Missouri House Speaker Pro Tem John Wiemann Archives

Missouri House GOP leaders will handle crime bills as single-subject bills; full House to return August 24

August 11, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

The top three Republican leaders in Missouri’s GOP-controlled House say they intend to simplify the process during the special session on violent crime, with single-subject bills.

Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, addresses Capitol reporters on May 15, 2020 in Jefferson City (Tim Bommel at House Communications)

All Missouri House committee hearings originally scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday have been canceled, and the full House isn’t scheduled to return to Jefferson City until Monday August 24.

“In an effort to protect the integrity of the lawmaking process, and to ensure these important issues are thoroughly vetted, we intend to simplify the process with single-subject bills so we can focus on the merits of each bill individually to produce legislation that makes our streets and neighborhoods safer. Given the fact the governor expanded the call as one of our committees (the House Judiciary Committee) was considering the bill he originally proposed, we think it’s important to take a step back and give additional thought and attention to each part of the plan. This will provide a more deliberative process that will allow us to craft the kind of policy that will better protect Missourians from the scourge of violent crime,” the statement from House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, House Speaker Pro Tem John Wiemann, R-O’Fallon and Majority Leader Rob Vescovo, R-Arnold, reads.

The committee hearing that Haahr, Wiemann and Vescovo referenced took place Monday afternoon. Late Monday afternoon, Governor Mike Parson (R) expanded his special session call on violent crime, to include a provision to help with what he calls the growing backlog of murder cases in St. Louis.

The governor wants Missouri lawmakers to allow the state attorney general’s office to take on some murder cases that haven’t been prosecuted yet by St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner (D). The governor emphasizes that this isn’t about taking away authority, and that it’s about fighting violent crime. Governor Parson says there have been 161 murders in St. Louis City this year, and that charges have been filed in only 33 cases.

Circuit Attorney Gardner issued a statement on Monday, criticizing the governor’s plan.

“This allows the governor and his cronies to make a mockery of judicial checks and balances and demolishes any notion of a free and independent judicial system,” Gardner’s statement reads, in part.

The Missouri Senate approved the crime bill last week, by a bipartisan 27-3 vote.

Speaker Haahr tells Missourinet that he spoke by phone with Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, earlier today, before the Haahr announcement. Rowden told Haahr that he would speak to Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, to fill him in.

The governor has emphasized that the special session is about violent crime.

St. Louis has had 163 homicides in 2020. The city had 194 murders in 2019. Across the state in Kansas City, there have been 122 homicides. There were 90, at this point in 2019 in Kansas City.

Witness protection and eliminating the residency requirement for St. Louis Police officers are top priorities for the governor.

A key proposal in the governor’s January State of the State Address was $1 million in funding for witness protection. Despite bipartisan support in both the Missouri Senate and House, the measure did not pass this year.

Missouri Legislative Black Caucus Chairman State Rep. Steven Roberts, D-St. Louis, has asked the governor to call a special session on police reform. Governor Parson has told Capitol reporters he’s focusing on violent crime, and wants to wait until January’s regular session to take up police reform.

Other Democrats, including State Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, have called on the governor to address the root causes of crime, such as poverty.

Two Missouri lawmakers: major PPE donation highlights importance of Missouri State Defense Force (AUDIO)

May 21, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Two state lawmakers from eastern Missouri’s St. Charles County have worked with a former Missouri State Defense Force member to secure 3,000 protective face shields for health care workers across the state.

Missouri State Defense Force members Sgt. Tim Coen (left) and Col. Art Bottorff carry boxes of protective face shields, along with State Rep. Adam Schnelting, R-St. Charles, and Missouri House Speaker Pro Tem John Wiemann, R-O’Fallon (May 2020 photo courtesy of Pro Tem Wiemann’s office)

House Speaker Pro Tem John Wiemann, R-O’Fallon, and State Rep. Adam Schnelting, R-St. Charles, partnered with former Missouri State Defense Force member Col. Art Bottorff. Wiemann says the donation will be distributed by the Missouri Hospital Association, through the State Emergency Management Agency.

“And will go to hospitals that are in the most highest need that have a low supply of face shields,” Wiemann says.

The shields will also go to health care workers in high-need clinics, along with EMS and shelter employees.

Wiemann tells Missourinet he’s grateful for the former members of the State Defense Force, for the donation. Wiemann, Schnelting and Col. Bottorff coordinated the donation, after working with GetMePPENational and its affiliate, Boston Scientific. They also worked with the Purdue University Parents Association.

The face shields were made by Boston Scientific.

Pro Tem Wiemann describes face shields as an extra layer of protection, for workers who wear masks.

“When you’re in a medical environment, there are liquids, there are airborne things that are floating in the air, that someone could cough in your face, and it may not necessarily block them from getting into your eyes or other parts of your body,” says Wiemann.

As for Representative Schnelting, he’s a former member of the Missouri State Defense Force. The freshman Republican is crediting the organization for helping to secure the donation. Schnelting notes the health care employees will be receiving CDC and FDA-certified protective face shields.

Schnelting, who serves on the Missouri House Special Committee on Homeland Security, notes the State Defense Force has a dual mission: homeland security and disaster response.

“So securing items like PPE for those on the front lines in a scenario like this pandemic plays right into the purpose of the State Defense Force,” Schnelting says.

The State Defense Force was a military reserve force in Missouri that was inactivated due to budgetary concerns, on the same day the state received its first case of COVID-19. Col. Bottorff praises the Legislature for restoring funding for the Force, last week. The Colonel also says he hopes Governor Mike Parson “will see the great value of reactivating the State Defense Force.”

Schnelting says the shields will be deployed to health care workers, with the greatest need in the state.

Pro Tem Wiemann credits Bottorff for identifying the face shields, which were being warehoused in another state.

“We knew we needed to move quickly because these face shields are in high demand,” Wiemann says.

Wiemann and Schnelting also praise Missouri’s physicians, nurses, EMS and other first responders who are working around the clock to keep residents safe.

Click here to listen to the full interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and Missouri House Speaker Pro Tem John Wiemann, R-O’Fallon, and State Rep. Adam Schnelting, R-St. Charles. It was recorded on May 18, 2020: