Latest news with #CindyO'Laughlin
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Abortion ban, repeal of paid sick leave top agenda for Missouri legislature's final week
Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O'Laughlin, a Republican Shelbina, talks with reporters May 2024 (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent). Will the Missouri Senate actually make it to 6 p.m. Friday? That's the constitutional deadline for the legislative session to adjourn for the year. And the Senate — thanks to Republican infighting — has failed to reach the finish line three years in a row. But this year the GOP supermajority is finally getting along. And as lawmakers enter the final week of the 2025 legislative session, Senate Republicans hope that unity will allow them to roll back abortion rights and a new paid sick leave law over the vehement resistance of Democrats. Whether or not the session goes off the rails again this year — and kills a litany of largely bipartisan bills in the process — will largely be determined by whether Republicans and Democrats can strike a deal on two issues that touch on key ideological differences. . 'My philosophy has always been, if you just sit down together, you can figure it out,' said Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O'Laughlin, a Shelbina Republican. 'So that's what I'm doing. I have a really good relationship with the Democrats, and everyone is negotiating in good faith.' If those negotiations fall apart, the GOP could turn to the nuclear option. Republicans hold 24 seats in the 34-member Senate. It takes only a simple majority of 18 votes to end a filibuster using a procedural maneuver known as 'calling the previous question,' or PQ. But Senate leaders have historically been hesitant to utilize the PQ because it generates lasting bitterness — and sparks retaliation. If past is prologue, Democrats would respond by turning to procedural maneuvers of their own to grind the chamber to a halt and make any progress all but impossible. That scenario would also kill any bills still pending in the Senate with the bad blood and gridlock generated possibly spilling into the next legislative session. That's why since 1970, the Senate has only used PQ 18 times. The last time was in 2020. 'The last thing either side wants is a PQ,' said Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, an Affton Democrat. In November, both issues at the heart of the Senate's final week won approval on the statewide ballot. Proposition A, which won 58% of the vote, mandated employers with business receipts greater than $500,000 a year to provide at least one hour of paid leave for every 30 hours worked. Employers with fewer than 15 workers must allow workers to earn at least 40 hours per year, with larger employers mandated to allow at least 56 hours. That law went into effect May 1. Amendment 3, which won with 52% of the vote, legalized abortion up until the point of fetal viability — generally seen as the point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb on its own, or around 24 weeks. It also protects access to other reproductive health care, like birth control. Since it passed, a judge blocked a litany of Missouri abortion regulations, opening the door for access to the procedure for the first time in years. Senate negotiations on both issues have persisted for weeks. And despite some public discord, both sides enter the waning days before adjournment confident a deal can be reached. 'I know that there's a lot of ideology going around and lots of things being thrown at each other, but actually the vast majority of people are somewhere in the middle,' O'Laughlin said. 'And if you listen to everyone in their perspective, you can figure it out.' While the possibility of a PQ is the biggest minefield lawmakers are trying to navigate in the final week, disharmony between the House and Senate could also prove explosive. On Friday, lawmakers completed work on the state's $53 billion budget. But in a stunning move, the House refused to allow a vote on a $530 million construction package approved by the Senate earlier in the day. Senate leaders were not told of the House's decision in advance, and the move sparked outrage and accusations of betrayal. 'The phone calls I've been receiving from my Senate counterparts do not lead me to believe that next week is going to be productive if you have a House bill in the Senate,' Senate Appropriations Chairman Lincoln Hough, a Springfield Republican, told the Kansas City Star soon after the House vote on Friday. House Speaker Jon Patterson, a Lee's Summit Republican, downplayed the possibility of the move causing friction between the two chambers in the final week, telling reporters that he doesn't expect the Senate to upend a session that has been marked by GOP unity. 'I have nothing but great things to say about how the Senate has been working this year,' he said. 'I think they'll continue to work like that.' His Democratic colleagues aren't convinced Patterson's prediction will prove accurate. House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, a Kansas City Democrat, said she would not be surprised to see 'an even greater battle emerge between the chambers in the last few days of session over this particular situation.' Another possible stumbling block: with only five days left before adjournment, the governor's office and House leaders are pondering a push to provide $300 million in state funding to help build a new baseball stadium in Clay County. The aim is to keep the Kansas City Royals from moving across the state line, where Kansas lawmakers created an incentive packaging to convince the team to leave Missouri when the lease on its current stadium expires in 2030. But the plan has never been presented as a formal bill and never had a public hearing or debate — a reality that could cause real problems in the Senate, where any resistance could prove fatal. State Sen. Joe Nicola, an Independence Republican whose district includes the Royal's current stadium in Jackson County, said he would have serious concerns about any plan that would move the team to another county. But Nicola hasn't been consulted on the stadium funding plan percolating in the House, so he didn't want to comment until he had a chance to study it closely.
