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DEF is a non-partisan, independent political blog based in the
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State Senator Maida Coleman (D-St. Louis City) today voted against the reappointment of Peter Herschend of Branson to the State Board of Education. Coleman spoke against the nomination for more than 40 minutes in committee Wednesday and for nearly an hour on the Senate floor today before he was eventually confirmed by the Republican-controlled senate.
She released this statement afterwards:
“In the committee hearing yesterday, Mr. Herschend told me I should be embarrassed of my school district,” Sen. Coleman said.
“I think Mr. Herschend should be embarrassed that he has decided to play politics with the children of my district. He should be embarrassed that he callously disenfranchised the citizens of my district by turning control of the St. Louis School District over to the state.”
In March 2007, the St. Louis Public Schools lost their accreditation when the State Board of Education voted 5-1 to rescind the accreditation after concluding that the district had met only four of the state's 14 academic performance measures. Peter Herschend was serving as President of the State Board of Education when the decision to strip the school district of local control was made.
At the time the state board voted to classify the St. Louis Public Schools as unaccredited, several other school districts possessed 2006 Annual Performance Review ratings that were equal to or below the scores assigned to the St. Louis City School District.
“It makes me wonder why Mr. Herschend has taken no action to reclassify other low-performing school districts,” Sen. Coleman said. “There seems to be no apprehension by Mr. Herschend or the Board that they are disenfranchising the voters of a predominantly black city. We are still forced to pay taxes, so we have taxation without representation.”
Additionally, Sen. Coleman expressed reservations about any person serving such a lengthy term on a state board or commission. Peter Herschend has served on the State Board of Education for 16 years, and with his confirmation by the Senate today, will serve another eight years on the board.
“Is it a good idea to allow anyone to sit on what is arguably the most important board in state government for 24 years?” Sen. Coleman asked her colleagues on the Senate floor today.
“If someone were to serve the maximum amount of time in the General Assembly, they could only serve 16 years. If the citizens of Missouri think it’s a good idea to limit the terms of their elected representatives, surely the length of service of an unelected official should be limited as well, especially one who wields so much influence over our children’s education.”
Members of the Missouri Senate affirmed the reappointment of Herschend to the State Board of Education today on a voice vote.
State Senator Rita Days, a Democrat from north St. Louis County, and State Rep. Timothy Jones, a Republican from Eureka ("The home of Six Flags," he reminded us.), have been elected to chair and vice-chair, respectively, the St. Louis Regional Delegation (formerly, the St. Louis Regional Caucus) in the state legislature.
The mission of the bicameral, bi-partisan group is to promote and collectively push legislation to advance the St. Louis region.
In the middle of all this Super Tuesday excitement, the Missouri Senate confirmed the appointment of St. Louis Public Schools czar Rick Sullivan.
Governor Matt Blunt, who appointed the real estate developer to lead the largest school district in the state, had this to say:
"Education is my highest priority as Missouri’s governor and I appreciate the bipartisan support Rick Sullivan received today by the Senate.
"Rick is an honorable public servant whose strong leadership is making a difference for our students attending St. Louis Public Schools at a time when our children and parents need strong leaders who care deeply about the future of these students.
"Rick is already succeeding in this role and I am confident he will continue rising to the challenges facing the St. Louis Transitional School Board to ensure that students in the St. Louis Public Schools receive the world class education they deserve."
A group of local elected officials gathered in front of City Hall today to call attention to a bill in the Missouri legislature which seeks to give the City of St. Louis control over its police department—control which was taken away over 100 years ago during the time of the Civil War.
Those in attendance included: State Senator Maida Coleman, State Reps Talibdin El-Amin, Rodney Hubbard, and Jeanette Mott Oxford, Aldermen Terry Kennedy, Jeffrey Boyd, and Frank Williamson.
JEFFERSON CITY -- As St. Louis Police Chief Joe Mokwa and Police Board President Chris Goodson roamed the halls of the state Capitol today lobbying against a senate bill calling for a return of local control of the St. Louis Police Department on an unrelated issue, a group of city lawmakers were lobbying to return local control to the city police department
At this moment, several St. Louis aldermen are in the audience as the bill is being heard before the committee. Aldermen Terry Kennedy, April Ford-Griffin, Jeffrey Boyd, Kacie Starr Triplett, Frank Williamson, Marlene Davis, and Sam Moore are here in support of the bill.
Senator Maida Coleman is handling sponsoring the bill in the senate and Rep. T.D. El-Amin will be handling the bill on the House side.
