NEWS ARCHIVE

NAACP: state's discrimination bill is 'civil rights issue'
Jefferson City News Tribune - June 28, 2017
   Pat Rowe Kerr, former Missouri Veterans Commission ombudsman, said the bill would prevent employers from being held accountable for their actions. Kerr was fired from her job in 2009 and sued the commission, alleging gender and age discrimination and retaliation. She won the suit in 2016.
   "We can't just do something because we want tort reform," Kerr said. "We can't do something that is wrong in its language so that we then have to spend taxpayer money to go back and fix."

NAACP organizes rally over civil rights issues; Its leader meets with Gov. Greitens
Missourinet - June 27, 2017
   “The Missouri State NAACP conference and our coalition partners are delighted to have had an opportunity to meet with governor Greitens today. We believe that an open and honest conversation about Senate Bill 43 (the litigation measure) and the attending harms that would flow from it to Missourians of all sorts was not only productive but also informative.  The governor is, in his own words, as he has said publicly, listening to all sides and shared that he has not made his mind up.”

NAACP rallies against Missouri Senate Bill 43
WPSD - June 27, 2017
   Missouri Sen. Gary Romine is the sponsor of the bill to change the unlawful discrimination laws in Missouri. He is also the owner of Show Me Rent-to-own in Sikeston that was sued in 2015 for racial discrimination. That civil suit is ongoing.

NAACP asks Governor Greitens not to sign workplace discrimination bill
KOMU - June 27, 2017
    NAACP supporters rallied at the state Capitol to ask Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens not to sign the workplace discrimination bill.
The House passed Senate Bill 43 (SB43), sponsored by Rep. Gary Romine, R-Farmington, in April and is currently awaiting Greitens' signature. On Tuesday, more than 30 people gathered at the statehouse to rally against the signature of the bill.
    "Please, step back and veto SB43 on behalf of all these men and women that come before us," said Pat Rowe Kerr, former Missouri Veterans Commission employee.

Missouri NAACP echoes call for veto of SB 43
The Missouri Times - June 27, 2017
   “Where is the justice?”
    That is the question members of a civil rights coalition are asking as they continue to plead with Missouri’s governor to veto a controversial bill. Roughly three dozen people showed up to the Capitol on Tuesday morning, once again calling on Gov. Eric Greitens to veto Senate Bill 43, a bill passed by state lawmakers this year that would make it more difficult to sue for housing or employment discrimination in the Show-Me State.

Missouri NAACP leader issues travel warning to people visiting the state telling them to be careful as there is a danger their civil rights won't be respected
Associated Press - June 26, 2017
   The Missouri NAACP issued a travel advisory against the state, telling travelers to be careful due to a danger their civil rights won't be respected, state chapter President Rod Chapel said Monday.
   Chapel and the state NAACP have cited a bill sitting on the desk of Republican Gov. Eric Greitens that would make it more difficult for people to sue for housing or employment discrimination.
   The NAACP also highlighted a recent attorney general's report that shows black Missouri drivers were 75 percent more likely to be stopped than white drivers last year.

Missouri NAACP President explains travel advisory issued against the state
KSPR - June 26, 2017
   "Be careful if you are coming here or if you're already here because your civil rights may not be respected as they are now or as they will be in the future and you actually have important rights that you could lose," he says. "If you are in you're in your work place, if you're looking for a home, if you're seeking education or health care or simply just a meal that you are at real risk."

With job discrimination bill on his desk, Gov. Greitens gets a personal plea: Veto it
Kansas City Star - June 13, 2017
   “Your strength of character,” Kerr wrote in an open letter to Greitens posted on Facebook, “is one of the reasons I allowed you to use my name on nearly every committee you had when you ran for governor and one of the reasons I promised many Cole Countians and thousands across the state that you were the man for the job.”

Messenger: Veterans' advocate urges her friend, Greitens, to veto discrimination bill
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - May 30, 2017
   Senate Bill 43 offers Greitens a test of his character, Kerr says. Is he the man his supporters thought he was? Or has he sold his soul to the deep-pocketed donors who want to see him sign this bill?
   “Stand strong for your own Missouri employees,” Kerr wrote her friend. “I know you can do this!”

