Chris Dinkins – Missouri House of Representatives Newsroom

Bipartisan Array of Bills from 13 House Members would Cut Taxes on Food, Diapers, or Feminine Hygiene Products

Many House lawmakers think Missourians need a break in the taxes they pay to the state. Thirteen House members, nearly evenly split across party lines, have proposed doing so by cutting taxes on necessary products, particularly diapers, feminine hygiene products, and food.

As the legislature enters the final few weeks of its session those bill sponsors are hoping their proposals will get some traction, perhaps as amendments to other proposals, or at least legislative hearings that could spur movement in future years.

Representatives Crystal Quade, Adam Schnelting, Maggie Nurrenbern, Ben Keathley, Patty Lewis, Chris Sanders, Barbara Phifer, Justin Hicks, Robert Sauls, Chris Dinkins, Jo Doll, Wendy Hausman, and Mark Sharp all filed proposals for the 2024 legislative session that would reduce or eliminate sales taxes on one or more products that Missourians need, generally including food, diapers, or feminine hygiene products, or some combination of the three. (Photos: Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)

None of these proposals have been referred to committees.

Missouri is one of only 13 states in the nation that taxes food. Three neighboring states do not tax food, and Kansas will join that number next year. St. Charles Republican Adam Schnelting is one of the legislators proposing that Missouri do the same.

Schnelting said as inflation has skyrocketed in recent years, he has hoped that his idea would catch on amount his House colleagues.

“My own family, my daughter is 6 years old, my son is 18 months old, we have a growing family and we feel it in our own pocketbook. I know I’ve got a lot of constituents and a lot of people back home that feel it in their pocketbook. If people in my district have to live within their means then so does the government,” Schnelting said. “My wife and I were spending almost $1,000 a month on food … every little bit helps and adds up. If you’re talking several hundred dollars that can go toward over things, like diapers.”

Lone Jack Republican Chris Sander said in districts such as his, which is near the border with Kansas, Missourians are taking advantage of the lower rates some neighboring states offer.

“Within a year or two it’ll be zero sales tax in Kansas on groceries, so if you live where I live, you can drive over the state line and get your groceries and forget [the taxes] in Missouri, and it’s then a free market competition issue, especially along anywhere on the western side of Missouri,” Sander said.

Robert Sauls (D-Independence) proposes exempting food not only from the state sales tax of 1.225 percent, but also from local sales and use taxes, which in some parts of the state drive the rate up to more than eight percent.

Sauls said, “Absolutely everybody needs food to survive. In this particularly time, where inflation is still high, this is one of those things that I think we can actually impact the lives of people by simply taking away the tax on food. Since Kansas has done it and many other states have done it I think it’s something that we should do as well.”

Representative Chris Dinkins (R-Lesterville) said she and other legislators are seeing more and more of their constituents struggling, and they want to help.

“I think we’re always looking at ways to help the citizens of Missouri,” Dinkins said. “When you look at people’s income status, you find that your lowest income people spend the largest percentage of their income on food, so they are the ones that’s most impacted by the sales tax. They spend around 30 percent or more of their income on food, whereas your middle income people only spend a little over 10 percent, so we’re impacting the people that need it the most, and we’re trying to help those that need it the most.”

Missouri taxes diapers and feminine hygiene products at 4.225 percent. Several neighboring states tax those products at a greater rate, but three don’t tax feminine hygiene products at all and one does not tax diapers.

The 4.225 percent rate is often called a “luxury” tax, as it is applied to items that are deemed non-essential. That doesn’t sit well with many lawmakers, including Representative Mark Sharp (D-Kansas City, who proposes taxing such items at the lesser 1.225 percent.

“They should not be taxed at a luxury rate … so reducing them down to a food sales tax, I believe, is the very least that we can do,” said Sharp. “Many states have gone as far as just removing the tax altogether, so we have to something to at least move the needle.”

Others, like Republican Wendy Hausman (St. Peters) want to take the extra step of eliminating the state sales tax on those items, altogether.

“I think it’s important because these are not luxury items but they’re sort of treated like luxury items. You must have them, obviously.”

