St. Louis Observer: January 7, 2022
St. Louis City murder rate dropped 25% in 2021; COVID rages through Missouri prisons; state legislature begins 2022 session
Editor’s Note
The start of the new year has already disrupted the Republican veto-proof majority for the 2022 legislative session, following the resignation of four House Republicans and the year of Rep. Tom Hannegan, R-St. Charles. Justin Hill also resigned to move to Florida for a mysterious private sector consulting job, almost an exact year after he skipped his own swearing-in ceremony to attend the January 6 insurrection. The resulting six vacancies have tipped the scales - at least until Gov. Mike Parson can call special elections to fill those seats. Until that happens, though, the Republican’s restrictive and sometimes blatantly unconstitutional agenda is jeopardized.
Already at risk is the new congressional map for Missouri, creating a logistical nightmare for Republicans. If they are not able to gather enough Democrat votes for an emergency clause to trigger the immediate application of the new map, versus the otherwise effective date of August 28, Republicans could miss having the new map in place by the August 2 primary. The new congressional lines as proposed by Missouri Republicans would, for example, extend Congresswoman Cori Bush’s district into St. Charles County, in a fairly transparent effort to stifle Bush’s “radical agenda” of People over profits. At the same time, Congresswoman Ann Wagner’s district, which encompasses St. Louis County, has become more competitive under the Republican’s plan, potentially paving the way for a Democratic challenger in the 2nd District.
While redistricting will require Democrats’ support to pass the new map, the typically super-minority party is taking advantage of its newfound leverage, looking to repeal the “Second Amendment Preservation Act” and continue its work toward state-level criminal justice reform.
For the first time in nearly a decade, there is a glimmer of hope for the Missouri Legislature. Even if Democrats are unable to pass their own laws this session, perhaps equally as important is their ability to block Missouri Republicans from causing more damage.
In the News
Police and prosecutorial accountability
Mayor Tishaura O. Jones has indicated that she wants to terminate the City’s current search for a new police chief and to start over again, after running into arbitrary obstacles placed by former Personnel Department head Richard Frank that have all but removed diverse and external candidates. Searching for a replacement for current SLMPD police chief John Hayden has been especially difficult, as the independent Civil Service Commission and Frank created criteria for the new chief that greatly departs from guidelines and processes previously used by former mayors. [St. Louis American/Dana Rieck]
A federal judge has rejected class certification in a lawsuit filed on behalf of Workhouse detainees, alleging that the City and corrections staff violated their constitutional rights. The lawsuit originally was filed in 2017 after experiencing “hellish” conditions while detained at the now-closed medium security facility. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Jack Suntrup]
A St. Louis City judge has dismissed a lawsuit against SLMPD for negligence following a fatal police chase that resulted in the deaths of Reniece Randle. Judge Christopher McGraugh extended the “public duty” immunity doctrine to the three SLMPD officers involved in the chase and therefore, those officers were immune from liability for the death of Randle. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Joel Currier]
The St. Louis County Council has voted 6-1 to ban door handle jiggling, similar to St. Louis City’s ordinance that was passed by the Board of Aldermen in 2021. Since St. Louis City’s bill has been enacted, residents have seen an increase of “smash & grabs.” Penalties under the proposed legislation include fines of up to $1,000 and/or jail time of up to one year for anyone found guilty; in contrast, the City’s ordinance allows first-time offenders to be sentenced to probation, community service, or treatment programs. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Nassim Benchaabane]
Missouri prisons continue to fail inmates, families
The COVID-19 omicron variant has surged within Missouri prisons, juvenile facilities, and mental health treatment centers, disproportionately impacting inmates and patients while they are serving their sentences. The Missouri Department of Corrections has not announced any plans to mitigate the increase in cases, refusing to mandate vaccines or masks for staff and effectively instituting death sentences for at-risk persons detained within state facilities. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Kurt Erickson]
Advocates are calling for lower rates for telephone calls and email communications with Missouri inmates, citing broken promises made by prison conglomerate Securus Technologies to improve the reliability and quality of their systems as the corporation raised its prices. Touting the hiring of Yusef Jackson - son of Rev. Jessie L. Jackson - and the piloting of a new subscription service, Securus nevertheless has been accused of “goug[ing] the consumer and maximiz[ing] their profits.” [St. Louis American/Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.]
