|
Quick Links
|
| |
ACLU Sues Missouri To Recognize Out of State "Gay Marriages"
|
|
| |
On Wednesday, the ACLU filed suit on behalf of eight same-sex couples married in other states, challenging Missouri's Constitutional and statutory language defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman. The suit claims that Missouri law denies them due process and equal protection under the U.S. Constitution.
The federal Defense of Marriage Act provides that a state is not required to recognize same-sex marriages entered into in another state. This suit seeks to indirectly undermine that law, along with directly attacking Missouri law and its definition of marriage.
|
|
|
Top
|
| |
Parishes Keep Sending CEI Signatures to MCC
|
|
| |
More parishes sent us signatures in support of the Children's Education Initiative (CEI) this week. St. Thomas More in Kansas City sent 316 signatures, while Our Lady of the Rosary in Spanish Lake sent 318 signatures. Signatures also came in from St. Joseph in Billings and St. Gregory Barbarigo in Maryville. Has your parish sent the MCC signatures yet? We have received a lot of signatures but we need a lot more; conduct a signature gathering drive today!
Send your CEI signatures and circulator registration forms to the Missouri Catholic Conference, P. O. Box 1022, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102. If you have questions you can reach us at 1-800-456-1679. |
|
|
Top
|
| |
Lethal Drug Put on Hold
|
|
| |
This week a federal judge put a temporary restraining order on The Apothecary Shoppe of Tulsa, OK, barring it from providing lethal injection drugs to the Missouri Department of Corrections. The ruling came as a response to a lawsuit filed by the attorneys of Michael Taylor, who are claiming that the pharmacy is not subject to oversight by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is violating federal law when it provides drugs to Missouri.
The Apothecary Shoppe, which has publicly denied it is the source of the lethal drugs, has until Feb. 14 to file a response to the injunction. A hearing on the injunction will be held on Feb. 18.
Michael Taylor is scheduled for execution on Feb. 26. For more information about his case and to sign a petition to be sent to the governor, please click here. |
|
|
Top
|
| |
House Committee Has Hearing on Execution Controversy
|
|
| |
This week the House Committee on Government Oversight and Accountability held a hearing to delve into issues related to how executions are carried out in the state. While little new information surfaced, it was valuable to hear from the key persons involved in the controversy.
George Lombardi, Director of the Department of Corrections (DOC), did admit that Missouri was receiving the lethal drugs from an Oklahoma pharmacy, although he never mentioned the pharmacy by name. He also confirmed that the pharmacy, and the members assisting with executions, were paid in cash, as has been the practice for 25 years. Lombardi defended the cash payments as necessary to ensure anonymity, without which, no one would be willing to participate in executions. He felt Missouri's DOC had been vilified in the execution controversy and noted the department is a national leader in the field of corrections.
Joseph Luby of the Public Interest Litigation Clinic, who represents numerous clients on death row, called the DOC's actions "sleazy" and indicated that he felt laws had been broken by using a pharmacy that was not licensed in Missouri and by having a DOC employee cross state lines to get the drug. Luby also criticized the state for continuing with the last three executions while appeals were still pending in the court. He noted that a federal judge has criticized Missouri's litigation practices.
David Hansen with the state attorney general's office defended the state's litigation practices. He maintained that in the Smulls' execution the U.S. Supreme Court had indicated that the execution could proceed. The appeal still pending in a lower court was similar to a motion the U.S. Supreme Court had already denied. However, Smulls was executed before the Supreme Court finally denied the motion from the lower court. Hansen indicated that the inmate's attorneys try to keep the courts busy with litigation to run out the clock so the execution doesn't take place on the day assigned.
|
|
|
Top
|
| |
Committee Hears Resolution to Study Costs of the Death Penalty
|
|
| |
Senator Joseph Keaveny (D-St. Louis) is determined to find out how much the death penalty costs the state of Missouri. He has filed two measures this year: SB 753, which would require the State Auditor to study the costs of death penalty versus the cost of life without parole; and SCR 27 which would require the Oversight Division of Legislative Research to do the same.
This week, the Senate Committee on Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions and Ethics heard SCR 27. Testifying in support of the measure, MCC staff reminded the committee that Missouri has had the death penalty for almost 30 years, but has never studied its costs. It is a matter of fiscal responsibility and good stewardship for lawmakers to know the cost of any public policy or program that taxpayers support.
The committee took no action on the measure.