Business Journals
01-05-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Missouri paid sick leave law now in effect, though legislative challenges still loom
Missouri's voter-approved paid sick leave law officially went into effect Thursday, allowing thousands of qualified employees to begin accruing paid time off. 'No Missourian should have to choose between a day's pay and their family's well-being,' said Caitlyn Adams, executive director of Missouri Jobs with Justice, which led the campaign for the law, in a press release. 'Tens of thousands of Missourians who work full-time do not get any paid sick days, but that changes today.' But while advocates for the policy celebrated Thursday's milestone, the new law remains at risk of being overturned by the GOP-dominated Missouri legislature. Republicans have vowed to pass legislation rolling back the paid sick leave and modifying an accompanying boost to the minimum wage. That bill has stalled in the face of Democratic opposition, and the legislative session ends May 16. Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O'Laughlin, a Republican from Shelbina, has been a particularly loud voice urging repeal of the law. 'Our side of the aisle has great concern for the burden that this would place on businesses,' she told reporters Thursday, 'and if we're going to promote economic growth and jobs, we need to really be cognizant of that.' Proposition A passed with nearly 58% of the vote in November, garnering support from unions, workers' advocacy groups, social justice and civil rights groups, as well as over 500 business owners. The measure expanded access to paid sick time for many employees, effective Thursday. It also increased the minimum wage to $15 this year, which went into effect in January, to be adjusted for inflation thereafter. Under the law, employers with business receipts greater than $500,000 a year must now provide at least one hour of paid leave for every 30 hours worked. Employers with fewer than 15 workers must allow workers to earn at least 40 hours per year, with larger employers mandated to allow at least 56 hours. 'I'm a single mother of four, and I am now able to start earning paid sick for the first time in my life,' said Andi Phillips, a server in Springfield, in the press release. 'I can't explain how huge of a relief it is that I can now earn time off to better take care of my family and give my kids a better future,' Phillips said. 'I never wanted a handout, just an opportunity to be the best version of myself for my kids and now I have that.' The Missouri Supreme Court upheld the law earlier this week, dealing a blow to a coalition of business groups who argued the measure violated the single-subject and clear title requirements for ballot measures, and that the fiscal summary was misleading. The Supreme Court found the election results valid. The Missouri House passed legislation that would repeal the paid sick leave part of the law and remove the requirement that the minimum wage be indexed to inflation. That bill awaits action in the Senate. The Senate Democrats have been in negotiations with Republicans for weeks to modify the bill, in what they've said is an effort to maintain the will of the voters in expanding paid sick leave rather than gut it entirely, as well as make it easier for businesses to comply. The Republicans could also force the bill through in a rarely-used procedural maneuver known as the previous question, or PQ. That requires the signatures of 10 members of the 34-member Senate and must be approved by a similar majority to shut down debate. It's use to end a filibuster is seen as a last-resort option by Senate leadership, and the last time the chamber deployed it was eight years ago. Senate Minority Leader Sen. Doug Beck, a Democrat from Affton, told reporters Thursday he doesn't know whether the two sides will come to an agreement. 'I would like to see us come to some sort of conclusion, because the law is in effect,' he said. 'People are earning sick time, and anything we do at this point could be taking away from people…I'm just saying, I am in good faith negotiations with the other side of the aisle on this and welcome to having those conversations as we continue on. Whether or not we come to a conclusion, I don't know.' Speaker of the House Jon Patterson, a Lee's Summit Republican, told reporters Thursday that modifying the law remains a priority and that he sees action on Prop A as necessary before the legislature can make progress on a bill that seeks to bring businesses to downtown St. Louis. 'For me, Prop A has to be addressed before we do anything like that,' Patterson said, referring to the bill that seeks to revitalize downtown St. Louis. '…There's no point to try to attract businesses when you're telling them with Prop A that it's going to be very difficult for you, you have these sick leave provisions that can lead to criminal penalties.' That is an 'absurd way to look at Proposition A,' state Rep. Betsy Fogle, a Springfield Democrat, responded to Patterson's comments. When Missouri workers are successful, she said, businesses will be, too. 