I would die in a cold prison cell and never

experience freedom in the outside world ever again and doing whatever I could to make peace with God and settle my mind before I departed from this earth.

Just recently, on a Sunday, I went out to the big yard recreation to discuss this story with Rashad; and as I stood at the gate of the housing unit Rashad is in to wait for him, a sudden rain forcefully descended down from the heavens. Everyone on the yard scattered to try to find shelter, and I could see the medical cart leaving from the housing unit where I live. At first I thought it was just another Code 16 (medical emergency), which was common for my housing unit because of all the sickly and elderly patients housed there, but I soon found out just how wrong I was. As most people went into the gym to get out of the rain, I decided to make my way all the way back to the housing unit. I entered the house drenched in rain, and several inmates ran up to me telling me that my cousin Ron-Ron had

just fallen in the sally-port. Confused and trying to process what was just said to me, I continued on to get my shower and change out of my soaking wet clothes. The whispering and gossiping continued to grow as to the cause of Ron-Ron's situation. It would take three days for the final conclusion to become clear. On Wednesday at 7:30 AM, I noticed my other cousin Johnny ("Sleepy") on the phone with his head down. When he finally looked up at me, the pain that I saw in his eyes told me all that I needed to know. I turned and went back into my cell, lifted my head to the sky and yelled, "God, WHY!? What do you want from us!? Why are you allowing us to die in prison this way!?" As the tears flowed down my face, I knew that Sleepy was hurting as well, and there was nothing I could do. Ron-Ron had suffered a massive stroke, which left him brain dead, so a loved one was left with the choice of making the heart wrenching decision to pull the plug on him. I'd just sat with COVID-19 inmate patients and watched them fight for their life only to succumb to the deadly disease, and now I also had to endure yet another person close to me lose their life behind these prison walls. This left me to wonder, "What does God have in store for ME?"

Prison becomes a day-to-day internal assault on the mind and soul; because along with being stuck in such a chaotic environment, some officials feel that it is part of their job to add to the suffering that we already endure being separated from society and our loved ones. There are those who use being in a position of power to take out the frustrations that they deal with in their personal lives on us,

or who are already biased against all Individuals who are locked up because of past experiences in their lives. Then you also have the ones who are racists, and let their viewpoints regarding skin color be known through their words and actions when dealing with us. You would have to experience this life and be immersed in it to fully understand its impact.

The feeling of helplessness that comes with being incarcerated builds up to almost an intolerable level over time. If you lash out and retaliate against the animosity, then you run the risk of getting even more time added to your sentence. You just get used to the feeling of being worthless because that's how you are treated regardless of how much change or rehabilitation you experience while being incarcerated.

Injustice when it comes to the judicial system is not new; this has been going on for a very long time ... so why isn't it resonating with society? What has really changed since the "shackles and chains" era? Why did an inmate have to sacrifice his life to try to gain some semblance of peace for himself? To whomever is reading this story, I wish that for a brief moment you could tap into my mind and my heart and experience the overwhelming anguish that I have carried for so long as I fight to reclaim the freedom that was taken from me over two decades ago. Tears flow from my face onto this paper simply because no one knows the fullness of the pain that comes along with being in prison. The grotesque picture that is painted of this place and those housed within these walls only goes to further the agenda of amassing profit off of those who have been lost and forgotten.

It seems as if the focus only goes onto those with the worse crimes and attitudes, and not on those who are either innocent or are truly remorseful for their past actions and have changed their lives for the better. It all amounts to a scare tactics used to frighten society into continuing to shell out tax dollars towards keeping us behind bars instead of giving a chance to those who deserve it. This is the main reason why the 85% law (also known as "Truth in Sentencing" or "Mandatory Minimums") for those with violent crimes has not been changed even though it has shown to be highly ineffective and has ultimately created more problems than solutions for the prison industry. It is even worst for those like me who are serving life without the possibility of parole. The conditions and treatment create a pit of misery within a person that causes many inmates to eventually self-destruct if they are not mentally and emotionally strong enough to continue to endure.

