State Rep. Greg Razer Archives

Columbia’s mayor touts radiopharmaceutical corridor and three massive construction projects (AUDIO)

November 23, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Columbia’s mayor says his fast-growing city and all of mid-Missouri will benefit greatly from three massive projects happening in the area.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson (left) and Columbia Mayor Brian Treece (center) speak to businessman Greg Steinhoff on November 17, 2020 at a groundbreaking ceremony at Columbia Regional Airport (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

Mayor Brian Treece notes that more than $500 million in new construction will be happening in the next 12 to 24 months, with some already underway.

“Between a new I-70 bridge at Rocheport, a $200 million NextGen precisional health complex, that will bring life saving cures to Columbia. And now a new $38 million airport terminal (at Columbia Regional). That’s great for mid-Missouri,” Treece says.

The NextGen Precision Health Institute, a $220 million facility, is under construction. It’s expected to train the next generation of scientists who will help Missouri address future health care needs.

The NextGen project is the UM System’s top capital priority, and enjoys bipartisan support in the Legislature from lawmakers such as Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, State Rep. Sara Walsh, R-Ashland, and State Rep. (and State Sen.-Elect) Greg Razer, D-Kansas City.

Mizzou says researchers in medicine and engineering will work in the institute, to advance lifesaving research.

As for the I-70 Rocheport bridge, Missouri has received an $81 million federal grant to replace the current bridge, which was built in 1960. More than 12-million vehicles cross that bridge annually, including three million trucks.

Rocheport is just west of Columbia.

Mayor Treece also predicts that a new terminal that will be built at Columbia Regional Airport (COU) will be a generational investment that will pay big dividends in future economic development for his city and for central Missouri. The mayor says the terminal will also be huge for the University of Missouri.

“For new businesses that want to come to mid-Missouri, that want to take advantage of the University of Missouri’s nuclear reactor and building a radiopharmaceutical corridor right here in central Missouri for life-saving cures that we all benefit from,” says Treece.

The current COU terminal was built in 1968, and Columbia will soon begin flying to Charlotte. Mayor Treece says the new terminal will put further destinations in play, and says Atlanta and Phoenix are two major hub cities Columbia would like to fly to.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with Columbia Mayor Brian Treece, which was recorded on November 17, 2020 at Columbia Regional Airport:

Bipartisan Missouri legislative effort to restore cuts to Mizzou’s NextGen Precision Health initiative

May 4, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

While the budget approved last week by the Missouri House cuts funding for the state’s public colleges and universities, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle hope some of those cuts can be restored this summer. And two key lawmakers from different parties are calling on the Senate to restore funding for the UM System’s top priority, which is a major health initiative.

The $34.9 billion state operating budget approved by the House on Wednesday includes cuts to the state’s public colleges and universities. House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, addressed the issue on the floor on Wednesday, telling colleagues that all public two and four-year schools would receive a ten percent reduction over what was appropriated last year, under the budget.

Missouri House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, speaks about the budget on the House floor in Jefferson City on April 29, 2020 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

“I realize that this causes consternation across the General Assembly, and it’s not an easy thing to do,” Smith says. “But again we’re looking at a tremendously difficult budgetary outlook year.”

Chairman Smith says it’s possible that state lawmakers will be called back for a special session this summer, and says that if additional federal funding comes down, he’d like to see the money restored.

“It will be a conversation that we will need to talk about at that time, if we have some additional federal money to spend, or if we are able to reallocate some general revenue,” says Smith.

The Carthage Republican says the House may be called to return to Jefferson City this summer, for supplemental budgets.

Meantime, State Reps. Sara Walsh, R-Ashland, and Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, are calling on the Senate to restore about $700,000 in cuts to Mizzou’s NextGen Precision Health initiative. The NextGen Precision Health Institute, which is under construction, is expected to train the next generation of scientists who will help Missouri address future health care needs.

The $220 million facility is the UM System’s top capital priority. Mizzou says researchers in areas like medicine and engineering will work in the institute, to advance lifesaving research.

Representative Razer, a Mizzou graduate who is the ranking Democrat on the House Higher Education Committee, announced on the floor Wednesday that someone in his immediate family has just been diagnosed with cancer.

Razer predicts the facility will accelerate medical breakthroughs.

“This is truly a space that can cure cancer. They have the capability of curing cancer at the University of Missouri,” Razer says.

Razer tells the House that the UM System requested $10 million from the state. Governor Mike Parson’s budget recommendation reduced that to $3 million, and as of now, lawmakers have it at $0. Razer wants to see the Senate restore some funding.

Representative Walsh, who chairs the House appropriations subcommittee on transportation, is also a Mizzou graduate. She spoke on the floor after Razer, proposing using $729,000 originally intended for Fort Leonard Wood’s airport. She notes that money will lapse and won’t be needed at Fort Leonard Wood for another year.

“And that is money that I believe is a good purpose for it to be put to use for the precision medicine initiative,” says Walsh, whose district includes part of Columbia.

Walsh announced on the floor that she is working with Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, to partially restore some of the cuts to the NextGen Precision Health initiative and to Boone County Task Force One, which is a Columbia-based search-and-rescue team. She says she supports utilizing state revenues most effectively, to help ease the pain being felt now.

Mizzou says the institute will play a key role in the NextGen Precision Health Initiative, which supports the research activities of the UM System’s four campuses and health system.

University leaders broke ground on the institute last June.

“The NextGen Precision Health Initiative will help bring us bring laboratory research to effective treatments, which will benefit all Missourians as well as the rest of the world,” UM System President Dr. Mun Choi said at the 2019 groundbreaking ceremony.

The institute is being funded through a combination of private and corporate support, state support and contributions from Mizzou and the UM System.

Missouri House members spar over coronavirus ‘doomsday’ talk

March 20, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

To fight the spread of the coronavirus, the Missouri House has passed a plan that would include $33 million in emergency federal funds during the current state budget year. The governor’s state emergency declaration freed up another $7 million in state funding elsewhere in the current budget. The plan heads to the Senate, which is on break until at least March 30.

State Rep. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, speaks on the Missouri House floor on March 28, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

During floor debate this week on the legislation, Several Democrats said the amount is not enough to respond appropriately to a global pandemic. Some Republicans think it is but say lawmakers could add more money later if necessary.

Representative Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, says lawmakers might not get the chance to adequately fund response efforts later.

“Guess what folks – in a few weeks, we may be in a shelter in place order. It’s not safe for us to be here today. Our cities are acting. Our federal government is acting. We’re passing the buck,” says Razer. “For a lot of things $30 million is a lot of money – $30 million is not a lot of money for a global pandemic and you know it. You know it. Even if you don’t believe in government, government has to be here in times of emergency. We’re in a time of emergency today. Right now. The governor has declared it and we’re saying $30 million should be plenty. We have failed the people of Missouri today.”

Missouri House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, speaks on the House floor on March 28, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, fired back.

“The plan is to remain calm. The plan is to take a measured approach to crafting an appropriate response based on what we know at the time,” says Smith.

Representative Sarah Unsicker, D-Shrewsbury, read excerpts from the emergency petition that Washington sent to the federal government for Medicaid assistance to deal with the coronavirus.

“They had the first case in the United States. On March 4, Washington state had 39 confirmed cases. Ten days later, there were 642 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Washington state and 40 deaths from the disease,” says Unsicker. “Health care providers report that the COVID-19 outbreak and the predictable fears of residents that they may have COVID-19, have caused a major increase in the volume of emergency room and clinic visits, significantly longer ER wait times and an increase in intensive care and inpatient hospitalizations.”

Representative Kathy Swan, R-Cape Girardeau, indicates some members are going overboard.

“I’ve grown a little frustrated and a little weary of the doomsday picture that’s being painted,” she says. “We all know the drill – wash your hands, don’t touch your face. Don’t be around people who are ill. If you’re ill, contact your physician. If you need to go to the hospital, go to the hospital.”

Razer says Swan’s view does not sit well with him.

“To call this some kind of doomsday scenario that we’re being alarmists is, in my view, irresponsible to the six million people of this state. It was only a few weeks ago – two or three weeks ago, President Trump was using the same rhetoric – that this was a hoax,” says Razer. “That this wasn’t coming here. That we had nothing to worry about. That we have five confirmed cases in the country and within a few days it will be zero. We know that was wrong.”

Missouri Governor Mike Parson briefs Capitol reporters about the coronavirus on March 19, 2020 in Jefferson City (photo from Missourinet’s Alisa Nelson)

The World Health Organization reports nearly 210,000 cases across the globe with more than 8,700 deaths. In America, more than 10,400 people have fallen ill from the disease and 150 people have died.

During a press conference at the state Capitol Thursday, Gov. Mike Parson says the respiratory illness is like viruses we’ve dealt with before – it will take time to respond to and people need to follow health guidelines.