Humphreys' departure would ultimately help working families
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Letter to the Editor - May 29, 2017
   What about the families who trusted in his business and were duped? These people don't have extra cash to replace their roof every three years. Most Missourians are not rich. Most struggle. But David Humphreys does not care about regular people.

Legislature protects campaign coffers, top donors like David Humphreys
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - OpEd - May 26, 2017
   Sen. Richard — under an ethics cloud for the campaign contributions he received from Humphreys — has been holding up the legislation, Sen. Onder has been lobbying against it, and A New Missouri Inc., a dark money group with connections to the governor, has run attack ads against legislators who are in favor of reform. It’s not hard to imagine that Humphreys, one of the most significant political donors in the state, may be pulling the strings.

Editorial: Spurned by Supreme Court, irate Missouri megadonor threatens jobs
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - May 23, 2017
   David Humphreys, TAMKO’s president and CEO, was furious. He issued a statement saying the company “will need to reconsider our presence in Missouri versus other states where the rule of law outweighs the rule of trial lawyers.”

Talcum powder lawsuits find a home in St. Louis — for now
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - May 21, 2017
   “When you have powerful interest groups or lobbying efforts trying to influence public opinion by using phrases like that, the more people get browbeaten into thinking these are frivolous cases, and you get people (on juries) who are less receptive to plaintiff’s claims,” said Jack Garvey, a plaintiff’s attorney and former St. Louis circuit judge.

Auditor, MATA urge Greitens to veto SB 43 over ‘Whistleblower Protection Act’
The Missouri Times - May 19, 2017
   “This legislation makes it easier for government to operate in the shadows. Employees must be able to raise concerns without fear of losing their jobs. If enacted, the measure would almost certainly create a chilling effect that would undermine the state’s ability to uncover wasteful, improper or illegal uses of taxpayer dollars. Compromising long-standing whistleblower protections increases the threat of retaliation and fosters an environment of intimidation for those who report wrongdoing.”

Missouri’s workers stand to lose discrimination protections, minimum wage increases
St. Louis Public Radio - May 17, 2017
   Already, Greitens has requests from Democrats, and some Republicans, to veto the bill, arguing it is poorly written and legalizes discrimination of all types. But the Missouri Chamber of Commerce says the current law is too weak and that the bill "ensures that employers have a fair shake in these types of lawsuits."

Editorial: Governor should reject discrimination in state employment laws
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - May 15, 2017
   Gov. Greitens should not sign this odious measure. Approval would send a message to employees that Missouri is unwilling to look out for their welfare. Approval also would make it tougher for businesses to find high-quality workers who expect and demand that their basic human rights be protected on the job.

Collateral source makes it to Greitens in final days of session
The Missouri Times - May 11, 2017
   “Since before this country was founded, in a line of cases that goes back to English common law, the collateral source rule has existed,” Barnes said on the House floor. “In an injury case, the defendant doesn’t get the benefit of the fact that the patient paid for their own health insurance. When it comes to ordinary Missourians, we’re telling them their personal responsibility means nothing.”

The Dirty Little Secret of Missouri's SB 43: Whistleblowers Would Get Screwed
Riverfront Times - May 11, 2017
   Say a whistleblower is fired from her job as, oh, editor of the Riverfront Times(could happen!). Rather than acknowledging that such termination would make it harder to find other employment in a field with limited prospects, and that there might be long-term impact on her earning potential, SB 43 would strictly limit damages to backpay. You lost a year of work while waiting to go to trial? Congratulations: There's a check for two times your yearly salary. That's pretty much all you're getting. (And, of course, that's if you win — not everyone does.

House Democrats follow Senator in asking Gov. Greitens to reject discrimination bill
Missourinet - May 10, 2017
   “The governor also stood up when the atrocity happened with the Jewish cemeteries.  That’s the governor we’re looking for.  The governor that stands against racism and discrimination.  We’re not looking for the pro-business governor, the Missouri Chamber’s governor.  We’re looking for the governor that’s going to fight with the people.”

ACLU urges Missouri governor to veto workplace bias bill
Reuters - May 9, 2017
   "SB 43 will usher in a new era of 'acceptable' racism, sexism and xenophobia in Missouri," the ACLU said in a statement. "This bill makes workplaces potentially more hostile for Missouri's women, people of color and religious minorities."