Hausman, who is in her second year as a freshman legislator, said the idea was brought to her by fellow members of a businesswomen’s group, Little Black Book.

“These are women who, many of them, do very well, but they’re thinking about the women who have come before them, or how they were before they got in the position that they are [in] today, and I think that’s also a reflection of our community … let’s come together and let’s help other women. I think that was the reason I like this bill so much.”

“We want to make sure that we’re supporting Missouri families by making it easier for them, especially in a day and age where they try to tax you and gouge you everywhere. We need to figure out ways to try to give people and families relief,” said Lake St. Louis Republican Representative Justin Hicks. “We all know that females need feminine hygiene products, that’s a given, and with people having kids out there we all know that diapers are usually a major expense to a family.”

Many legislators and advocates point out that difficulty affording or providing necessary products has a ripple effect, contributing to issues with both mental and physical health.

“From a parent’s perspective, not being able to provide an essential item for their baby [such as diapers] has a mental toll, so it impacts their mental aspect. Also [as] a workforce issue, on average, parents in diaper need miss 5.1 days of work a month because they can’t afford diapers to send to child care with their child, so this is a workforce issue,” said Representative Patty Lewis (D-Kansas City). “Then not to forget the physical health aspect that it has on a baby, sitting in saturated diapers hours after hours. From UTIs to diaper rash, sometimes if they’re not cured with over-the-counter medicine they have to go to the physician or the pediatrician, so additional time off work for the parents and additional cost for the parents as well, and then there can be long-term effects, from renal failure or renal insufficiency, for these babies.”

St. Louis Democrat Barbara Phifer points out, “Period products, especially, are very intimate and personal. If you think about young girls who are going through puberty, and if they don’t have access to those products, their school participation drops dramatically.”

Phifer adds, “Over the age of 65 there are many, many, many Missourians that are reliant on adult diapers, and they’re expensive. What happens is people wear them too long and … when people, their skin, is exposed to the acids … people get lesions, they get infections, and they die.”

Opposition to these ideas in past years has come from local governments, who say cutting taxes on these products jeopardizes services they provide, such as emergency responders.

“I think that kind of deterred it,” said St. Louis Democrat Jo Doll. “Hopefully this year we can finally get [the tax cut on diapers and feminine hygiene products] across the finish line. I think the biggest problem is that it always gets attached to something and whatever it’s attached to falls apart.”

“I’m hopeful, as always, and there’s so many people that file it, really on both sides of the aisle, that I’d think we could get it passed. I am hopeful that this will be the year, but as always, you never know what’s going to happen, especially in an election year,” said Doll.

House Democrat leader Crystal Quade’s (Springfield) plan to cut taxes on food would let Missourians vote on a number of tax changes, including a tax on private planes and yachts, and create a fund in the state’s coffers to help local governments transition.

“Missourians are suffering right now when it comes to making ends meet, and it’s our job to come up with solutions that help everyone,” Quade said. “It’s up to us to figure out ways to make up those losses and that shouldn’t be a burden on the regular taxpayer.”

Representative Maggie Nurrenbern (D-Kansas City), who is in her fourth year on the House Budget Committee, said the state can afford to reduce these taxes.

“We’re looking at record budgets and we have a record surplus still in the state treasury. What can we actually do to pass on cost savings to working families?” said Nurrenbern. “I hate to see a mom standing in the line making that decision, ‘Do I buy this pack of diapers or that gallon of milk,’ and those are the decisions our families are faced with every single day, and it’s time now, to pass that savings on to families and cut the state portion of sales tax on essential items.”

Chesterfield Republican Ben Keathley said the growth in support for these proposed sales tax cuts is a direct response to inflation hikes over the past several years.

“There’s not a whole lot we can do because we don’t impact monetary policy at any significant degree in the state of Missouri. This is one part where we are actually raising the cost of goods by putting on sales tax,” said Keathley

While 13 legislators contributed to this article, Keathley said more will get on board the longer such ideas are not passed.

“I think it will continue to grow. It’s reflective of the fact that this is becoming a real problem for people … for everybody throughout the state of Missouri, whether you’re urban, suburban, rural, everyone has to buy groceries. Everyone has to buy these necessities … and I think you’ll see a growing number of [representatives] support it because a growing number of people in Missouri are needing this relief, desperately.”