Everything in prison has a price tag, from the canteen items we have to buy to fill basic hygiene needs that have taxes on them, to calls and e-mails to loved ones, to the music and games that we purchase for our tablets, court costs, lawyer fees, etc.. We are walking dollar signs. Any actual rehabilitation that takes place is only the bare minimum. The money made off of the revolving door aspect of recidivism because inmates don't have the healthy emotional and mental foundation to make it in society far outweighs the efforts being made to actually help these people. If everyone who got out of prison actually received real rehabilitation so they got out and stayed out, then how would the prison industry continue to thrive? Instead we are being warehoused for outrageous amounts of time that reflect the notion that we don't deserve a second chance. I'm tired of asking for help only to continue being ignored. I'm tired of pleading for my life just for it to fall on deaf ears. I'm tired of being placed in Administrative Segregation in retaliation for my concerns and my complaining about conditions being frowned on in the eyes of the institution.

Where is the conflict resolution? Where is the true care and concern? Where is the real justice? Who will be the next individual to give up hope behind these prison gates and die without being given a second chance or decide to end their own life just to gain peace? It seems nobody truly cares about the incarcerated people. When will it change?

Clemency for Michael Tissus

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 23:13:18 GMT

Letter to the Editor Submitted

My heart is heavy over the execution of Michael Tisius on Tuesday, June 6. That day I attended my 7 th noon vigil, sponsored by the Missouri Catholic Conference, outside Governor Parson’s office during his tenure, all of which were to appeal to him to grant clemency and show mercy to those about to be executed, that is, murdered by the State of Missouri. Not once has the Governor shown the moral courage to do so.

In the recent case of Michael Tisius, Governor Parson’s callous inaction was especially grevious. Michael Tisius expressed everlasting remorse to the families of Jason Acton and Leon Egley, the young Randolph County jailers he murdered on June 22, 2000, when he was 19. On May 22, 2023, the American Bar Association, in a letter to Governor Parson, called for jurisdictions to prohibit the execution of any individual who was 21 years old or younger at the time of the offense because of thier neurological development and capacity for change. Michael Tisius, according to his attorney, did change. His attorney said, “we watched the growth and maturity of a young man, who was neglected by his mother, abandoned by his father, and callously and viciously beaten by his brother, learn how to form lasting, loving relationships. He learned how to trust. He learned how to value himself. He never knew how to do these things, but he learned in prison. He channeled his sense of self-worth into good deeds: like donating his artwork for battered women’s shelters.”

Apprals for clemency for Michael Tisius were offered numerous times by his attorney, the American Bar Association, the NAACP, Missourians to End the Death Penalty, thousands of Missourians, and Archbishop Christophe Pierre on behalf of Pope Francis.

However, those appeals were ignored by the Governor, who is governed by his penchant for law and order not justice and mercy. Consequently, Nimrod Chapel, Jr, president of the Missouri Chapter of the NAACP, says “ Missouri is continuing its journey toward a culture of death.” Missouri is second only to Texas in the number of state murders this year, 3 and 4 respectively; and Missouri is about a fifth the size of Texas. Not a great partnership!

I lament the fact that the Governor does not lead the State of Missouri to adhere to the Mosiac Law: “Thou Shall Not Kill”!

--
Rev. Dr. John H. Bennett
Disciples of Christ Clergy (ret.)

“Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an everflowing stream.”
(Amos 5:24)

A NEW DEATH SENTENCE FOR MISSOURI INMATES?

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 19:20:27 GMT

Has i nadequate medical care become the
new death sentence for Missouri inmates?

FOREWORD:

When it comes to prisoners in Missouri, very rarely are we spoken for or even considered in any health benefit plan. The public has no clue that adequate medical care for prisoners is, for the most part, non-existent. We may be incarcerated, but we are still human beings and the fact that the vast majority of us are only provided the bare minimum when it comes to health care is a severe punishment on top of the one we have already been issued in the form of a prison sentence. I've witnessed firsthand many inmates who were denied or rejected medical attention during the prison "sick call" (this is when inmates can go to the medical building and explain the symptoms they're experiencing to a nurse, in hopes of receiving some type of treatment). We ore often denied medical screening if our medical issue or complaint is not a life-threatening condition, unless the nurse believes we should be referred to a prison physician. Why has the fact that so many inmates have died from symptoms that were ignored by medical physicians in prisons continued to be swept under the rug? Has the lack of medical care become "the new death sentence" for us?

