Every Day Numbers for the 14th District
CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES
Division of Child Support Enforcement
(314) 264-7700
Jewish Family and Children's Services
(314) 993-1000
NAACP - St. Louis County Branch
(314) 389-1552
St. Louis County Human Services
(314) 615-4453
Youth Emergency Services
(314) 727-6294
CONSUMER PROTECTION
Consumer Credit Counseling Services
(314) 647-9004
Consumer
Credit Reports
1-877-322-8228
Missouri Consumer Protection Hotline
1-800-392-8222
Missouri Dept. of Insurance Consumer Information
1-800-726-7390
CRISIS HOTLINES
The Women's Safe House
(314) 772-4535
Youth Emergency Service Hotline
(314) 727-6294
St. Louis Housing Resource Center
(Homeless Hotline)
(314) 802-5444
Life Crisis Services, Inc. (for Adults)
(24-Hour)
(314) 647-4357
Elderly Abuse Hotline
1-800-392-0210
Child Abuse & Neglect Hotline
(24-Hours)
1-800-392-3738
Alcohol Drug Interventions & Drug Treatment Referrals
1-888-762-3750
Trevor Lifeline
(For at-risk LGBT youth: 24-Hours)
1-866-488-7386
HEALTH-RELATED SERVICES
Alzheimer's Association
1-800-272-3900
Birth & Death Records
(314) 615-1720
HIGHER EDUCATION
Missouri School for the Blind
(314) 776-4320
Paraquad, Inc.
(314) 289-4200
HOUSING
Beyond Housing
(314) 533-0600
Housing Authority -
St. Louis County
(314) 428-3200
Home Improvement Grants (North County)
(314) 615-8232
PREGNANCY COUNSELING
Abortion Alternatives
(314) 962-5300
Planned Parenthood & Reproductive Health Services of St. Louis
(314) 531-7526
SENIOR CITIZEN SERVICES
Missouri Rx Program
1-800-375-1406
Long-Term Care Information - Ombudsman
(314) 918-8222
Older Adult Community Action Program
(314) 993-5181
Legal Services of Eastern Missouri (Elderly Law Unit)
(314) 534-4200
TOUR THE CAPITAL CITY
State Capitol Tours
(573) 751-2854
TRANSPORTATION
Call-A-Ride
(314) 652-3617
VETERANS BENEFITS
American Red Cross Blood Services
(314) 658-2000
Missouri Veterans Commission
(573) 751-3779
St. Louis County Office of Veterans' Services
(314) 552-9890
VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS
Big Brothers
Big Sisters
(314) 361-5900
Foster Grandparents
(314) 961-8000
ext. 370
Newsletter
March 5, 2015
Friends & Neighbors,
If you would like to learn more about the issues addressed in this newsletter or would like to discuss any matter involving state government, please contact my Capitol office.
Thank you,
Maria Chappelle-Nadal
14th District
Those listening to our debate over the Student Transfer Bill last week may have heard my mention of this effect – as children continue to be underserved by their schools, they begin to disengage. Sometimes they drop out, other times they start acting out in ways that, eventually, provoke school administrators to show them the door. Cast out at the most critical point in their development, these children are lost. With neither the credentials nor the skills they need to introduce them into the workforce, what choice do they have but to live outside the bounds of the system that abandoned them? In turn, what recourse is left to society, when these individuals turn to crime?
We are not talking about any recent trend, and it is not just limited to isolated cases. This “pipeline” between schools and jails is a long-standing cycle that has cost us everything, from the toll it has taken on courts and law enforcement to the dreams of those once-hopeful students, now deferred. Recent numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau show us the extent of the issue – the frequency of incarceration among high school dropouts is 63 times greater than among college graduates. Think, also, on that void of wasted talent that otherwise may have been gifted to society. In another world, how many of these children would freely think, write, speak, and create? Had they been supported and inspired at the right time, how many of them would go on to triumph – pushing aside ignorance and injustice, while nurturing and preparing other hearts to do the same? How many of them would teach?
Martin Luther King Jr. once defined the true goal of education to be not only intelligence, but character. From my time on a school board I can agree, schools are not just dispensers of facts, but places where our children are helped to decide who they are. The weight of that higher standard is the same force that moves me forward, compelling me to fight for provisions for all students, including those transient children still looking for the right institution to help them grow. The debate and negotiations throughout last week have culminated in the perfection of our education bill – which now moves to its third reading and final passage in the Senate. As we approach these final steps, we keep in mind those unwritten futures that will be affected by our work here today.
The Allman Report
On Friday, February 27th, I returned to the Allman Report to discuss progress on the education bill, as well as our work with the definition of Deadly Force in Missouri statute. You can view our conversation by clicking here or on the picture below.
