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Missouri senators expected to hold lengthy hearing Monday about gun violence

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A Missouri Senate committee studying gun violence is expected to hear several hours of testimony Monday in Jefferson City.

State Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, speaks at the Statehouse in Jefferson City on May 10, 2018 (file photo courtesy of Missouri Senate photographer Harrison Sweazea)

The chairman of the newly-formed Senate Interim Committee on Public Safety is expecting a lengthy hearing at the Statehouse. The committee meets Monday morning at 10, and chairman State Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, tells Missourinet each of the seven senators on the committee has invited witnesses from different backgrounds and expertise.

U-S Attorney Tim Garrison has noted that St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield are three of the top 15 most violent cities in the nation, on a per capita basis.

Chairman Libla says it’s time for the senators to put their minds together and get some direction on the gun violence issue.

Republicans have a 4-3 majority on the committee, and State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, has praised Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, for forming the committee. She hopes it will come up with a blueprint to reduce the violence.

Senator Nasheed, who serves on the committee, describes increasing gun violence as a public health crisis.

“I want those individual experts to be able to come in and talk about what are the legislative best practices that we can push to help reduce the type of violence that we’re seeing in our community,” Nasheed says.

At least 13 children have been killed in St. Louis city shootings in 2019, and there have been 122 homicides in Kansas City this year. In mid-Missouri’s Columbia, there were five murders in September.

Senator Nasheed, who successfully pushed Schatz to create the committee, looks forward to a productive interim committee. She tells Missourinet the violence is “plaguing” inner cities and outstate.

“I look forward to a plan in terms of legislation so that we can be able to curb this gun violence in the city of St. Louis, Kansas City and throughout the state of Missouri,” says Nasheed.

The committee is expected to come up with recommendations by December, for the 2020 legislative session that begins in January.

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USDA’s Kansas City decision praised by top Missouri Republicans and Democrats

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Members of Missouri’s congressional delegation in both parties are praising the decision by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to select Kansas City, Missouri as the site for two major USDA facilities.

U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City (September 2018 file photo courtesy of Congressman Cleaver’s office)

USDA announced its decision to relocate the facilities to the “greater Kansas City area” in June, but it wasn’t formally announced until Thursday that the office site would be on Pennsylvania Avenue in Kansas City. USDA is relocating its Economic Research Service (ERS) and its National Institute of Food and Agriculture Policy (NIFA) agencies.

USDA chose Kansas City over potential sites in North Carolina and Indiana.

U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City, told Missourinet in June that the decision would bring about 550 jobs to the Kansas City region, with average wages between $80,000 and $100,000.

Pennsylvania Avenue is located in Congressman Cleaver’s district.

“I am pleased to welcome the U.S. Department of Agriculture offices of Economic Research Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture to Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District. Together these institutions and their employees will bolster the agricultural research sector in the Greater Kansas City region to the benefit of the entire nation. A move like this is never easy on employees or their families; however, as the Congressional Representative from Kansas City, I can assure you that Kansas Citians stand ready to make your transition as seamless as possible. We are ecstatic to have you here, and we look forward to your commendable research continuing in the Show-Me State,” Cleaver said in a statement.

Governor Mike Parson and U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, both Republicans, also praise USDA’s decision, saying it puts the agencies closer to constituencies.

“I’ve been proud to advocate for the USDA move and finalizing the site selection marks a huge step forward,” Senator Blunt said in a statement. “Bringing these two important ag research agencies closer to the people they serve and the leading research institutions that support their mission is the right move.”

Blunt also praised the USDA decision, during an August interview with Missourinet at the State Fair in Sedalia.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas (D) is also happy, and praises the bipartisan regional efforts to land the jobs. Mayor Lucas notes Kansas City is an essential part of the animal health corridor.

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New Missouri Senate committee studying gun violence to hold first hearing Monday (AUDIO)

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A key Democratic state senator is pleased that Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, has formed an interim committee to study gun violence, saying she hopes the committee will come up with a blueprint to reduce the violence.

