Voting With the Speaker

A look at third-read votes in the House shows about a third of Republican House members (34) voting 100% with Speaker Dean Plocher as of the session’s mid-way point.

Abortion IPs Filed

Missourians for Constitutional Freedom filed 11 initiative petitions with the SOS office. 

All the IPs would create a new section in the constitution entitled “The Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative” and begin with the declaration that “the Government shall not deny or infringe upon a person’s fundamental right to reproductive freedom…”

Senate Adjourns for Break

The fragile peace between the former conservative Caucus crowd and regular Senate Republicans seemed to strain yesterday as the majority caucus struggled over how to confront a Democratic filibuster on transgender reassignment.

MSIP6 Scores Fallout

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released the latest Annual Performance Report.  This was the first report based on a new scoring system, Missouri School Improvement Program 6.

Luetkemeyer-Gaetz Feud

A clip on Twitter was getting passed around yesterday.  Missouri Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer takes a swipe at Congressman Matt Gaetz on Stephanie Bell’s 93.9 KWOS talk program. 

The Week Ahead

Both chambers are expected to be sprinting this week ahead of next week’s Spring Break…

1. GOPers and the Biden economy.

2. Martha Washington.

3. Mortgage payments.

4. Monkey inflation.

5. Globalism pause.

6. Far right protests, by topic.

7. NFL Players Association survey.

Q6: What do you believe should be the city’s top priority? 

Creating jobs: 11% 

Improving education: 11% 

Reducing crime: 67% 

Something else: 4% 

Not sure: 6%

1 Week Until Spring Break

We’re nearing the end of the first half of this legislative session. 

1 Big Thing: The Rise of Pro-MATA GOPers

The Senate’s tort reform bill, SB 117 sponsored by Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, was greeted by a bipartisan filibuster.

Rumorville: Riley for Floor Leader?

Word is that Rep. Alex Riley is mulling a bid for House Floor Leader.  If true, he’d be joining Rep. Jamie Burger in that race.

Bad Moon A-Rising

Sen. Mike Moon defied Floor Leader Cindy O’Laughlin and refused to “lay over” his SB 49, a bill about gender transition.

More Sports Betting Vehicles

It feels like sports betting is going to be one of the issues which “dies” several times and then comes back to life again and again this session.

1. Adjusted minimum wage.

2. Missouri going vegan?

3-4. Republicans down on schools.

5. Dems down on guns.

6. Big advertisers back away from Twitter.

Poll: Legislative Proposals

Survey conducted by Remington Research. February 22, 23 with 1,013 likely 2024 November Election voters participated in the survey. MoE is +/-3%.

Q1: Should it be illegal for an unaccompanied minor to possess a firearm on public property?

Yes, it should be illegal: 73%

No, it should not be illegal: 16%

Not sure: 11%

Hoskins Vows War

Sen. Denny Hoskins stopped business on the Senate floor yesterday for hours as he fumed about fate of his sports betting/VLT bill. 

STL Tragedy Fuels Gardner Critics

There was a cascade of calls for St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner to resign after details emerged surrounding the reckless driver who hit a teenage volleyball player downtown.  It seemed to encapsulate everything wrong with the city’s approach to crime.

Nurrenbern in Senate 17

Rep. Maggie Nurrenbern announced she’s running for Senate 17 in 2024.  Team Nurrenbern rolled out some big key endorsements: Sen. Lauren Arthur, and former Reps. Jon Carpenter and Wes Rogers.

·       Dems are sewing up their battleground districts ahead of 2024. 

GOP Same Sex Marriage Crosscurrents

Rep. Chris Sander is under fire for his proposed constitutional amendment which would redefine marriage. 

The Jackson County Missouri Republican Party is planning to vote to censure Sander for HJR 31 which would define marriage as between “two individuals” instead of the current “a man and a woman.”

Driving the Day: Wrong Imprisonment Compensation

Coming on the heels of the exoneration of Lamar Johnson, who served 28 years in prison, today’s Senate Judicial Committee hearing may be extra poignant.  Sen. Brian Williams will be presenting SB 253 which would allow wrongly imprisoned Missourians compensation for their time behind bars.