UPDATE: There was a tense exchange between between Alderman Boyd, speaking in favor of the bill, asked Senator Harry Kennedy, a member of the committee who seems to oppose local control, if he feels elected officials are "incompetent." Kennedy, who is also a city committeeman, said he was offended by the question. The commiittee chairman quickly ended the exchange.
Senate Pledges to Work Together for Missourians (Blah, Blah, Blah)
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Thursday, January 10, 2008 at 6:00 AM
On the first day of the new legislative session, Republicans and Democrats in the state senate pledged today to get things done on behalf of all Missourians — despite this being an election year and the last session for many of the term-limited legislators.
Senate President Pro Tem Mike Gibbons said voters and taxpayers aren't interested in political bickering and gridlock. "This is not a game to the people at home," said the Republican leader. "They expect us to fix these problems."
Democratic floor leader Maida Coleman said she hopes both parties can indeed move beyond the typical partisan battles and accomplish some important things this session.
"My hope is that — with this being an election year — that we do not have dissension that has sometimes crept into the chamber during an election year," she said.
Time will tell. But if history is any indicator, this pledge of cooperation will disappear faster than an incriminating email in the governor's office.
The second Regular Session of Missouri's 94th General Assembly will convene at noon today. State representatives and senators have made their way across the state back to the Capitol in Jefferson City for this election year session of the state legislature.
There is a bit of Constitutional confusion in Jefferson City today.
As readers of PubDef had expected for weeks (and readers of the Postjust found out today), Governor Matt Blunt withdrew the names of two of his controversial education appointees during last week's special session of the State Legislature. Both State Board of Education appointee Derio Gambaro and St. Louis Public Schools CEO Rick Sullivan were withdrawn from Senate confirmation because of lack of support from their home senators — a customary requirement for successful confirmation.
PubDef has reported than both men are expected to be resubmitted to the Senate soon and would remain in power until at least January, when the Senate reconvenes and again takes up gubernatorial appointments. However, the Governor's office believes it is not necessary to resubmit their names to the senate before next year.
According to a source close to the situation, the Governor believes that simply having the nominees on file with the Secretary of State's office is sufficient enough for the two men to continue to serve on a interim basis. The well-placed source says the Governor is considering not resubmitting the names to the senate until next year.
However, the Missouri Constitution clearly states, in the case of Gambaro, that appointments to the Board of Education must be made with the "advice and consent of the Senate." The law creating Sullivan's positions says the same thing. And apparently, the Senate's Republican leadership agrees.
State Senate President Pro Tem Michael Gibbons (R-Kirkwood) told the Post-Dispatch the decision to pull the names was mutual to avoid a Senate vote. He also said he agrees with Blunt's staff that Sullivan and Gambaro still hold their posts for now. But Gibbons also said he believes the state constitution requires that the governor renew their interim appointments by September 19 if he wants them to stay on until the Senate reconvenes in January.
If these men serve for three months without being submitted to the Senate, it may put every action, vote and decision under close legal scrutiny. And in the case of Sullivan, who serves on a three-person board, if any important decisions are made by a vote of 2-1, a judge may later rule the vote was in fact 1-1 since Sullivan could not legally cast a vote — especially if he is ultimately not confirmed by the Senate.
The people of St. Charles have spoken. Republican Tom Dempsey has defeated Democrat Ed Appelbaum tonight to become Missouri's newest state senator.
The final unofficial results are:
Dempsey — 6,671 (56.2%) Appelbaum — 5,199 (43.8%)
Here's a statement from the Missouri Republican Party:
"Tom Dempsey’s hard-fought victory is great news for the residents of the 23rd Senatorial District who will benefit from his strong work ethic and his dedication to improving the lives of Missourians. Tom’s strong support of Gov. Matt Blunt’s agenda including funding increases for public education, enhanced job creation, significant health care reform and disdain for tax increases played an important role in his successful campaign. Missouri Republicans congratulate Tom on his impressive victory and look forward to his continued success as a member of the Missouri Senate."
Dempsey replaces Republican Senator Chuck Gross, who resigned to take another job.
The Missouri Legislature has passed GovernorBlunt’s Economic Development Package, including the Distressed Area Land Assemblage Tax Credit. By a vote of 125 to 19, the House today passed the Senate version of House Bill 1.
Among those voting in favor of the bill were St. Louis State Representatives T.D. El-Amin, Rodney Hubbard, Rachel Storch, Tom Villa and Robin Wright-Jones.
