State Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove 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.

Bland Manlove: Missouri’s special session should address the root causes of violence (AUDIO)

July 21, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

While she would like to see other issues addressed, a key Democratic lawmaker from Kansas City supports Governor Mike Parson’s (R) special session call for witness protection.

State Reps. Richard Brown, D-Kansas City, and Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, participate in a roundtable discussion with Missouri Governor Mike Parson and law enforcement officers at the Kansas City Police Department on July 20, 2020 (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

State Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, a member of Missouri’s Legislative Black Caucus, says witness protection is a bipartisan issue.

“So we want to make sure that there’s enough funding behind that to relocate people as necessary, or keep them in some type of protective custody until the case is resolved,” Bland Manlove says.

She says police officers cannot complete cases without evidence, like witness statements.

Kansas City has had 106 homicides in 2020, which is about a 35 percent increase from last year. Kansas City Police Chief Richard Smith says there’s a sense of urgency in Kansas City, and that action must be taken.

Bland Manlove and several other state lawmakers from both parties joined the governor this week at the Kansas City Police Department, to hear his presentation about the special session. It begins Monday in Jefferson City.

Bland Manlove would much rather address what she calls the root causes of violence.

“Such as the breakdown of the home, education, health care and how all of those have effects on our day-to-day lives,” says Bland Manlove, who serves on the House Budget Committee.

Governor Parson told Missourinet last week that the only reason he’s calling a special session is for violent crime, and the growing homicide rates in the state. St. Louis has had 135 homicides this year.

“I’d like to see mental health addressed from not only a mental disorder issue, but mental health, a lot of families are broken, so they don’t know how to move through life in an efficient way,” Bland Manlove says.

She says some residents need life coaching, saying some have never been taught how to write checks.

She tells Missourinet that she appreciates Governor Parson calling a special session on violent crime, noting that the Legislative Black Caucus requested that he call one in September 2019. She’s noted that Kansas City and St. Louis have consistently ranked in the top ten deadliest cities for at least a decade.

As for the governor, he traveled to northeast Missouri’s Hannibal on Tuesday afternoon to meet with local leaders and law enforcement officers about violent crime and next week’s special session. Parson held a roundtable discussion at Hannibal-LaGrange, where he was joined by State Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin, R-Shelbina, State Rep. Louis Riggs, R-Hannibal and other lawmakers.

The sheriffs from Marion, Ralls and Lewis counties also attended. Lewis County Sheriff David Parrish is the president of the Missouri Sheriff’s Association.

Click here to listen to the full five-minute interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and State Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, which was recorded on July 20, 2020:

Parson emphasizes violent crime and homicides during Kansas City visit (AUDIO)

July 20, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

(Audio is courtesy of Missourinet Kansas City television partner KMBC)

Saying that violent crime and homicides are escalating across Missouri, Governor Mike Parson traveled to Kansas City and Springfield on Monday afternoon to meet with local leaders and law enforcement officers about next week’s special session.

Law enforcement officers from across Missouri joined Governor Mike Parson at his special session call regarding violent crime on July 15, 2020 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

The special session about violent crime starts Monday in Jefferson City.

“There’s no doubt with the homicide increases across the state, especially St. Louis, Kansas City, even Columbia and Springfield Missouri, across our state. It’s something we don’t want to be happening every day,” Parson tells Kansas City reporters.

The governor was joined in Kansas City by state lawmakers from both parties, who listened to his presentation. Parson was also joined by state Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Sandy Karsten and by Kansas City Police Chief Richard Smith, who notes there was another homicide while the roundtable meeting was about to begin.

Kansas City has had 105 homicides in 2020, a 35 percent increase from last year. Chief Smith says there is a sense of urgency in Kansas City, and that action must be taken. The chief thanks the governor and state lawmakers for addressing the violent crime issue.

As for Governor Parson, he says witness protection and juvenile certification will be key parts of the upcoming special session. He also says eliminating the residency requirement for St. Louis Police officers is another key part of the call.

“One of the reasons since I’ve been governor that’s been an issue for the last two years since I’ve been there (as governor), they have run consistently about 150 to 200 officers down in their police department,” says Parson.

