Missouri GOP – the party of small government

29 Tuesday Oct 2019

Posted by Michael Bersin in Missouri General Assembly, Missouri Governor

Tags

abortion, Crystal Quade, Department of Health and Senior Services, General Assembly, Mike Parson, missouri, Planned Parenthood, Randall Williams, women's reproductive health

Sure.

House Democratic Minority Leader Crystal Quade [2018 file photo].

A statement from Missouri House Democratic Minority Leader Crystal Quade:

House Minority Caucus
Rep. Crystal Quade
Minority Leader

[….]

STATEMENT
Revelations about health department director unsettling

“The revelation that Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Director Randall Williams used the power of his position to personally track the menstrual periods of Planned Parenthood patients is deeply disturbing. State law requires the health department director to be ‘of recognized character and integrity.’ This unsettling behavior calls into question whether Doctor Williams meets that high standard. Governor Parson must immediately investigate whether patient privacy was compromised or laws broken and determine if this is a person who Missourians can be comfortable having in a position of public trust.”

House Minority Leader Crystal Quade
D-Springfield

-30-

Tracking menstrual periods. That’s going to go over really well with your average Missourian, don’t you think?

Previously:

Meanwhile, fighting Gov. Mike Parson’s (r) vision of women’s health care in Missouri (October 29, 2019)

Campaign Finance: “Insta-campaign!”

29 Tuesday Oct 2019

Posted by Michael Bersin in campaign finance, Missouri General Assembly, Missouri Senate

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3rd Senate District, campaign finance, General Assembly, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission, for the 2020 open seat in the 3rd Senate District:

C190962 10/29/2019 Scism For Senate William Scism PO Box 434 PO Box 434 Park Hills MO 63601 Self Auto Sales 10/29/2019 $100,000.00

[emphasis added]

Huh, a modest start. [/sarcasm]

Any guesses?

Because Medicaid expansion is “too expensive”

28 Monday Oct 2019

Posted by Michael Bersin in Missouri General Assembly, Missouri House

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Elijah Haahr, General Assembly, Hyperloop, Medicaid, missouri, priorities

The only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.

Today:

Panel wants Missouri to apply for first Hyperloop certification track (VIDEO)

Missouri should be first state to apply for to have a high-speed Hyperloop system built within its borders. That’s the recommendation released today from the Special Blue Ribbon Panel on Hyperloop formed by Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr (R-Springfield).

The Panel wants Missouri to be first in building a national certification track. It would be the first step toward seeing a Hyperloop connection between Kansas City and St. Louis, offering passengers a trip between the two in less than 30 minutes.

Haahr said the Hyperloop would keep Missouri at the forefront of transportation technology developments and revolutionize the movement of passengers and freight across the state, while opening up the possibility for ultra-fast travel to other locations in the country in the future. It is also projected that it would reduce fatalities in I-70 as well as carbon emissions.

The test track would cost between $300-million and $500-million.
[….]

And when this comes to pass, those of us in the great unwashed will be able to make the same trip by ox cart in three weeks. Or so.

Speaker Elijah Haahr (r) [2019 file photo].

Suppose the Governor (r) called a special session of the General Assembly on a relatively trivial subject, ignoring the elephant in the room, and the minority party (D) reminded him anyway

10 Tuesday Sep 2019

Posted by Michael Bersin in Missouri General Assembly, Missouri House

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General Assembly, governor, gun violence, guns, Mike Parson, Special Session

Pun intended. The one about ignoring the elephant.

Governor Mike Parson (r) [2018 file photo].

The Missouri General Assembly was called into a special today by Governor Mike Parson (r) to address used auto taxes (seriously). The Democratic Party minority in the House filed a few bills:

100th General Assembly, 1st Extraordinary Session

HB2 Green, Alan 2563H.01I – Prohibits the sale of an assault weapon to a person under the age of 21.