Those voting against included Mike Daus, Jamilah Nasheed and Jeanette Mott Oxford.
Governor Matt Blunt’s office officially withdrew his nomination of Rick Sullivan as CEO of St. Louis Public Schools yesterday after Sullivan’s State Senator, Joan Bray, refused to sponsor his appointment.
Blunt also withdrew the name of his latest appointment to the Missouri Board of Education, former State Representative Derio Gambaro, after State Senator Jeff Smith also refused to support his appointment at this time.
Both Sullivan and Gambarro were recess appointments. After the governor’s withdrawal this week, he will likely reappoint them after the conclusion of this week’s special legislative session. The senate would then take up their nominations again next year.
In other St. Louis Public Schools news... Superintendent Diana Bourisaw was in Jefferson City yesterday meeting with lawmakers and touting the good things going on in the district. Earlier Story:
Late last night, the Missouri State Senate voted to pass House Bill 1, the economic development bill containing, among other things, the Distressed Areas Land Assemblage Tax Credit and the Quality Jobs Tax Credit.
The vote was 25-7 with one absence.
Among those voting in favor of the bill were Senators Maida Coleman and Rita H. Days. The two announced last week they will be hosting a forum on "land assemblage and the potential impact on the community" on Monday, September 10, from 6:00-7:30 pm at Harris-Stowe State University.
They will be joined by State Representatives Esther Haywood, Juanita Head-Walton, and Robin Wright-Jones; and former State Rep Amber Boykins.
St. Louis City's other two senators, Harry Kennedy and Jeff Smith, also voted in favor of the bill, which now heads back to the House today and a conference committee possibly this afternoon.
The Missouri House and Senate both came back into session today to revisit the economic development package (HB 327) previously vetoed by Governor Matt Blunt. Of course, included in that package is the controversial Land Assemblage Tax Credit.
There was not much action today. In fact, the House was only in session long enough to first and second read the bill and refer it to committee for a hearing.
That hearing is scheduled for noon tomorrow. Check PubDef.net tomorrow afternoon for video from the hearing.
Will Blunt Withdraw Sullivan? [Updated: Gambaro Too?]
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Sunday, August 19, 2007 at 8:57 AM
The term of St. Louis Public Schools' chief executive officer may be even shorter than many predicted.
Governor Matt Blunt's appointment to the Special Administrative Board of the city schools, Rick Sullivan, has yet to be confirmed by the State Senate, and is unlikely to be unless his senator, Joan Bray, sponsors him.
Blunt appointed Sullivan after the legislature ended its last session. As a recess appointment, Sullivan would normally not have to be confirmed until the senate came back in January.
But as the state legislature reconvenes this week, there is growing speculation that Blunt will withdraw Sullivan from the CEO post to avoid his senate rejection and reappoint him again after the special session.
UPDATE: According to Senate Minority Leader Maida Coleman, unlike a veto session, during a special session of the Legislature, the senate carries on with all its normal business, including confirmation of appointments.
The senate is scheduled to take up the confirmation of roughly 45 gubernatorial appointments during this short session. Unless they are withdrawn, that would include Sullivan and Board of Education appointee, Derio Gambaro — both of whom, at this point, do not have the support of their home senators.
The Governor's office has until the last 24 hours of session to withdraw their nominations. He then can renominate them 24 hours after the Legislature adjourns.
When state legislators convene in Jefferson City for a special session next Monday, August 20, they will have a new version of the controversial Economic Development Bill, House Bill 327, to review. HB 327 was vetoed last month by Governor Matt Blunt because of the overall size and cost of the final bill.
According to House Speaker Rod Jetton, the "Son of 327" will be sent to committee on Tuesday, August 21. Numerous programs, including the Neighborhood Assistance Program, the Small Business Tax Credit and the Youth Opportunity Program, have been removed from the bill to lower its overall cost. But the bill's most controversial part, the Land Assemblage Tax Credit, remains — although it has been reduced from $12 million allowed annually and $100 million cumulatively to $10 million annually and $95 million cumulatively.
The cut is estimated at $70 million, bringing the total cost of the bill to $51 million, not counting the "New Markets" program that begins in two years.
On Thursday, August 16, at 10:00 a.m., State Representatives Jamilah Nasheed and Jeanette Mott Oxford will host a bus tour of the properties owned by developer Paul McKee. McKee, whose companies own more than 500 properties in northern St. Louis, is seen by many as the developer who would most benefit from the passage of HB 327 as it is written.