'The idea that providing workers with more protections is a business killer is wild,' she said. '…To try to make this seem like this is something that will kill business, that will keep businesses from opening, I think it's absurd, and I think it's quite disappointing, and I think it sends absolutely the wrong message.' This report originally appeared on Missouri Independent and is republished here under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Missouri paid sick leave law now in effect, though legislative challenges still loom
Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O'Laughlin said it is a priority of her party to roll back a paid sick leave expansion that was approved by voters in November (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent). Missouri's voter-approved paid sick leave law officially went into effect Thursday, allowing thousands of qualified employees to begin accruing paid time off. 'No Missourian should have to choose between a day's pay and their family's well-being,' said Caitlyn Adams, executive director of Missouri Jobs with Justice, which led the campaign for the law, in a press release. 'Tens of thousands of Missourians who work full-time do not get any paid sick days, but that changes today.' But while advocates for the policy celebrated Thursday's milestone, the new law remains at risk of being overturned by the GOP-dominated Missouri legislature. Republicans have vowed to pass legislation rolling back the paid sick leave and modifying an accompanying boost to the minimum wage. That bill has stalled in the face of Democratic opposition, and the legislative session ends May 16. Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O'Laughlin, a Republican from Shelbina, has been a particularly loud voice urging repeal of the law. 'Our side of the aisle has great concern for the burden that this would place on businesses,' she told reporters Thursday, 'and if we're going to promote economic growth and jobs, we need to really be cognizant of that.' Proposition A passed with nearly 58% of the vote in November, garnering support from unions, workers' advocacy groups, social justice and civil rights groups, as well as over 500 business owners. The measure expanded access to paid sick time for many employees, effective Thursday. It also increased the minimum wage to $15 this year, which went into effect in January, to be adjusted for inflation thereafter. Under the law, employers with business receipts greater than $500,000 a year must now provide at least one hour of paid leave for every 30 hours worked. Employers with fewer than 15 workers must allow workers to earn at least 40 hours per year, with larger employers mandated to allow at least 56 hours. 'I'm a single mother of four, and I am now able to start earning paid sick for the first time in my life,' said Andi Phillips, a server in Springfield, in the press release. 'I can't explain how huge of a relief it is that I can now earn time off to better take care of my family and give my kids a better future,' Phillips said. 'I never wanted a handout, just an opportunity to be the best version of myself for my kids and now I have that.' Missouri Democrats filibuster GOP effort to overturn voter-approved paid sick leave The Missouri Supreme Court upheld the law earlier this week, dealing a blow to a coalition of business groups who argued the measure violated the single-subject and clear title requirements for ballot measures, and that the fiscal summary was misleading. The Supreme Court found the election results valid. The Missouri House passed legislation that would repeal the paid sick leave part of the law and remove the requirement that the minimum wage be indexed to inflation. That bill awaits action in the Senate. The Senate Democrats have been in negotiations with Republicans for weeks to modify the bill, in what they've said is an effort to maintain the will of the voters in expanding paid sick leave rather than gut it entirely, as well as make it easier for businesses to comply. The Republicans could also force the bill through in a rarely-used procedural maneuver known as the previous question, or PQ. That requires the signatures of 10 members of the 34-member Senate and must be approved by a similar majority to shut down debate. It's use to end a filibuster is seen as a last-resort option by Senate leadership, and the last time the chamber deployed it was eight years ago. Senate Minority Leader Sen. Doug Beck, a Democrat from Affton, told reporters Thursday he doesn't know whether the two sides will come to an agreement. 'I would like to see us come to some sort of conclusion, because the law is in effect,' he said. 