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State Sen. Barbara Washington is the latest guest on Politically Speaking, where she spoke with St. Louis Public Radio political correspondent (and fellow graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism) Jason Rosenbaum about key issues in the 2021 session.

Washington represents Missouri’s 9th District, which takes in a portion of Kansas City, Raytown and Unity Village. She was elected last year after serving in the House for a little over two years.

Here’s what Washington talked about on the program:

• Legislation overhauling policing practices that includes a provision removing the residency requirement for the Kansas City Police Department. Washington said she’s opposed to that idea.
• The debate over COVID-19 liability legislation, which passed the Senate earlier this session. But since lawmakers did not adopt an emergency clause, people will be able to sue businesses without any limitations until Aug. 28.
• Some of the bills she’s working on, including a measure seeking to expand urban farming around the state. She also plans to be involved in the debate over tax increment financing.
• Whether her colleagues would still express rhetorical opposition to the nearly $2.8 billion in federal coronavirus relief money arriving in Missouri soon — and to a separate proposal within the American Rescue Plan that would provide over a billion dollars if Missouri expands Medicaid.

In addition to holding a degree in journalism from Mizzou, Washington earned an MBA and a law degree. She is the first Black female attorney to ever be elected to the Missouri Senate. She said being an attorney gives her the ability to look deeper into the wording of bills than her colleagues who aren’t attorneys.

Washington was first elected to the Missouri House in 2017 after her predecessor, Randy Dunn, resigned to take a job in Nebraska. She won reelection in 2018 before deciding to run for the open 9th District Senate seat last year. Washington easily won the Democratic primary, which was tantamount to election in the heavily Democratic district.

Follow Jason Rosenbaum on Twitter: @jrosenbaum

Follow Barbara Washington on Twitter: @beedubya1967

St. Louis is consistently listed as one of the worst “Asthma Capitals” in the country by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. During the pandemic, environmental issues such as dust from demolitions and housing conditions make it even harder for people to breathe. In this episode, we hear from a chronic disease epidemiologist and health education coordinator about an initiative to create healthier homes, an educator who collects racial and ethnic data to help us understand environmental issues in our region, and a reverend putting matters into his own hands to help his community live in a healthier environment.

State Rep. Tony Lovasco is the latest guest on Politically Speaking, where the Republican from St. Charles County talked with St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum and Jaclyn Driscoll about the big issues that he and his colleagues are dealing with during the 2021 session.

Lovasco represents the 64th District, which takes in parts of St. Charles and Lincoln counties. The cities he represents include O’Fallon, Moscow Mills and St. Paul.

Here’s what Lovasco talked about on the program:

• 2021 finally beginning to resemble a normal session. Most of the 2020 legislative session was derailed when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down much of the state.
• The prospect of Missouri getting billions of dollars from President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan. Lovasco said the legislature should have a role in how that money is divvied up.
• The American Rescue Plan’s financial incentives for states like Missouri to expand Medicaid, money that could presumably pay for the state’s 10% match for years. Lovasco discussed whether that would soften Missouri Republicans’ opposition to expanding Medicaid.
• Why Missouri Republicans want to reinstate parts of a photo voter identification law that was struck down by the Missouri Supreme Court. He talked about how his colleagues are reacting to bills to expand charter schools and to institute education savings accounts.

Lovasco has worked in computer sales for more than 15 years. His pathway to the Missouri House was somewhat unusual. After an unsuccessful bid for the St. Charles County Council in 2018, state Rep. Robert Cornejo resigned to serve on the Labor and Industrial Relations Board. Lovasco was picked as the Republican nominee and won the seat with more than 60% of the vote.

Lovasco won reelection in 2020 with more than 68% of the vote. He serves as vice chairman of a House committee looking into criminal justice issues and is also a member of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Follow Jason Rosenbaum on Twitter: @jrosenbaum

Follow Jaclyn Driscoll on Twitter: @DriscollNPR

Follow Tony Lovasco on Twitter: @TonyLovasco

In St. Louis, there are many stories about how environmental racism impacts everyday people and their health, housing, and daily lives. So in this season, we’ll use the Washington University Interdisciplinary Environmental Law Clinic’s 2019 report on Environmental Racism in St. Louis to guide us through conversations about the top environmental issues facing the most vulnerable communities in St. Louis. In this episode, we look back at how St. Louis’ history of systemic racism has impacted the living environments of low-income and Black residents, how the report featured stories of everyday people, and what type of environment the report’s recommendations could create for the next generation.

The Environmental Racism in St. Louis Report was prepared in partnership with Action St. Louis, ArchCity Defenders, Dutchtown South Community Corporation, and Sierra Club.

State Rep. Jo Doll of Webster Groves is the latest guest on Politically Speaking, where the freshman Democratic lawmaker talked with St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum about her first few weeks in office.

Doll represents Missouri’s 83rd District, which takes in portions of Richmond Heights, Webster Groves, Brentwood, Maplewood and St. Louis. In addition to being a state lawmaker, Doll is a member of the Webster Groves Board of Education.

Here’s what Doll talked about on the show:

• Her early impressions of the Missouri House, especially with the session being truncated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Some of the complexities of fully reopening schools, which she’s had firsthand experience with as a member of the Webster Groves school board.
• How the state should distribute COVID-19 vaccines.
• Her opposition to a wide-ranging education bill, which includes an expansion of charter schools.

Doll is a physical therapist with bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Washington University. After Gina Mitten departed the Missouri House due to term limits, Doll squared off against Tyler Merkel in the Democratic primary — which was the main contest in the heavily Democratic district.

Doll won by roughly 23 percentage points and easily defeated Libertarian Andrew Bolin in the November general election.

Follow Jason Rosenbaum on Twitter: @jrosenbaum

Follow Jo Doll on Twitter: @doll_jo