PubDef will be reporting from the special session in Jefferson City next week and following the negotiations as legislators, lobbyists and residents try to reach a compromise that allows north St. Louis to benefit from needed investment, while not cutting all but just one or two would-be developers out of the project.
Click here to view a spreadsheet of all of the changes to HB 327.
Click here for more information on McKee's Blairmont properties.
Click here to watch PubDef's special report on Blairmont.
St. Louis State Senator Jeff Smith was by Chris Koster's side today as the Harrisville senator announced his crossover to the Democratic Party this morning in Columbia.
"Sen. Chris Koster is one of the most respected and capable members of the Missouri Senate," said Smith in a written statement. "For him to change political party shows that Republicans are in trouble."
Smith is responsible for leading Senate Democratic Campaign efforts for the 2008 elections. His involvement with Koster may ruffle the feathers of some in his party if Koster jumps into the Democratic Primary for Attorney General as he is expected to announce later today.
In another Smith-Koster connection, Elisabeth Smith, Jeff Smith's girlfriend and a former staffer to U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, is handling communications for Koster. (Readers may recall this great video featuring a victory kiss between the Smiths on Election Night 2006.)
"The Republican Party has become anti-research, anti-working families and anti-progress – while Democrats seek to move Missouri forward, Republicans want to hold our state back. Sen. Koster’s decision to leave the GOP is another sign that Republicans have become out-of-touch with the average Missourian," said Senator Smith.
Koster's change in party brings the number of Democrats in the Senate to 14 Democrats, with 19 Republicans and 1 vacancy.
And fueling allegations by Republicans of a Koster-Nixon conspiracy is a report from a source at this morning's Columbia announcement that Chuck Hatfield, Jay Nixon's former chief of staff, not only attended the event but physically carried the podium behind which Koster made his historic announcement.
Just a reminder: Koster will hold a press conference in St. Louis today at 3:00 p.m. in front of St. Louis University High School. Check PubDef.net later today for video.
State Representative and likely State Senate candidate Tom Villa raised just $500 last quarter, well below the amount expected to be shown by his chief rival, State Rep. Rodney Hubbard*.
According to campaign finance reports filed yesterday, Villa received just one contribution last quarter, $500 from the Missouri Rental Dealers Association on June 25. That is the same day the southside Democrat filed papers authorizing his State Rep campaign committee to raise funds for his State Senate bid.
After spending $2,538.19, Villa was left with just $27,280.44.
Meanwhile, Hubbard's report, which is expected to be filed sometime Monday, is rumored to show more than $100,000 raised.
*Rodney Hubbard is a client of A.D. French & Assoc.
KWMU is reporting that a judge this morning temporarily barred a law that would let lay midwives deliver babies in Missouri.
Cole County Circuit Judge Patricia Joyce has issued a temporary restraining order against the midwives law. She scheduled an Aug. 2 hearing to consider a preliminary injunction. The bill is scheduled to take effect on Aug. 28.
The midwives provision was secretly attached by state Sen. John Loudon (R-Chesterfield) to legislation intended to make health insurance more affordable and accessible to some Missourians.
Several doctors groups sued. They claim the midwife language violates the Missouri Constitution by going beyond the bill's health insurance title and by changing the bill's original purpose.
Midwifery is currently punishable by prison time in Missouri.
Here is an interview we did with Sen. Loudon shortly after the controversy broke:
Democratic State Rep. Rodney Hubbard kicked off his state senate campaign with a strong show of support from elected officials, former elected officials, and even some Republicans.
[WARNING: The following video features music containing language which some may find objectionable. NSFW.]
Among those spotted at Friday's event at the Carr Community Center in north St. Louis:
State Senators Jeff Smith and Chris Koster (R-Harrisonville); State Representatives Jamilah Nasheed, Talibdin El-Amin, and Jim Lembke (R-St. Louis County); former State Reps Yaphett El-Amin, Betty Thompson (D-St. Louis County), and Mark Wright (R-Springfield); President of the Board of Aldermen Lewis Reed; License Collector Mike McMillan; former Mayor Freeman Bosley, Jr.; and Committeemen Jesse Todd (18th Ward) and Curtis Royston (27th Ward).
EXTRA: Watch Rodney Hubbard's full 23-minute speech at PubDef.TV
Gov. Matt Blunt today called for a special election to fill the vacancy in the 23rd Senate District. The special election will be held on Sept. 4, 2007.