'People are earning sick time, and anything we do at this point could be taking away from people…I'm just saying, I am in good faith negotiations with the other side of the aisle on this and welcome to having those conversations as we continue on. Whether or not we come to a conclusion, I don't know.' Speaker of the House Jon Patterson, a Lee's Summit Republican, told reporters Thursday that modifying the law remains a priority and that he sees action on Prop A as necessary before the legislature can make progress on a bill that seeks to bring businesses to downtown St. Louis. 'For me, Prop A has to be addressed before we do anything like that,' Patterson said, referring to the bill that seeks to revitalize downtown St. Louis. '…There's no point to try to attract businesses when you're telling them with Prop A that it's going to be very difficult for you, you have these sick leave provisions that can lead to criminal penalties.' That is an 'absurd way to look at Proposition A,' state Rep. Betsy Fogle, a Springfield Democrat, responded to Patterson's comments. When Missouri workers are successful, she said, businesses will be, too. 'The idea that providing workers with more protections is a business killer is wild,' she said. '…To try to make this seem like this is something that will kill business, that will keep businesses from opening, I think it's absurd, and I think it's quite disappointing, and I think it sends absolutely the wrong message.'
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Missouri GOP pledges to fight Amendment 3
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Republican lawmakers in the Missouri Senate vowed to keep fighting against a voter-backed abortion rights amendment that passed in November. At a news conference outside of her office, Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O'Laughlin, R-Shelbina, spoke before a line of GOP lawmakers who made their pitch to circumvent the changes made to the Missouri Constitution with the passing of Amendment Three. 'Last week's ruling is exactly what we warned would happen,' she said in response to a Jackson County judge's ruling that state license requirements were discriminatory. The decision came after a lawsuit was filed by Planned Parenthood challenging the licensing process for providers who administer abortion medication. 'Amendment 3 is opening the door to dangerous, unregulated abortion facilities with zero accountability,' O'Laughlin said. 'By striking down Missouri's licensing requirements, the court has prioritized the abortion industry over women's safety.' Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Other Republican senators spoke on Friday's ruling. 'Due to the judge's ruling, due to spending millions of dollars that came from out of state—$3.5 (million) came from other nations—we now have abortion that is on demand at any stage in the pregnancy,' Sen. Nick Schroer, R-St. Charles County, said. Schroer added it is the duty of GOP legislators to 'stand in the way of the intrusions that are happening with our constituents' life, liberty and happiness.' The GOP lawmakers huddling at the podium pointed to several pieces of legislation filed in the House and the Senate as 'common sense measures' their caucus is working on together. 'As legislators, we cannot sit back and do nothing,' Sen. Brad Hudson, R-Cape Fair, added. 'We must take action, and we are going to take action.' With Amendment 3, the Missouri Constitution was amended to: Establish a right to make decisions about reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives, with any governmental interference of that right presumed invalid; Remove Missouri's ban on abortion; Allow regulation of reproductive health care to improve or maintain the health of the patient; Require the government not to discriminate, in government programs, funding, and other activities, against persons providing or obtaining reproductive health care; and Allow abortion to be restricted or banned after Fetal Viability except to protect the life or health of the woman House Democrats filed new legislation last week to fend off attacks from Republicans. House Minority Leader Rep. Ashley Aune, D-Kansas City, filed House Bill 1304, which she says will bring state laws in line with the Constitution. 'Missouri voters have spoken loud and clear on the issue of abortion access,' she said in a statement. In a statement Monday from the CEO and President of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, Margot Riphagen, obtained by our partners at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, she said that the clinic will be adding in abortion services this week. The Comprehensive Health of Planned Parenthood Great Plains in Kansas City resumed abortion services over the weekend. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