State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, briefs Capitol reporters in January 2018 (file photo courtesy of Missouri Senate photographer Harrison Sweazea)

The committee’s first hearing is Monday in Jefferson City.

State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, called on Pro Tem Schatz to create the committee, back in September. Nasheed describes the gun violence in her hometown as an epidemic.

“I mean when we have children dying on the street by way of AK 47’s and AR-15’s, yeah this is a massive, massive crisis,” Nasheed says.

She also says it’s a public health crisis.

“And I’m just happy that the senators are ready to roll up their sleeves and begin to look at best practices in terms of legislation so that we can help reduce the violence that’s plaguing the inner cities as well as outstate,” says Nasheed.

U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison has noted that St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield are three of the top 15 most violent cities in the nation, on a per capita basis.

At least 13 children have been killed in St. Louis city shootings in 2019, and Kansas City Police say there have been 122 homicides there this year. In central Missouri’s Columbia, there were five murders during the month of September.

The Senate Interim Committee on Public Safety is chaired by State Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, and State Sen. Jeanie Riddle, R-Mokane, is the vice-chair. Republicans have a 4-3 majority on the committee, which Nasheed serves on.

Senator Nasheed tells Missourinet the committee’s first hearing is Monday morning at 10 at the Missouri Capitol, where they’ll hear from expert witnesses in areas like public safety and social work.

She has also called for increased protection for crime witnesses, saying they are fearful for their safety. Governor Mike Parson (R) has also expressed that concern.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, which was recorded on October 30, 2019:

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Winter weather advisory for northern Missouri goes into effect Tuesday night (AUDIO)

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The National Weather Service (NWS) in Pleasant Hill has issued a winter weather advisory for northern Missouri, primarily from Boonville and Moberly points north. The advisory includes Kansas City.

The National Weather Service is expecting snow to begin Tuesday night in northern Missouri (October 29, 2019 map courtesy of NWS St. Louis Twitter page)

NWS meteorologist Chris Bowman tells Missourinet the advisory takes effect Tuesday night at 10.

“The best chances for any kind of accumulating snow and any kind of light glaze from freezing drizzle is going to be north of the (Missouri) river, into that Maryville, Chillicothe, Kirksville area,” Bowman says.

He says the heaviest snowfall will be north of the Highway 36 corridor.

“Areas from Moberly to (northwest Missouri’s) Chillicothe could see about one to two inches,” says Bowman. “Kirksville, maybe upwards of four inches.”

Northeast Missouri’s Edina could also see three to four inches of snow by Thursday morning, while northwest Missouri’s Maryville and Albany are expected to receive two to three inches of snow.

The winter weather advisory issued by the NWS in Pleasant Hill does not include mid-Missouri, at this time. Mr. Bowman tells Missourinet that Jefferson City, Columbia, Mexico and Sedalia could see a glaze of ice, primarily on elevated surfaces, along with light snow.

“Looking at maybe a trace to an inch of snowfall, so you know, a dusting to maybe an inch,” Bowman says.

The NWS also says three-tenths of an inch of snow fell Monday night at Kansas City International Airport, making it only the 14th measurable October snowfall in 132 years of record-keeping. It’s also only the third time it’s happened in back-to-back years.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist Chris Bowman, which was recorded on October 29, 2019:

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Train service across north Missouri suspended, after Brunswick railroad bridge collapse

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(News director Bob Ehle at Missourinet Moberly affiliate KWIX contributed to this story)

Norfolk Southern has suspended freight train service between northern Missouri’s Moberly and Kansas City, because of the collapse of the heavily-traveled railroad bridge over the Grand River in Brunswick.

The National Weather Service (NWS) Missouri Basin River forecast center says backwater from flood debris caused a rail bridge to collapse in northern Missouri’s Brunswick (October 2, 2019 graphic courtesy of NWS Twitter page)

Brunswick is a farming community, between Carrollton and Moberly.