Republican Sen. Chuck Gross resigned from the Missouri State Senate effective May 31, creating an open Senate seat in the 23rd Senate District.
Candidates must be selected by party committeepeople and filed with the Secretary of State's Office no later than 5:00 p.m. on July 31.
There remains speculation that the special election provides opportunity for soon-to-be-term-limited St. Louis Democrat Maida Coleman to also leave the Senate early and accept a gubernatorial appointment.
Coleman's seat is currently the target of three announced candidates (State Reps. Rodney Hubbard, Tom Villa, and Robin Wright-Jones).
It is said that Blunt might give Coleman an early appointment to pave the way for Hubbard, a St. Louis Democrat with strong relationships with the state's Republican leadership.
State Senator Jeff Smith, whose sponsorship is needed for Derio Gambaro to be confirmed in January, issued the following statement today:
"Derio Gambaro was a worthy opponent in our race for the 4th District Senate seat and a dedicated public servant during his tenure in the state House.
"However, given the specificity with which I outlined my substantive concerns about the Governor's earlier nominee, I am disappointed that the administration chose to ignore rather than address the issues I raised. It is unfortunate as well that the administration refused my repeated offers for consultation on this appointment, particularly since I worked throughout the session in a bipartisan fashion on education issues.
"Since it is important that the city be represented on the State board, I will look forward to learning more about Mr. Gambaro's educational philosophy and qualifications."
Gov. Matt Blunt opened the three-day Southern Growth Conference at the Hyatt Regency Hotel at Union Station yesterday with a presentation on Southern workforce challenges. Blunt is the current chairman of the Southern Growth Policies Board.
That begs the question, "When did Missouri become a Southern state?"
According to the organization's website, there are 13 state members -- Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia — plus the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (which is convenient since nearly 50 state legislators are heading there next week on the the state's dime, but more on that later).
Call it taking care of their own. Or perhaps, an investment in their own futures. Whatever you call it, state legislators buried a nest egg in the controversial MoHELA bill signed into law last week.
Stuck in the center of the 52-page Senate Bill 389, which, among other things, took $350 million from the state's college loan fund and put it towards new construction projects on campuses around the state, there is also a provision that makes it much easier for legislators to get a job after they are term-limited out of office.
SB 389 also states that "no public college or university... shall reject an applicant for a faculty position based solely on the applicant having not earned a graduate degree, provided that the applicant has earned an undergraduate baccalaureate degree and has served for at least eight years in the general assembly."
So a bachelor's degree and four terms in the State House now makes you as qualified to teach in a Missouri college as a Ph.D. or a master's degree in the particular field.
Term-limits is now the tune to which self-preservation and special interests dance to in the State Capitol.
Senator John Loudon set off a firestorm last week when he used a, shall we say, "creative" tactic to get his legislation legalizing midwifery passed by the State Senate.
In the immediate aftermath, his colleagues from the other side of the aisle called him everything from a liar to other four-letter words not allowed on the senate floor. Even his fellow Republicans were angered when they figured out what had happened. The leadership quickly stripped him of his committee chairmanship "indefinitely" as a punishment.
But not everyone was upset with Loudon. In fact, overnight the West County legislator has become the champion of natural birth supporters all across Missouri and beyond.
The day after the story broke, flowers filled Loudon's office, sent from bandit midwives and mothers who believe in their merits.
On Monday, an interview the senator did with PubDef went from roughly a hundred views on YouTube to over 450 [Update: Make that almost 800 by Tuesday], with more than two dozen comments from midwife supporters from as far as Canada (although some of the comments were suspiciously posted by new YouTube users who registered on the same day).
The issue of midwifery, while completely foreign to most Missourians, seems to be one of those rare issues that fire up supporters like few others. Perhaps Sen. Loudon's chairmanship was a small price to pay for his new army of round-bellied moms and outlaw deliverers.
This session of the Missouri Legislature wrapped up today at 6:00 in much the same way as it was conducted, with hard ball tactics by the majority and cries of foul from the minority.
After only being used a handful of times in the entire history of the Missouri Senate, the infamous "previous question" (or "PQ") motion was used twice in the last 24 hours to bring an end to debate and force a vote on two controversial bills — anti-abortion legislation and a largely irrelevant bill to make English the state's official language in all proceedings (was this ever a problem before?).