Statistics will show that prisoners have the highest rate of poor health conditions and deaths stemming from a lack of the right nutrients, proper healthcare services, etc. Without the health issues of the incarcerated being adequately diagnosed and treated, we will continue to live in fear of an early death due to health issues. The following is one of many stories I have to share with you regarding the health crisis here, in hopes that one day change will come ...

There was a sense of calmness and concern that filled the air as I looked out of my cell window into the wing. When I exited my cell, I was approached by a fellow inmate who asked, "Antwann, did you hear about Ronnie last night?" Curious as to what he was talking about, I responded "No, what happened?" He explained to me that Medical had to rush a fellow inmate named Ronnie Harrison to the

outside hospital because he was throwing up blood and had broken his leg due to a fall.

There were several inmates who genuinely cared for Ronnie. He was in his mid-SO's, with an Irish accent; and was as gentle as a butterfly, but could become a raging bull if provoked. For nearly a year, we had all seen Ronnie's health decline as he continued to complain to Medical about the symptoms he was experiencing. It was very difficult for me to watch him suffer, and even more painful because I could do nothing but just stand by, helpless. What created an overwhelming sense of anger within him was the fact that each time he went to Medical for help, he would be sent back to the housing unit with only basic pain medication. Several months came and went, and Ronnie continued to vomit blood as his situation progressively got worst.

Earlier in the afternoon on the day that Ronnie had been rushed to an outside hospital, I had seen him crouched over in a chair; motionless. He was conscious, but seemed as if he was In great pain and distress so I went over and asked, "Ronnie, are you okay?" He responded, "No, but medical won't do anything for me. I've tried to tell them that I think I have cancer, but they just keep giving me the runaround". I knew deep down inside that Ronnie was struggling to accept what was to come. We all realized that Ronnie was in bad shape, but nobody knew exactly how far along his condition was.

For several days after he left, everyone continued to ask staff about how Ronnie was doing, but we were never told much more than that he was still at the outside hospital. It wasn't until perhaps two weeks had passed that several inmates heard that Ronnie had made It back into the prison; he was in Medical TCU (Transitional Care Unit - A middle step between outside hospitals and the housing units.). One of the inmates here requested to go visit Ronnie the next day; and when he returned, he informed us of the severity of Ronnie's condition. He indeed had cancer, and it had gotten progressively worst over time; seeping into his bones, which made them weaker and more susceptible to injury such as his leg being broken. He was also on a feeding tube. It was in that moment of hearing his current condition that I knew Ronnie did not have long to live. Having previously worked in hospice at this facility, I already knew many of the signs and symptoms leading towards a person's death. Not long after the news came, Ronnie passed away. All I could think was, "How could anyone be so insensible to the care and needs of another human?"

As I reflect back on Ronnie's death, I think about all of the other men I've also watched die from inadequate medical care. As a prison journalist, it's not easy covering these kinds of difficult topics because I have to balance my thoughts and emotions in order to be able to express myself in a way that can help readers fully grasp what's going on. At times, I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders, because there are others within these prison walls that truly depend on me to tell the story of what goes on in places like this. At times, my greatest fear is becoming one of the inmates mentioned in an article written about people dying in prison. I can only give glory to God for blessing me with the ability to be a vessel for Him and a voice for others to show that those who are incarcerated are humans, too... because we are often viewed as anything but that.

I pray that my words are impactful enough to spark some type of change, hopefully in the form of public officials stepping in and submitting a bill that would ensure adequate medical care for all prisoners. It's very painful watching your fellow prisoner or friend die in front of you; all the while, you're just sitting by; helpless... crying on the inside, full of rage and pain. How many more prisoners have to suffer and then die before something happens? To be denied proper healthcare is a form of torture, which results in prisoners suffering mentally and emotionally. Many of these illnesses and diseases are curable if treated at the early stages, but often times that would be expensive so the prisoner ends up suffering silently in the prison infirmary, hardly at ease.

There is no real mechanism set in place for the nurses and physicians here (or in many facilities within the Department of Corrections) to discern the warning signs of a life-threatening medical condition in its early stages with the naked eye, but many inmates here who complain of internal health issues are denied MRl's or CAT scans by the state because it would cost millions of dollars for inmates to be regularly screened by doctors outside of the facility at nearby medical centers. The question then becomes:

"Are 'prison physicians' qualified, or permitted, to adequately diagnose inmates who show
early signs of cancer, heart attack, strokes, or diabetes?"