Editorial: Intolerance in Missouri — lawmaker says there’s a ‘distinction between homosexuality and just being a human being’
Kansas City Star - May 9, 2017
   “When you look at the tenets of religion, of the Bible, of the Qur’an, of other religions,” he said Monday, “there is a distinction between homosexuality and just being a human being.”
   The statement, made on the Missouri House floor, was deplorable. It betrayed a stunning lack of understanding of theology and self-government: The Constitution protects all Americans from the tyranny of any single faith-based approach to secular law.

Suing for discrimination gets tougher in Missouri under bill sent to governor
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - May 9, 2017
   Bigoted bosses could evade an accusation of discrimination by claiming an employee coming in late was “the motivating factor” for a firing, he said. Rep. Bill White, R-Joplin, criticized a part of the proposal that would exempt individuals from discrimination lawsuits, something he said baffled his constituents.

Missouri set to make it tougher to prove work discrimination
Associated Press - May 9, 2017
   Republican Rep. Jay Barnes argued that portions of the bill could restrict protections for medical professionals who refuse to participate in abortions, remove security for some whistleblowers that expose illegal activities at work, and prevent some individuals from being held accountable for sexual harassment.

Missouri House Passes That Crappy Discrimination Bill. Will Greitens Veto?
Riverfront Times - May 9, 2017
   Says Rep. Shamed Dogan (R-Ballwin), “The message this will send is we want to make it easier to discriminate in Missouri. No two ways about it.”

Harder for Missouri workers to prove employer discrimination under bill sent to Greitens
St. Louis Public Radio - May 8, 2017
   “This is precisely the type of self-dealing and of abuse of power Gov. Greitens campaigned against. If his administration is to have any credibility," she said, "he must veto SB 43 and ensure the courthouse doors in Missouri remain open to victims of illegal discrimination.”

Missouri House Democrats protest GOP-backed employment discrimination bill
Springfield News Leader - May 8, 2017
   Austin told the News-Leader on Tuesday he was under the impression that the bill was a priority for the governor. A spokesman for Greitens did not respond when the News-Leader asked Tuesday whether he would sign SB 43.

Steve Kraske: No wonder the Missouri Senate is dysfunctional; the Republicans can’t even get along
Kansas City Star - May 4, 2017
   “I and many others are comforted by the fact that you only have one year left to play these political games,” Silvey wrote in an open letter to Richard, which Silvey’s office released to reporters. Richard’s decision, Silvey added, “epitomizes the worst of petty personal politics.”

Editorial: Missouri Senate: Stalls, showdowns, feuds and a coup
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - May 3, 2017
   The key to the impasse lies in a pair of ethical disputes. One is a House-passed bill forbidding lawmakers from accepting free meals and gifts from lobbyists. Greitens had made it a priority, blaming “career politicians” for ethical concerns in Jefferson City. He personally lobbied senators to get behind his agenda.
   Some senators objected to his tactics. They wondered aloud: Where does Greitens get off lecturing anyone about ethics? He has benefited mightily from supporters who have formed a secret “dark money” committee to get around state campaign donation limits and disclosure laws.

Editorial: Discrimination measure would allow employers who mistreat workers to get away with it
Kansas City Star - May 3, 2017
   The second troubling aspect of this law is the motivation of its chief sponsor, Sen. Gary Romine, a Farmington Republican who owns a chain of furniture stores. An employee is suing his company because she says a store manager targeted her with racial slurs. Members of both parties have seized on that as a sign that Romine has ulterior motives.
   Romine says that’s not the case. But the General Assembly needs to back away from this measure before it does serious damage to Missouri’s image — and to the state’s protections for workers.

Missouri state Rep. DaRon McGee: Legislation would harm victims of discrimination
Kansas City Star - May 2, 2017
   SB 43 is explicitly designed to make workplace discrimination lawsuits more difficult to bring forward. Legislation that would make it more difficult to redeem one’s rights for improper treatment based upon an intrinsic characteristic — those characteristics that are the reflection of each individual. The public policy implication of this bill makes it harder to prove discrimination and raises the burden of proof for the victim.
   
Arguing Arbitration: Senate bill could align laws with federal practices
Springfield Business Journal - May 1, 2017
   The use of arbitration agreements is growing rapidly nationwide. From credit card agreements to cellphone contracts and at nursing homes, companies are inserting arbitration clauses in consumer and employment contracts. A 2015 investigation by The New York Times found 1,704 federal class action suits filed between 2005 and 2014 in which defendants filed a motion to compel arbitration. Since no government agency tracks class actions, The Times examined federal cases and printed their findings in a three-part series. Of the nearly 2,000 cases, judges ruled in the companies’ favor in four out of every five cases.