HB3 Green, Alan 2540H.02I – Establishes the “Extreme Risk Protection Order Act”

HB4 Green, Alan 2562H.01I – Requires the department of public safety to commission a study on gun violence in the state of Missouri

HB5 Lavender, Deb 2541H.01I – Modifies orders of protection by adding provisions that allow the confiscation of firearms from individuals a court deems to be a danger to themselves or others

HB6 Price, Wiley 2533H.01I – Establishes the offense of unlawfully storing a firearm in the presence of a child

HB7 Bland Manlove, Ashley 2566H.01I – Requires that all sales or transfers of ammunition be processed through a licensed firearms dealer

HB9 Brown, Richard 2554H.01I – Repeals provisions that prohibit political subdivisions from adopting orders, ordinances, or regulations relating to firearms

HB10 Bangert, Gretchen 2556H.01I – Modifies provisions relating to the transport and storage of firearms

HB11 Merideth, Peter 2542H.01I – Changes the laws regarding firearms

HB13 Brown, Richard 2535H.01I – Modifies the offense of unlawful possession of a firearm

HB14 Washington, Barbara 2557H.01I – Adds public libraries to the list of places CCW permit holders are not authorized to carry concealed weapons

HB18 Mackey, Ian 2551H.01I – Specifies that the seller of a firearm must verify the age of the purchaser.

HB19 Mackey, Ian 2539H.01I – Establishes extreme risk protection orders and gun violence seizure warrants and prohibits certain persons involved in domestic violence from possessing a firearm

HB20 Beck, Doug 2536H.01I – Modifies the offenses of unlawful transfer of weapons and unlawful possession of a firearm

HB21 Morgan, Judy 2547H.01I – Requires a firearm owner to report lost or stolen firearms

HB22 Merideth, Peter 2573H.01I – Establishes the “Community Police Tax Credit”

HB23 Razer, Greg 2543H.01I – Requires that all sales or transfers of firearms be processed through a licensed firearms dealer

HB24 Washington, Barbara 2553H.01I – Makes it a class C felony to manufacture, import, possess, purchase, sell, or transfer any assault weapon or large capacity magazine

HB25 Appelbaum, LaDonna 2560H.01I – Creates a civil penalty for businesses who sell or produce high capacity magazines

HB26 Appelbaum, LaDonna 2559H.01I – Creates a civil penalty for possession of a large capacity magazine

HB28 Windham, Kevin 2576H.02I – Establishes a firearm registry under the management of the Attorney General

HCR1 Windham, Kevin 2577H.01I – Urges the United States Congress to repeal the Firearm Owners Protection Act, 18 U.S.C. Section 926

HJR1 Merideth, Peter 2544H.01I – Proposes a constitutional amendment to require a background check for all firearm transfers of ownership and to require a permit to conceal carry a firearm

Representative Deb Lavender (D) [2019 file photo].

Representative Ashley Bland Manlove (D) [2019 file photo].

Representative Richard Brown (D) [2019 file photo].

Rep. Judy Morgan (D) [2016 file photo].

Representative Greg Razer (D) [2019 file photo].

The Missouri Republican Party thinks voters are too stupid to remember to breathe

06 Friday Sep 2019

Posted by Michael Bersin in Missouri General Assembly, social media

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Missouri Republican Party, social media, Twitter

On Twitter yesterday:

Jean Evans @mojeanevans
If the public “approved” of your ideas, they’d vote for your candidates. Amirite?
[….]
10:46 PM · Sep 5, 2019

There was much hilarity in the responses:

The public voted against right to work, for a minimum wage increase, for Clean MO, and for medical marijuana.

If it makes to the ballot, they will also probably vote against your fundamentalist abortion laws and for Medicaid expansion.

I don’t vote republican and thousands of us don’t. This state is gerrymandered because republicans can’t win if they don’t cheat.

Actually they do approve of Dem ideas, as per the last several ballot issues. Gerrymandering and over-representation of rural counties in the #moleg has prevented Dems from making inroads in the state legislature. But you knew that, b/c you’ve been part of it.

You must have been in a coma when prop A, clean mo, minimum wage and medical marijuana passed.

Republicans have 87% of the reps but only 52% of the votes.

Do you not really see the problem with that?

We knew that:

The distribution of votes (statewide) by party for the Missouri House of Representatives – November 2018

The distribution of seats by party in the Missouri House of Representatives – 2019 Session

Are you being intentionally obtuse or just very stupid? It’s 2019 and I am out of energy for trying to figure this out for every state-level Republican operative so now I’m just asking. #moleg

Nope, you’re not.

Well, there is the matter of the leader of the Republican Party:

Bad combover. Check. Too long red tie. Check. Orange spray tan. Check. Tiny hands. Check. Cluelessness. Check…

He does whatever, they follow.

Federal Court Injunction on HB 126

27 Tuesday Aug 2019

Posted by Michael Bersin in Missouri General Assembly, Missouri Governor

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

abortion, ACLU, HB 126, missouri, Planned Parenthood, pro-choice

~~Pre 1973~~ 2019 medical equipment.

