Archive for April 2023

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft joined the latest episode of Politically Speaking to talk about a host of issues, including Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s rules restricting gender-affirming care.

While much of the discussion in the Missouri General Assembly has revolved around banning care including puberty blockers, hormonal therapy and gender reassignment surgeries for minors, Bailey’s rules may affect Missourians who are over 18.

Bailey has said the regulations are aimed at protecting minors from receiving procedures too quickly. However, the regulations do not mention only applying to those under 18. And some groups that advocate for the LGBTQ community contend some of the regulations are so onerous that they amount to a de facto ban.

Ashcroft’s office is responsible for printing rules such as the ones Bailey put forward and must sign off on those classified as an emergency. He said he expects the rules to be fought in court. He supports the restrictions for minors but is opposed to prohibiting such care as hormonal therapies and gender reassignment surgeries for adults.

“I disagree with it. I don’t think people should do it. But there’s a difference between what I think and where I think the government should be involved,” Ashcroft said. “If you’re an adult and you want to spend your own money, I disagree with you. But it’s not my place to tell you that you can’t.”

Here’s what else Ashcroft talked about on the show:

• He is not a fan of the Senate’s version of the gender-affirming care ban. He doesn’t think the measure should expire after four years or exempt minors who are currently receiving certain medical treatments.
• He is opposed to adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the state’s anti-discrimination laws. That proposal, known as the Missouri Nondiscrimination Act, was discussed in a committee hearing earlier this year.
• He panned legislation creating an open enrollment process for schoolchildren, saying it doesn’t go far enough. 

Ashcroft is an attorney and engineer who was first elected secretary of state in 2016. He was reelected in 2020 by a wide margin.

He officially jumped into the 2024 gubernatorial race earlier this month. That puts him on a collision course with Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe and possibly state Sen. Bill Eigel, R-St. Charles County. On the Democratic side, House Minority Leader Crystal Quade is considering a run to succeed Gov. Mike Parson — who cannot seek election again due to term limits.

U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, D-Springfield, of Illinois’ 13th District, was well aware of the lack of civility shown to politicians and others of all beliefs when she was elected in November.

“Of course, there is some of that,” she said on the latest edition of the “Politically Speaking” podcast. “But I made it a mission of mine in the first 100 days to really reach across the party aisle and work on the issues where I feel like we can still find common ground.”

The amount of bipartisan work that she’s seen and been a part of is maybe the most surprising part of her first days in office, she said.

Before she was elected, Budzinski served as the chief of staff for President Joe Biden’s Office of Management and Budget. The Peoria native worked on Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s election campaign in 2018 and later his administration.

She also worked for the United Food and Commercial Workers union in Washington, D.C. She now lives in Springfield.

Here are some of the other topics she discussed on the podcast:

• Her wide-ranging district, which stretches from Cahokia Heights and Alton to Springfield and Champaign on the east side of the state.
• The potential sale of Granite City’s steel plant and what that means for the community. 
• Her work on the House Committee on Agriculture, where she is joined by five members of Illinois’ congressional delegation. The roles low-income food benefits and biofuels play in the Farm Bill are among the most important topics being discussed on the committee, Budzinski said.
• The impending debate surrounding the country’s debt limit and how federal lawmakers plan to solve the problem.

On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, state Rep. Maggie Nurrenbern talks about the state budget and how Missouri lawmakers should approach education policy.

The Democrat represents Missouri’s 15th District, which takes in a portion of Clay County. She was first elected in 2020 and then reelected last year. The former teacher serves on the House Budget Committee and the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.

Here’s what Nurrenbern discussed on the program:

• Budgetary amendments in the House that would bar any state funding from going toward “staffing, vendors, consultants, or programs associated with diversity, equity and inclusion.” Nurrenbern said the proposal amounts to political posturing and added that state DEI work is vitally important for improving Missouri’s workforce.
• Her take on open enrollment legislation, which would allow some families to send their children to the school of their choice. She said the proposal would end up hurting schools that are struggling, since they would ultimately get less money from the state.
• The looming debate in the House over bills that would restrict transgender health care and bar student athletes from playing on teams that align with their gender identity. Republicans have made those bills major priorities in the 2023 session.

Nurrenbern is a lifelong resident of Clay County, having graduated from Smithville High School in 2002. After graduating from Truman State University and the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Nurrenbern worked as a teacher for over a decade.

After Rep. Jon Carpenter, D-Clay County, left the House because of term limits, Nurrenbern won the race to replace him. She also prevailed in her reelection campaign by 11 percentage points. Clay County has become more Democratic in recent years, often supporting the party’s statewide candidates.

Nurrenbern is running to succeed Sen. Lauren Arthur in the 17th District. Both Arthur and Carpenter endorsed Nurrenbern.