Analysis: Greitens' aggressive style means in-party clashes
Associated Press - April 29, 2017
   The governor told The Associated Press he won't "stand for any person who is going to put their own privileges ahead of the priorities of the people of Missouri."

Allegations against Senate leader are ‘never going to come to anything,’ Missouri GOP chairman says
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - April 24, 2017
   But the Campaign for Accountability, a Washington-based watchdog group, has filed a complaint asking acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri Tom Larson to investigate whether or not Richard violated federal law.

Missouri GOP chairman: No ‘quid pro quo’ in contributions to Sen. Ron Richard
Kansas City Star - April 24, 2017
   Sen. Ryan Silvey pushed back on the suggestion that his concerns about the contribution stemmed from a feud.
   "I see it as a good government thing. I don’t see it as a feud,” Silvey said Monday. "This is my 13th year in the general assembly. This is my 13th session and what I perceive as the undue influence of outside forces this session greatly exceeds any of the previous 12. I think everyone should be concerned."

Legislator shows concern for MO bill that would require fired employees to prove discrimination
KSHB - April 24, 2017

Messenger: Missouri lawmaker switches teams, files bill to help debt-collector clients
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - April 21, 2017
   The only people who have an issue with the current Missouri law, Daher said, are the debt collectors, who want to skip the step of having to prove the debt. If DeGroot's law passes, Daher says, the burden of proof would be turned on its head, and consumers would have to prove the debt buyers' documents are inaccurate.

Missouri poised to make it harder for fired workers to win discrimination cases
Kansas City Star - April 21, 2017
   “This senator … seeks to change the law to suit his own personal advantage, and to twist the arc of public policy to suit his personal benefit,” said Rep. Mark Ellebracht, a Liberty Democrat. “There can be no doubt that this legislation is the result of a corrupted and self-dealing individual who no longer honors the oath of office he once took.”

U.S. Attorney's Office Receives Letter Asking for Investigation of Joplin Senator
KOAM - April 20, 2017
   TAMKO's attorney also warned us.
   "The prudent path is for KOAM to avoid repeating any specific unfounded allegations against Mr. Humphreys that has the potential to improperly damage the reputations of Mr. Humphreys and TAMKO."

Missouri House delays vote on workplace discrimination bill
St. Louis Public Radio - April 20, 2017
   It seemed like a done deal: The Missouri House would send the governor a bill Thursday that would make it harder to prove discrimination when a person is fired. But Republican leaders called off the vote — for varying reasons.

Complaint asks for grand jury investigation into donation
The Joplin Globe - April 20, 2017
   Two trial attorneys — David Angle of Columbia, and Ken McClain of Kansas City, who represented a number of employees of Jasper Popcorn in lawsuits against the manufacturers of butter flavoring used at the plant — backed up Ellebracht's concerns, though both said the issue of whether reforms of the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act could apply to pending cases would face a court challenge.

Pay-to-play allegations against Missouri senate leader draw complaint
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - April 19, 2017
   A Washington DC-based government watchdog group has asked a federal prosecutor to investigate whether the leader of the Missouri Senate engaged in illegal pay-to-play politics.

New federal complaint requests investigation into Missouri Senator Ron Richard over TAMKO campaign contributions
The Pitch - April 19, 2017
   Temperature's rising in Ron Richard's kitchen.
   The Missouri Senate leader has been dogged by accusations of pay-for-play politics for months now. As we reported in February, Richard cashed a $100,000 check from the CEO of TAMKO Building Products six days after introducing legislation that would effectively derail a class-action lawsuit against TAMKO.

Troubling bill would cripple Missouri Human Rights Act
Rep. Gail McCann Beatty - April 16, 2017
   "Sen. Romine’s sponsorship of legislation so clearly intended to personally benefit him must be denounced in the strongest possible terms. If SB 43 is granted final passage, every member of the Legislature who voted for it will be complicit in this abuse of power."

