1.30.2023
Advocacy Alert & Update
Actions Needed NOW!
Greetings!

Hearings last week on Education Equity, Citizen Initiative Petitions and protecting the rights of trans children require immediate action to keep them from moving forward.

Hearings are happening this week on these same issues.

Action is required on some of these issues before tomorrow (1/31) at 10:00 am

Also below is a full list of Lobby Days, another great way to engage in Legislative Advocacy. I will be attending most of them. Let me know if you want to participate and need a ride. There is a lobby day tomorrow sponsored jointly by the NAACP and Mother's Against the Death Penalty. More information is below.

Thank you for your advocacy.
Cheryl Adelstein
Deputy Director
Take Action
Changes to the Citizen Initiative Petitions

Last week, the Senate Elections Committee heard five bills that would negatively impact the Citizen Initiative Petition. Two of those bills have already been voted out of Committee and are headed to the House Rules Committee, which meets Monday, Jan. 30 at 12:30 PM.


On Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 12:00 p.m. the House Election Committee will hear three more bills that would impact the Citizen Initiative Petition.

HB 703 - Haffner INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM PETITIONS
HB 780 - McGaugh PETITION CIRCULATORS
HJR 19 - Black MEASURES REFERRED TO THE PEOPLE

The first two bills make it more difficult to recruit individuals to help collect signatures for petitions. The HRJ increases the number of signatures needed to submit an initiative and the threshold by which the petitions needs to pass.


If you are interested in timely and detailed updates on this and all Voting Rights topics, sign up to receive bulletins from the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition by texting MOVPC to 66866.
Protect A Child's Right to Play and Access to Critical Health Care

Last week The House General Law Committee held a 9 hour hearing on multiple bills that would impact trans children and being identifying as LGBTQ+. The following actions are needed

  • Contact Committee Chair Rep. Alex Riley to thank him for allowing everyone to speak and to ask him not to bring the bills up for Executive Session.
  • Contact the members of the House General Laws Committee and tell them to vote no on HB 170, 183, 337 (Trans athlete bans) and HB 419, 461 and 540 (gender affirming medical care) when they considered in Executive Session.

On Tuesday, January 31, the Senate Emerging Issues Committee is hearing seven bills specifically impacting trans children ability to play sports, beginning in Kindergarten.



For More Information:
Education Equity

Last week the Senate Education and Workforce development committee heard another bill that would impact what could be taught in the classroom, and then rolled three bills together and voted them out of Committee as SCS/SBs 4, 42 & 89 (This act creates and modifies provisions regarding transparency in elementary and secondary education.)

This bill is now scheduled to be "perfected" by the Missouri Senate, which will then lead to a vote on the Senate Floor.

Upcoming Lobby Days

Lobby days are a great way to engage with legislators and staff on issues important to you, and learn your way around the Capitol.
NAACP/Mothers Against the Death Penalty Lobby Day
Tuesday, January 31 | 10 AM - 3 PM
Missouri State Capitol, Jefferson City, MO
Hosted by Missouri NAACP and Mothers Against the Death Penalty
Human Trafficking Lobby Day
Wednesday, February 1 | 9 AM
Missouri State Capitol, First Floor Rotunda
Hosted by NCJWSTL
Education Equity Lobby Day
Thursday, February 9 | 9:45 - 12:00 PM
Missouri State Capitol, Jefferson City, MO
Hosted by Missouri Education Equity Partnership
Tuition Equity Lobby Day
Wednesday, February 15 | TBD
Missouri State Capitol, Jefferson City, MO
Hosted by Missouri Immigration Policy Coaltion
SAVE THE DATE - MORE INFORMATION SOON

Clean Slate Expungement Lobby Day
Wednesday, March 1 | TBD
Missouri State Capitol, Jefferson City, MO
Hosted by Clean Slate Expungement Coalition and Empower Missouri
Upcoming JCRC Programs
Advocacy in Action: Leading through Uncertainty
March 3-5, 2023: Registration Now Open
Sheraton Westport Plaza
Presented by NCJWSTL
Co-sponsored by JCRC and the Jewish Council on Public Affairs
Join NCJW in St. Louis March 3-5, 2023 for a full weekend of workshops and speakers with plenty of time to share best practices and learn from each other. Workshops will include learning how to advocate, social media for advocacy, how to write letters to the editor, creating coalitions, reaching outside for support, and other topics that will help you move forward on the issues of importance to all of us.