On action in federal court, a press release today from the ACLU:

BREAKING: Federal Court in Missouri Blocks Cascading Abortion Bans
U.S. District Court judge finds Missouri’s law likely unconstitutional on the merits, blocks major portions of abortion law one day before they were set to take effect.
August 27, 2019

ST. LOUIS — Today, a U.S. District Court judge in the Western District of Missouri granted a preliminary injunction, blocking several provisions of Missouri’s sweeping abortion bans passed earlier this year. The blocked bans, which would have made abortion illegal starting at eight weeks, would have taken effect tomorrow. This lawsuit challenges a law that created an unprecedented number of bans at once, at nearly every stage of pregnancy, which is part of a multi-layered effort by state politicians to push abortion out of reach for 1.1 million Missourians of reproductive age. The provision the court allowed to take effect, at least at this preliminary stage, blocks patients from seeking an abortion based on race, gender, or Down syndrome diagnosis. Missouri is now one of eight states that force doctors to investigate why their patients are making a deeply personal medical decision. The court indicated openness to reviewing the issue again on a renewed motion.

In May, emboldened by the Trump administration, Gov. Mike Parson signed House Bill 126, which imposes a series of draconian abortion bans and medically unnecessary restrictions designed to make it impossible for patients to access abortion. Last month, Planned Parenthood, along with partners at the ACLU and law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, took the state of Missouri to court over the clearly unconstitutional abortion bans. With only one abortion provider left in the state, access is left hanging by a thread.

Statement from Alexis McGill Johnson, Acting President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America: “Today’s decision blocks a harmful law that bans abortion before many know they’re pregnant. What little abortion access in Missouri is left will stay in place for the time being. In the meantime, we cannot ignore the part of this law that remains in place, which allows politicians to interfere with the patient-provider relationship. Let’s be very clear: these severe restrictions on abortion access do nothing to address disability rights or discrimination. They only stigmatize abortion and shame the people who seek that care. Planned Parenthood won’t cower to politicians. We will continue fighting in court and working with every person to ensure they get the health care they need and deserve.”

Statement from Dr. Colleen McNicholas, Chief Medical Officer, Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region: “Abortion access has once again been protected in Missouri by the courts, but only for some. Although the judge recognized the merits of our case, he has also allowed parts of the law to go into effect. While most people seeking abortion will thankfully still be able to do so, allowing the reason ban to take effect will have a measurable impact. It requires physicians to interrogate patients and, in turn, destroys the foundation of trust essential in a health care setting. Missourians do not need or want politicians in their exam rooms. My patients deserve access to high-quality abortion care, and they deserve the space to make those decisions based on their values, life circumstances, support system, and faith, free of government scrutiny. Although we are grateful today’s ruling allows us to provide care to some Missourians, we will continue to defend the truth: EVERY reason to have an abortion is a valid reason.”

Statement from Andrew Beck, Senior Staff Attorney, ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project: “Today’s decision affirms that abortion is still a constitutional right — and we will do everything possible to keep it that way. This fight isn’t over until everyone who needs an abortion in Missouri can get one.”

Statement from Tony Rothert, Legal Director, ACLU-Missouri: “House Bill 126 is an offensive intrusion into private medical decision-making that would have jeopardized the health and well-being of Missourians in need of abortion care. This law put politicians at the center of a deeply personal decision that belongs to a pregnant person and those they trust most: their family and health care providers — not the government. We applaud the decision of the court to uphold the Constitution and stop HB 126.”

Missouri is one of 12 states to pass an abortion ban just in the first half of this year. State politicians, emboldened by President Trump, have passed a total of 26 abortion bans nationwide in 2019 alone. With Justice Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court, anti-abortion politicians are racing to pass bills designed to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Anti-abortion politicians in Missouri have spent decades eroding reproductive health care. As a result, Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region is the last remaining health center in the state that still provides abortion. Gov. Parson signed this sweeping abortion ban into law while weaponizing the state’s licensing process. Parson said his goal was to make Missouri the “most pro-life state in America.”

It is not new for politicians in Missouri or elsewhere to use a combination of state laws and regulatory harassment to target abortion providers — in fact, Missouri already used similar targeting to block the only other health center in the state that provided abortions from continuing to do so in 2018. Parson’s administration forced more than 100 patients to undergo medically unnecessary pelvic exams before abruptly rescinding the requirement. That’s on top of dozens of medically unnecessary restrictions that make abortion nearly impossible to access. These restrictions include a 72-hour mandatory delay for patients accessing abortion, which forces patients to make two trips to the health center, and demanding abortion providers hold local hospital admitting privileges. This, despite the fact that support for access to abortion in America is at an all-time high — and growing.