Because the statistical data showing the amount of individuals in these facilities that die from symptoms related to those health issues would suggest anything but that. The prison healthcare providers often put profit first before the health of the prisoners they treat due to corporate greed. Society has to take a stand and declare that prisoner's health must also matter. If not, the lack of medical care here ... and in prisons everywhere ... will definitely be the new death sentence.

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: Missouri's incarcerated population is becoming increasingly elderly. As minimum mandatory sentencing and longer prison terms with fewer parole releases are becoming the norm, Missouri's DOC needs to have a plan to safely and adequately house or release a growing population of residents over the age of 70. You can read more about this problem from our allies at Empower Missouri here .

Clemency for Raheem Taylor

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 23:16:22 GMT

The Execution of Raheem Taylor

Again on Tuesday (2/7) several advocates for justice joined in a Vigil outside the office of Governor Mike Parson praying that he would show mercy and halt the execution of Raheem Taylor. For the third time in three months we were disturbed in the depths of our souls because the Governor ignored our pleas for justice and mercy. Sadly, Raheem was executed that night at the Bonne Terre Correctional Facility with no witnesses present as attorneys were rapidily filing in the federal courts while the state went ahead with state murder.

Megan Crane of the Midwest Innocence Project wrote in a statement: “ Raheem Taylor was wrongly executed tonight by the State of Missouri, despite his credible claim of innocence, despite the fact that no court has ever been presented with or had the opportunity to evaluate his claim of innocence, and the evidence supporting it, and despite the fact that there was ongoing litigation regarding the State's denial of Raheem’s religious rights. (Raheem was denied his request to have his Muslim spiritual advisor present in the chamber and to have witnesses-attorneys- present to observe). This is an undeniable and irreversible injustice. But, in the words of Raheem, he will ‘live eternally in the hearts and minds of family and friends.’ Up until his final moment, he was joy, he was light, he was a rock. His spirit could not and was not destroyed.”

May he Rest In Peace. We will not rest until the death penalty is abolished, in the name of all that’s holy!

--
Rev. Dr. John H. Bennett
Disciples of Christ Clergy (ret.)

“Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an everflowing stream.”
(Amos 5:24)

Untold Prison Stories: Why I Became a Writer

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 19:49:43 GMT

In the United States, there are nearly 1 million incarcerated individuals.

In the U.S., there are nearly 1 million incarcerated individuals. While here in Missouri, the state population is 6.1 million, there are roughly 24,000 incarcerated.

During the height of the prison COVID-19 pandemic, I was a hospice porter volunteer. I agreed to live in the Transitional Care Unit (a.k.a. TCU) in the prison's medical ward, under quarantine, assisting medical personnel caring for the inmates who had contracted the virus. The Coronavirus caught prison officials and the U.S. off guard. This deadly virus created complete panic and terror that no one was prepared for.

It was in that moment that I decided to start a daily journal and in it I started documenting every death I witnessed, each conversation I had and my overall experiences during the entire ordeal, because I knew that society didn't have a clue what was going on inside these walls; being that the incarcerated are rarely spoken for. I felt compelled to share my experiences.

Being incarcerated for 27 years and seeing things first hand allowed me an advantage. Many of the prison stories I believed were news worthy never received any attention. The fact that the U.S. has the highest incarceration rate of any country in the world proves that mass incarceration is profitable.

Ninety percent of men and women who are incarcerated will one day return back into the communities of society. What society rarely gets to see or hear about is the struggle and hopelessness the innocent endure before being told the success stories of a "wrongful conviction". The rejoicing of a fellow death row inmate whose sentence was commuted seconds before being executed, being able to witness several miracles being performed right before your eyes, or the inmate who lost the only family member who believed in him, finding purpose in his life by helping others. But nothing could take the place of the life-altering experience of watching another human fight to live; as you witness the reality of life's cycle come full circle as that inmate takes their final breath. The realization that they are not waking up changes how you view life from that point on.