The bridge washed out Tuesday evening, after a debris strike caused by heavy rain. Brunswick emergency management director Brent Dickerson tells our Moberly affiliate KWIX (AM 1230) that trains could be re-routed.

“I did talk to one of the (train) engineers and I believe that they’re trying to run the railroad tracks from like Mexico, Missouri around to a different rail just north of Marshall, between here and Marshall,” Dickerson says.

There were no injuries in the collapse. Chariton County authorities have set up barricades, to keep boaters away from the area.

“A lot of decisions to be made with the bridge, do they go up (or) down, do they move it a little bit or what,” says Dickerson. “The city is trying to work the best they can trying to keep everything open for them or if we need to close streets or whatever we need to do.”

Brunswick marine access remains closed for safety reasons. The National Weather Service (NWS) Missouri Basin River forecast center says backwater from flood debris helped cause the bridge to collapse. The logjam collapsed the train tracks.

Virginia-based Norfolk Southern operates in 22 states, including Missouri. Their website says they are “a major transporter of industrial products” like chemicals and agriculture.

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A snapshot of the Missouri Legislature’s special session this week

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Missouri lawmakers will return to the State Capitol in Jefferson City on Monday for a special session involving a complicated State Supreme Court ruling about vehicle sales.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson signs legislation on July 10, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Governor Parson’s office)

While it’s not officially on the special session agenda, Democrats in both the House and Senate will have an opportunity to speak on the respective floors about the issue of gun violence, which is a top priority for the Legislative Black Caucus.

Governor Mike Parson (R) announced in August that he’s calling the special session over the Supreme Court’s “Kehlenbrink vs. Department of Revenue” case.

“After reviewing the court’s decision, we’ve decided to call a special session because it’s simply the right thing to do for the people of our state,” Parson announced in August. “The enforcement of this decision would create a financial burden on Missouri taxpayers and unnecessary government red tape that we can proactively prevent.”

The Supreme Court’s summer ruling involves using the sale proceeds of a vehicle as a credit against the purchase price of a new vehicle when calculating sales tax. Essentially, the Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that state law unambiguously permits the sale proceeds of only one vehicle as a credit against the purchase price of a new car, for the purposes of calculating sales tax.

“And really, the simple version of it (the Supreme Court’s ruling) is when you trade cars in, for example if you trade two cars in, you get a credit back on those two cars or for that model if you’re buying another one. There was a ruling by the Supreme Court that says you can only do one,” Parson told Missourinet on August 15 at the State Fair in Sedalia. That was the first time the governor had spoken publicly about the issue.

Parson says the ruling impacts about 2,000 to 3,000 Missourians, adding this is money out of their pocket.

GOP leaders in both chambers indicate the special session should end by Friday.

House Majority Leader Rob Vescovo, R-Arnold, has released a schedule indicating the House will have a technical session on Monday, with floor debate and discussion expected Wednesday morning and afternoon. The House is expected to give final approval to the vehicle tax bill on Wednesday.

Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, tells Missourinet he expects the Senate to take possession of the bill on Thursday. A Senate hearing would take place Thursday, and Schatz expects the Senate to approve the bill on Friday.

Under the state Constitution, both chambers will also hold the annual veto session Wednesday at noon, which means they will stop the special session and then reconvene it after veto session ends.

Governor Parson vetoed six bills this year. State Sen. Denny Hoskins, R-Warrensburg, tells Missourinet he doesn’t expect any override attempts in the House or the Senate.

As for the Legislative Black Caucus, they support legislation allowing cities with high gun violence, like St. Louis and Kansas City, to approve their own gun control legislation. They wanted Governor Parson to include the issue in this week’s special session.

The governor opposes that, saying there are “many different opinions on how to find a solution.” Governor Parson met with State Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, and other Black Caucus leaders behind closed doors last week at the Capitol. Representative Manlove says the governor is pushing for improved job opportunities in St. Louis and Kansas City.

