MOScout Daily Update: Senate Passes Anti-PP Bill - Dorr OK on SB 727 - Danforth Backs Kehoe - Lincoln PAC $1.2M COH - WSJ on STL and more…
Senate Passes Anti-PP Law
After a Democratic filibuster for 12 hours or so, the Senate passed HB 2634. The Senate handler, Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, made a cosmetic change to the language, but kept the bill’s purpose intact: to prevent Planned Parenthood from receiving state reimbursements for services provided.
Why It’s Important: This is significant because it clears the path for the FRA tax renewal which is essential for funding the state’s healthcare programs.
· It’s also another big pro-life win for Coleman, who is running for secretary of state.
Two things I was surprised by…
· First, that the Senate took up this bill on the day that Planned Parenthood advocates were walking the hall of the capitol lobbying. The usual Republican playbook is to advance legislation their supporters can cheer when in the building, not one’s that energize Democratic base while they’re visiting.
· And second, Dems filibustered after Sen. Tracy McCreery offered an amendment to protect IVF. It was a smart amendment, but I don’t think Republicans wanted to vote it. At the very least there would have been divisions among them on the issue. I was surprised Dems didn’t sit after the amendment was offered and let it come it a vote. They could have offered a new amendment to filibuster afterwards.
eMailbag on Basye
On the Basye situation. It is really sad that we don’t have leadership in the state party anymore. This would never had been allowed to go on under the Wagner/Hancock state party. It is not only apparent that we have a vacuum of leadership at the state party but also in our senior leadership. I can’t imagine a Sen. Bond or Sen. Blunt allowing this sort of behavior. Where is Gov. Parson, Sen. Schmitt or Sen. Hawley to lead the party.
Driving the Day: SCOMO
Among the cases being argued before the Missouri Supreme Court today is SC100352 – Governor Michael L. Parson v. The Honorable Cotton Walker. The case involves Marcellus Williams. The Innocence Project says DNA tests prove he was wrongfully convicted.
WSJ Gloomy on STL Downtown
The Wall Street Journal reports on St. Louis’ downtown and refers to a “doom loop.” Yikers! Read it here.
· Cities such as San Francisco and Chicago are trying to save their downtown office districts from spiraling into a doom loop. St. Louis is already trapped in one. As offices sit empty, shops and restaurants close and abandoned buildings become voids that suck the life out of the streets around them. Locals often find boarded-up buildings depressing and empty sidewalks scary. So even fewer people commute downtown. This self-reinforcing cycle accelerated in recent years as the pandemic emptied offices…
· Now, it stands as a warning to others: This is the future for America’s downtowns if they can’t reinvent themselves and halt the downward spiral…
Lincoln PAC Raised $900K
The April filings for campaign finance aren’t due until next week, but a couple of folks have filed early. Among them is Lincoln PAC, the political action committee supporting Sen. Lincoln Hough. It showed $904,000 raised last quarter, finishing with $1,215,119 on-hand.
· This will clearly put Hough in the money lead in that race. And it adds pressure to newcomers Dave Wasinger and Matthew Porter to start putting their checks together.
Dorr OKs SB 727
Advocates for this session’s big education bill, SB 727, which sits on the House side now, are circulating a legal opinion from gun maven Aaron Dorr to calm any 2A fears.
· Dorr is as fanatical about protecting the Second Amendment as they come.
New Committees
Term limited Rep. Cheri Toalson Reisch formed a candidate committee to run for Associate Commissioner District 2 Boone County. The primary is this August.
$5K+ Contributions
Missourians for Constitutional Freedom (pro-reproductive rights IP) - $400,000 from American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri.
Missourians for Constitutional Freedom - $27,500 from Missouri Jobs with Justice Voter Action.
Missourians for Constitutional Freedom - $10,591 from Abortion Action Missouri Foundation.
Lincoln PAC (pro-Hough) - $15,000 from IAFF FIREPAC VIC Missouri (Washington, DC).
Lincoln PAC - $10,000 from Corwin.
American Dream PAC (pro-Kehoe) - $5,650 from John Danforth.
Missourians for Healthy Families & Fair Wages (higher minimum wage) - $8,305 from Missouri Organizing and Voter Engagement Collaborative.
Forward Jackson County - $10,000 from Kansas City Royals Baseball Club.
Democratic Coalition Kansas City - $10,000 from Kansas City Royals Baseball Club.
Affton Firefighters Action Committee to Elect - $7,000 from Mark Bryant.
Lobbyist Registrations
Jeffrey Altmann added CBD Kratom.
Samanth Davis added Bayer US.
Daniel Paul Diaz added Citizens for Sound Money.
Chandra Hendren added Heritage Action for America.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Eric Greitens (the big 5-0) and Judy Baker.
Congratulations
To Cara Stark, and husband Adam, who announced on Facebook that they’re infanticipating….