Republican discrimination bill could violate Fair Housing Act
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - April 14, 2017
   “If the bill is enacted, HUD could determine that the Missouri Human Rights Act is no longer substantially equivalent to the Fair Housing Act,” HUD spokeswoman Agatha Gutierrez said in an email.

SB 43 Weakens Standards Against Discrimination and Pre-empts Pro-Life Protections
Rep. Jay Barnes - April 14, 2017
   If SB 43 becomes law, Missouri would become the first state, I believe in in American history, to backslide on legal protections for people of faith, age, gender, race, and nationality. Even so, there are far worse parts of SB 43.

Editorial: In Jefferson City, ethics reform is for the other guys
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - April 13, 2017
   "Meanwhile, two of the Republican Legislature’s highest-priority bills have yet to clear the Senate because of ethical conflicts involving their sponsors. This is actually a good thing, because both are terrible ideas."

Hellhole, Schmellhole: 
The OG of ‘fake news’ takes aim at St. Louis City, Missouri and trial attorneys. We’re here to shut that down. 
The Missouri Trial Attorney - Spring 2017

Sued for Discrimination, Missouri Senator Pushes Law Limiting Discrimination Suits
Riverfront Times - April 11, 2012
   "Hey, Senator Romine! Who was redlined by that 'do not rent to' directive? And did any employees tell you about the allegations against your supervisor? If so, did you take any action?"

Editorial: Conflicts of interest abound among Missouri officials
Kansas City Star - April 11, 2017
   For now, we’d like to remind officials that appearances count for a lot in the world of politics. And all of this looks bad. Very bad. It may even be illegal.

Growing Questions About 'Pay For Play' By Missouri Senate President Pro Tem
KCUR - April 11, 2017
   For his part, Ellebracht is unapologetic. Asked on Statehouse Blend Missouriwhether he was “suggesting that the Senate President Pro Tem has been bought for campaign contributions,” Ellebracht responded, “I’m not suggesting it, I’m saying it.”

Pay to play? Missouri Senate leader faces questions about consumer protection bill
Kansas City Star - April 11, 2017
   Ellebracht noted that Richard received $200,000 from Humphreys last year, despite the fact that he was not running for office.
   “Missourians deserve to know if their government is for sale,” Ellebracht said.

Discrimination bill heads to House floor
Columbia Missourian - April 10, 2017
   "What is now clear to me is that we are worlds away from serving the citizens of this great state when the bills being brought forth are more concerned with protecting the rights of oppressors over the rights of the oppressed," said State Rep. Steve Roberts, D-St. Louis.

Lawsuit against state senator whose legislation would clear his business of discrimination claim distributed
Missourinet - April 10, 2017
   Representative Gina Mitten of Richmond Heights said the bill would legalize Romine’s discriminatory actions.  “That should be an outrage to everyone in this building, that someone who is currently being sued for the very behavior that he is trying to make legal in my opinion” said Mitten.  “To put it bluntly, the senator’s sponsorship of Senate Bill 43 appears to be a blatant example of an elected official abusing his power for his own personal benefit.”

See the lawsuit HERE

House committee OKs measure that could make it harder to sue for discrimination at work
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - April 10, 2017
   Just before the vote, Rep. Brandon Ellebracht, D-Kansas City, reminded the committee that Romine's business is currently facing a racial discrimination lawsuit.
   Romine has dismissed the idea that he filed the bill to help himself, noting that the changes wouldn't affect current cases, but Ellebracht nevertheless shamed his colleagues.
   "To have a senator introduce a bill that is so evidently self-serving is offensive," he said, "and it tarnishes our honor by participating and allowing him to advance this legislation."

Missouri discrimination bill passes committee unchanged
Associated Press - April 10, 2017
   A controversial bill that would make it harder for people to sue for workplace discrimination passed a House committee Monday after lawmakers unsuccessfully attempted to tack on five amendments.

House now has bill to change Missouri’s definition of workplace discrimination
St. Louis Public Radio - April 10, 2017
   “Let’s say you have a manager who engaged in this type of discriminatory behavior, was sexually harassing a woman in the workplace,” Roberts said during committee debate.
  “Right now you can sue that individual, but this bill, the way it is written, would give that manager immunity,” he said. But those pushing the measure argue that someone who’s in that exact situation can file criminal assault charges.