The governor told Missourinet’s Jill Enders in St. Charles last week that he plans to send Missouri state troopers to St. Louis within the next 30 days. Parson also supports working with churches, to help prevent violence.

Manlove and other Black Caucus members will have an opportunity to discuss the issue on the floors of the House and Senate. Manlove tells Missourinet children are still dying, noting there have been more than 100 Kansas City homicides in 2019.

She says gun violence is “ravaging our streets,” and notes Kansas City and St. Louis have consistently ranked in the top ten deadliest cities for at least a decade.

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Governor Parson and Missouri Legislative Black Caucus discuss gun violence; agree to future meetings

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Missouri’s governor and leaders of the Legislative Black Caucus met behind closed doors Tuesday afternoon at the Statehouse in Jefferson City, discussing gun violence.

State Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, speaks on the Missouri House floor on February 20, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

State Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, tells Capitol reporters while Governor Mike Parson (R) won’t be adding the gun violence issue to next week’s special session, he will have additional meetings with the Black Caucus.

“And unfortunately I think he’s feeling some of the pressure that we feel,” Manlove says. “The General Assembly is in a (GOP) supermajority and that is apparently even hard for him to navigate.”

Republicans have a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the Legislature.

The Black Caucus met with the governor for about 40 minutes inside his Capitol office, while reporters and photographers waited outside in a Capitol hallway. Representative Manlove, the Black Caucus’ vice chair, says the governor is focusing on ways that they can move forward together.

“Tying back into that workforce development (issue) and how if a person has a good-paying job, that might deter them from some of this crime,” says Manlove.

Representative Manlove says the governor is pushing for improved job opportunities in St. Louis and Kansas City.

Governor Parson opposes a September special session on gun violence, saying there are “many different opinions on how to find a solution.” He outlined a few possible solutions, during a news conference last week with Capitol reporters.

“I think you can partner up with the federal government, the city (St. Louis) and the county can do some things. I think on the state level, there’s things we can do, maybe put the (Missouri State) Highway Patrol, put them back in there on the ground. That’s things we can do right away,” Parson told reporters on August 28.

The governor also supports working with churches, to help prevent violence.

The Black Caucus supports legislation allowing cities with high gun violence to approve their own gun control legislation. Manlove tells Missourinet that children are still dying, noting there have been more than 100 Kansas City homicides in 2019.

She says gun violence is “ravaging our streets,” and notes Kansas City and St. Louis have consistently ranked in the top ten deadliest cities for at least a decade.

State Reps. Richard Brown, D-Kansas City, and LaKeySha Bosley, D-St. Louis, joined Manlove at Tuesday’s press briefing. Brown serves as the Black Caucus’ treasurer, and Bosley serves as secretary.

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Missouri Legislative Black Caucus asks to add gun violence legislation to special session in September, Parson says “not the correct avenue”

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Missouri Legislative Black Caucus Chairman Steven Roberts, D-St. Louis, briefs Capitol reporters (file photo courtesy of Ben Peters at House Communications)

A group of state lawmakers wants to talk about gun violence in the special legislative session scheduled for September 11.

The Missouri Legislative Black Caucus has drafted a letter to Gov. Mike Parson, asking him to add consideration of a law to allow cities with high incidents of gun violence to pass their own gun control legislation.  The governor called lawmakers back for a special session to clear up a vehicle sales tax technicality.

The MLBC argues that the rate of child deaths caused by shootings is a more serious matter. Caucus chairman, Rep. Steve Roberts of St. Louis says that since the letter was drafted, another child bystander was shot and killed, bringing the total to 13 this year.

Gov. Parson today denied that request and issued the following statement:

“While the issue of how to reduce violence in our urban areas certainly needs addressed [sic], there are also many different opinions on how to find a solution. However, special session is not the correct avenue. If we are to change violent criminal acts in Missouri, it will take all of us at the federal, state, local, and community levels working together toward that common goal,” said Governor Parson.