Congress Backpedals, Missouri Moves Forward
A little under two years ago, I expressed frustration with Congress for their stalling on immigration reform – in that case, U.S. Senate Republicans had used the Boston Marathon bombing incident to leverage delays, despite there being no relation to the issue. This legislative session, similar antics were again employed to undermine the President's executive actions on immigration, with funding for the Department of Homeland Security hanging in the balance. This near-miss with a partial agency shutdown is only the latest in a string of dysfunctions that continue to threaten not only the credibility of leadership, but our stability as a nation. Even now, Congress eagerly continues to engage in partisan squabbles that result in untold consequences for the rest of the country. Their latest intrigue threatens repeal of the Affordable Care Act entirely – early failures to cooperate on just one part of this policy had already brought the issue of Medicaid eligibility to our doorstep. With more backtracking on the forecast, how many more times will state legislators have to step in, working to cover the gaps in Congress' performance?
It seems clear, in this age, that we have only ourselves – having been burdened with one of the least productive sessions from the federal legislature to date, we see no signs of improvement this year. In the face of these underhanded and irresponsible tactics, I am only more encouraged to struggle harder. We are the ones tasked with the challenge of defending our oppressed, our needy – while also looking forward to progress.
In that spirit, I have outlined some of the changes I hope to realize this legislative session. Here are several new bills I have introduced this week:
SB 559 – Racial Profiling: This bill introduces protections against racial profiling by law enforcement through statistical benchmarks: The review process involves the Attorney General, community organizations, and law enforcement agencies themselves. One featured change to existing protections is the addition of pedestrian stops to the gathered data – this step is essential, as past studies have shown that Black/Latino residents are most frequently accosted in this way, often without reasonable cause.
SB 417 – Deadly Force: This bill brings Missouri deadly force statute into alignment with the national standard, which requires the threat of imminent danger. It also requires a special prosecutor to investigate officer-involved deaths or injuries that involve use of a firearm. This bill will be heard before the Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee upon morning recess on Tuesday, March 03, in the Senate Lounge.
SB 560 – Marijuana Reform: Recognizing the human and financial cost of continued criminal prosecution, I have moved forward with reforms that would set up responsible infrastructure for the recreational use and sale of marijuana. Besides eliminating the massive waste of resources associated with the criminal status of this product, this bill will also boost Missouri revenue by allowing taxation on its retail.
SB 21 – Law Enforcement Reform: Through extensive planning and cooperation, I have devised a legislative response to what I had seen and heard in the streets of Ferguson. One aspect of this bill requires that if the Governor declares a state of emergency due to civil unrest, a sufficient number of state social workers, counselors, or psychologists must be assigned to provide counseling and mental health services to affected communities.
It also provides for accountability – law enforcement officers at protests must wear visible, accurate identification tags when feasible. In addition, records from body-worn police cameras must be included in investigative reports, and must be retained by agencies for at least 30 days.
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African-American lawmakers react to damning DOJ report on Ferguson (The Missouri Times)
Two state senators want Ferguson police disbanded (Associated Press)
MO senators call to disband Ferguson PD (KSDK)
VIDEO: Lawmakers react to Ferguson DOJ Report (FOX-2 Now)
VIDEO: Missouri senators call to disband Ferguson Police Department (KMOV)
Missouri senators call to disband Ferguson Police Department (KAKE)
Missouri Senate Panel Considers Stricter Law on Deadly Force (Fort Mill Times)
VIDEO: Lawmakers react to Ferguson DOJ Report (KPLR)
DOJ report renews outrage in Ferguson (Washington Post)
Ferguson officials to meet with Justice Department (Santa Cruz Sentinel)
VIDEO: After DOJ report, what's next for Ferguson (CNN)
VIDEO: DOJ Report, Ferguson Police Discriminate (CNN)
Deadly force changes get airing in Missouri Senate (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
Missouri Senator proposes legalization of marijuana (KTRS)
Missouri Senate give preliminary approval to two bills (Ozark Area Network)
To Stay or Not to Stay: Students find importance in school involvement (U-Times Online)
Jefferson City mourns the loss of Auditor Schweich (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
Senate votes for limited virtual school expansion (Daily Star-Journal)
“Thank you for allowing me to shadow you and being able to step into your office and see what you do as a Senator!” – Taylor Bass
“Thank you so much for sponsoring Senate Bill 418, which would bring comprehensive sex education to Missouri. Definitely a necessity!” – Emily Santos
“Heartfelt thanks for all you do for people with developmental disabilities.” – Kathy Meath
“As your constituent, I sincerely appreciate your leadership with regard to comprehensive sex education and your support in protecting women’s health here in Missouri.” – Tenaya Drapkin
“Just a quick thank you for promoting legislation that actually helps women. Because it’s rarer than it should be. Bless you!” –Emily
“Your appreciation for the power of libraries to do good in communities made our day.” – Lisa Rutchard
“It is rare that libraries have such a strong advocate and I just wanted you to know how appreciated and valued you are to us.” – Karen Hicklin
“I’m glad to have you in the Senate working for us and for all Missourians.” – Denice Adkins
On Saturday I was happy to join elementary students from the St. Louis area for Black History Month storytime at Barnes & Nobles. Promoting early literacy has always been important to me, and I loved reading to these bright and engaged kids about heroes like Rosa Parks and Jackie Robinson.
Everybody enjoys a good groundbreaking – last Friday I visited the University of St. Louis, where construction begins on the College of Optometry’s new Patient Care Center.