NAACP president testifies at fresh hearing for employment discrimination bill
Springfield News-Leader - April 4, 2017
   Paul Bullman, a Kansas City attorney, said Romine's legislation would be "damning to anybody who supports whistleblowing." To show how difficult it could be to win a case with the higher, federal standards, he outlined a case in which a teen girl had been exposed to a pattern of lewd remarks and actions that a court would not recognize as sexual assault.

Missouri NAACP chief wraps up testimony — 2 months after being cut off
St. Louis Public Radio - April 3, 2017
   “Some might say … ‘Well, you’re obviously here because this affects black people — it affects all people, all people,” he testified. “If you’re a human being in Missouri it’ll affect you. If you’re a man, woman, if you get to any age at all, I don’t care what color you are.”

Former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson speaks out against Missouri tort reform bills
The Pitch - April 3, 2017
   As Bert Braud, a plaintiffs’ attorney with the Popham Law Firm, said in our recent story on these bills: “If you’ve got a company that’s being sued over and over and over again for sexual harassment, and each dispute ends up in arbitration, the public will never know that company is a bad actor.”|
   That sounds an awful lot like Fox News these days. A cascade of lawsuits publicized over the last few years paint a picture of a workplace rife with top-down sexual harassment. This weekend, it was reported that Fox has settled lawsuits amounting to at least $13 million with women who’ve accused Bill O’Reilly of sexual harassment. And last year, former Fox chairman Roger Ailes was forced out after multiple women at Fox accused him of unwanted sexual advances. 

Lawmakers continue battle over discrimination bill
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - April 3, 2017
   St. Louis-based employment lawyer Jonathan Berns said a contributing factor standard makes sense given the way people operate; He rarely finds clients with an explicitly racist e-mail or other smoking gun because harassers know to keep that out of writing.
   "No one really says 'I'm not hiring her because she's a woman,' because that's illegal," he said. "So we have to rely a lot on circumstantial evidence."

House hearing held on Romine’s discrimination bill
The Missouri Times - April 3, 2017
   Opponents of the legislation argued it would give victims of discrimination limited legal avenue to pursue justice. During an inquiry of of Romine, Rep. Gina Mitten detailed her own experiences with workplace harassment as a young female lawyer.

   “How would you feel if your wife, mother, daughter, sister was told by their boss how their breasts looked in a certain outfit?” she asked. “How would you like it if any of those same people told you how they thought about you during their sexual escapades the previous night? How about being spanked? People like me, young mothers trying to put food on the table for a two-year-old kid, they don’t talk because they need the job. Under your bill that same girl would have even less recourse even if she decided to say something.”

Missouri Lawmakers split on employment discrimination bill
KOMU - April 3, 2017
   A bill that would dismantle employment non-discrimination protections is causing disagreement between democrats and republicans in the Missouri Legislature.
   The Missouri Human Rights Act makes it illegal to discriminate in housing, employment and places of public accommodations based on race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, disability, age (in employment only), and familial status (in housing only). Senate Bill 43 would amend the current Human Rights Act, and opponents say it would make it easier to fire someone in a discriminatory matter.

4-3-17 House Special Committee on Litigation Reform Hearing Senate Bill 43 - Part 1
4-3-17 House Special Committee on Litigation Reform Hearing Senate Bill 43 - Part 2

Missouri governor signs change to expert witness vetting
Associated Press - March 29, 2017

With Gov. Greitens’ signature, Missouri set to loosen expert-witness rules​
St. Louis Public Radio - March 29, 2017
   “When crooked trial lawyers bring in shady witnesses that act as experts while peddling junk science, it makes it harder for justice to be done,” Greitens said during the bill-signing ceremony. “That scares away businesses, it means fewer jobs and smaller paychecks. Today, we’ve made it clear that Missouri is open for business.”

Governor Greitens says new law helps reform legal system and create jobs​
Missourinet - March 28, 2017
   Ken Barnes with MATA says the measure adversely affects poor people and small claims.
   “If your option is you’ve got to pay a doctor $5,000 to close his practice for two days to come and determine whether or not he’s going to be allowed to testify, or move forward with your case, there’s some cases where it just doesn’t warrant going forward and trying to get justice.”
   Critics, including Barnes, say the change will burden courts with longer, more expensive proceedings without improving the quality of expert witnesses.