Birth Certificates language will help escapes from domestic violence

Escaping domestic violence in Missouri might have gotten a little easier, under legislation that became law August 28.

*Representative Chris Dinkins (Photo: Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)*

One of the greatest obstacles facing victims of domestic violence involves possession of the documents they need to start their lives over. A provision in Senate Bill 28 will provide free copies of birth certificates when those are requested by victims.

The idea came out of the Southeast Missouri Family Violence Council, who brought it to Representative Chris Dinkins (R-Lesterville), and she immediately saw its importance.

“When the SEMO Family Violence Council brought this to my attention, [I could see that This was a real-life issue that people were facing on a daily basis and it was a good thing to get done for the people,” said Dinkins. “We want to do everything we can, everything in our power, to help them move on and get out of these situations.”

Tracy Carroll is the Assistant Director and Case Manager for the Council. As a case manager she has seen, countless times, people trying to get out of abusive situations but struggling to do so because they needed documentation.

“About 90 percent of them didn’t have a birth certificate or a driver’s license because part of the abuser’s M.O. is to keep those important documents from them so that they can’t leave … and every time we needed to get one, of course they don’t have any money – they come to us with very little – so we would either have to take it out of general funds or we would scrounge up in our purses $15 for the birth certificate.”

Often, victims escape from an abusive home in the middle of the night and even perhaps during a violent incident. They leave with little more than the clothes on their back and the backs of their children, only to later realize that they need documentation to do things like get a job or enroll children in school.

“A lot of these women have four and five kids and we have to get birth certificates for them so that they can go to school and different things like that, so it’s not just the mother, it’s all their children we get birth certificates for. That was really important to us, that we could help them in that first step,” said Carroll.

The $15 apiece fee to get a copy of a birth certificate often presents a huge obstacle for someone in a crisis situation. Shelters, then, have typically covered that fee, but Carroll said that adds up quickly and takes away from other things shelters aim to provide.

“I don’t think people realize those kinds of things are not in our grants. We have to come up with that money out of our general revenue or … we have been in here counting [one dollar bills] and stuff trying to get a birth certificate for somebody,” said Carroll. She said in one case, “A lady, she had seven children … and needed to all get enrolled in school. Well at $15 a pop times seven children plus herself, and then to top it off they came in at Christmas … that family, we just shelled out a large chunk of money that could be used for other resources for them, had we not had to purchase all those.”

The Council’s Executive Director, Stephanie Bennett, said after they met with Rep. Dinkins at an event in the capital city and brought up the issue, she recognized its importance and asked them to bring her some legislation.

“We drove home from Jefferson City and literally sat at my kitchen table and Googled how to write a bill, because it’s not something we had ever done.”

Later, the Missouri Coalition for Domestic and Sexual Violence, the membership of which includes the Council and other shelters around the state, picked up the issue and advocated for it. Dinkins said that helped get the proposal the traction it needed.

“Missouri wants to be a helping hand and that’s exactly what we’re doing in this situation. We don’t want to be a stumbling block keeping people from being able to move forward, especially when they’re coming out of these domestic or sexual violence situations,” said Dinkins.

While this could make an immeasurable difference for many victims, Bennett hopes the passage of this language in SB 28 is only the beginning.

“The end goal would be for this to be a federal law, because we often get clients who aren’t even born in the state, so you might pay $25 to Oklahoma for one but then you might pay $110 to New Jersey, so every state’s amount differs.”

Carroll said cost isn’t the only issue regarding certificates from other states. She said different lengths of delays in getting documents mean victims can be forced to sit idle, sometimes for months, before they can begin rebuilding their lives and the lives of their children.

“We did one in California, it took us ten weeks to get the birth certificate.”

The language in SB 28 authorizes a waiver of the fee for a Missouri birth certificate when a victim of domestic violence or abuse requests it, documentation signed by a victim advocate; attorney; or health or mental health care provider who has assisted that person accompanies that request.

Legislature’s action could ease escapes from domestic violence, governor’s action awaited

One of the bills on the desk of Governor Mike Parson (R) would make it easier for people to escape domestic abuse, if it becomes law.

