Keaveny: Health Fair In August, Local Control Update, Celebrating Turkish Community In Midwest

Senator Keaveny's Free Health Fair

Click on flyer [at left] for a larger version.

On Saturday, Aug. 13, I will be hosting a FREE health fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church, located at 5515 Martin Luther King in St. Louis.

More than 40 organizations will be offering FREE screenings and health care information for the public. This is an excellent opportunity to make sure you are in good health, and to learn valuable information to ensure that you remain healthy throughout the years.

For more information about the health fair and volunteer opportunities, please call (573) 751-3599 or (866) 783-1534, or e-mail Stacy Morse or Wilma Rowden.

Please mark this date on your calendars, and I hope to see you there!

Thomas J. Irwin's Gubernatorial Appointment

At right: Senator Keaveny and Mr. Thomas J. Irwin before the Senate Gubernatorial Appointments Committee.

In early May, I had the pleasure of sponsoring the appointment of Thomas J. Irwin, who was recommended by the governor to serve on the St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners until Jan. 31, 2015. His appointment was confirmed by the Missouri Senate on May 11.

The Board of Police Commissioners is responsible for the effective operation of the Metropolitan Police Department. The board also sets policy, handles promotions, holds open and closed meetings, and coordinates with the Chief of Police in providing effective police services to the people of the City of St. Louis.

Mr. Irwin is a very qualified candidate for the position. A proud citizen of St. Louis, Irwin serves as executive director of Civic Progress, and has more than 25 years of public policy and public administration experience under his belt. I was happy to sponsor his appointment, and know that he'll do an excellent job serving the needs of police officers and the people of St. Louis.

Local Control of the St. Louis Police Department

One of my biggest priorities throughout the 2011 legislative session was returning local control of the St. Louis Police Department back to the City of St. Louis.

This past session, my legislation, SB 23, and companion bill HB 71, were aimed to allow the City of St. Louis to control its own police force without state intervention, though the measures were held up in a tug-of-war over tax credits and did not pass. I will continue to work on returning local control back to St. Louis by any means necessary, and will continue to advocate for our dedicated police officers to ensure that police officers' rights and benefits are protected. Returning local control to the City of St. Louis would have many benefits, including:

• Improved communication and coordination among city departments and the police.
• Better efficiency and accountability of city government.
• Better use of tax dollars — the City of St. Louis could save more than $4 million by combining services.

Substantial steps were made between the city and police officers’ representatives, with an agreement that satisfies all parties. On May 31, I had the honor of attending the signing of the collective bargaining agreement between the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Board and the St. Louis Police Officers Association. I want to congratulate and thank all of the people who negotiated a successful compromise. We still have plenty of work to accomplish, and I will continue to advocate for the state to return control back to the city, as nearly 70 percent of 80,000 people voted in favor of last fall.

Legislative Updates: Measures I Supported

The First Regular Session of the 96th General Assembly is now complete. Several bills have passed through the Legislature, with some signed by the governor.

One of my bills, SB 59, has been sent to the governor for his signature. My bill will modify provisions regarding power of attorneys, the Uniform Trust Code, and the Uniform Principal and Income Act. When I drafted the legislation, I collaborated with the Missouri Bar, Missouri’s judicial branch, and the attorney general’s office.

Senate Bill 59 includes clarification of creditors’ rights, provides additional flexibility to trustees and allows them to amend or create a new trust, consistent with the purpose of the original trust. This will provide a more reasonable timeframe for trustees to provide notice to beneficiaries and statutory changes, which will ensure that Missouri trusts are in compliance with federal tax law.

The bill also contains a provision regarding the Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act (UAGPPJA). The UAGPPJA deals with issues that arise when several states are involved with an adult who lacks the ability to care for their own needs or property. The UAGPPJA includes provisions regarding communication and assistance between courts in different states, and offered testimony in other states.

Also, several bill amendments I proposed were adopted, and I guided the passage of several pieces of legislation.

• I offered an amendment to HB 142 — the amendment would authorize the board of commissioners of Tower Grove Park to adjust the size of its membership upon the approval of a majority of its members.
  