But even with the Republicans' control of both houses — not to mention the Governor's mansion — the legislature was still unable to wrap up all of its loose ends and a special session is expected to be called over the summer. UPDATE: Things got a little testy in the final hours. From Jason Rosenbaum of the Columbia Tribune:
The sour relations between Senate members of both parties were evident in remarks by Senate Minority Leader Maida Coleman of St. Louis, who called the GOP leadership "punks … because I couldn’t use my other word that starts with a ‘P.’ "
The Missouri Senate has passed a controversial bill that greatly changes the requirements for sexual education instruction in public schools, bans organizations that provide abortion services from distributing information in school, and establishes a program called the Missouri Alternatives to Abortion Services Program
In addition, the bill controversially changes the definition of "ambulatory surgical center" in a manner that would require nearly all abortion clinics to operate surgery centers.
Senate Democrats largely opposed the bill, claiming that it would deny women not only information, but potentially access to legal abortions. Democrats continued to criticize the bill on the floor even after its passage.
Meanwhile, Gov. Matt Blunt issued a statement in support of the bill's passage.
"Missouri has again sent a strong message that we value the dignity of all human life and will continue to pass laws that will reduce the number of abortions in our state," said Blunt.
"I applaud the General Assembly for supporting my call to make the Alternatives to Abortion program permanent."
The governor specifically called out the nation's largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood, saying it "should not be supplying our students with information about sexual health. This vital legislation ensures that our children get the information they need from their teachers, parents and physicians."
JEFFERSON CITY — The freshman senator who once proclaimed on campaign literature that if the Republican leadership was for something, he was probably against it, has now found more support on the other side of the aisle than his own.
State Senator Jeff Smith spent much of the night lobbying members of the State House to support his education legislation, which, among other things, implements mandatory testing for public school teachers and creates a system of voluntary merit pay to reward successful teachers who opt out of traditional tenure.
The measure passed the House as an amendment to a larger education bill with strong support from House Republicans who cut off Democrats wishing to debate the amendment.
Several St. Louis Democrats told PubDef.net that they felt betrayed by Smith, who often bills himself as a "progressive" Democrat. But Smith has found the progress of many of his proposals opposed by members of his own St. Louis delegation.
However, Smith did receive some support for his bill from some fellow St. Louisans, including State Representatives Ted Hoskins, Rodney Hubbard, Talibdin El-Amin, Tom Villa, and Fred Kratky. But it was only with strong Republican support that the amendment passed the House.
Most St. Louis area Democrats voted against the amendment, including State Reps. Jamilah Nasheed, Rachel Storch, Jeanette Mott Oxford, Mike Daus, Robin Wright Jones, and Maria Chappelle-Nadal, who was the only Democrat allowed to speak against the bill before debate was cut off. UPDATE: Though it passed the House, Smith's measure never made it to the Senate floor.
JEFFERSON CITY – Still receiving criticisms and praises alike, State Sen. John Loudon spoke with PubDef today about his passion for the controversial issue of midwifery and the fallout from his stealth legalization of the practice in Missouri.
The latest bill in Missouri's war on drugs would make distributing controlled substances in a park a specifically defined offense, punishable by up to life in prison.
Senate Bill 107, sponsored by Senator Yvonne Wilson, would create a specific crime entitled "distribution of a controlled substance near a park." Such unlawful distribution or delivery either on, in, or within 2,000 feet of a public or private park would become punishable as a class A felony.
According to the Missouri Attorney General's Office website, a class A felony is punishable by a sentence of 10-30 years or life in prison. For comparison, other class A felonies are crimes such as second-degree murder and first-degree robbery.
Critics of the bill find the level of punishment startling for such a broadly defined crime. In addition, they say the bill does not directly combat drug dealing, but merely pushes it out of parks and into other locations.
The right to defend your home with lethal force is an established part of Missouri law. This term, however, some lawmakers are seeking to extend the authorization of defensive lethal force to cover Missouri's drivers as well.
There are two similar bills in the legislature right now that address this issue, Senate Bill 62 (sponsored by Sen. Jack Goodman)and House Bill 189 (sponsored by State Rep. Kenny Jones). Both bills authorize the use of deadly force against intruders into a home, residence, or motor vehicle.
The bills also provide exemptions to the "intruder" definition for persons removing their children, persons that have a right to be on the property, and law enforcement personnel.
Most lawmakers PubDef spoke to seemed fairly comfortable with the bills. "It's basically a minor extension of the existing law," said Sen. Jeff Smit
