(Missourinet) – Advocates for victims of domestic violence hope the legislature will pass a bill meant to keep people who have committed domestic violence from having guns.

The bill offered by Representative Stacey Newman (D-St. Louis) would make it illegal for a person to have a gun if he or she is the subject of a court order against stalking, harassment, or threatening harm to a member of his or her household or family, if that order finds that there is a credible threat to those family or household members or prohibits aggression against them. It would also make illegal the possession of a gun by anyone who is the subject of a protection order or is guilty of domestic violence or a sexual offense.

Colleen Coble with the Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence says that would mirror federal law.

“That has been an area of bipartisan agreement that is a sensible restriction,” Coble told Missourinet. “We’re talking about those who have already committed acts of violence and have been found by the courts to have harmed their family members.”

She says the idea could pass even in a Republican-controlled legislature. It did pass the state House in 2014 as part of a larger gun bill that died in the Senate.

“There’s already been a showing of support for this sensible approach to keeping those who have already been victims of violence safe from those who have already harmed them and possess weapons,” said Coble.

She said though federal law already contains such a provision, only federal agents can enforce it in Missouri.

“That’s just not a practical response to keeping Missouri families safe that have already been harmed,” said Coble.
Last year Newman’s bill did not receive a hearing in the House.

The legislation is HB 1595.

(Missourinet) – Sexual relations between lobbyists and state lawmakers or staff would have to be reported as gifts under a bill introduced in the state House. Bill sponsor Bart Korman (R-High Hill) said the issue should be a part of ethics reform.

“House bill 2059 basically defines the sexual relation as a gift so that it can be reported like other gifts from lobbyists, so that it’s a transparent way for people to know what’s going on,” said Korman. “In the effort of transparency, accountability and integrity, I filed the bill.”

Korman said sexual relations between lobbyists and state legislators or staff could compromise a lawmaker’s decision on a bill.

“Last year, there were a few members of the general assembly that had some sexual allegations of different sorts. This year, we were looking at doing some ethics reforms. There was actually nothing on the books that required any reporting of relationships between lobbyists and lawmakers or their staff,” said Korman.

Former House Speaker John Diehl, Jr. and former Senator Paul LeVota both resigned last year following allegations of sexual misconduct by former capitol interns.

Ethics reform is a priority for both chambers and Governor Nixon this year. Proposals include a ban on lobbyist gifts, changes to campaign financing and closing of the so-called “revolving door” for lawmakers to become lobbyists after leaving office.

Under Korman’s bill, lobbyists would be required to file a report with the state Ethics commission, just like they are supposed to do with any gift given to a state lawmaker.

Exemptions would include relationships between married individuals or those in relationships prior to registering or being hired as a lobbyist or elected into office.

(Missourinet) – A bill has been sent to President Barack Obama’s desk that would strip federal funding from Planned Parenthood for one year and repeal key provisions of the Affordable Care Act. The U.S. House passed the bill today. The U.S. Senate passed it in December.

The bill would eliminate the mandate for individuals to buy health insurance and for employers with more than 50 workers to provide insurance to employees. It also would stop all fines for people and companies that fail to comply with the mandate.

Federal subsidies would be eliminated to about 6 million low- and moderate-income Americans buying their own insurance. The law’s expansion of Medicaid for the poor would also be cut.

In addition, the bill would cut more than $500 billion from the federal deficit.

Planned Parenthood has been targeted by Republicans since anti-abortion activists released undercover videos last year allegedly showing officials with that organization talking about selling tissue from aborted fetuses. Planned Parenthood has denied making any profit from the sale of fetal tissue and says the videos would not stand up in court.

The bill would also provide $235 million in extra funding for community health centers, which Republicans say could fill the gap left by Planned Parenthood if it is defunded.

All of Missouri’s Republican Representatives supported the measure. Democrat Lacy Clay voted against it and Emmanuel Cleaver did not vote on the bill.

“President Obama refuses to accept changes to his namesake healthcare law. He will show that he cares more about protecting his legacy than fixing access to healthcare in this country,” said Southeast Missouri Congressman Jason Smith (R).
West central Missouri Republican Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler touted Republicans’ efforts.

“We were sent to Congress to fight for the American people,” said Hartzler. “They do not want their healthcare dictated to them by Washington.”