• I filed SB 61, which passed in both chambers, but had problematic provisions that were added by the House. Luckily, the provision in SB 61 was added to HB 111, which was passed by the Legislature. The bill requires that in St. Louis City and the counties of St. Louis and Jackson, at least one of the three commissioners appointed by the court in condemnation proceedings must be either a licensed real estate broker, or a licensed or certified real estate appraiser.
  
• I offered an amendment to HB 664 and HB 282, which pertains to education reimbursement for firefighters on disability. The amendment addresses the minimum GPA that a firefighter must maintain to receive education benefits.
  
• I filed SB 158, which addressed clean water fees. Provisions from SB 158 were added to HB 89. Under HB 89, the expiration date is removed on the public notice requirements of the Clean Water Commission of the State of Missouri when listing any impaired waters in Missouri. The commission's authority to charge fees for water-related permits would be extended to Sept. 1, 2013.
  

Legislation I Did Not Support Throughout Session

Although there were several bills that I supported throughout session, there were many that were debated and some passed that I did not endorse. Those bills include:

• House Bill 73, which would require certain applicants for and recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program benefits to be tested for illegal drug use.
  This bill unfairly targets single minority mothers, and offers no real solution to those who have drug problems.
  
• Measures that would require citizens to produce photo identification to vote (SB 3 and SJR 2) would go into effect upon voter approval.
  The photo identification requirements in these measures do nothing to prevent voter fraud, and could exclude many citizens, particularly seniors, from voting.
  
• House Bill 294, which would allow citizens to carry concealed weapons at a younger age.
  Lowering the age for conceal and carry permits is not a wise move. Gun safety is a serious concern, particularly in urban areas.
  
• Senate Bill 113, which drastically modifies Proposition B. Proposition B was approved by Missouri voters last November. Senate Bill 113 was signed by the governor.
  Senate Bill 113 diminished the will of the voters who voted in favor of Prop B, and eliminated the most important provisions of Prop B that so many fought for. However, a compromise bill was created (SB 161) and provisions of the bill were negotiated by lawmakers, the governor, and the Humane Society of Missouri. I was reluctant to vote "yes" on the compromise bill, but it was in the best interest of Missouri dogs. Senate Bill 161 has been signed by the governor.
  
• Senate Bill 187 modifies the laws regarding nuisances and junkyards. The bill has been signed by the governor.
  This bill will allow large corporations to have more wiggle-room regarding nuisance laws, while ignoring the rights of small Missouri farmers.
  

Missouri Governor Vetoes Senate Bill 188

Lawmakers and citizens held a rally in front of the Old Courthouse in downtown St. Louis to encourage the governor to veto SB 188, a measure which would have changed Missouri's law relating to the Missouri Human Rights Act and employment discrimination. To the relief of many, the governor did veto the bill.

If SB 188 had been enacted into law, the bill would have made it more difficult to pinpoint discrimination at work, and the voices of those who have been the victims of discrimination at work would have been diminished. It would have required workers who claim discrimination in wrongful termination lawsuits to prove that bias was a "motivating" factor. Missouri's current law requires them to prove only that it was a "contributing" factor.

I'd like to thank my constituents who came out to the Old Courthouse to support workers' rights. After hearing your voices, the bill was vetoed, and you made a positive impact in your community.

Governor Nixon vetoes SB 188 in front of the Old Courthouse in St. Louis.

Senator Keaveny meets with constituents in St. Louis.

Honoring the Turkish Community With Goodwill Resolution

I had the recent pleasure of hosting a Turkish delegation meeting at the Capitol. I met with members of the Turkish community in Missouri, and briefed them on legislative happenings in the Missouri Senate. This group of people was honored with a standing ovation and a goodwill resolution passed by the House, which recognizes the Turkish community in our state and honors their friendship.

Two members of the community were Mehmet Salih Erdoğan and İsmail Özgün, Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputies from Denizli and Balıkesir. They were applauded for their efforts for the Niagara Foundation, an interfaith dialogue organization founded by Turkish citizens active in the Midwestern states of the U.S., the Turkish American Society of Missouri (TASOM), and the Chicago-based Turkish American Federation of Midwest, an umbrella organization of Turkish organizations in Midwestern states.