Standards for expert witnesses benefit big companies, not individuals​
St. Louis Post Dispatch - March 24, 2017

Tort reform battle heats up in Missouri as Washington gets involved
The Missouri Times - March 23, 2017

Is the Missouri senate on the verge of historic legislative failure?
Forbes - March 22, 2017

At midway point of session, Missouri Republicans on track with changes to legal system
St. Louis Post Dispatch - March 20, 2017

Latest talc outcome raises questions about 'judicial hellhole'
Missouri Lawyers Weekly - March 13, 2017

Missouri House passes change to tort lawsuits
U.S. News & World Reports - March 10, 2017

'Kiss my ass,' says Missouri Senate president called out for carrying water for his millionaire donor
The Pitch - March 10, 2017

Missouri lawmakers pushing changes to discrimination suits
U.S. News & World Reports - March 5, 2017
   JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri lawmakers are considering a bill that would raise the standard for workers to sue their employers for discrimination, a proposal that's drawn support from pro-business groups and backlash from advocacy groups who say the change will allow intolerance to go unpunished.

Missouri Senate gives initial approval to discrimination bill
Missourinet – March 1, 2017
   After two lengthy days of a Democratic filibuster, the state Senate has given initial approval to a bill that would make it harder to sue businesses for discrimination. The measure would require those suing to prove that race, religion, sex or another protected class was the sole purpose for discrimination or being fired, not just a contributing factor.

Missouri Senate debate on workplace discrimination bill goes past midnight

St. Louis Post-Dispatch - March 1, 2017
   Senators debated past midnight Tuesday night on a proposal that would make it harder for Missourians to sue for workplace discrimination.
   Farmington Republican Sen. Gary Romine's proposal would require plaintiffs to prove their race, sex or other protected status was the "motivating factor" driving a boss to mistreat or fire them rather than just a "contributing factor" to win cases like wrongful termination suits.
   It would also preclude suits against other employees, instead forcing suits against companies themselves, and cap punitive damages for successful plaintiffs. State entities, like public colleges or prisons currently under legislative investigation for sexual harassment claims, would be shielded from punitive damages altogether. 
 

U.S. News & World Report - Feb. 28, 2017
   The measure would require plaintiffs bringing discrimination lawsuits to prove that race, religion, sex or other protected status was the sole reason for discrimination or being fired, rather than just a contributing factor. It also would prevent employees from suing other employees and cap damages in discrimination lawsuits.

Missouri NAACP, advocates slam discrimination bill
Associated Press – Feb. 28, 2017
  Senate debate on a bill to make it harder for workers to sue for discrimination in Missouri went on for hours late into Tuesday night as Democrats slammed the proposal as a way to remove punishments for intolerance in the workplace.
  At issue is a measure that would require plaintiffs bringing such lawsuits to prove that race, religion, sex or other protected status was the sole reason for discrimination or being fired, rather than just a contributing factor. It also would prevent employees from suing other workers and cap damages in discrimination lawsuits.
 

Missouri bill would bar punitive damages for state employees in discrimination cases
Kansas City Star - Feb. 28, 2017
   As state lawmakers continue to investigate charges of widespread discrimination in the prison system, legislation being debated in the Missouri Senate would make it harder for many of those state employees to prove their allegations in court.
 

 

New bill could end virtually all consumer lawsuits
KSDK - Feb. 20, 2017
   It's being called a way to end frivolous lawsuits. But a controversial bill moving through Missouri's state house has many worried they can't protect themselves against bad business.
 

 

 

 

(Editorial) Kansas City Star - Feb. 15, 2017
   Some members of the Missouri General Assembly want to make it harder for consumers to sue and collect damages if they’ve been hurt by defective products.
   While reducing expensive and frivolous lawsuits is a worthy goal, state lawmakers should proceed carefully. Missourians deserve their days in court if they suffer losses from defective materials or slipshod manufacturing processes.
   And they should be particularly concerned if there’s evidence — as there is here — that the legislation is actually designed to protect the interests of a major campaign donor, not the interests of the public.
 

 

 

Missouri bill aiming to stop frivolous lawsuits may kill off consumer protections
FOX4KC - Feb. 13, 2017
The sponsor of a controversial Missouri Senate bill said his main goal is stop frivolous lawsuits from being filed in the state, but opponents said the legislation guts Missouri's consumer protection act.