West central Missouri Republican Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer says the bill will restore Americans’ healthcare freedom.

“This is a brand new year and it is my hope that Congress can continue to get more pieces of legislation to the President’s desk that will force him to publicly decide between the interests of the American people and his own political agenda,” said Luetkemeyer.
Democrats say the Affordable Care Act has helped about 17-million Americans gain medical coverage, allowed young people to stay on their parents’ insurance plans until age 26 and stopped insurance companies from refusing to cover patients with pre-existing conditions.
They pointed to an analysis of the repeal bill from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office that found it would result in about 22-million fewer people having health insurance in the years after 2017.

Obama is expected to veto the measure. Unless supporters of the bill find more votes for it there would not be enough support in both the House and Senate to override a veto.

(Missourinet) – Missourians’s IDs might not get them onto commercial flights soon, and the state legislature is just beginning to look into the issue.

Ten years ago the federal government passed the Real ID Act, with stricter standards for state-issued IDs including driver’s licenses. Missouri lawmakers blocked those requirements. Last week, the Department of Homeland Security informed the state last week that the ID’s are not compliant with federal standards.

House Democrat Leader Jake Hummel said a solution needs to be found before Missourians can’t board planes.

“In 120 days, we may have a very serious issue on our hands if Missourians are not allowed to travel because those ID’s are no longer valid. I think that’s an issue we are going to have to fix,” said Hummel.

“I think if you look at what is actually required, we’re not that far off from what we currently do with our ID’s but because we have specifically passed a law blocking us from telling the federal government that we are in compliance, we are going to have to remove that barrier that we put in place in 2009 at a minimum.”

House Speaker Todd Richardson (R-Poplar Bluff) said those with Missouri driver’s licenses or state issued ID’s won’t be allowed onto military bases and most other federal facilities effective Sunday.

“I’ve asked Chairman Elijah Haahr and the Emerging Issues Committee to take a look specifically at that issue,” said Richardson. “I know he intends to move very quickly to try to get some answers from the Department of Revenue on exactly what the problem is. I expect he’ll begin that work next week.”

Missouri might have to re-issue IDs.

(Missourinet) – A state lawmaker has proposed reversing the 2011 merger of the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the State Water Patrol.

The Water Patrol was folded into the Highway Patrol after the legislature and Governor Jay Nixon (D) approved the merger in the 2010 legislative session. Backers said the merger would save the state about $3-million and increase efficiency. An audit released in September, 2011, found that the merger would actually cost the state $900,000 more a year.

Representative Diane Franklin chaired a House committee that in the summer of 2014 examined the merger of the two patrols. That committee came to the conclusion the merger didn’t save the state money, and resulted in troopers being less well-trained.

It issued recommendations for the Patrol to improve training and in other areas, and she said the Patrol has worked to follow those recommendations, but she believes separating the two agencies would better serve Missourians.

“I just think that the missions are so different. There are such different ways that public safety is done – one on the road, one on the water – that I just don’t see this as a good path to ensure that we’ve got good, safe waterways,” said Franklin.

Franklin’s Committee was formed in the months after an Iowa man, 20-year-old Brandon Ellingson, drowned in the Lake of the Ozarks while handcuffed and in the custody of a former road trooper, Anthony Piercy. Piercy has since been charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Franklin did not say whether that incident is one of the reasons for filing her bill, but said the merger strengthened the Highway Patrol but at the expense of the Water Patrol, “in all the aspects. In the training, in having a focused passion there to be sure that it served the folks well, and it is very noticeable throughout the state. People felt and could see and could tell the difference and we could demonstrate the difference through the different facts and figures.”

Franklin said Missouri must have a, “top-notch water patrol, and the demands for public safety on the waterways are not going to lessen. They’re going to increase as folks continue to come here, more people buy real estate here, they buy boats, they enjoy the Lake, so we have to return to having that passion on the water.”

Franklin said she hasn’t gauged the feelings of other lawmakers or the governor’s office on the bill.

(Missourinet) – A children’s advocacy group wants to limit who can get copies of taped interviews of children who have been sexually abused.

Videotaped interviews of children believed to be victims of sexual abuse are key pieces of evidence for the prosecution and defense in resulting court cases.

Emily van Schenkhof with Missouri Kids First says there is not enough control over what happens with copies of those interviews.