“I don’t think there is a doomsday for the state of Missouri or the United States over the COVID-19,” says Parson. “I said yesterday I think it’s something we all have to be concerned with but to try to put that into a fear category is wrong. We can conquer this. We can get through this. It’s not going to be a week or two process. I do believe for the short-term outlook it’s probably two to three months.”

As for whether the House passed a plan with enough money to deal with COVID-19’s wrecking ball, Parson says he’ll be meeting with House and Senate leaders soon to discuss the budget.

“We’re going to all have to rethink the budget process this year about where we are financially. But this is a lot more than COVID-19. This is thousands of people losing their jobs. This is businesses closing down. There’s a lot of things that are going to be at stake. For me as governor, I want it to be about as wide open as we can make it to deal with COVID-19,” says Parson.

At least 28 people have tested positive in Missouri for the coronavirus.

Bipartisan Missouri House resolution describes NCAA’s sanctions against Mizzou as appalling (AUDIO)

January 23, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

A resolution condemning the NCAA for its sanctions against the University of Missouri has been filed by the top Democrat on the Missouri House Higher Education Committee.

State Rep. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, speaks on the Missouri House floor in Jefferson City on April 11, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

State Rep. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, tells Missourinet the university did everything right.

“There was a tutor helping student-athletes. The tutor cheated for them,” Razer says. “The University found out, fired the tutor, suspended the students and then notified the NCAA.”

Razer’s resolution notes the NCAA says Mizzou provided “exemplary cooperation” in the case. Razer is upset with the NCAA for upholding sanctions against Mizzou’s football, baseball and softball teams, including a one-year postseason ban for the programs.

The resolution urges Mizzou and the Southeastern Conference to lead in reforming the NCAA, to ensure fairness and integrity. Representative Razer says student-athletes and member institutions must be served equally and fairly.

“And so what my resolution does would express the will of the General Assembly to the university, the (MU) athletic department, the Southeastern Conference, that they take the lead in reforming this part of the NCAA,” says Razer.

Razer notes the athletes being punished with sanctions were not involved in the infractions.

Razer, who graduated from Mizzou, also says the sanctions have created a chilling effect on member institutions which self-report violations. He describes the NCAA’s decision as “appalling.”

“And if it’s not reformable, then maybe it’s time we look at forming a new intercollegiate athletic association that we can trust,” Razer says.

A Missouri House committee hearing for Razer’s resolution has not been scheduled yet.

The measure is House Concurrent Resolution 73.

His effort has bipartisan support. State Rep. Chuck Basye, R-Rocheport, tells Missourinet he wants to co-sponsor Razer’s resolution. Basye’s district includes a portion of Columbia.

And Missouri Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, has also criticized the NCAA, describing the organization as a “fraud.”

Click here to listen to the interview between news director Brian Hauswirth and State Reps. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, and Chuck Basye, R-Rocheport, which aired live on Missourinet on January 15, 2020:

Missouri lawmakers on both sides react to governor’s State of the State (AUDIO)

January 16, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s governor proposed about $1 million in funding for witness protection during Wednesday’s State of the State Address in Jefferson City, in an effort to battle increasing violence in urban cities.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Color Guard presents the flags before Governor Mike Parson’s State of the State Address on January 15, 2020 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Governor Mike Parson’s (R) plan is being praised by State Rep. Chuck Basye, R-Rocheport, who says witnesses fear retribution.

“I hear law enforcement say that very thing that there are people that they know that know who these individuals are that are committing these crimes but they’re scared to death to come forward because they don’t want to be the next victim,” Basye says.

Basye’s district includes Columbia, which had 12 shooting deaths in 2019. Columbia Mayor Brian Treece and Police Chief Geoff Jones were special guests of Governor Parson at the State of the State Address.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, Kansas City Police Chief Richard Smith, St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson, St. Louis Public Safety Director Jimmie Edwards, Springfield Mayor Ken McClure and Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams were also special guests.

There were 194 murders in St. Louis and 148 in Kansas City in 2019.

Meantime, the governor received a standing ovation during his State of the State, when he announced that a new bridge will be built to replace the deteriorating Buck O’Neil Bridge in Kansas City. The bridge, which was built in 1956, crosses the Missouri River.

State Rep. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, describes the project as huge.

“It’s a major, not just for the city of Kansas City but the entire region,” says Razer. “That’s a huge regional priority, it’s something that has to be done.”

About 44,000 vehicles use the bridge daily. Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) Director Patrick McKenna tells Missourinet that federal, state and local funding will pay for the $200 million project. McKenna expects construction of the new bridge to begin in about two years.

Director McKenna notes Parson’s 2019 bridge bonding program created a substitute funding mechanism, adding that Kansas City has committed about $60 million for the project. A grant is funding $25 million more.