Republicans look to narrow discrimination protections, cut off NAACP president's dissent
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Feb. 13, 2017
House Republicans proposed narrowing the law protecting Missourians from workplace discrimination, drew vigorous opposition from Democrats and then got into a fight with the president of the state NAACP Monday night.

Lawmaker cuts off NAACP president during hearing on employment discrimination bill
Springfield News-Leader - Feb. 13, 2017
   Nimrod "Rod" Chapel, president of the NAACP's Missouri chapter, started speaking by referring to previous supporting testimony and saying that these groups were "in favor of expanding discrimination."
   Committee chair Rep. Bill Lant, R-Pineville, asked Chapel to contain his remarks to the bill.
   "Oh, but I am. Because this is nothing but Jim Crow," Chapel replied. "This is nothing but Jim Crow. You cannot legalize discrimination on an individual basis and call it anything else. Missouri would take a step backwards."
 

 

Would Missouri bill gut consumer protections or end frivolous lawsuits?
Kansas City Star - Feb. 11, 2017
   The legislation, which would make sweeping changes to the Merchandising Practices Act, has kicked off a firestorm of debate in recent weeks. Its critics say if the bill becomes law it would deny justice to victims of unscrupulous businesses. The bill’s proponents say it simply makes long-needed changes in the law to protect businesses from frivolous lawsuits. 
   “The bill is designed to protect businesses from being responsible for onerous conduct,” said attorney Lee Anderson.
   Looming over the debate is Republican megadonor David Humphreys.
 

Associated Press - Feb. 10, 2017
   Missouri's Republican Senate leader is proposing a sweeping overhaul of a state consumer-protection law that's being used in a class-action lawsuit against the company of one of his largest donors.
Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard told reporters Thursday that close to $300,000 in campaign donations he's received since 2011 from the wealthy Humphreys family didn't influence him.
 

 

The Pitch/Kansas City - Feb. 7, 2017
   Even by Missouri’s low standards, SB 5 is a galling piece of legislation. It seeks to drastically amend the MPA, repealing sections friendly to consumers and replacing them with ice cream sundaes for CEOs. 
 

 

Benson has busy year as Missouri trial attorneys president
Kirksville Daily Express/Jan. 30, 2017
   "The Legislature hasn't stopped bad things from happening. Lawsuits have stopped bad things from happening," Benson said. "Doing away with a system that holds people accountable is not good. It's not good for patients, it's not good for workers, it's not good for consumers.

Proposed bill affects Missourians' right to sue businesses
Columbia Daily Tribune/Jan. 29, 2017
   Angle said he also is concerned because of the connection between a large construction company, TAMKO Building Products, and elected state leaders. Angle said the Joplin-based company is a defendant in a class action suit that accuses it of fraudulently labeling shingles as lasting 30 years. The company CEO, David Humphreys, as well as some of his family members, have donated millions to the campaigns of Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley and Gov. Eric Greitens. The attorney general by law has wide latitude to intervene in class action lawsuits in the state.

Missouri weighs change in job discrimination law
Kansas City Star - Jan. 27, 2017
   Republican lawmakers are pushing for several changes to Missouri employment law, including caps on awards to plaintiffs and reduced protection for whistleblowers. But at a hearing this week in the Missouri Senate, the focus was a tweak in language that would effectively raise the burden of proof for those looking to claim employment discrimination.

Messenger: When Greitens says trial lawyers' "time is up," real Missourians pay the price
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Jan. 25, 2017
   Everybody loves a good lawyer joke.
   Like politicians, used-car salesmen, and, well, journalists, especially those of us in the lame-stream biz, they’re easy to poke fun at. So it should be of little surprise that Gov. Eric Greitens saved his most vitriolic language in his first State of the State address for the men and women of the legal profession, specifically, trial lawyers.
   Make that nasty trial lawyers.

Misleading 'tort reform' making comeback
Scranton (Pa.) Times Tribune/Jan. 22, 2017
   It reflects a long-standing focus by big business and multinational corporations to place profits ahead of all else, including safety. For decades, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Legislative Exchange Council, the Koch brothers and a slew of corporate-financed organizations have purposefully targeted legislatures and our courts in a concerted effort to limit public and financial exposure for the nature and consequences of their conduct. Over time, tort reform has resulted in many harmful changes to existing law on both state and federal levels, including directly or effectively immunizing wrongdoers.