It was an honor to meet these individuals, and I hope they will visit us at the Capitol again.

North City Farmers' Market

The North City Farmers' Market is open from June 4 to Oct. 15, on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until noon (photo [at right] courtesy of the North City Farmers' Market).

The North City Farmers' Market will be open once again on Saturday, June 4. This market, run by proud citizens of St. Louis, has a mission to promote community health by offering affordable fresh produce, complimentary health screenings, and healthy cooking demonstrations, while encouraging the community to participate.

All vendors who sell their goods at North City Farmers' Market are local — the produce available is grown and raised near St. Louis. Vendors for the 2011 season include:

• 13th Street Community Garden
• Angel Baked Cookies
• Black Bear Bakery
• Burning Kumquat
• CJ's Place
• HopeBuild
• La Mancha Coffeehouse
• Lee Farms CSA
• Moonlight Farm
• Old North Grocery Co-op
• New Roots Urban Farm
• St. Louis Mennonite Peace Center/Columbia Garden
• Villarreal Farm
• Whetstone Farms
• W.M. Farms

These local farmers and businesses take great pride in their home of St. Louis, and work very hard to provide local, healthy food for citizens, while also stimulating St. Louis' economy.

The North City Farmers' Market is located across from Crown Candy in Old North St. Louis, at the intersection of St. Louis Ave and N. 14th Street (two blocks east of Florissant), and is open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until noon. The market will remain open until Oct. 15. For more information, please visit the website at www.northcityfarmers.org.

Missouri Community College Rally Day

At right: From right to left, Christy Hart from St. Louis Community College (STLCC), Sen. Keaveny, and several STLCC students.

I had the privilege of meeting St. Louis Community College (STLCC) representatives at the Missouri Community College Association's Rally Day. I had a wonderful time meeting the students, representatives, and STLCC faculty, and I hope they will continue to visit us in Jefferson City.

The Missouri Community College Association prides itself in providing the following:

• Associate Degrees with strong general education curriculums that meet Missouri general education requirements preparing students for transfer and further study.
• Developmental course work and support services for learners who are under-prepared for college-level work.
• Workforce training and certificates that upgrade skills or support retraining in both credit and non-credit formats.
• Dynamic, customized training programs for business and industry, both in credit and non-credit formats.

To learn more about the Missouri Community College association, visit www.mccatoday.com, and to view opportunities at STLCC, visit www.stlcc.edu.

Missouri Women in Trades' MAGIC Summer Camp

Missouri Women in Trades is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting career opportunities for women in construction trades.

Missouri Women in Trades, an organization dedicated to increasing opportunities for women in the construction trade, is hosting a FREE summer day camp for girls — MAGIC (Mentoring A Girl In Construction).

At the MAGIC camp, girls in grades 9-12 (or recently graduated) will learn basic construction skills, explore possible employment opportunities for women in construction, and meet women who are successful in the industry. Also, very importantly, girls will learn how to be safe around construction projects.

The camp will last from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., June 27 to July 1, and will be held at the Carpenters' Joint Apprenticeship Program Training School.

Missouri Women In Trades has several goals:

• Recruit — increase the number of women working in the construction trades.
• Retain — increase the retention and worker satisfaction rates for women working in the construction trades.
• Advocate — increase the opportunities for women in the construction trades.

For more information about Missouri Women In Trades, please visit its website at www.missouriwomenintrades.org.

Bandit Tracker: Keeping Our City Safe

Bank robberies are one of the most common crimes in the country. According to the FBI, a total of 1,183 bank crimes were recorded throughout the country in 2010.

To help keep citizens aware of wanted criminals in the St. Louis area, law enforcement agencies have created BanditTracker, a website that displays photos and lists physical descriptions of bank robbery suspects.

Please visit the website at www.bandittrackerstlouis.com and contact the St. Louis Regional Crime Stoppers at (866) 371-TIPS if you have any information. You may also submit any tips or information on the website — simply click on the "Submit Tip" tab at the right-hand side of the page.