State Republicans target reproductive justice, education policy in 2022
Missouri Republicans are renewing their attacks on bodily autonomy, including yet another attempt to strip Planned Parenthood from Missouri’s Medicaid program. State GOP members have tried to ban the healthcare provider from receiving public funding since the 1990s, despite consistent rejections by both the Missouri Supreme Court and U.S. Supreme Court. [Missouri Independent/Tessa Weinberg]
In addition to their attacks on reproductive justice, Missouri Republicans are expected to focus on state education policy during the 2022 legislative session, including attacks on COVID-19 protocols, enacting a “parents’ bill of rights,” and banning curriculum topics like critical race theory and how the intersection of race and history are taught in public schools. However, lawmakers must pass an education appropriations bill by March 24 to keep nearly $2 billion in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. State Republicans also intend to address how charter schools are funded by taxpayer dollars, continuing the assault on public schools in Missouri. [St. Louis Public Radio/Kate Grumke]
Further reading
The City of St. Louis has defied the national trend of rising murder rates by reducing its 2020 rate - the highest in 50 years - by 25% in 2021. While other cities around the country were breaking their respective homicide records, St. Louis increased its violence prevention and intervention programs, added social workers to police beats, and other policing alternatives. [St. Louis American/Dana Rieck]
Mayor Jones has appointed Professor Vernon Mitchell as the City’s equity and inclusion officer to help ensure equity across racial lines throughout City government. The equity advisor role previously had been vacant since former mayor Lyda Krewson’s administration, when Nicole Hudson left the role in 2018. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Mark Schlinkmann]
KSDK journalist Michelle Li went viral earlier this week after a racist caller left a voicemail complaining about Li “being very Asian” and demanding that she “keep her Korean to herself.” The video clip of Li listening and reacting to the caller’s voicemail has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times and Li has redirected the overwhelming support she received into a fundraiser for the Asian American Journalists Association. [Riverfront Times/Danny Wicentowski]
Current St. Louis Housing Authority general counsel Krista Peyton has been appointed as associate circuit judge in St. Louis County. Before her role with Housing Authority, Peyton represented the St. Louis County Juvenile Office in juvenile delinquency and child protection matters. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Staff Reports; St. Louis American/Staff Reports]
Legislative & Legal Update
City of St. Louis
BB 19, introduced by Ald. Joe Vaccaro (Ward 23), would establish a Detention Facility Oversight Board for the St. Louis City Jail. The bill was perfected and passed by the full Board of Aldermen on November 23.
BB 118, introduced by Ald. Jesse Todd (Ward 18) would allocate $1.1 million received under the federal YouthBuilds grant program, distributing the first $80,000 received to SLATE. This bill has been placed on the informal calendar after its third reading on December 14 and has had no further action since that time.
BB 119, introduced by Ald. Todd and Ald. Ingrassia (Ward 6), would repeal the City’s current loitering ordinance and would provide a legal defense for the amended criminal charge of loitering. This bill has been held in the Public Safety Committee since November 16, 2021, with no further action taken.
State of Missouri
The Missouri State Legislature resumed on January 5, 2022. Below are some of the bills that were either pre-filed or made movement in the first few days of session:
HB 1476, introduced by Rep. Nick Schroer (R-St. Charles), would remove the City of St. Louis’ control over its own police department and return to state control. Schroer pre-filed his bill on December 1, 2021, and the bill had its second read on January 6, 2022.
A litany of anti-abortion bills have been introduced, including the “Abolition of Abortion in Missouri Act” by Sen. Michael Moon of Greene County (SB 699); the misleadingly-named “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act” (HB 1987); increased penalties for performing abortions in Missouri (HB 1636); and another “fetal heartbeat” bill (HB 1452); among many horrifying others. We will continue to track these bills - and other bills related to reproductive justice in Missouri - throughout the legislative session.
HB 2338, introduced by Rep. Rasheen Aldridge (D-St. Louis), would decriminalize certain prostitution offenses and would redefine “unlawful commercial sex act” within state law. The bill was introduced on January 6, 2022.
HB 2333, also introduced by Rep. Rasheen Aldridge (D-St. Louis), would reform the state’s current cash bail system and would require county jails to conduct risk assessments of persons detained within 24 hours of arrest.
HJR 83, introduced by Rep. Shamed Dogan (R-St. Louis County), would legalize cannabis use for adults 21 years or older and would further reform state labor & policing laws related to cannabis.
HB 1800, introduced by Rep. Kimberly Ann Collins (D-St. Louis), would amend minimum service of prison sentences laws based on a sliding scale and previous criminal histories.