Governor Parson also praises economic progress happening in Kansas City, noting it beat more than 130 cities around the nation to land two major divisions in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), bringing more than 500 new jobs to the region.

Representative Razer praises the bipartisan and bi-state cooperation between Missouri and Kansas that took place, noting the jobs will pay about $100,000 annually.

“Kansas City is excited to welcome them (USDA employees) to their new home, to Missouri, to Kansas City,” Razer says. “We’re excited to have these 500 new Kansas Citians coming to Missouri.”

USDA is relocating its Economic Research Service (ERS) and its National Institute of Food and Agriculture Policy (NIFA) agencies to Pennsylvania Avenue in Kansas City.

State Reps. Chuck Basye, R-Rocheport, and Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, joined news director Brian Hauswirth live on Missourinet on January 15, 2020. They reacted to Governor Mike Parson’s State of the State Address and discussed other key legislative issues. Click here to listen to the first part of the interview:

Click here to listen to the second part of the interview:

NCAA’s sanctions against Mizzou athletics are blasted by Missouri lawmakers in both parties

November 28, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

A Missouri lawmaker is working to draft a House resolution that will criticize the NCAA for its sanctions against Mizzou athletics.

State Rep. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, speaks on the Missouri House floor on April 11, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

State Rep. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, a Mizzou graduate, is the ranking Democrat on the House Higher Education Committee. He tells Missourinet he’s working on the resolution’s language now.

Representative Razer is upset with the NCAA for upholding the sanctions against Mizzou’s football, baseball and softball teams, including a one-year postseason ban for the programs.

Razer spoke to our Kansas City television partner KMBC, the day the sanctions were upheld this week.

“What the NCAA is telling institutions with today’s ruling is cheat, and then when you get caught, lie about it and hide it,” Razer told KMBC on Tuesday.

Missouri lawmakers return to Jefferson City on January 8 for the 2020 legislative session. The resolution would put the House on record as opposing the NCAA’s decision. It would also provide Razer and lawmakers in both parties with an opportunity to address the issue on the House floor.

Missouri Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, also criticizes the NCAA, describing the organization as a “fraud.”

U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R) also blasts the NCAA, saying the sanctions are unfair and unwarranted. He says Mizzou “did the right thing by self-reporting the actions of the tutor and a small number of players.”

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

August 22, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

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:

Parson and Kelly to sign joint commitment in Kansas City aimed at ending “border war” (AUDIO)

August 13, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The governors of Missouri and Kansas will travel to Kansas City on Tuesday morning to sign a joint commitment aimed at ending the “border war” between the two states, which involves tax incentives.

State Sen. Mike Cierpiot, R-Lee’s Summit, speaks on the Missouri Senate floor on April 16, 2019 (file photo courtesy of
Harrison Sweazea of Senate Communications)

Missouri Governor Mike Parson (R) and Kansas Governor Laura Kelly (D) will headline the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Governor summit, which is taking place at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas.

Governor Parson has signed legislation into law from State Sen. Mike Cierpiot, R-Lee’s Summit, which restricts incentives to companies moving from Kansas to Missouri’s Cass, Clay, Jackson and Platte counties. Senator Cierpiot, who will be attending the summit, tells Missourinet the border war has been “a gigantic waste of money” for both states.

“Companies move from one side of the state line to the other and the economic development that is supposed to occur when a company arrives does not happen, because nobody’s moving here, they’re already living here, all the employees are here,” Cierpiot says.

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

It looks like the war will end, when the two governors sign the joint commitment at about 9:30 a.m. Parson, a conservative Republican, and Kelly, a progressive Democrat, both say the border war has been costly.

Senator Cierpiot agrees, telling Missourinet this is and has been a bipartisan issue in the Missouri Legislature.

“We passed this a few years ago, Kansas at the time with Governor (Sam) Brownback did not agree to join,” says Cierpiot. “But that effort was bipartisan with (State Sens.) Ryan Silvey and Jason Holsman, two Kansas City senators, one Democrat and one Republican.”

Parson says both states have spent “well over $100 million on this.” State Rep. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, the ranking Democrat on the House Higher Education Committee, agrees, saying it has drained resources from critical programs for both states.

Governors Parson and Kelly also plan a 10:40 a.m. press conference at Memorial Hall.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with State Sen. Mike Cierpiot, R-Lee’s Summit, which was recorded on August 9, 2019:

Razer: Economic border war between Missouri and Kansas has been a “disaster” (AUDIO)

August 12, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The economic “border war” between Missouri and Kansas involving tax incentives appears to be coming to an end. The governors of Missouri and Kansas will be headlining Tuesday’s Governor Summit, which is being hosted by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.