A provision in Senate Bill 28 would waive the fee for a copy of a birth certificate when it is requested by a victim of domestic violence.

It has been proposed for several years by Representative Chris Dinkins (R-Lesterville), who explained to her colleagues that when a person escapes domestic violence, they often have to leave things behind. That often includes vital documents.

“It is very difficult to leave a situation and when you’ve got kids that you’re trying to support and you’re thinking, ‘How am I going to do this now, how am I going to get a job, how am I going to keep moving on and going forward,’ and if they don’t have those documents then they start thinking, ‘I’m not going to be able to get a job, I’m going to have to go back,’” said Dinkins.

“Once they’ve made the decision to leave we [as a state] need to make sure we’re doing everything we can to help them be successful in moving forward.”

Matthew Huffman is the Chief Public Affairs Officer with the Missouri Coalition against Domestic and Sexual Violence. He said making a decision to leave can be dangerous, frightening, and difficult, and this legislation would help to keep victims from having to go back.

“Whenever a survivor makes the step to leave that can be months, years of safety planning, and we also know that right after someone decides to leave that abusive relationship, that can be one of the most dangerous times for that individual, and so being able to make it out of a dangerous situation and accessing safety, you might not remember to get those vital records that you need. You might not have the ability or the access to get those vital records.”

“Birth certificates are crucial in the individual being able to start their life over again, be able to get out on their own, get away from the person who is abusing them, and often [abusers] hold [victims] captive by keeping their birth certificate and other important documents from them so that they can’t start over again,” said Dinkins. “If you want to get a job, if you want to open up a bank account, you’ve got to have forms of identification, and in order to get a new driver’s license you’re going to have to have a birth certificate. In order to get a new social security card, you’re going to have to have a birth certificate; enrolling kids in school, you’re going to have to have a birth certificate, so all these things are very important.”

She adds that victims escaping abuse often have little if any money and that’s why the fee that is normally charged for certificates is an issue.

“Fifteen dollars may not seem like much to you or me but someone who escapes in the middle of the night … they leave with the clothes on their back and that’s that … so it’s a very important step in saving these peoples’ lives.”

After seeing this proposal fall short in several past legislative sessions, Huffman is hopeful that Governor Parson will sign it into law.

“If, as a state, we can show we really care about domestic violence survivors and we have the ability to provide you a free birth certificate to help you get yourself on a path to self-efficiency and sustainability, I think that that is an incredible thing that the State of Missouri can offer to survivors.”

Dinkins agrees, and adds that just as this proposal was brought to her by a shelter in her district, she encourages advocates to bring her more ideas. She said in her time as a teacher she knew several individuals who were involved in domestic abuse situations, and that makes these issues personal.

“I would be happy to do what I can to move forward any piece of legislation that can help these victims.”

The bill would allow a survivor to get one birth certificate free, one time. It requires a signed statement from an advocate, attorney, or provider of healthcare or mental healthcare.

Governor Parson could sign that bill into law, veto it, or allow it to become law without his action. If it becomes law, this provision would become effective on August 28.

Missouri House opens 2023 session

The Missouri House on Wednesday opened the first regular session of the 102nd General Assembly. Here are some scenes from the first day:

*Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft presides over the start of the first day of session* *(Photo: Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)*

*House members join all gathered in the chamber in saying the Pledge of Allegiance* *(Photo: Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)*

*Members and guests stand for the singing of the National Anthem* *(Photo: Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)*

*House members take the oath of office* *(Photo: Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)*

*Representative Chris Dinkins (R-Lesterville) takes the gavel as acting Speaker of the House to preside over the election of a Speaker* *(Photo: Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)*

*Representative Travis Smith (R-Dora) nominates Dean Plocher (R-St. Louis) to be the new Speaker of the Missouri House* *(Photo: Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)*

*Dean Plocher (R-St. Louis) is sworn in as the new Speaker of the Missouri House* *(Photo: Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)*

*Speaker of the Missouri House Dean Plocher (R-St. Louis) (Photo: Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)*

*Two children of Speaker of the Missouri House Dean Plocher *(R-St. Louis)* read the Bill of Rights on the opening day of the 2023 session (Photo: Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)*

Legislative package addresses domestic violence, trafficking

Missouri legislators passed a package of measures intended to protect victims of sexual and domestic violence and trafficking before the 2022 regular session drew to a close on May 13. Senate Bill 775 contained language sponsored by several House members, and now awaits action by Governor Mike Parson (R).

