PUBLIC POLICY

PUBLIC POLICY

AAUW Branch Meeting Report, April 10, 2025

National:

  • AAUW National sends emails to members when issues pertinent to our mission and public policy priorities require action on the part of members.
  • Emails provide information on the issue and links to have your voice heard.
  • Hopefully you have all also signed up to be a 2 Minute Activist and you can use that tool to communicate with your representatives.

MO Local Municipalities:

  • Tuesday April 8th, municipalities held local elections.  Hopefully you all let your voice be heard.
  • Public Policy Committee provided information on voting through Friday Reminders, Branch Website and Email Blast.

Status of Budget:

  • The House finalized and approved the State Budget and has moved it to the Senate.
  • Key cuts include:
    • Education funding is $300mil short of fully funding the foundation formula for K-12
    • $50mil in Medicaid general revenue matches were cut
    • Total budget is $5billion less than Kehoe proposed in State of Union Address

Status of Bills we have been tracking:

  • Repeal of Proposition A
    • Minimum Wage and Paid time off for employers with >500,000 in revenue
    • HB567
      • Delay minimum wage increase until 2028 and remove tying to inflation index
      • Eliminate the paid time off 
      • Passed out of Committee  –  Not Currently on House Calendar
    • Various on this have been passed to Senate Oversight Committee
    • Currently number of businesses have filed a suit with MO Supreme Court 
  • Repeal of Amendment 3:
    • HJR 54 & SJR 33 have moved out of committees
    • HJR 73 heard in Committee April 9 and passed out of committee – more restrictive with inclusion of gender transition treatment for under 18 with exception if diagnosed with a verifiable disorder of sex development
    • Key changes:  includes rape/incest but only if reported to police 72 hours before seeking abortion, includes transgender restrictions
    • Voting and Elections:
      • HB617 Rights Restoration – Passed out of Committee Not on House Calendar
      • SB22 Ballot Items by Legislation or Citizen’s Initiative Petition – Passed to House Elections Committee from Senate, referred to House Rules-Legislative Committee
      • SB62 Replicates National Voting Act 

For further information, contact Marian Bauer or Angie Janik, Co-directors Public Policy

The following websites are reliable resources to obtain information on bills passing through the legislative process and their status:

  • Permanent Disability
    • Apply any time.
    • You will then automatically receive an absentee ballot application for each election.

CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS

LEGISLATIVE NEWS

GET INVOLVED – Become a Two-Minute Activist!

Remembering those who went before

AAUW national provides members with tools to send messages to their representatives in Congress and their state legislators about pressing issues aligned with AAUW’s mission.  

Get involved through the resources of AAUW.  Find out how at GET ACTIVE

Once you sign up to become a Two-Minute Activist, you will receive an email from AAUW national when your voice is needed most.  You then simply click the box in the email AAUW created, and your legislator’s information is populated; the email is ready for you to send.

Contact any member of the Public Policy Committee if you need assistance.