Senator Joseph Keaveny
|
|
|
Top
|
| |
Missouri House Approves Conscience Rights for Healthcare Workers
|
|
| |
This week the Missouri House passed legislation that would provide conscience rights for healthcare workers by a vote of 112-38. A number of Democrats joined with the majority of Republicans in supporting the bill. View a breakdown of the votes by clicking here.
Sponsored by House Speaker Tim Jones (R-Eureka), HB 1430 would protect those working in the healthcare profession by preventing them from being forced to perform or participate in abortion, sterilization, contraception, embryonic stem cell research, and assisted reproduction if to do so would violate their sincerely held moral or ethical beliefs. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
|
|
|
Top
|
| |
PRC and Food Pantry Tax Credit Bill Moves Forward
|
|
| |
The Senate Committee on Jobs, Economic Development, and Local Government has reported legislation (SCS SBs 638 and 647) to raise the cap on the tax credits currently available for pregnancy resource centers (PRCs) and food pantries to the Senate Chamber. The bill would raise the cap for the PRC credit from $2 million to $2.5 million. The cap on the food pantry credit would be raised from $1.25 million to $1.75 million. The MCC supports raising the caps on these tax credits because both programs have been very effective in assisting some of Missouri's most vulnerable citizens. Stay tuned for more.
|
|
|
Top
|
| |
Food Stamp Ban Has Hearings in Both Chambers
|
|
| |
Legislation to provide food stamps to ex-drug offenders was heard in both chambers this week. HB 1589, sponsored by Representative Paul Wieland (R-Imperial), had a hearing in the House Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities Committee on Tuesday.
SB 680, sponsored by Senator Kiki Curls (D-Kansas City), had a hearing in the Senate Governmental Accountability and Fiscal Oversight Committee on Wednesday.
Both bills would lift the lifetime federal ban on ex-drug offenders receiving food stamps. Missouri is only one of 10 states that currently deny food stamp benefits to these individuals. To receive the food stamps individuals would need to be enrolled in or have completed a drug treatment program.
Numerous individuals and organizations testified in support of these measures. The MCC supports these bills because no other group of offenders is denied food stamps. It is a form of double punishment and discrimination to prohibit this benefit to former drug users.
Neither committee took any action on the bills.
|
|
|
Top
|
| |
Legislation Seeks to End Discrimination in A+ Scholarships
|
|
| |
State Representative Keith English (D-Florissant) has filed legislation (HB 1279) to revise the existing A+ scholarship program so that graduates of both public and private high schools, including Catholic high schools, can receive assistance. The program has been in operation for a number of years. Its general purpose is to provide financial assistance to high school graduates wishing to attend post-secondary vocational or technical schools.
Unfortunately, the program has discriminated against graduates of private high schools, who have not been eligible for the scholarships. Even public high school graduates interested in vocational or technical schools have been denied scholarships if they did not attend a public high school deemed an "A+" school.
HB 1279 is pending before the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee. Earlier this week the MCC sent an alert to Network members who have a state representative serving on the committee. Hopefully, once committee members hear from their constituents, the committee will vote the bill "Do Pass." |
|
|
Top
|
| |
Shortage of Mental Health Services Affect Families Throughout Missouri
|
|
| |
Most counties in Missouri lack adequate mental health services and the shortage of available treatment is growing worse. The problem is especially severe for the poor because many psychiatrists do not accept Medicaid patients. The federal government has designated 104 of Missouri's 114 counties as areas of mental health shortages.
The director of the Missouri Department of Mental Health, Keith Schafer, recently discussed these concerns with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. According to Schafer: "It's creating huge problems for individuals, for emergency rooms and certainly for law enforcement officials." Schafer told the paper of one patient who had to be transported 325 miles to Nevada, Missouri to find the help he needed.
Families who want their loved one to have in-patient care face tough challenges. Since 1990 the number of available psychiatric hospital beds has dropped from 2,600 to 1,174. The lack of in-patient care and the waiting lists for out-patient care can lead to bigger problems, both for the person suffering the mental illness and for the local community. Too often mentally disturbed individuals end up in local jails.
Expanding Medicaid to take advantage of the 100% match now offered by the federal government would help fill the gap and provide more mental health care but so far the general assembly has rejected legislation in this area. Hospital systems like the Sisters of St. Mary (SSM) are trying to meet the need but waiting lists delay treatment for many.
It is estimated that over 41,000 individuals with mental health issues currently served with 100% state funds could be eligible for Medicaid, which is primarily federal funded, if Missouri expanded its Medicaid program. The MCC supports Medicaid expansion.
|
|
|
Top
|
|