Caucus member Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, said, “Kansas City and St. Louis have shamefully and consistently ranked in the top ten deadliest cities for at least the past ten years. This is now a public health crisis. With double-digit numbers in both cities of children being murdered, it’s time to give individual municipalities the ability to regulate how weapons flow through our neighborhoods. We must change the law now.”

 

Lawmaker says World Cup would put Kansas City and Missouri on world stage (AUDIO)

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A state lawmaker from Kansas City says landing the World Cup in 2026 would provide a huge economic boost for Kansas City and for Missouri.

State Rep. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, speaks on the Missouri House floor on May 14, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The “Kansas City Star” notes Kansas City is one of 17 finalist U.S. cities to host 2026 World Cup matches.

State Rep. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, tells Missourinet that landing a World Cup would mean four to six games in Kansas City, which would involve four to six nations.

“If you think about the Super Bowl, which is the most-watched sporting event in the United States, there’s something like 150-million people that watch the Super Bowl,” Razer says. “There’s something to the effect of 3.5 billion who follow the World Cup.”

Razer says that would be a “lot of eyeballs and visitors,” adding it would put Kansas City and Missouri on the world stage.

“And then you get those four games, you get those four fan bases coming in from these countries from all over the world, it would be a huge economic boost initially plus putting Kansas City and the state of Missouri on the world stage,” says Razer.

He notes the impact on tourism and hotels as well. He’s praising the governors of Missouri and Kansas for ending the economic “border war,” and says both states and municipalities on both sides of the state line must work together on the World Cup.

The “Star” reports if Kansas City is awarded games, they would be played at Arrowhead Stadium.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with State Rep. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, which was recorded on August 9, 2019:

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Governor Kelly: economic border war between Missouri and Kansas is over

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The Kansas governor has signed an executive order that is aimed at ending the economic “border war” between Missouri and Kansas, which involves tax incentives.

Governor Laura Kelly (D) signed it Friday in Topeka, telling reporters her executive order “ends the border war.”

Missouri Governor Mike Parson signs SB 182 into law on June 11, 2019 at Kansas City’s Union Station (file photo courtesy of Governor Parson’s office)

Missouri Governor Mike Parson (R) signed legislation into law in June, aimed at ending the border war. Missouri’s bill restricts incentives to companies moving from Kansas to Missouri’s Cass, Clay, Jackson and Platte counties.

“I think Missouri has spent well over $100 million on this, Kansas has spent well over $100 million,” Parson said during a June bill-signing ceremony. “There’s no reason we can’t be using that money for a lot better purposes than just jumping from one side of the state (line) to the other.”

Parson spokeswoman Kelli Jones issued a statement to Missourinet, about Governor Kelly’s executive order.

“We appreciate Governor Kelly’s partnership and work on ending the Border War. We are thoroughly reviewing Governor Kelly’s executive order but are encouraged by the news of its signing, which will help both states better serve the citizens of Missouri and Kansas through fiscally responsible practices,” Jones’ statement reads.

The Kansas City-based Hall Family Foundation says more than 10,000 jobs moved between Missouri and Kansas during the past decade, with an incentive cost of $330 million. The jobs all moved in the Kansas City region.

After the June bill-signing ceremony at Kansas City’s Union Station, Parson told reporters that incentivizing companies to move a few miles does not result in new jobs for either state.

“We’re spending a lot of taxpayer money to do initiatives for businesses on the border of Kansas and Missouri and sometimes we’re not getting very much gain for that,” Parson said in June.

As for Governor Kelly, she says an event with both governors will happen soon.

“But we have more to do. My administration looks forward to a governor’s summit in the near future where we will celebrate this monumental achievement for both states,” Kelly says.

KMBC’s Mike Mahoney reports Governor Parson says the summit will be later this month in Kansas City. A date has not been set yet.

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