01/13/25 Missouri Mondays - 2025 MO Legislative Session is underway! News, events, voter resources, and ways to get involved this week!
Welcome to Missouri Mondays.
First, our thoughts are with all those affected by the devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area. If you are able to donate, here are a couple of links with lists of organizations providing help for victims: CBS News List Jan 12 2025 and NBC-vetted List Jan 10 2025
Missouri lawmakers returned to Jefferson City last week to begin the 2025 Legislative Session. Democrats fell short of the seats needed to break the Republican veto-proof supermajorities in both chambers so the numbers are unchanged at 111-52 in the House and 24-10 in the Senate. GOP priorities for this session include altering or repealing Amendment 3 abortion rights, constitutional amendments to make passing initiative petition measures more difficult, cutting or eliminating MO income tax, returning control of the St. Louis police department back to the state.
Overturning your vote on abortion rights and making initiative petitions harder to pass in the future is UNACCEPTABLE and our elected officials must be held accountable.
If you haven’t already, connect with your Representative and Senator and sign up for their legislative newsletters. Search for your elected officials and their contact information by entering your address here: https://www.senate.mo.gov/LegisLookup/Default
Thank you for staying informed and taking action each week to protect our rights and our democracy. Help us spread the word by sharing this email and the link to sign up here: https://www.moactionalliance.com/signup
EVENTS THIS WEEK!
*MISSOURI VOTER PROTECTION COALITION (MOVPC) MEETING
MONDAY MORNINGS at 10AM
Online (Zoom)
To sign up text “MOVPC” to 66866 or register here: bit.ly/protectmovoters
Protecting the vote requires our continued attention! Join MOVPC Democracy Defenders across the state to learn how you can get involved with the fight to protect voting rights for all Missourians!
DONATE TO MOVPC
Help Missouri Voter Protection Coalition lead the fight against attacks on our freedom to vote in the statehouse, in the courthouse, in the media, in the streets and at the polls on Election Day. Donate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/movpc
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Governor-Elect Mike Kehoe Inauguration Events and Inaugural Ball
Monday, January 13
Missouri State Capitol
201 W Capitol Ave
Jefferson City, MO 65101
Join Governor-Elect Mike Kehoe and the Missouri Legislature for public events throughout the day beginning at 9:00am. The Grand March and Inaugural Ball begins at 7:00pm Find the full schedule here: https://governor-elect.mo.gov/2024/12/13/governor-elect-kehoe-announces-inaugural-event-schedule/
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KANSAS CITY METRO
South KC Democrats Monthly Meeting
Saturday, January 18
10:00am
Red Bridge Public Library
453 E Red Bridge Rd
Kansas City, MO 64131
Our featured speakers are KCMO City Councilmen Crispin Rea and Johnathan Duncan, who will discuss the upcoming April 8th ballot question to renew a sales tax to build a new city jail. We look forward to seeing you there!
MISSOURI VOTER RESOURCES
Find your Current State Elected Officials and U.S. Elected Officials
Enter your address to search for your electeds here: https://www.senate.mo.gov/LegisLookup/Default
Next election: April 2, 2025. Register to vote by March 6.
Check your registration on the MO Secretary of State website: https://voteroutreach.sos.mo.gov/portal/
Missouri Voter Protection Voter Eligibility & Registration Guidance: https://www.movpc.org/missouri-voter-eligibility-and-registration
Identify your local election authority: https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/localelectionauthority
Do you have your voter ID? Approved forms of ID are listed below (your address does not need to match the address on the ID):
A non-expired* Missouri driver or non-driver license;
A non-expired military ID, including a veteran's ID card;
A non-expired United States passport; or
Another photo ID issued by the United States or the state of Missouri, which is either not expired *or expired after November 8, 2022.
Voter ID cards issued by your county clerk, driver licenses from other states, and student IDs are no longer accepted as valid IDs to vote.
MISSOURI LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
The 2025 MO Legislative session began last week and as reported in the Missouri Independent “...lawmakers had prefiled more than 1,250 bills, 725 in the House and 539 in the state Senate. House members have also offered up 44 proposals to change the Missouri Constitution, while the Senate has 50 ready for opening day. The only bills lawmakers must pass are appropriations to fund state government. Issues expected to receive extensive debate include:
Proposals to alter or repeal the provisions of Amendment 3, which protects abortion rights.
Constitutional amendments to make it more difficult to pass measures by initiative petition.
Bills to cut or eliminate the income tax.
Measures that address crime and police, including a proposal backed by Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe to put the state back in control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.”
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LEGISLATIVE SESSION STARTS WITH NEW LEADERS IN BOTH CHAMBERS
The Missouri House of Representatives and Senate elected new leaders on Jan. 8 as the 2025 legislative session got underway. Republicans continue to hold veto-proof supermajorities in both legislative chambers, outnumbering Democrats 111-52 in the House and 24-10 in the Senate, numbers that are unchanged from the previous year.
The upper chamber unanimously elected state Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin, R-Shelbina, as president pro tem, making her the first woman to hold the Senate’s top leadership post. Republican Catherine Hanaway served as the first – and so far only – woman House speaker from 2003 through 2004.
