Missouri Monitor: March 1, 2021

Pick Up The Phone to Protect Trans Kids 🏳️‍⚧️ 

This Wednesday, two Missouri House committees are hearing bills that attack the rights and dignity of transgender young people in Missouri. Our partners at PROMO, Missouri’s statewide LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, have shared this call to action:

We need your help calling your elected officials, regardless of where you reside in Missouri. Let our elected leaders know that trans kids across our state deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, just like everyone else. We have put together sample scripts, linked below:

• To make calls to the House Emerging Issues Committee, sign this petition for access to the scripts. 
• To make calls to the Children and Families Committee, sign this petition for access to the scripts. 

This Friday: Text Bank for Maternal Health

Missouri ranks 7th highest in maternal mortality, and Black birthing people are disproportionately impacted. A Black woman in Missouri is three to four times likelier than a white woman to die from pregnancy-related causes.

Rep. LaKeySha Bosley's (D-St. Louis) HB 965 will help address this problem. It would allow women receiving health insurance through the Show-Me Healthy Babies program — a program targeted at people with low incomes — to keep their coverage for a full year after giving birth.

We need to get this bill moving! Join us this Friday for a virtual text bank. We’ll message supporters across Missouri and urge them to call the Speaker of the House to assign this bill to committee so it can receive a hearing.

Stand Up for Sex Education

Last week, the State Senate voted to dismantle sex education in Missouri. This sweeping policy change risks eliminating students' access to sex education classes as well as information about human sexuality in ANY class completely.

We all agree that parents and families should be a young person's first resource for sex education. The reality is that not all young people have parents or guardians who are willing or able to have these necessary conversations. For many young people, school-based sex education is their only opportunity to receive this vital information. 

Every student deserves the information and skills they need to understand their bodies, make empowered decisions about their sexual and reproductive health, and sustain healthy relationships — speak out against this attack on sex education in Missouri!

This Saturday: Join the Virtual STL Women's March

Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri is proudly sponsoring the 2021 STL Women’s March! This year’s march will be virtual, so everyone across Missouri can safely participate from home. 

The event, which is free and open to all, will feature speakers (including PPSLRSWMO’s own Mackenzie Thompson and Yamelsie Rodríguez!), musical performances and ways to take action. It will be streamed live at 10:00 AM this Saturday, March 6 on the STL Women’s March Facebook and Instagram pages.

Spread the Word: ACA Insurance Enrollment is Open

On January 28, 2021, President Biden signed an Executive Order to re-open enrollment to the Health Insurance Marketplace, allowing more Americans to sign up for 2021 health coverage. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has opened a three-month Special Enrollment Period from February 15 to May 15. This Special Enrollment Period is open to anyone who needs 2021 health insurance. You do not need to provide any documentation of a qualifying event, which is typically required for Special Enrollment Period eligibility.

If you already enrolled in marketplace coverage during Open Enrollment, you have the opportunity to change plans during this enrollment period.

Have questions or need assistance with enrolling in health coverage? Email Brenda Cross at [email protected] to get free virtual assistance from one of Planned Parenthood's Certified Application Counselors!

Missouri Lawmakers are Still Governing in the Dark

The COVID-19 pandemic continues, and so does the refusal of Missouri lawmakers to allow people to safely participate in committee hearings by testifying virtually. Lawmakers allowed President Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani to testify over Zoom, but won’t give Missourians this option. Missourians should not have to choose between risking our health and participating in our democracy! 

Add your name to the ACLU of Missouri’s petition demanding our lawmakers set up basic virtual tools so everyday Missourians can participate in hearings and give live testimony on the 1700+ bills moving through the legislative process. 

If you've already signed the petition, spread the word on social media by posting on Facebook and sharing on Twitter!