Last week at the Missouri General Assembly (MOGA)
High points and low points of the week as well as some of this week’s plans
Please take a few minutes to both pray and take action on these important issues. Then, forward this e-mail on to like-minded friend, family, churches and associates.
Monday, February 16
MOGA declared a snow day. Legislative activities were rescheduled for the following day.
Tuesday, February 17
HB 217, sponsored by Rep. Ken Wilson (R-District 12), was heard in the House Children and Families Committee. The room was filled with parents who had experience with a child being taken away and put into state custody for “medical neglect.” There was time to hear only three of the personal stories. What a shame the committee hadn’t allotted more time to give these Missouri citizens whose lives have been turned inside out by the state to be heard. They came to the Capitol thinking they would be heard and time did not allow for that to happen. The presence of the citizens speaks for itself, but each story is so different. Hopefully, the committee will vote “do-pass”, and HB217 will move to the select committee so it can move forward to the House floor for debate. Click hereto read the bill and watch its progress. CWA of Missouri supports HB 217.
Take Action: Please contact the members of the House Children and Families Committeeand ask them to vote “do-pass” on HB 217. Please contact them right away; they could vote on this as soon as Tuesday, February 24.
CWA of Missouri Legislative Liaison Linda Laird spent time in some other hearings observing the proceedings and presentations of various bills. State Director Bev Ehlen spent the remainder of the afternoon with CWA member Kate Holloway who had come to the Capitol to speak to certain members of the House and Senate regarding the state of marriage in Missouri and the trampling of our Missouri Constitution by judges, our attorney General and most recently the newly confirmed Director of the Department of Revenue, Nia Ray.
Wednesday, February 18
The Truth Project – This twelve-subject worldview study is held on Wednesday mornings at 7:00 a.m. in Hearing Room 4. Missouri Alliance for Freedom and CWA of Missouri have teamed up to sponsor breakfast and the showing of the weekly video presentation by Dr. Del Tackett. This week’s presentation was Anthropology: Who is Man? We have been having a consistent fifteen or sixteen present every Wednesday morning.
HB 152, sponsored by Rep. Elijah Haahr (R-District 134), was heard in the House Civil and Criminal Proceedings Committee. This bill would expand the crime of sexual trafficking of a child to include advertising a child participating in a commercial sexual act. There were many witnesses testifying in favor of this bill – Congresswoman Ann Wagner, victims of sex trafficking, parents of victims of sex trafficking, and law enforcement officers. This bill should move fairly quickly. Click hereto watch its progress. CWA of Missouri supports HB 152.
SB 237, sponsored by Sen. Joseph Keaveny, D-St. Louis, was heard in the Senate Progress and Development Committee. This act prohibits discrimination based upon a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Such discrimination includes unlawful housing practices, denial of membership into an organization relating to the selling or renting of dwellings, unlawful employment practices, and denial of the right to use public accommodations. CWA of Missouri testified against this bill as this type of law or ordinance is being used all over the country to punish those individuals who hold religious convictions regarding same sex marriage. This type of public policy also removes protection of individuals in restrooms or dressing rooms. Hopefully, this bill won’t move very far. It hasn’t done so in the past seven years. But each year it gains more support and less opposition. Click hereto watch its progress. CWA of Missouri opposes HB 237.
Linda Laird, Sherry Kutenkuler and Bev Ehlen spent the remainder of the day observing in hearings, visiting with individual members of the Missouri General Assembly and distributing our Weekly Reader. We leave this weekly document in each office; it has two of the 28 Principles – the twenty-eight fundamental beliefs of the Founding Fathers which they said must be understood and perpetuated by every people who desired peace, prosperity, and freedom – a Scripture and a couple cartoons. We included the cartoons to get them to take a look at the Scripture and principles. So far it seems to be working.
Saturday, February 20
Concerned Women for America of Missouri manned a booth at the Reagan/Lincoln Days in Kansas City last weekend. We met many conservative, God-fearing people and reconnect with many we know.
THIS WEEK:
Monday, February 23
HB 800 – Medical Marijuana, sponsored by Rep. Dave Hinson (R-98), will be heard in the House Emerging Issues Committee. It establishes the Missouri Compassionate Care Act which provides for the licensure of medical cannabis centers and cultivation and production facilities to provide medical cannabis to qualifying patient. Click hereto read the bill and watch its progress. CWA of Missouri opposes HB 800.
HB 206 – Public Facilities and Infrastructure, sponsored by Paul Curtman (R-109), establishes the Partnership for Public Facilities and Infrastructure Act. CWA of Missouri Issues Specialist Amy Fox has some real concerns about this bill and how it fits into sustainable development and the overall plan of Agenda 21 and trampling the private property rights of the citizen and the rights of the taxpayer. Rep. Curtman has heard the concerns and has said he wants to work with the citizens on this issue. CWA of Missouri will work to amend HB 206.
Take Action: Please contact Rep. Curtman, members of the Government Efficiency Committee and your state representative and state senator. Ask them to attend the Agenda 21 Legislators’ Briefing on Tuesday, February 24, at 6:30 p.m. in Hearing Room 7. Several Missouri experts on Agenda 21, sustainable development and property rights will be presenting. As legislators who will be voting on HB 206, it is imperative they learn as much as they can so they can make informed decisions. They will be making decisions on bills that may sound good, but the details show encroachment on private property rights of Missourians. E-mail this flyer to them. If you don’t know who your representative or senator is, simply click here and go to “Legislator Lookup” where you will put in your address
Tuesday, February 24
SB 302, sponsored by Rep. Jeanie Riddle (R-District 20), will be heard in the Senate Seniors, Families and Children Committee. It requires referrals for out of state abortions to be accompanied by specified printed materials. Click here to watch its progress. CWA of Missouri supports HB 302.
Legislators’ Briefing on Agenda 21 and Sustainable Development – 6:30 p.m in Hearing Room 7. Ask your state representative and state senator and their staffs to attend. Click here to view flyer.
Wednesday, February 25
Truth Project – Theology: Who is God? (Lesson 4): 7:00 a.m. in Hearing Room 4. Both breakfast and Truth served.
HB 113 – Life-Sustaining Treatment Policies, sponsored by Rep. Bill E. Kidd, R-District 20), will be heard in the House Health and Mental Health Policy Committee. HB 113 establishes “Simon’s Law” which changes the laws regarding life-sustaining or non-beneficial treatment policies of health care facilities. Click here to watch its progress. CWA of Missouri supports HB 113.
There will be more added to the schedule for next week. If you would like to see what bills are on the hearing schedule for the Missouri House and Senate next week, you can go to http://house.mo.gov/HearingsPrint.aspx?DateOrder=true and http://www.senate.mo.gov/hearingsschedule/hrings.htm.
We ask for your prayers,financial support and participation. We are an all-volunteer organization. Each of the ladies travel to the Capitol, pay for gas for their cars and overnight stays, food away from home, etc. It would be great to have some individuals step up and “Sponsor a Legislative Liaison.” This money could go directly to reimburse a Legislative Liaison for some of her expenses. Think about it, pray about it and contact us should the Lord move you to “Sponsor a Legislative Liaison.”