Many of society's youth need to hear and witness prison's untold stories as a "crime prevention turn around" program. When you convince yourself that nobody's listening, somewhere in the midst your heart dies. As your pleas concerning contaminated drinking water, food that lacks adequate nutrition and discrimination goes ignored, you get mad. It's the hopelessness and helplessness that drives inmates towards giving up hope.

However, thankfully, there are many inmates who find inspiration through organizations beyond these walls. Organizations who truly support prisoners and care about making a difference in prisoner's lives.

Statistics and data from nearly seven years ago show that 38% of the people in the state and federal prison system have been diagnosed with a mental illness. This further proves why formerly incarcerated people are ten times more likely to be homeless or return to prison that the average person

in the U.S.. As of data from ten years ago, 49% of those who were incarcerated struggled with substance abuse disorder.

In spite of it all, there are those who truly possess great minds in the state and federal prisons. The negative image that overshadows those who are incarcerated is all society ever seems to see or care about. So, what about those who are obtaining degrees through universities funded by Pell Grants? Or the inmates who are submitting solutions to public officials concerning society's youth or crime prevention?

The manner in which we used to approach a situation are no longer applicable. We are dealing with a totally different mindset in the youth today; who crave a whole new drug substance. So the methods and approaches have to be applicable in order to reach them. The first step is to identify with

their struggles and wants.

So, for all these reasons and more ... I became a writer.

Clemency for Amber McLaughlin

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 23:01:39 GMT

Death Penalty Depravity

I prayerfully participated in the Missouri Catholic Conference sponsored Vigil outside the Governor’s Office on Tuesday, January 3, hoping that Governor Parson would grant clemency to Amber McClaughlin. Instead, he refused and she was executed that evening at the Correctional Facility in Bonne Terre. As I meditated, I could sense the hovering spirit of the biblical prophets denouncing the decision of the Governor to affirm the decision to make Amber McLaughlin the victim of State Murder.

Her murder of her ex-girlfriend, Beverly Guenther, in November of 2003 was, of course, a horrific act for which the punishment of life in prison would have been warranted. However, her execution was also an act of state-sponsored depravity which contributes to Missouri’s “culture of death” in the words of attorney Nimrod Chapel, Missouri NAACP President. Execution does not deter criminal activity, it contributes to it.

I would remind Governor Parson, apparently a man of faith, as the pending execution of Leonard Taylor approaches (2/7), that the Judeo-Christian tradtion has an uncompromising position on this matter: “Thou shall not kill/You shall not murder”.(Ex.20:13) Surely, the Governor does not want to condone a grave act of sin. The prophets have an alternative: “do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with God” (Micah 6:8), which, among other things, is to walk in solidarity with vulnerable children of God, as Amber McLaughlin was and Leonard Taylor is. Stop the depravity of the death penalty!

--
Rev. Dr. John H. Bennett
Disciples of Christ Clergy (ret.)

“Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an everflowing stream.”
(Amos 5:24)

Hold Cameron Lamb's Murderer Accountable

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 23:24:00 GMT

Nimrod Chapel, Jr., President of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACP, today commented on the recent court decision that denied the appeal of former detective Eric J. DeValkenaere in the shooting death of 26-year-old Cameron Lamb.

"We must commend Jean Peters Baker’s work and commitment to justice in this case. She should serve as a model for prosecutors," said Nimrod Chapel, Jr. "We need to be unwavering in our commitment to hold accountable those who misuse the power and trust vested in them by the communities they are sworn to protect."

Despite this positive development, the NAACP continues to question the actions of Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who had unusually asked the appeals court to reverse DeValkenaere's conviction or order a new trial for him.

"It's disheartening to see the Attorney General yet again not aligning with the people's interest in justice. The role of the Attorney General should be to champion the cause of justice for all Missourians, not to make unusual legal moves that contradict the principles of accountability and equal protection under the law."

The Missouri NAACP will continue to monitor this case closely, especially in light of rumors that Governor Mike Parson might be considering a pardon or clemency for DeValkenaere.

"Any decision by the Governor to pardon DeValkenaere would be an affront to justice and the principle of equal protection under the law," Chapel concluded. "Such an action would further deepen the divide between law enforcement and the Black community."

Missouri NAACP's Travel Advisory continues to be in effect, warning people to be cautious while in Missouri due to a series of violent incidents and legislation that removed accountability for individuals who attack, discriminate against, and harass black Missourians.

Youth & College Units Reactivate Across the State

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 23:24:00 GMT

Youth and college units around the state are reactivating and re-engaging in the fight against the dehumanization and disenfranchisement of Black Americans.

St. Joseph Branch Treasurer, Drew Brown On Working with Local Museums.

Thu, 05 May 2022 23:14:15 GMT

St. Joseph Branch Treasurer, Drew Brown, appearing on local news talking about his work with local museums.

Against The Odds for A Worthy Cause

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 23:42:18 GMT

“Against the Odds”
For a Worthy Cause…
By Antwann Johnson #52659
Jefferson City Correctional Center

My name Is Antwann Johnson #524659, and I felt compelled to share with you my personal experience with the COVID-19 pandemic while being incarcerated. To be perfectly honest with you, what I've witnessed through my eyes has changed my life forever. This is my story. On October 16, 2020, my day started as any other day. I was preparing to check in on my patient to begin my dally activities as a DLA (Dally Living Assistant), but all of that would change when I was approached by the Housing Unit FUM (Functional Unit Manager) who asked me If I would be willing to live in the Medical TCU Unit for the purpose of giving assistance to the nurses and medical personnel who cared for inmates that had contracted COVID-19 and were severely Ill and dying.

At first, I felt reluctant because this virus was still a mystery to us all. Not long after that conversation with the FUM, I was confronted with terrible news. I was Informed that my cousin and two of my close friends had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. It was at this point that a sense of fear came over me. One of the biggest reasons that I made the decision to go to the TCU Unit was so that I would be able to face and confront my greatest fear, which is dying alone. I've seen firsthand how many of the inmate patients don't have any family or people who care about their wellbeing. It would be two inmate patients that I grew close to while they were battling COVID-19 who had a bittersweet ending that would ultimately give me the strength to continue fighting for this worthy cause.

One of the patients whom I helped care for was Stanley, who was 64 years old and had been diagnosed with both COVID-19 and pneumonia. He was in such bad shape that the outside hospital sent him back to the facility and said that he would not make it due to the fact that his lungs were so severely damaged. As he lay in his bed, I Just stared at him and imagined that it were me lying in that bed fighting for my life. As time went on, we became close, and I did all that I could to assist the nurses with getting Stanley's health back to where it once was. He thanked us all, because he knew that his condition was bad and that we were doing our best to keep him alive. He expressed to me how he didn't have any family or friends, so I took It upon myself to care for him as if he were my own family.

It was around this time that we also received George Bructher into the TCU unit. He was diagnosed with terminal cancer. This was a death sentence for him, Stanley knew that I had a passion to help others, so he did not feel neglected or alone while I was aiding George. I have to admit, George was a fighter. Just as with Stanley, George and I became close, and there were even times when George would not allow the custody staff to touch him unless I was present. You would have to be here to truly experience the joy these patients bring to our medical team and vice versa. Collectively, we're a big family that relies on each other for strength and support, and we have the biggest prison medical facility in Missouri.

Each nurse personnel plays a pivotal role in making this unit function, but it's the hospice workers who give compassion for human lives its true meaning. There would be times where George would make us laugh, and there were times, as we all knew, where there would be tears. While we were experiencing the outbreak of COVID-19, there were a total of 25 patients who had contracted the virus assigned to the medical TCU Unit, and 8 deaths due to complications with the Illness. There were countless more inmates in the general population of the prison who had COVID-19 as well. The primary purpose for all 4 of us Inmates selected to live in the medical unit was to help prevent any cross-contamination or spread of the virus as much as possible. We literally gave up everything to assist the staff. For me, someone who is trying to prove my innocence regarding a false conviction for a murder that I did not commit, It was very difficult not being able to go to the law library. I also missed going to the gym, and simply being outdoors enjoying the company of friends. But again, I knew that these inmates were relying on us for help, so I had to be selfless and look at the bigger picture.

There were times when things were so chaotic that nurses wanted to Just walk off the Job, and we 4 hospice workers were losing hope in this fight. I know that just staring down at a lifeless body did something to us all emotionally. There would be times when the power from the generator would go out, and we would sit in the still darkness, quiet, listening to the halls, wondering when we were going to hear our names being called for assistance.