St. Louis Police Chief John Hayden testified in January that the residency requirement is the greatest challenge that his department has with recruitment and retention.

There have been at least 135 homicides in St. Louis this year.

DPS Director Karsten says witness protection is essential to reducing Missouri’s homicide rates.

“We need our communities’ help in solving the violent crime that we’re seeing. We need people to come forth as witnesses,” Karsten says.

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

Click here to watch the full Kansas City media briefing, courtesy of Missourinet Kansas City television partner KMBC.

State Reps. Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, Richard Brown, D-Kansas City, Jerome Barnes, D-Raytown, and Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, were among the lawmakers who listened to the governor’s Kansas City presentation. They also participated in the roundtable discussion.

Representative Bland Manlove tells Missourinet that witness protection is a bipartisan issue. She also says that while she supports Governor Parson on the issue of witness protection, she would much rather see the special session address issues such as mental health, education and health care. She also notes that the Legislative Black Caucus requested a special session last year, about violent crime.

Governor Parson also traveled to Springfield on Monday, where he met with Police Chief Paul Williams, Springfield officers and Greene County Sheriff’s deputies. State lawmakers also joined the governor at the Springfield visit.

Springfield has had 15 homicides this year, and the “News-Leader” reports the city is on pace to break its previous yearly record of 16.

The governor will travel to northeast Missouri’s Hannibal on Tuesday afternoon to meet with leaders there about the special session.

Missouri’s health director testifies the state is well-prepared for coronavirus

March 2, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s health director testified Monday afternoon in Jefferson City that he’s hoping for the best and preparing for the worst regarding the coronavirus.

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Director Dr. Randall Williams testifies before the House Special Committee on Disease Control and Prevention in Jefferson City on March 2, 2020 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

State Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Director, Dr. Randall Williams, appeared before the newly-created Missouri House Special Committee on Disease Control and Prevention.

Dr. Williams testifies there have been no confirmed cases in Missouri. About 100 people have been self-monitoring, and Dr. Williams says the department has had fewer than 15 people under investigation, which includes testing.

DHSS says about 80 people in Missouri have been evaluated by epidemiologists.

Director Williams testifies that hand washing is the key thing to remember.

“When people ask me how good or bad this is, the answer I always give is I’m not going to speculate. I don’t know but I’ll tell you this,” Williams testifies. “If you will use good handwashing for 20 seconds, as described by the CDC.”

The CDC is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Williams also recommends avoiding touching your eyes or mouth with unwashed hands.

“We don’t have a vaccination, so that will not be available to us. We do not have antivirals that are readily available,” says Dr. Williams.

Director Williams testifies Missouri is well-prepared, noting DHSS has held daily meetings since January 27. He emphasizes that the United States has an excellent health care system, and also praises the preparation of Missouri’s health directors and providers.

Williams is not making a supplemental budget request right now, regarding the coronavirus. He tells the committee that the federal government will be offering the money Missouri will need. Williams doesn’t think DHSS will need general revenue.

During a Statehouse press conference on Monday, House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, told Missourinet that the Legislature will be ready if a request comes. Haahr notes he spoke about the issue earlier on Monday, with House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage.

“If money is needed, the ability to put that in the supplemental (budget) to get that money to the people who need it quickly,” Speaker Haahr says. “I know on the federal level, there has been quite a bit of discussion about the amount of money that’s needed. Obviously, it’s going to take some time to turn around a vaccine on this.”

Governor Mike Parson and DHSS Director Williams will meet with Cabinet members Tuesday afternoon in Jefferson City. The governor and Dr. Williams also plan a press conference.

State Rep. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, chairs the House Special Committee on Disease Control and Prevention. He’s a surgeon. State Rep. Kip Kendrick, D-Columbia, is the ranking Democrat. Both lawmakers emphasize this is a bipartisan issue. Speaker Haahr agrees.

State Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, who serves on the committee, has requested an unclassified briefing on the impact on the Missouri National Guard, specifically those who have been overseas. Representative Bland Manlove is a former intelligence analyst for the Missouri National Guard.