While the state is cutting off access to abortion, maternal and reproductive health in the state is in crisis. Maternal mortality rates in Missouri are more than 50 percent higher than the national average, and a syphilis outbreak is sweeping the state. The same politicians who claim to value “life” continue to sit idly by while public health outcomes worsen.

HB 126, brought to you by:

Governor Mike Parson (r) [2018 file photo].

Wire coathangers on the fence at the Governor’s Mansion in Jefferson City – June 2, 2019.

Previously:

HB 126 and HB 127: catering to their single issue base (December 3, 2018)

Gov. Mike Parson (r): Alabama, hold my beer… (May 15, 2019)

Gov. Mike Parson (r): New York is shorthand for what? (May 16, 2019)

Medieval (May 17, 2019)

Sen. Denny Hoskins (r): post session victory dance over any individal woman’s personal medical decisions (May 17, 2019)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): the 13th Century GOP in 21st Century America (May 20, 2019)

HB 126: the elephant in the womb (May 24, 2019)

HB 126: “…here for the ratio” (May 25, 2016)

Missouri: Medieval (May 28, 2019)

ACLU: Referendum Petition filed on HB 126 (May 28, 2019)

Women’s Health Care in Missouri – 1, Gov. Mike Parson (r) – 0 (May 31, 2019)

Our nation turns its eyes to Missouri (June 1, 2019)

State Auditor Nicole Galloway (D): Gov. Mike Parson (r) and HB 126 – “…extreme and cruel.” (June 3, 2019)

In the Medieval State of Missouri (June 4, 2019)

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft (r): Emergency! Emergency! (June 7, 2019)

American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri and Sara E. Baker v. John R. Ashcroft, et al. (July 8, 2019)

State Auditor Nicole Galloway (D): going forward with the HB 126 petition (July 8, 2019)

Sen. Denny Hoskins (r): regulated land use is evil, until it isn’t

12 Monday Aug 2019

Posted by Michael Bersin in Missouri General Assembly, Missouri Senate

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

21st Senate District, CAFO, Denny Hoskins, Hypocrisy, Johnson County, missouri, planning and zoning, Valley Oaks, Warrensburg, Warrensburg City Council

Right.

Denny Hoskins (r) [2017 file photo].

In March:

Senate bill aims to prohibit county restrictions on agricultural enterprises
By Sue Sterling sue.sterling@dsjnow.com Mar 18, 2019
[….]
Hoskins said he believes the bill has a chance to pass in the Senate.

He said he voted for the bill because he is “frustrated with the constant attacks on agriculture,” not just in Missouri but nationally, such as the Green New Deal proposed by some congressional Democrats.

“I’m definitely a supporter of agriculture,” he said.

Some counties, Hoskins said, have passed such restrictive regulations that “you can’t farm.”

While the regulations do not affect existing farms, he said, they could limit expansion of those farms.
[….]
He noted that voters in Johnson County have consistently voted against planning and zoning.

Industrialized agriculture is needed, he said, because small farmers cannot afford the cost of land and equipment and feed.
[….]

And now? The expansion of a pre-existing convenience store on to two adjacent residential lots (which would need to be rezoned) (if approved, with, as it was explained to me this morning, a thirty foot planted buffer between the business and the remaining residential lots) is being challenged by some neighboring Warrensburg residents. The city planning and zoning commission has already approved the rezoning, 5-1. The Warrensburg City Council will vote on approval at a meeting this month.

One letter in opposition to the rezoning:

July 28,2019

Dear Warrensburg Planning and Zoning Commission:

We are writing to you today concerning the proposed change in zoning of the property at 310 East Gay Street and 309 East Market Street from residential to general business. Unfortunately, we are unable to attend the Planning and Zoning meeting, but will be in attendance for the City Council meeting on August 12.

We live at 314 East Gay Street and also own the house next door at 312 East Gay Street. When we purchased our property almost 3 years ago, we knew the lot at 310 East Gay Street was zoned residential R-2. We felt comfort knowing that a residential home could be built on the lot at 310 East Gay, but a commercial building could not be built on the lot.

We have no concerns with keeping the properties zoned residential R-2. However, our realtor as well as another realtor on City Council have expressed their concern to us our home property value will decrease if the request for a change in zoning from residential to general business is approved by planning and zoning and the city council. If the change in zoning is approved, a commercial building could be a mere 30 feet away from our property versus the 96 feet distance under the current zoning requirements.