*Representative Hannah Kelly (Photo: Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)*

“It’s our big legislative win for this session,” said Jennifer Carter Dochler, who was the legislative liaison for the Missouri Coalition against Domestic and Sexual Violence during the regular session.

The bill was handled in the House by Representative Hannah Kelly (R-Mountain Grove), who was glad to see it reach the governor’s desk despite issues in the legislature that created challenges for all legislation this year.

“At the end of the day the process that our founding fathers set out caused it to be that we were able to come together and accomplish something good despite our differences and that is a beautiful thing that everybody needs to walk away remembering should always be our highest priority. You’re not going to find a better [issue] to do it on than this.”

Kelly said of particular importance to her, personally, in SB 775 is the language that establishes the “Sexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights.” This seeks to make sure victims know their rights regarding the gathering of evidence and related medical exams; access to incident reports; and protections from intimidation and harassment by an attacker.

Kelly said someone important in her life is a victim of rape and, “The provisions in this bill, I believe, would’ve brought justice for this person in a swifter manner.”

The Bill of Rights portion is meant to, among other things, give some clarity and guidance to victims, who often find themselves traumatized and with no knowledge of what to do or to whom to turn.

“All [that a victim knows] is a really horrible thing has happened that nobody ever dreams will happen to them,” said Kelly. “The heart and soul of it is protecting victims and providing stronger protections and providing education … and what greater cause to unite behind than educating and empowering victims in these horrible situations to know what their rights are and to know the pathway by which they can appropriately seek justice.”

SB 775 also clarifies definitions in Missouri law regarding “sexual contact” and “sexual conduct.” Representative David Evans (R-West Plains) said he dealt with at least one case, during his 28 years as a judge, in which unclear definitions regarding contact with minor victims hindered prosecution.

“Taking ambiguous law or badly written law and making it clear is important clearly for the victims of crime but also clarifies, which is required in criminal law, exactly what the crime is,” said Evans. “None of us can be convicted of a crime that’s ambiguous. That’s protection under due process … it’s good to have specific law especially when you’re dealing with a very serious felony.”

*Representative David Evans (Photo: Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)*

SB 775 would specify that no persons younger than 18 will be prosecuted for prostitution, and if located by law enforcement while engaged in commercial sexual acts, they will be considered a victim of abuse and referred to the Children’s Division and juvenile officers to receive help. It also eliminates the requirement that a person under 18 and charged with prostitution must prove they were coerced to avoid conviction.

These were provisions found in legislation sponsored by Representative Ed Lewis (R-Moberly), who said the laws regarding these individuals needs to be focused on getting them help.

“A lot of times a minor can be in that lifestyle and not even know that they’re being trafficked, not even know that they’re being abused. They think, ‘Well no, I’m doing this of my own free will,’ but they’re not. They’re being abused and used by some adult for their own gain, and we have to get them the help they need to help them to understand that this is not right,” said Lewis. “Instead of looking at these people who have come to rescue them as rescuers they can look at them as the enemy and we have to make sure that they get the help that they need so they understand what their outcome should be and how to get back to what we would call a normal life free of abuse.”

Other related sections deal with prosecuting those who attempted to engage in sexual acts or pornography-related offenses with individuals under 18.

The bill also contains language sponsored by Representative Lane Roberts (R-Joplin) dealing with orders of protection. It would state that a person with an order of protection against them cannot skip a court date regarding that order and then plead ignorance to knowing it was still in effect. He and Carter Dochler say this defense has often been successful for abusers who would violate an order and then say they didn’t know it was in place because they didn’t attend a hearing.

Roberts has often said that this and other proposals he has filed stem from his time in law enforcement – including as Joplin’s police chief and the director of the Department of Public Safety – and times in his career when he couldn’t help a victim because of how the law was written.