Over in the House, state Rep. Jon Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, easily defeated a hardline right-wing challenger from his own party on a vote of 152-10 to claim the speaker’s gavel. Patterson became the first Asian American speaker in state history. During comments after his election, Patterson also said he is the first speaker from Jackson County since 1857.
The Democratic leaders in both chambers are also new to their posts, with state Rep. Ashely Aune, D-Kansas City, serving as House minority leader and state Sen. Doug Beck, D-Afton, as Senate minority leader.
With Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, a Republican, being inaugurated as Missouri’s next governor on Jan. 13, legislative work won’t begin in earnest for another week or so. This year’s session ends May 16. The inauguration ceremony will take place at noon in front of the Missouri Capitol and is open to the public.
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED! ORGANIZATIONS NEED YOUR HELP!
JOIN THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS KANSAS CITY, JACKSON-CLAY-PLATTE COUNTIES!
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging informed and active participation in government. We never support or oppose any political party or candidate.
While securing voter rights is our foundational endeavor, we have expanded our advocacy to fulfill our civic duties of devising good governance. Our volunteers work year-round to register voters, secure fair elections, host community forums and debates, provide voters with election information and protect voter rights.
Become a LWVKC member today! https://lwvkc.org/content.aspx?page_id=60&club_id=477430
Join a League of Women Voters Missouri chapter near you: https://my.lwv.org/missouri/join
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HELP PROVIDE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE FOR MISSOURIANS!
Support the work of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers PPGR (formerly Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri)
Missouri voters passed Amendment 3, rejecting the state’s total abortion ban and enshrining the right to reproductive freedom — including the right to abortion, birth control, respectful birthing conditions and more — in the state constitution. Planned Parenthood Great Rivers (PPGR) Action organizers spent months embedded with the Yes on 3 campaign, working to both win the right to reproductive freedom and build long-term power by connecting with everyday Missourians across the state. Voters sent a clear message to the anti-abortion politicians in Jefferson City: Get out of our exam rooms, and leave personal health care decisions to patients and their providers. PPGR Action is committed to defending Missourians’ new right to reproductive freedom — but we can’t do it without you: Will you make a gift today?
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HELP THE ACLU FIGHT BACK AGAINST THE THREAT TO CIVIL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES UNDER DT!
Donald Trump has been reelected, and his promises threaten our civil rights and liberties. If he takes action against our communities, the ACLU will lead the fight in court. We're ready to mobilize our legal and advocacy teams to protect our rights – but we can't do it alone.
Your donation will fuel our litigation efforts and grassroots organizing. Together, we can defend freedom and equality for all. Donate now to ensure we're prepared to fight for justice every step of the way: https://action.aclu.org/give/aclu-freedom-defense-fund
More information: https://www.aclu.org/our-47th-president-donald-trump
More ways to take action: https://www.aclu.org/action
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*HELP END GUN VIOLENCE WITH EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY AND MOMS DEMAND ACTION MO
Every day, more than 110 people in America are killed with guns. We’re counting on people like you to take actions that will help us pass common-sense laws and implement policies that will save lives.
Join Moms Demand Action volunteers in Missouri who are working to make our communities safer by texting READY to 644-33.
Make a donation to Moms Demand Action to help end gun violence: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ads-momsdemandaction-action
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SUPPORT MISSOURI GOVERNMENT, POLITICS, AND POLICY NEWS REPORTING!
*MISSOURI INDEPENDENT
“Show your support for Missouri Independent, the largest newsroom in Missouri that's focused exclusively on covering state government, politics and policy. Missouri Independent is a nonprofit news operation that depends on support from people like you to produce high-quality journalism without advertising, subscription fees or paywalls. Please help us with this public service. Your donations allow us to expand our coverage, purchase equipment and fight for open records.”
Make a donation here: https://missouriindependent.com/donate/ Your donation is tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
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*THE BEACON
Support The Beacon Journalism Fund
Join us in building well-informed, actively engaged communities. Now through December 31, NewsMatch and our community partners will match your new monthly donation 12x (or double your one-time gift) up to $1,000. There’s never been a better time to support The Beacon! https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/11/08/missouri-county-level-election-maps-2024/?form=donate
Upcoming Events - Ways to Make a Difference 2025
*Find additional events, resources, organizations that need your help here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19AZUdtRH5WXefOC4Q5D9u-HyuzhBEL8rYX9Ospn3n18/edit?tab=t.0
MISSOURI MONDAYS NEWS SUPPLEMENT!
With so much important news each week we don’t want you to miss a thing! Check out our MISSOURI MONDAYS NEWS SUPPLEMENT here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13cokjWlCh2EkY5K6bM357rjVPizZDzxlMqjAuoBQfoI/edit?usp=sharing
THANK YOU! for staying informed and taking action to make a difference!
Invite your friends and neighbors to join us and sign up for Missouri Action Alliance and this Missouri Mondays weekly email at bit.ly/3pF99Uw
Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MOActionAlliance and check out our website at http://www.MOActionAlliance.com
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