Minority leaders in the Missouri legislature believe they’re taking a realistic approach to the upcoming session. New House Democratic Leader Crystal Quade of Springfield says her party will focus on defending progressive ballot measures passed by voters, noting the new laws are already under threat.
Senate Democratic Leader Gina Walsh of Bellefontaine Neighbors admits some of her members don’t support one of those measures – Clean Missouri.
Many members of the Republican super-majority also don’t like Clean Missouri. They think its redistricting provision unfairly favors Democratic candidates.
Walsh is baffled how voters have responded to the right to work issue.
A priority of Democrats this year will be efforts to change the criminal justice system. She noted that there’s bipartisan support to deal with issues such as mass incarceration.
Missouri has the eighth-highest incarceration rate in the country according to the Council of State Governments.