We have put a lot of time, sweat and tears in remodeling our home which was built in 1905. It would be beyond frustrating to see all of our hard-work and money spent updating and improving our home disappear due to a change in zoning from residential to general business.

We humbly ask that you consider the negative effect on our homes property value if the change in zoning is approved and ask you for your vote against the zoning change.

Sincerely,
s/
Senator Denny and Michelle Hoskins

Capital letter “L” libertarianism at the statewide level meets “but my quality of life and property values” at the local level. It is a very rare thing to witness karma and the closure of a circle of hypocrisy wrapped up in such a neat little package, all within such a short amount of time.

Rep. Peter Merideth (D): about that Sunshine Law…

09 Friday Aug 2019

Posted by Michael Bersin in Missouri General Assembly, Missouri House

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Attorney General, CLEAN Missouri, Eric Schmitt, General Assembly, missouri, Missouri Sunshine Law, Peter Merideth

A release, yesterday, from Representative Peter Merideth (D):

State Rep. Peter Merideth
80th District
peter.merideth@house.mo.gov

For Immediate Release:
Aug. 8, 2019

Five months later, Schmitt hasn’t provided requested legal opinion
Attorney general shows pattern of protecting GOP officials in Sunshine Law cases

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – More than five months after state Rep. Peter Merideth submitted a request for a legal opinion from Attorney General Eric Schmitt regarding whether the Republican-controlled House of Representatives is violating state law and the Missouri Constitution by preventing public access to certain lawmaker records, Schmitt has yet to respond – even though his office promised to do so with 90 days.

Yesterday, State Auditor Nicole Galloway noted that Schmitt, a Republican, likewise has failed to timely act on a request she submitted on May 7 seeking the attorney general’s opinion on whether government entities can assert the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as justification to close portions of public documents that are open under Missouri’s Sunshine Law. Republican Gov. Mike Parson’s office recently invented the novel legal argument, which has been ridiculed by experts in open records law.

“Eric Schmitt has established an unfortunate pattern of looking the other way when Republican elected officials violate the law by shielding public records from public scrutiny,” said Merideth, D-St. Louis. “As attorney general, it is his duty to fight for transparency and protect Missourians. Instead he has chosen to protect officials of his own party and keep Missourians from holding their state government accountable.”

Merideth submitted his request for an attorney general’s opinion on March 7. Other than a same-day letter acknowledging receipt of the request and promising to respond to respond “within 90 days,” Merideth has received no further information from Schmitt regarding this issue.

“Missouri law requires the attorney general to issue legal opinions when requested by other elected officials,” Merideth said. “Eric Schmitt needs to do his job.”

Merideth’s original opinion request and the attorney general’s letter of acknowledgment are attached.

-30-

The original request for an opinion from Attorney General Eric Schmitt (r):

Request for Attorney General Opinion

1. Information about requestor: Representative Peter Merideth represents Missouri House District 80. He was first elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 2016, reelected in 2018, and currently serves as a member of the 100th General Assembly.

2. Official capacity of requestor: Rep. Merideth is a duly elected State Representative serving the constituents of St. Louis City residing in Missouri House of Representatives District 80. He currently serves as a member of the 100th General Assembly, First Regular Session. His principal office is in Cole County, Missouri, in the Missouri Capitol building.

3. The question of LAW upon which I request your legal opinion is as follows: Does Rule 127 of the rules governing proceedings before the Missouri House of Representatives for the 100th General Assembly, as set forth in House Resolution 7, passed by the Missouri House of Representatives on January 15, 2019, violate Article III, Section 19(b) of the Missouri Constitution?

