Newman bill would prevent KSDK-type stunt that caused school lockdown

In a portion of the latest report from Rep. Stacey Newman, D-St. Louis, she writes about her bill, which would prevent people from testing school security. The bill was prompted by a recent action taken by a KSDK reporter which resulted in a lockdown at a St. Louis area high school.

With the arrival of winter, legislative session is off and running with 552 bills filed to date. That's not including 15 House concurrent resolutions, 30 House joint resolutions calling for constitutional amendments and 8 House resolutions dealing with the use of the House chamber.  Bill Filing for 2014 remains open until April 1st.

You may follow legislation and get up-to-date actions at www.house.mo.gov.

MY BILLS TO DATE:

 HB1255 - Allows Voters in the Address Confidentiality Program to Cast Absentee Ballots

 HB1446 - Requires All Firearm Sales in Missouri to Undergo Federal Background Checks

 HB1526 - Allows for Early Voting in Missouri

 HB1527 - Establishes a Equal Pay Commission to Study Wage Inequity

 HB1528 - Requires a Pharmacy to Fill Valid Prescriptions for Birth Control

 HB1529 - Establishes the Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies Act

 HB1530 - Allows Law Enforcement to Remove a Firearm in Domestic Violence Incidents

 SO WHAT BILLS ARE MOVING?

 As you might have suspected, Right to Work, The 2nd Amendment Freedom Act and 72 Hour Waiting Periods for Abortions, are the first out of the gate.  We are not sure what happened to the Jobs Bills which the Speaker annually promises but it appears that keeping trial lawyers in business defending unconstitutional laws are what he has in mind.

 This week HB1313, sponsored by Rep. Keith Frederick (R-Rolla, a Doctor of Osteopathy) was heard in the House Health Care Policy Committee. HB1313 would increase the waiting period before an abortion from 24 hours to 72 hours. Only one abortion provider remains in Missouri via Planned Parenthood Services in St. Louis.  

 The best testimony came from a Mizzou graduate student Dina van der Zalm who said she'd have to come back in 72 hours to state her opinion.  She testified, "I would like you to be able to trust in my opinions," Dina van der Zalm told the committee Wednesday. "Since this bill...makes the assumption that women are not capable of making difficult decisions without the aid of politicians requiring additional time -- an additional three days -- to really think it through, then I can only assume that you're not going to legitimately listen [to] or value the opinions I would like to state today."

WHAT WERE THEY THINKING? 

Last week a KSDK-TV reporter caused an hour-long lockdown at Kirkwood High School in his attempts to "test" school security for a story.  The station repeatedly refused to confirm he was their employee on assignment after he disappeared inside the school.  The school had no choice but to follow their security protocols prompting police officers to immediately surround the school.

Parents, teachers, students and local elected officials are outraged and contacting me for help. The situation could have resulted in very tragic consequences for everyone involved, particularly the students.  

                                                                An actual text from a KHS student

A purposeful "false" threat designed solely for a media ratings stunt has me incensed.  

 SEE MY HUFFINGTON POST ARTICLE:  "TV MEDIA STUNT CAUSED ST LOUIS HIGH SCHOOL LOCKDOWN - WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?"

 After conferring with several prosecutors around the state, it appears that current law would not have exempted media from legal action.  So I filed HB1522 Thursday which would "make it criminal for anyone to purposefully interfere with a public school or building's security procedures".  

 So far in 2014 we've had 8 school shootings - which should alarm every single one of us.  Scaring a community such as Kirkwood, where my friend Councilwoman Connie Karr and 5 others were shot and killed at their 2008 city council meeting, is simply not ok.

 Already I've had GOP colleagues offering their support in moving HB1522 along. I've also heard from others outstate who have experienced similiar situations with individuals "testing" security procedures in their schools, frightening everyone. That frightens me.

 School security is NOT designed to be public.  If you have any concerns please address them appropriately with the school administration.  If you think however, that superintendents across the country have NOT been concerned about keeping their students and staff safe since the Columbine school shooting in 1999, then you have not been paying attention.

 If the media truly wants to help save lives, what about covering efforts to pass Universal Background Checks for All Gun Sales which 80% of Missourians, including gun owners and NRA members want?

 I need your help.  Please join Kirkwood parents and citizens in signing my petition HERE asking the legislature to allow public testimony on HB1522 .  We cannot allow intentional security breaches to happen again in any other school.

 Shootings at schools, theatres, grocery stores and shopping centers almost every single day somewhere in our country is horrific enough.  

 STATE OF THE STATE AND JUDICIARY ADDRESSES 

 This past Tuesday Governor Jay Nixon gave  his 6th annual State of the Union Address in  the House Chamber with the Senate, Supreme  Court Justices and numerous visitors in  attendance. 

 I was pleased that increased education  funding, including early childhood  education,  and expansion of Medicaid were the  cornerstones of his address. 

 I was also pleased that he included ending  discrimination in the workplace and housing  based on sexual orientation/gender identity via  the Missouri Non-Discrimination  Act.  As you  might imagine, one side of the aisle was silent  in their applause.  The bill magically passed  the  Senate on the last day of the regular 2013  session but was not brought up in the  House.