State Rep. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, speaks on the Missouri House floor on April 11, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

State Rep. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, tells Missourinet the border war has been a “disaster,” saying both states and both metros have been throwing money away.

“As I sit here and do this interview with you I’m just a couple of blocks from State Line Road,” Razer says. “And you would literally see Kansas give millions of dollars in tax incentives to get a business to move across the road.”

Kansas is on one side of State Line Road, with Missouri on the other side.

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

Representative Razer, the ranking Democrat on the House Higher Education Committee, says the border war has created virtually no new net jobs. He also says it has drained resources from critical programs for both states.

“This has been a net loss to Missouri, it’s been a net loss to Kansas and it’s been a net loss to the Kansas City metro,” says Razer.

Razer will be attending Tuesday’s summit at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas. Missouri Governor Mike Parson (R) and Kansas Governor Laura Kelly (D) will be attending.

Governor Parson signed bipartisan legislation in June that restricts incentives to companies moving from Kansas to Missouri’s Cass, Clay, Jackson and Platte counties.

Governor Kelly signed an executive order earlier this month in Topeka, telling reporters that her order “ends the border war.”

Parson says both states have each spent “well over $100 million on this.”

Razer agrees, adding that this has been a bipartisan issue in the Missouri Legislature.

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:

Both sides on sexual orientation bill pack Missouri Capitol hearing room to testify

May 9, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

Legislation adding sexual orientation and gender identity to Missouri’s Human Rights statute was heard Wednesday afternoon by a House committee in Jefferson City. The House General Laws Committee heard about 90 minutes of testimony, before a standing-room only audience.

State Reps. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, (at right) and Tom Hannegan, R-St. Charles, testify before the Missouri House General Laws Committee on May 8, 2019 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

State Rep. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, who is gay, is the bill sponsor. Razer testifies it is not illegal in Missouri or nationally to fire someone for being LGBT.

“It is perfectly fine (under current law) to fire someone from their job, evict them from their home or deny them service say, at a restaurant, simply because you know they are or think they might be LGBT,” Razer says.

Razer says people can lose their homes and their jobs because they are gay or lesbian.

He emphasizes the bill is not special treatment for LGBT people, adding this is the 21st straight year the bill has been filed.

Razer and State Rep. Tom Hannegan, R-St. Charles, have filed the same bill. Hannegan, who is also gay, testifies this is about constitutional rights and about people being equal.

Razer’s House Bill 208 would prohibit discrimination based upon a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Several religious organizations testified against the bill on Wednesday.

Grandview-based Desert Stream Ministries community outreach coordinator Amanda Smith testified against the bill, saying she identified as a lesbian 12 years ago and dated women. Smith is worried about what will happen next, if the bill passes.

State Rep. Peter Merideth, D-St. Louis, who supports the bill, questioned Smith at the hearing.

“Do you think at that time in your life (12 years ago) while you were going through that period that it would have been okay for a landlord to deny you an apartment because they didn’t like that you identified as male?,” Merideth asked Smith.

“No,” Smith replied.

The Jefferson City-based Missouri Catholic Conference also testified against Razer’s legislation. Catholic Conference executive director Tyler McClay cites religious liberty concerns.

“The concern is regarding faith-based organizations that provide foster care and adoption care services in other states where this law has been passed, they have been shut out of government contracts,” McClay testifies.

The Missouri Baptist Convention also testified against the bill.

Missouri’s oldest business association also testified against the Razer-Hannegan legislation. Associated Industries of Missouri (AIM) President Ray McCarty testifies that creating a new cause of action for sexual orientation and gender identity is troublesome.

“According to the American Psychological Association, sexual orientation really involves your emotional attraction to another person, which is different than other types of protection,” says McCarty.

McCarty also says Missouri lawmakers should wait until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on three cases, cases he says could establish whether existing federal protection against sex discrimination applies to alleged discrimination because of sexual orientation and gender identity.

But Razer says the time to act is now, adding this is not a special law and that this is not a new law.

The St. Louis Regional Chamber and some other business representatives testified for the bill, saying it’s the right thing to do and will also improve the economy. A representative from Monsanto also testified for Razer’s bill.

The House General Laws Committee did not vote on the bill Wednesday, and is not expected to meet again until next week.

The 2019 legislative session ends on May 17. Razer says lawmakers can pass the bill before session ends.