“There’s harm to children that occurs when we’re casual about this.”

Van Schenkhof says in some instances interviews have been uploaded to the internet, given to college students in a mock trial, and a copy has been given to the individual accused of the abuse the child on the video is describing.

“The juxtaposition typically of a very young child talking about sexual things is horrific. The first interview that I ever saw, I wanted to throw up,” said van Schenkhof.

She wants Missouri law to allow defense attorneys to view the videos in a prosecutor’s office, or seek a copy only under court orders including instructions against distributing or copying it.

Missouri Bar President Eric Bergmanis says the concern is real but any law must not conflict with court rulings about defendants’ rights to evidence.

“It’s important that state statutes and Supreme Court rules are clear so that everyone in Missouri gets a fair day in court,” Bergmanis told Missourinet.

Kevin Hillman with the Missouri Prosecutors’ Association shares van Schenkhof’s concern, as well as those of Bergmanis. He says if a law goes too far, it could result in convictions for child sex crimes being thrown out later.

“We want to find the right balance here with protecting the rights of the victims, protecting these folks who have been traumatized … but we want to balance that with the rights of the defendants,” said Hillman. “We’re certainly a stakeholder in this process. We want to work with the Bar and the defense attorneys and the courts, along with the victims’ rights organizations to find a balance here that achieve all our goals.”

Van Schenkhof anticipates legislation would be handled in the Senate by Senator Bob Dixon (R-Springfield) and in the House by Representative Marsha Haefner (R-St. Louis), but no bills have been filed on the matter.

Below, van Schenkhof talks about this issue as well as access to evidence-based mental health services for traumatized children and extension of work that led to passage of SB 341 last year, allowing the state Children’s Division to intervene in cases of children sexually abusing other children.

(Missourinet) – Congressman Jason Smith (R-Missouri) said the flood control and levee systems along the Mississippi River are adequate. His district is in southeast Missouri, which includes some of the area hit by record-breaking flooding after Christmas.

“That goes to show of another conversation. We have to continue to invest in infrastructure,” said Smith. “We have to continue to make sure our levees are strong, they are at the right height and that the pumps are working correctly. Investment along our locks and dams and are levee systems are extremely important.”

Smith also said the Mississippi River flood plan might need changes.

“One of the most important is that there is adequate funding. If a levee breaches or if one would happen to be unfortunately ever activated, that the money is there to build it back immediately so that it’s protecting citizens immediately. Not taking like what it took in 2011 to build back Birds Point levee. It took months and months and months until it was actually rebuilt at the proper height,” said Smith.

In 2011, the Army Corps of Engineers blew up the levee at Birds Point to ease flooding at Cairo, Illinois and elsewhere in the region. As a result, about 130,000 acres of farmland and about 90 homes were flooded.

Governor Jay Nixon requested Saturday an emergency declaration and said federal assistance with debris removal would help ensure the area hit by record-breaking flooding can move forward.

In a matter of hours, President Barack Obama approved Nixon’s request.

(Missourinet) – Five people died on Missouri’s highways during the more than three-day New Year’s holiday period.

The state Highway Patrol says all five were traffic fatalities. The patrol worked 235 traffic crashes over that period and arrested 109 people for driving while intoxicated. The patrol counted no drowning deaths during that period though significant flooding continues in several parts of the state. Seven people drowned during the Christmas counting period the previous week, due to drivers trying to cross flooded roads.

Last year in more than four days there were no fatalities over the New Year holiday period but more than 100 more crashes, with 90 arrests for driving while intoxicated.

The patrol says those numbers could change if reports of additional accidents or fatalities come in.

Two fatalities occurred Saturday night on Calvey Creek Road in Jefferson County. Few details of that crash have been released. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports the lone vehicle in the crash caught fire and has slowed identification of the two people killed. A third person was seriously injured and flown to a hospital.

88-year-old William Marr of Forsyth was killed yesterday when a vehicle crossed the center line of Highway 160 west of his hometown and collided head-on with his car. Marr was pronounced dead at the scene.

A Summersville woman, 32-year-old Samantha Devol, died when the vehicle she was driving collided head-on with another, on Highway 63 in Phelps County.

43-year-old Don Watson of St. James died when his vehicle left Highway 68 north of Salem, hit two road signs, rolled, and hit a tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene.