Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Update on Missouri Special Education Hearings

The following is taken from several articles and websites. It is all verifiable.

Prior to returning to the State of Missouri, Chapel worked in Kansas City as a trial lawyer at the Sly James Firm, at Humphrey Farrington and McClain, and with the Missouri Attorney General.

Charnissa Holliday Scott

After serving as a school district administrator for several years, Charnissa Holliday Scott wanted to make a change in her life.

“I've always been interested in law,” Charnissa said. “A friend of mine who was an attorney talked me into taking the LSAT, and I took it. And now I’m here and I'm looking at graduation in May 2011.” (I believe that this friend is Michelle Wimes)

Received a bachelor’s degree from Quincy University in Quincy, Ill. and a master’s degree in Education and an Education Specialist degree in Superintendent Administration from Avila University.

http://www.theolathenews.com/2013/07/03/1995641/broke-kc-charter-school-leaves.html

Broke KC charter school leaves teachers without final paycheck

By MARÁ ROSE WILLIAMS

The Kansas City Star

Teachers at the recently shuttered Derrick Thomas Academy charter school haven’t been paid, and no one seems to know when — or if — they ever will be.

“There are limited, if any, options that Derrick Thomas Academy has to help the teachers,” said James Tippin, a lawyer representing the school. “Believe me, no one on the Derrick Thomas board of directors is happy about this.”

Chapel and one of the attorneys at James Tippin Law, Dana Cutler, worked at the Sly James law firm.

Dana Cutler works at the Tippen Law Firm and is listed as contractor contact person for the contract with DESE.

Featured speaker will be Charnissa Holliday-Scott, a law student at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law who previously worked as a core data specialist, interim director of exceptional education and compliance officer in urban and suburban school districts.

SHB Sponsors Jackson County Bar Association’s Foundation Scholarship Banquet By Willie Epps, Partner, SHB Kansas City On September 11, 2010, the Jackson County Bar Association and JCBA Foundation hosted the 13th Annual Kit Carson Roque, Jr. Scholarship Banquet at the Kansas City Marriott Country Club Plaza. This annual banquet celebrates the life and legacy of the late Judge Roque and promotes diversity in the profession by providing scholarships to deserving minority law students.

This year, the JCBA Foundation solicited scholarship applications from the four law schools around Kansas City: UMKC, MU, KU, and Washburn. The scholarship selection panel included SHB Partner Jon R. Gray (retired judge), SHB alumna Judge Lisa White Hardwick, and Judge Brian C. Wimes. Scholarships were awarded to Sophia Washington of UMKC Law School, Camille Roe of MU Law School, and Charnissa Holliday-Scott of UMKC Law School. SHB Partner Mischa Buford Epps serves as president of the JCBA Foundation, which has awarded 30 scholarships since 1998.

The Individual Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was re-authorized this year effective July 1, 2005. Under the guidance of legal assistance provided by Attorneys Kathy Walter-Mack and Michelle Wimes, the information found in this manual contains legal references that are current and aligned with the changes that the new IDEA mandates. This Process Manual is also in alignment with the State Plan for Missouri as it becomes finalized according to the federal guidelines. (FROM KCMO school district handbook)

Michelle Wimes worked as an attorney for KCMO school district. Charnissa Holiday-Scott was an employee at KCMO school district. Judge Wimes was on the panel for the scholarship that Holiday-Scott won. Holiday-Scott works for the law firm that has the contract with DESE.

Missouri Special Education Hearings

I received this from an attorney that represents families in Special Education lawsuits and due process.

I wanted to update all of you on some information I learned. It appears that on December 12, 2012, DESE entered into a contract with the Tippin Law Firm to provide services for the Administrative Hearing Commission related to special education administrative hearings in Missouri. A key person who is providing these services was previously a special education administrator for the Kansas City Missouri Public School District; the law firm has also recently represented at least one charter school. The special education administrator appears to have been directed toward law school by a school district attorney. The school district attorney’s husband (a judge) appears to have delivered funds to the special education administrator to assist with paying for law school. I have also been provided information that Commissioner Nimrod Chapel has strong relationships with this law firm, such as previously working in a law office with one or more partners of the firm.

Since this contract was entered into, and in comparison to the situation before HB595 was passed, DESE (and in particular Cynthia Quetsch) appears to now be exerting the same if not more, control over these hearings. In my opinion the interests of DESE are in direct conflict with what the interests of the Administrative Hearing Commission should be, and the interests of DESE in special education matters is only to protect school districts from liability. Any contracting should be solely between the AHC and a contractor, and DESE should not have any involvement (other than forwarding funds). Persons previously employed by school districts as administrators should not be permitted to serve as a Commissioner, and the same conflict rules applicable to Commissioners should apply to contractors. I am very concerned and hope someone will address the situation. Feel free to pass this on to anyone who you think may be able to help or who may have interest. Particular contract provisions that I also believe create a huge conflict of interest are as follows:

I continue to believe that the State should have an audit conducted by unbiased persons (or biased persons on both sides), into DESE’s handling of special education matters in Missouri. I do not intend to be involved in any more special education administrative hearings in Missouri unless and until changes are made.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

SB17 - Establishes the Advisory Council on the Education of Gifted and Talented Children and the Career and Technical Education Advisory Council

BRYCE'S LAW: This act creates "Bryce's Law." The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must develop a master list of resources available to the parents of children with an autism spectrum disorder. The Department must also actively seek financial resources in the form of grants and donations that may be devoted to scholarship funds or clinical trials for behavioral interventions that may be undertaken. This act allows organizations to be classified as scholarship granting organizations, as described in the act, that may distribute scholarships to eligible children or students to attend a qualified school. Eligible children include children ages zero to five with an individualized family services program under First Steps. Eligible students include elementary or secondary students who have attended public school, as described in the act, who have an individualized education program based on a special needs condition or a medical diagnosis of a special needs condition.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must establish procedures to identify and classify scholarship granting organizations and must also make an annual determination of the number of Missouri students with an individualized education program, including students with certain conditions, as described in the act. The Department must use a formula to determine the number of scholarships that may be distributed. The Department must actively seek financial resources in the form of grants and donations that may be donated to scholarship funds. Scholarship granting organizations may seek donations to distribute as scholarships. Scholarships will be distributed in the form of checks to the student's or child's parent.

The Department must conduct a study of the program with funds other than state funds. The department must provide the general assembly with a copy of the study's final report by December 31, 2016. The program will sunset in six years. (Section 135.1220)

Most bills set to become law August 28 - My North West Missouri News: Opinion

Bryce’s Law (SB 17)

Another bill that will become law will help provide new resources to assist families with children with special needs such as autism. The legislation, also known as Bryce’s Law, requires the state education department to seek financial resources in the form of grants and donations that may be devoted to scholarship funds or clinical trials for these children. The bill also tasks the department with developing a master list of resources available to the parents of children with autism spectrum disorders.

The goal with the bill is to help families and children enjoy a higher quality of life and to obtain the educational experience they need and deserve. By making new and existing resources easier for families to access, we believe we can better meet the educational needs of the thousands of children in Missouri with autism spectrum disorders.

Another Bullying Lawsuit Targets a Texas School District

The mother of a former Leander Independent School District student has sued the school district claiming that the district failed to protect her son from bullying, according to a report by The Austin American-Statesman. According to the lawsuit, the boy was targeted at least in part due to Asperger’s Syndrome, a developmental disorder that impacted how he socialized and interacted with others.

There is no dispute that students with disabilities can be especially vulnerable to bullying. Further, courts may not look favorably on a school district that has failed to protect a student with special needs from abuse by other students. The Leander ISD suit is at an early stage and the facts have not been fully developed, so it is yet to be seen whether the district will face any liability in that case.

What is the potential for liability in a bullying suit? A number of federal anti-discrimination statutes address bullying and harassment and impose responsibilities on school administrators to protect the civil rights of students. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits gender discrimination. In addition, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 prohibit discrimination based on a disability. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin. Each of these statutes offer protections to those who have been harassed or severely bullied based on their protected category. Further, all states receiving federal education funding under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) must comply with federal requirements designed to provide a “free appropriate public education” (“FAPE”) for all disabled children.

Several courts have held that a school’s deliberate indifference in failing to prevent bullying of a special education student resulted in the denial of FAPE. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction over Texas, has not directly addressed this issue, however. One 2011 case, T.K. v. New York City Department of Education, __ F.Supp.2d __, 2011 WL 1549243 (E.D.N.Y. 2011), examined the question of whether bullying can be grounds for finding a denial of FAPE. T.K. received special education services under the classification of learning disabled. The parents claimed the T.K. was subjected to repeated bullying at school as a result of her disability, that the school was aware of the conduct, and that the school failed to properly address the issue. The parents requested a due process hearing complaining that the school denied T.K. FAPE and a hearing officer ruled in favor of the school. The case proceeded to federal court. The court developed the following standard in IDEA bullying disputes:

When responding to bullying incidents, which may affect the opportunities of a special education student, a school must take prompt and appropriate action. It must investigate if the harassment is reported to have occurred. If harassment is found to have occurred, the school must take appropriate steps to prevent it in the future. These duties exist even if the misconduct is covered by its anti-bullying policy, and regardless of whether the student has complained, asked the school to take action, or identified the harassment as a form of discrimination.

It is not necessary to show that the bullying prevented all opportunity for an appropriate education, but only that it is likely to affect the opportunity of the student for an appropriate education. Further, the bullying need not be a reaction to or related to a particular disability.

The record in the T.K. case included evidence of bullying by other students. The parents showed that they tried to communicate the problems to the school principal. The school, however, did not produce documentation that it either investigated the claims of bullying or took steps to remedy the conduct. Finally, evidence supported the finding that the bullying caused the girl to resist attending school, hurt her academically, and damaged her emotional well-being. According to the court, the parents produced sufficient evidence to create a fact issue as to whether the school’s failure to properly respond to the bullying denied the student FAPE.

Because school districts in violation of these federal anti-discrimination laws may face the withdrawal of federal funding, injunctive relief, damages, and attorneys’ fees, these cases can be very costly and time-consuming for school districts. That is why it is paramount for school districts to learn to address allegations of peer harassment swiftly and thoroughly, with supporting documentation along the way. Districts faced with these allegations will need to show that they took action to address the complaints and a genuine effort to stop the harassment. Separating students, investigating complaints, interviewing students, taking written statements, meeting with parents, and reporting the incident through appropriate channels, are just some examples of steps that district personnel should take when faced with a student complaint of peer harassment. Further, documenting each of these steps will go a long way in fighting allegations of deliberate indifference to known acts of harassment. For more practical strategies on how to handle peer harassment and bullying complaints on your campus, see the Texas Legal Handbook on Student Bullying.

Margaret Heffernan: The dangers of "willful blindness" | Video on TED.com

Margaret Heffernan: The dangers of "willful blindness" | Video on TED.com

If only the school district had some that would avoid willful blindness.

Three stripped of duties after Meramec campus assault | FOX2now.com

Three stripped of duties after Meramec campus assault | FOX2now.com

Finally a school that is willing to investigate and do the right thing.

KIRKWOOD, MO (KTVI)– St. Louis Community College released three employees over a student assault at the Meramec campus last spring.

The chief of police for the entire campus system, plus the police chief at Meramec, and a top campus administrator were let go Thursday

The highly critical report says system wide failures of campus and district law also says administrators up and down the chain of command mishandled the situation.

The internal investigation came after the student was attacked last April in the women’s bathroom.

Jevon Mallory was charged.

The school did not immediately notify students and staff about the attack and they let Mallory go with a warning after the crime.

Monday, August 26, 2013

Missouri governor joins teachers in expressing concerns on impac - KOAM TV 7

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED AUGUST 26, 2013 BY THE OFFICE OF MISSOURI GOVERNOR JAY NIXON

Gov. Nixon joins teachers in expressing concerns on impact of House Bill 253 on schools

Cuts to public school budgets if House Bill 253 became law would be the equivalent of eliminating more than 5,000 teachers’ jobs

Jefferson city, Mo. – Gov. Jay Nixon issued the following statement regarding an analysis from the Missouri State Teachers Association, the Missouri National Education Association, and AFT-Missouri showing that House Bill 253 would jeopardize the jobs of thousands of Missouri teachers in public schools throughout the state. In fact, cuts to public school budgets if House Bill 253 became law would be the equivalent of eliminating between 5,438 and 9,411 teachers.

“This new report underscores the troubling impact House Bill 253 would have on our public schools and Missouri’s children,” Gov. Nixon said. “Forcing schools to lay off teachers and increase class sizes just so lawyers and lobbyists can get a tax cut will not move our state forward. That is why a growing coalition of Missourians in every corner of the state – including local businesses, chambers of commerce and lawmakers who initially supported this bill – are speaking out in support of public education and against House Bill 253.”

More than 100 organizations, including local school boards, chambers of commerce, businesses, non-profits, faith groups and local governments have come out in support of the Governor’s veto of House Bill 253, which would raise taxes on prescription drugs and force drastic cuts to public schools.

Data released last month by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education at the request of the Missouri Association of School Administrators showed a breakdown of district funding levels under two scenarios if House Bill 253 becomes law. The first scenario showed the impact using the General Assembly’s fiscal note, which estimates a total cost of $692 million each year once the bill is fully implemented. The second scenario showed the impact using funding levels if the Federal Marketplace Fairness Act becomes law, which would increase the cost of House Bill 253 to $1.2 billion as early as the current fiscal year.

Findings published last month by the three leading independent credit rating agencies, Standard & Poor’s, Fitch and Moody’s, also show the potential for serious risks to Missouri’s fiscal health and the state’s long-standing AAA credit rating if the Governor’s veto is overridden and House Bill 253 becomes law. A downgrade to the state’s credit rating would increase the interest paid on state and local bond issues.

The Governor’s veto message on House Bill 253 is available here.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Missouri test scores in math drop : News

For the first time in five years, math scores on standardized tests for students in Missouri dropped, while overall scores in communication arts remained flat.

The percent of students statewide who passed math decreased from 55.5 percent in 2012 to 53.9 percent this year, according to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. In reading and writing, 55.6 percent of students passed -- the same rate as 2012.

Officials made public overall totals for students in the state today after reviewing them with the State Board on Monday. District and school results are expected be available on Friday.

The department noted a change in which students took certain math tests. Previously, eighth graders in Algebra 1 took both the regular grade-level math assessment and the Algebra I end-of-course test. The eighth grade Algebra students in these results took only the end-of-course test, meaning the students most advanced in math were no longer taking the grade level test.

Science scores increased. The percent of students passing -- scoring proficient or advanced -- rose from 52.2 percent in 2012 to 59.1 percent. In Biology I, there was a sizable jump. The percentage of students passing went from 55.1 percent in 2012 to 74 percent in 2013.

According to the overall state results, white students in Missouri where nearly twice as likely to pass communication arts and math tests than those who are black. The achievement gap between those races has narrowed slightly in math, with 29 percentage points separating white and black students in the state. In communication arts, there was a difference of 28.6 percentage points, the same as last year.

The results of the Missouri Assessment Program tests are from the 2012-2013 school year, when nearly 600,000 students in grades 3 through 12 took them. The scores are part of the measures used to determined a district's accreditation status.

With new powers, state school board debates best way to help unaccredited districts - St. Louis Beacon

Report by Progress Missouri Highlights ALEC Infiltration in MO | PR Watch

More than forty bills introduced in the Missouri state legislature echo American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) model legislation, and at least 60 legislators are ALEC members, according to a new report from Progress Missouri.

Bills like so-called right to work laws, resolutions supporting the Keystone XL pipeline, a "parent trigger act" to accelerate the privatization of public schools, and an array of bills that construct legal and financial shields for corporations whose products injure or kill can be traced back to ALEC model legislation.

"There's been no outcry from businesses begging the legislatures to clip the wings of unions," wrote Kansas City Star columnist Barbara Shelly, whose column is quoted in the report. "No, the pressure comes from outside groups. Republican legislators are willing to poison relationships and demean their states' teachers, public safety workers and others in order to please their out-of-state bosses."

The ALEC-connected proposals run the gamut but are connected by a thread that can often be traced back to the interests of ALEC-affiliated corporations, including Missouri-based companies like Peabody Energy and Charter Communications.

Progress Missouri notes that ALEC's secrecy prevents the public from knowing exactly how many Missouri legislators are ALEC members, but they identified at least sixty. These individuals are by no means at the margins of state politics, as leaders such as Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder, Majority Leader John Diehl, and House Speaker Tim Jones have been shown to have ties to ALEC.

Speaker Jones was also a top beneficiary of ALEC "scholarships:" corporate-funded gifts of flights, meals, and hotel rooms for legislators who attend ALEC meetings (which the Center for Media and Democracy, DBA Press, and Common Cause outline in the report Buying Influence). Jones reported receiving at least $2,672 in "scholarship" reimbursement to his campaign account in 2012 alone. Other Missouri legislators also received hundreds or thousands of dollars of these corporate-funded gifts.

Read the entire ALEC's Influence in Missouri report here.

The Turner Report: Missouri Republican ALEC members, spouses, wined, dined during New Orleans convention, taxpayers foot the bill

Missouri Republican ALEC members, spouses, wined, dined during New Orleans convention, taxpayers foot the bill

While lobbyists were taking care of Missouri Republican legislators and their spouses' every need during the three-day American Legislative Exchange Council annual conference in New Orleans Aug. 3-5, Missouri taxpayers, already reeling from cuts those legislators made to state programs, essentially paid for their travel and lodging expenses since the legislation they will return with is generally designed to benefit only the wealthiest in the state.

Among those attending were Speaker of the House in waiting Rep. Tim Jones and Rep. Shane Schoeller, R-Springfield, who is expected to be a candidate for secretary of state next year.

The list of ALEC members were printed recently on the Franklin County Democrats website after it obtained a letter sent from Missouri Association of Electric Cooperatives lobbyist Mary Scruggs to ALEC members:

From: Mary Scruggs [mailto:mscruggs@amec.org]
Sent: Friday, June 24, 2011 1:58 PM
Subject: ALEC invitation
Importance: High

Attached you will find an invitation for Missouri Night at the ALEC Conference in New Orleans. The ALEC Conference is August 3-6, with state night on Friday, August 5th. We are a little over a month away and are trying to get an accurate head count of attendees, please RSVP to me ASAP, but no later than July 25th at 573-659-3409 if you are attending and have guests.

These are the Legislators that I have from June 15:
Legislators if you have family members attending with you, it would be great to get them in our head count for the restaurant.

Rep. Sue Allen
Rep. Ellen Brandom
Rep. Eric Burlison
Rep. Sandy Crawford
Rep. Charles Denison
Rep. Tim Jones
Rep. Shelley Keeney
Rep. Bill Lant
Rep. Cole McNary
Rep. Darrell Pollock
Rep. Shane Schoeller
Rep. Jason Smith
Sen. Ron Richard

The following companies are paid sponsors to date:

Allergan – pending
Ameren -
AMEC -
AstraZeneca -pending
AT & T –
Bryan Cave -
CenturyLink –
Comcast –
Express Scripts -
Peabody Energy -
MADA –
MO Assn. of Realtors-
MO Cable Telecommunications Assn. –
MTIA -
Reynolds American Inc. -
Sprint – pending
St. Louis Community College -

Please notify me with any changes or omissions. I need to give the restaurant final numbers on July 26. Call with any questions.
Thanks.

Of the list above, Missouri Ethics Commission records posted Saturday document the presence of all except Richard at the conference. Hopefully, Richard would have better use for his time during a period in which his home town of Joplin is still reeling from the May 22 tornado. However, Ethics Commission documents indicate some lobbyists, rather than recording gifts to individual legislators, said the gifts were given to the Missouri House Caucus, the Missouri General Assembly, or the Missouri Senate Caucus. The Scruggs letter lists only one senator, Richard, on the list of those who were scheduled to attend.

The following lobbyists gifts were reported for individual legislators:

-Rep. Darrell Pollock, R-Lebanon, received an $88 meal from Drue Duncan, Pfizer, and a $23.33 meal from Ashley Varner, National Rifle Association.

-Rep. Sandy Crawford, R-Buffalo, an $88 meal from Duncan

-Rep. Charlie Denison, R-Springfield, $88.41 meal from Duncan, and a $20.33 meal form Ms. Varner

-Rep. Bill Lant, R-Joplin- $88.41 meal from Duncan

-Rep. Caleb Jones, R-California- $45 meal from Heath Clarkston, RAI Services; $5, $120.41, and $11.49 meals from Duncan, $5 and $7 meals from Tracy King, Missouri Chamber of Commerce

-Shane Schoeller, R-Springfield- $23.33 meal from Ms. Varner

-Rep. Jason Smith, R-Salem- $39 meal from Doug Galloway, Centurylink; $90 meal from Tracy King, Missouri Chamber of Commerce; and $25.25 meal from Ms. Varner, National Rifle Association

-Rep. Cole McNary, R-Chesterfield- $196 ALEC Golf Tournament outing from Heath Clarkston, RAI Services

-Rep. Shelley Keeney, R-Marble Hill- $36 meal from Doug Galloway, Centurylink

-Rep. Tim Jones, R-Eureka- Jones had a $44 meal with Ms. Varner of the National Rifle Association, but reimbursed her for the cost.

-Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Springfield- $45 meal from Heath Clarkston, RAI Services

-Rep. Sue Allen, R-Town and Country- $80 and $8 meals from Michael Gibbons, Peabody Energy

The Ethics Commission records also show that Duncan, the Pfizer lobbyist, and Ms. Varner, the NRA lobbyist, bought meals for legislators' wives.

Duncan bought meals for Mrs. Denison, Mrs. Pollock, and Mrs. Lant, while Ms. Varner paid for meals for Mrs. Denison, Mrs. Pollock, and Mrs. Schoeller.

Richard and Rep. Ellen Brandom, R-Sikeston, are the only ones named in the SCruggs letter whose presence at the conference is not documented in the Ethics Commission records.

ALEC charges low membership rates for legislators with special interests who are seeking influence with those legislators paying much higher fees. The special interests take care of the legislators' travel and lodging fees through so-called "scholarships," which, in turn, enable them to submit ready-made bills that the legislators claim as their own.

ALEC Exposed

CMD identified 466 ALEC bills from the 2013 session. 84 of these passed and became law. ALEC bills were introduced in every state in the nation and the District of Columbia in 2013. The top ALEC states were West Virginia (25 bills) and Missouri (21 bills).

Rep. Mike Colona: ALEC is "too extreme for me and the people of Missouri" | Progress Missouri

REP. MIKE COLONA: ALEC IS "TOO EXTREME FOR ME AND THE PEOPLE OF MISSOURI"

Representative Mike Colona of St. Louis released the following statement today regarding the American Legislative Exchange Council's extreme agenda:

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is not the innocuous, bipartisan organization it purports to be. Their agenda is radical and wrong for Missouri. I was a member and saw firsthand the sort of extreme legislation they push on state legislators around the country.
I disagree with ALEC's extremist agenda and encourage my colleagues in the Missouri General Assembly to end their affiliations with the group. If ALEC is too extreme for Coke, Pepsi, McDonald's, Kraft, Wendy's, Intuit and the Gates Foundation, it's too extreme for me and the people of Missouri.

Missouri ALEC Politicians - SourceWatch

This is a partial list of Missouri politicians that are known to be involved in, or previously involved in, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). It is a partial list. (If you have additional names, please add them with a citation. The names in this original list were verified as of posting.)

Legislators who have cut ties with ALEC publicly are also listed here.

Missouri Legislators with ALEC Ties

House of Representatives

Rep. Sue Allen (R-92), ALEC Health and Human Services Task Force^[1] and International Relations Task Force member^[2]
Rep. Eric Burlison (R-136); Health and Human Services Task Force^[3]
Rep. Mike Colona (D-St. Louis), has spent campaign money to attend ALEC events or on ALEC membership

dues^[4]

Rep. Stanley Cox (R-118)^[5]; Civil Justice Task Force ^[6]
Rep. Sandy Crawford (R-119); Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force^[7]
Rep. Paul R. Curtman (R-105); Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force^[8]
Rep. John J. Diehl, Jr. (R-87); Communications and Technology Task Force^[9]
Rep. Tony Dugger (R-144); Public Safety and Elections Task Force ^[10]
Rep. Sue Entlicher (R-133); Public Safety and Elections Task Force ^[10]
Rep. Keith Frederick (R-149); Health and Human Services Task Force^[11]
Rep. Dave Hinson (R-98); Public Safety and Elections Task Force ^[10]
House Majority Leader Timothy Jones (R-89),^[5] State Chairman^[12], Education Task Force member^[13] and recipient of about $4,000 from ALEC in 2010 to attend meetings in San Diego and Washington^[4]
Rep. Shelley Keeney (R-156); International Relations Task Force^[14]
Rep. Mike Kelley (R-126); Education Task Force^[15]
Rep. Andrew Koenig (R-88); Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force ^[16]
Rep. Michele Kratky, has spent campaign money to attend ALEC events or on ALEC membership dues^[4]
Rep. Bill Lant (R-131); Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force^[17]
Rep. Donna Lichtenegger (R-157); Health and Human Services Task Force^[18]
Rep. Noel Torpey (R-55); Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force^[19]
Rep. Bill White (R-129); Health and Human Services Task Force^[20]

Senate

Sen. Ed Emery (R-126)^[1], former State Chairman^[5]^[21]
Sen. Brian D. Nieves (R-98)^[1]; Civil Justice Task Force^[22]
Sen. Ron Richard (R-129); Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force^[23]
Sen. Mike L. Parson (R-28); Public Safety and Elections Task Force ^[10]

Former Representatives

Rep. Walt Bivins (R-97)^[1]^[5]; Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force^[24]
Rep. Ellen Brandom (R-160); Health and Human Services Task Force^[25]
Former Rep. Gary Burton ^[26]
Former Rep. Bonnie Sue Cooper ^[27]
Former Rep. Cynthia Davis (R-19)^[1]
Rep. Scott D. Dieckhaus (R-109); Education Task Force^[28] (did not seek reelection in 2012, but agreed to serve as interim executive director of the House Republican Campaign Committee)
Rep. Doug Ervin (R-35)^[1]
Rep. Barney Fisher (R-125); Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force^[29]
Former Rep. Ted Hoskins (D-Berkeley), ALEC "State Legislator of the Year" in 2009^[4]
Former Rep. Rodney Hubbard (D-St. Louis), ALEC "State Legislator of the Year" in 2007^[4]
Rep. Cole McNary (R-86)^[1]; Communications and Technology Task Force^[30]
Rep. Jerry Nolte (R-33); International Relations Task Force^[31]
Rep. Darrell L. Pollock (R-146); Communications and Technology Task Force^[32]
Former Rep. Mark L. Richardson (R)^[27]
Rep. Therese Sander (R-22)^[1]
Rep. Rodney Schad (R-115)^[5]; Communications and Technology Task Force^[33]
Rep. Vicki Schneider (R-17); Civil Justice Task Force ^[34]
Rep. Shane Schoeller (R-139); Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force ^[16]
Former Rep. Jason Smith (R-150), State Chairman^[12] and Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force member ^[16]
Former Rep. Steven Tilley (R-106); Public Safety and Elections Task Force ^[10] (resigned August 13, 2012)
Former Rep. Charles Q. Troupe (D), currently St. Louis Alderman, Ward I ^[27]
Rep. Zachary Wyatt (R-2); Communications and Technology Task Force^[35]

Former Senators

Sen. Jane D. Cunningham (R-7); Education Task Force^[36]
Former Senate Majority Leader Ronnie DePasco ^[26]
Former Sen. Steven E. Ehlman (R), currently County Executive, St. Charles County. ^[27]
Sen. Jack Goodman (R-29) (Assistant Majority Floor Leader), spoke on "Saving Dollars and Protecting Communities: State Successes in Corrections Policy" at the 2011 ALEC Annual Meeting^[37] (ineligible to run for reelection in 2012; ran for presiding judge of the 39th judicial circuit and won)
Sen. John Griesheimer (R-26); Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force^[38]
Sen. Jim Lembke (R-1); International Relations Task Force^[39]
Sen. Robert Mayer (R-25); Civil Justice Task Force^[40] (ineligible to run for reelection in 2012; ran for presiding judge of the 35th judicial circuit and won)

As corporate backers quit ALEC, Progress Missouri urges legislators to join the stampede | Progress Missouri

Progress Missouri is urging legislators to terminate their ALEC affiliations as well. Known ALEC members and supporters in the Missouri Capitol have included:

Majority Floor Leader Tim Jones, State Co-Chairman
Representative Jason Smith, State Co-Chairman
Sen. Jane Cunningham, who has served as a national ALEC board member
Rep. Sue Allen
Rep. Mike Colona
Rep. Stanley Cox
Rep. Charlie Denison
Rep. Tony Dugger
Rep. Doug Funderburk
Sen. Jack Goodman
Rep. Caleb Jones
Lt. Governor Peter Kinder
Rep. Andrew Koenig
Rep. Bart Korman
Rep. Michele Kratky
Sen. Jim Lembke
Sen. Brian Nieves
Sen. Luann Ridgeway
Sen. Ron Richard
Rep. Shane Schoeller

Progress Missouri’s research has shown the effect of ALEC -- which allows large corporations to write big-business friendly bills and helps legislators advance this legislation on the state level -- on Missouri’s political system. Numerous bills introduced in the General Assembly are directly traceable to ALEC and thousands of dollars of taxpayer money have been spent sending legislators to ALEC junkets.

"The more we learn about ALEC and its detrimental effect on Missouri’s public policy, the more obvious it becomes that there's no excuse for Missouri lawmakers and taxpayer dollars continued involvement in the organization," said Sean Soendker Nicholson, Progress Missouri’s Executive Director. "The fact that Coke, Pepsi, Kraft and Intuit have left ALEC speaks volumes to how toxic the group has become. It's time for Missouri's ALEC members to follow suit."

Jeff Grisamore Not