Parson to discuss violence with large city mayors and police chiefs at Missouri Capitol

November 24, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The mayors and police chiefs of Missouri’s four largest cities will be in Jefferson City Monday morning to meet with Governor Mike Parson (R). They’ll be discussing crime and other issues.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson (center) meets with Columbia Mayor Brian Treece, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson and Springfield Mayor Ken McClure on October 18, 2019 in Springfield (file photo courtesy of KSGF’s Bailey Strohl)

St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, Springfield Mayor Ken McClure, Columbia Mayor Brian Treece and their four respective police chiefs will travel to the Missouri Capitol to meet with the governor behind closed doors.

Crime and violence will be a main topic, but they’re also expected to discuss issues like jobs as well. Governor Parson will hold a 12:15 p.m. Statehouse press briefing with Capitol reporters, and will be joined by the mayors and chiefs.

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. Governor Parson met with the four mayors in October in Springfield, and reiterated that the violent crime issue will take a coordinated effort among federal, state and community leaders.

Governor Parson has sent state troopers to St. Louis to patrol interstates, and supports working with churches to help prevent violence. He’s traveled to several churches in St. Louis, to meet with pastors.

The governor has also met with members of Missouri’s Legislative Black Caucus, which supports legislation allowing cities with high gun violence to approve their own gun control legislation.

State Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove, D-Kansas City, has told Missourinet that gun violence is ravaging the streets, noting that Kansas City and St. Louis have consistently ranked in the top ten deadliest cities for at least a decade.

Kansas City Police say there have been 131 homicides there in 2019, up from 120 last year. State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, notes that at least 13 children have been killed in St. Louis city shootings in 2019.

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

September 9, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

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.

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

September 4, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

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.

Parson: Missouri lawmakers should address gun violence in regular, not special, session

August 29, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s governor said Wednesday in Jefferson City that a September special session is “not the correct avenue” to address the issue of gun violence, and that it should be addressed when lawmakers return to Jefferson City in January.

Governor Mike Parson addresses DED employees at the Missouri Capitol on August 28, 2019 (Brian Hauswirth photo)

Governor Mike Parson (R) spoke to Capitol reporters during a Statehouse press conference on the issue of state government reorganization. Most of the questions from reporters were about deadly gun violence.

Parson says it will take a coordinated effort among federal, state and community officials to reduce violence.

“If you want to bring the gun violence (topic) into special session, I’m not for sure what the outcome you think going to be out of that,” Parson says. “That’s why I think that needs to be done in regular session (in January). Special session, you want to do something in a limited time that you think you can get a fix to.”

13 children have been killed in shootings in St. Louis city in 2019.

The “St. Louis Post-Dispatch” reports St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson is urging state lawmakers to let the city require concealed weapon permits. The governor tells reporters “that’s going to have to go through the legislative branch.”

Governor Parson says he’s spoken to both Mayor Krewson and to Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas about gun violence.

“We got to figure out some solutions to these kids getting shot in the streets up there in St. Louis and Kansas City or wherever it is in the state of Missouri,” says Parson.

The governor is against a September special session on gun violence, saying there are “many different opinions on how to find a solution.”

Parson outlines a few possible solutions.

“I think you can partner up with the federal government, the city (St. Louis) and the county can do some things,” Parson says. “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 also supports working with churches, to help prevent violence.

The Missouri Legislative Black Caucus has asked the governor to add the issue of gun control during the special session. The Black Caucus supports legislation allowing cities with high gun violence to approve their own gun control legislation.

State Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove (D-Kansas City), the Black Caucus’ vice chair, says Kansas City and St. Louis “have shamefully and consistently” ranked in the top ten deadliest cities for at least a decade.

Bland Manlove describes the gun violence as a public health crisis.

Governor Parson has called a special session involving a complicated Missouri Supreme Court ruling about vehicle sales. Lawmakers will return to Jefferson City on September 9 for the special session, which is expected to last one week.

Parson spokeswoman Kelli Jones tells Missourinet she believes the vehicle tax issue will be the only agenda item at special session.