4. A complete statement of the FACTS giving rise to this question is as follows: Constitutional Amendment 1 (“Clean Missouri”) On November 6, 2018, 62 percent of Missouri voters approved Constitutional Amendment 1, also known as the “Clean Missouri” Amendment. Among its provisions, Constitutional Amendment 1 required all legislative records, defined broadly, to be subject to the state open meetings and records law, known as the Missouri Sunshine Law. Subsequent to its approval, Article III, Section 19 of the Missouri Constitution was amended to include subsection (b), which states: “Legislative records shall be public records and subject to generally applicable state laws governing public access to public records, including the Sunshine Law. Legislative records include, but are not limited to, all records, in whatever form or format, of the official acts of the general assembly, of the official acts of legislative committees, of the official acts of members of the general assembly, of individual legislators, their employees and staff, of the conduct of legislative business and all records that are created, stored or distributed through legislative branch facilities, equipment or mechanisms, including electronic. Each member of the general assembly is the custodian of legislative records under the custody and control of the member, their employees and staff. The chief clerk of the house or the secretary of the senate are the custodians for all other legislative records relating to the house and the senate, respectively.” House Rule 127 On January 15, 2019, the Missouri House of Representatives adopted House Resolution 7, which details the rules governing proceedings before the Missouri House of Representatives for the 100th General Assembly. House Resolution 7 included a new rule, Rule 127, “House Records,” which purports to grant Members of the Missouri House of Representatives the authority to close constituent case files, which it defined broadly, as well as records containing caucus strategy, which it did not define. The rule states: “Members may keep constituent case files, and records of the caucus of the majority or minority party of the house that contain caucus strategy, confidential. Constituent case files include any correspondence, written or electronic, between a member and a constituent, or between a member and any other party pertaining to a constituent’s grievance, a question of eligibility for any benefit as it relates to a particular constituent, or any issue regarding a constituent’s request for assistance.” Sunshine Request On March 2, 2019, Rep. Peter Merideth, who is currently an elected official in the Missouri House of Representatives, received two requests for legislative records pursuant to the Missouri Sunshine law. The first request specifically asked for emails purportedly, though likely fraudulently, sent to Rep. Merideth using his constituent’s email address. The second request specifically asked for emails, including attachments to said emails, sent from Democratic caucus staff and leadership to Rep. Merideth in regards to certain bills filed in 2018.

5. List each and every governmental entity involved in this request:
Rep. Peter Merideth The House Minority Caucus.

6. Which of the entities listed in response to Question 5 have attorneys paid with public funds? For each entity listed, attach a copy of the written legal opinion of each such attorney on the question involved herein. Rep. Merideth is represented in this matter by the House Minority Caucus Counsel, Casey Millburg. As an employee of the Missouri House of Representatives, Ms. Millburg is paid with public funds. Ms. Millburg’s written legal opinion on the question is attached.

7. State in detail how the question of law relates to your official position or to the discharge of your duties. Pursuant Article III, Section 19(b) of the Missouri Constitution, each member of the general assembly is the custodian of legislative records under the custody and control of the member, their employees and staff. As the custodian of such records for his office, Rep. Merideth is responsible for determining how to comply with Sunshine requests made for his office’s legislative records. Further, pursuant to this subsection, in doing so Rep. Merideth must comply with the provisions of the state’s open records laws. As a duly elected official serving as a Member of the Missouri House of Representatives, Rep. Merideth is also subject to the rules governing proceedings before the Missouri House of Representatives for the 100th General Assembly. As set forth in House Resolution 7 passed by the General Assembly on January 15, 2019, Rule 127 purports to give Rep. Merideth and all Members of the Missouri House of Representatives the power to determine whether or not to release constituent case files of the type at issue in Mr. Pedroli’s request in response to a Sunshine request for such records.

8. Is any litigation pending involving the issues raised in your opinion request? We are aware of no pending litigation involving the specific issues in this request.

9. If the answer to Question 8 is “yes” list the name of case, court in which it is pending and docket number of case: See above.

It ain’t exactly rocket surgery.

General Assembly – November 5, 2019 Special Elections

01 Thursday Aug 2019

Posted by Michael Bersin in Missouri General Assembly, Missouri Governor, Missouri House

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

22nd Legislative District, 36th legislative District, 74th Legislative District, 78th Legislative District, Brandon Ellington, Bruce Franks Jr., Cora Faith Walker, Daron McGee, Mike Parson, missouri, special elections

Governor Mike Parson (r) [2018 file photo].

Today:

Governor Parson Calls Special Election for House of Representative Vacancies

August 1, 2019

Jefferson City Today, Governor Mike Parson called for a special election to fill four House of Representative vacancies due to the resignation of Representatives Brandon Ellington, DaRon McGee, Cora Faith Walker, and Bruce Franks Jr.

“We greatly appreciate the service of Representatives Ellington, McGee, Walker, and Franks to the State of Missouri,” Governor Parson said. “We will work quickly to fill these vacancies and ensure that all Missourians are represented here in the Capitol.”

[….]

The special election for the Missouri House of Representatives 22nd District (parts of Jackson County and Kansas City), 36th District (Kansas City), 74th District (St. Louis County), and 78th District (St. Louis City) will take place on November 5, 2019.