There was one pivotal moment where I found myself questioning life itself, and that's when I was spending time with one of the COVID-19 inmate patients. What he said to me still lives in my thoughts. He said, "Goldie (my nickname), it's funny how cruel life can be, huh?" I responded, "What do you mean?" He replied, "I never smoked in my life, but I'm dying from lung cancer, and I have COVID-19." Then he said "It's ok, because I know I don't have long, but I want to know, Goldie, why do you do this kind of work?'' My response was, "Because I hope that If I'm ever in your situation that someone would be there by my side in my time of need"

Two weeks later, he would be dead. During the rougher times, I found myself stepping into an empty cell for a few moments because I had to pull myself together mentally, emotionally, and also spiritually. If I told you I wasn't affected by the death of another human, especially one I'd grown close to under these circumstances, I'd be lying. I honestly have a newfound respect for any and all healthcare workers. While I have been a hospice worker, working alongside medical personnel, I actually feel like a real human being and not just some worthless criminal. This Is the first time in my 24 years of incarceration that I have felt like this, But the question I ask is who actually cares enough to feel and see my pain through these eyes?

It's hard to hold back the tears as I think about all the work we have done, but how we've received little to no recognition for our help and support from the prison officials who are higher up. I've witnessed firsthand how this virus attacks the body with no regard for human life. The times when we all worked together to give George the best care, we were lucky If we even got 5 hours of sleep. Unfortunately, nothing could prepare me for that day and hour when one of the hospice workers woke me as I was getting some rest and informed me that George was no longer with us. I rushed to my feet so that I could begin the process of notifying his family, but it was another inmate by the name of Limbo whose words reverberated through my mind. Donnie, and even C.0.1 Dieckman, asked me If I was alright because they both knew that George and I had grown close.

It has been a rough journey being a hospice worker, and it has definitely humbled me. There were many times when I felt lost, confused, and couldn't process the loss of the other patients we had. There were only a few nurses who witnessed how we were impacted by these deaths. For us 4 inmate hospice workers, it definitely brought us closer together. The fact that we put others’ lives before our own convinces me of how compassionate we actually are; but the mere fact that Ralph and Limbo were my two friends that initially caught the virus first, but they came back to work in order to help others knowing that they could contract this deadly virus again and die, gave me the strength to say, "Against the odds, for worthy cause".

I'm hoping that the impact of my experience gives life to an interview with the media or a news station. I believe that people in society have the right to know what this virus has done to us all, but especially to those who are behind bars. Over 500,000 humans In the U.S. have been affected by this virus in some way, shape or form. But for me, an innocent man fighting a murder conviction only to witness COVID-19 kill 8 people before my eyes, has me now questioning life, wondering where is the Justice, and if death is the actual answer to true freedom. I've truly become a broken shell among damaged petals. If there is anyone beyond these gates who is willing to listen, please become that "SEED OF HOPE" and share my story, because I'm only a Voice of Conviction.

MO NAACP Blog

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Attorney General is Playing Games - We Are Standing Strong

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﻿

pulaski county branch thanks their 2025 juneteenth golf tournament sponsors

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Pulaski Branch Officers presented a certificate of appreciation to Seeger Toyota.

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2025 End of Session Report

The Mood at the Capitol

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What Passed

What Failed

HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT

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Opportunity Race and Justice

What Passed

What Failed

Political power

What Passed

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Education

Tracking Lists

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They aren’t just trying to overturn abortion rights and minimum wage — they’re taking aim at the initiative petition process. This amendment would stop them.

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NAACP CALLS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SHARE EVIDENCE AS
JUSTICE IS DENIED IN ERIK SPENCER, JR. MURDER

President Nimrod Chapel, Jr. Speaks to a Crowd in
Jefferson City on
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NAACP Pulaski County Branch President Cynthia Andry traveled to Springfield, MO to present a certificate of appreciation to Mr. Burleson.

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Over Racial Profiling Data Suppression

White Nationalists Invade Public Treasure
Missouri NAACP Calls for Action, Not Silence

Opinion By Benjamin D. Singer and Nimrod “Rod” Chapel, Jr. Special to The Kansas City Star