“Sometimes the law doesn’t serve the victim and sometimes, frankly, the process to provide due process to the person that’s accused ultimately re-victimizes the victim, so it’s been very frustrating to me throughout my [law enforcement] career. Now I’m in a position to do something about it.”

Along that same line, Roberts said a provision in SB 775 that is important to him is one that allows victims to testify via video rather than have to appear in court for a domestic violence proceeding.

*Representative Lane Roberts (Photo: Tim Bommel, Missouri House Communications)*

Roberts says too often, a victim is afraid to proceed with prosecution for fear or retribution by their abuser. This provision addresses that fear; specifically that requiring a victim to appear in court creates an instance in which their abuser will know where and when to find them.

“If you read the newspapers you will frequently see where a domestic violence case was dismissed because the victim didn’t show up to testify. I can’t tell you how many times that’s because they were afraid to show up but I guarantee you it’s a significant part of the number of people who don’t show up, and why.”

With all these issues, legislators have to craft language that protects victims but also allows for due process for those who are accused. Evans believes with SB 775, Missouri gets closer to finding the right balance between those considerations, “and again that’s one thing I really enjoy doing, is balancing the rights of those that are charged but making it absolutely clear to protect the victims of the crimes as well. I think we’re getting there.”

The House vote that sent SB 775 to the governor was 141-0. Carter Dochler said the Coalition is, “very grateful and really excited [that] at a time where there has been so much turbulence on different issues that everybody could really come together and find agreement on items that would make things better for victims of domestic violence or sexual assault, or some other related judicial proceedings.”

SB 775 includes several other provisions, including those that would make it a crime for any coach of minors to abuse a minor, whereas currently law speaks only to high school coaches; extends protections against the release of a victim’s personal information to include their personal email address, birth date, health status, or any information from a forensic testing report; and further restricts when the prior sexual conduct of a witness or victim in a sexual offense case may be inquired about in a legal proceeding.

Prefiled bill aims to make domestic violence victims’ escape from abusers easier

A bill prefiled for the 2020 session of the Missouri General Assembly aims to make it easier for victims of domestic violence to escape abusive environments.

House Bill 1300 would allow individuals, with the assistance of domestic violence shelter staff, to get free copies of birth certificates.

“Individuals who flee the abusive situation often times don’t have the opportunity to grab important documents that they may need later on. A lot of times they just leave with the clothes on their backs,” said Representative Chris Dinkins (R-Annapolis), the sponsor of House Bill 1300.

“In order to help them get back on their feet the [resource centers] have to try to help them get jobs and get their kids in school, and all these things require a birth certificate,” said Dinkins. “If you don’t have your driver’s license you need a birth certificate to get your driver’s license. If you don’t have a bank account, you need some form of identification to set up a bank account … nowadays businesses do direct deposits for paychecks, so you need a bank account in order to receive your payment.”

The Missouri Coalition against Domestic and Sexual Violence’s Public Policy Director, Jennifer Carter Dochler, said such vital documents provide abusers with another way to control their victims. Withholding them can make it more difficult for a victim to leave.

“Other times we see an abusive partner intentionally destroying those materials. They know it’s going to be a difficulty for an individual so they intentionally destroy them,” said Carter Dochler.

Having access to birth certificates would be key to ensuring that victims escaping abusive situations don’t have to return to them.

“Once they do take that important step to get away from [an abuser] we need to do everything that we can to keep them from falling back into that trap,” said Dinkins.

Domestic violence shelters in Missouri have been covering the cost of birth certificates for clients who need them but those shelters have limited resources and the cost is becoming an issue for them.

Dinkins offered similar legislation in the 2019 session and it nearly passed, despite being introduced on the last day for filing bills. Lawmakers heard then that the $15 cost for a new copy of a birth certificate can be prohibitive to victims, who often have little or no money and need that very document in order to get a job. It is a further burden when they must pay that $15 for each child under their care.

Dinkins said what slowed the bill’s progress in 2019 its estimated cost to the state, which she said was grossly overestimated.

“[The state is] already producing these birth certificates, it’s just the fact that we would no longer be charging the organizations to have them produce these … but they were saying it was going to take two to eight new full-time employees, and I don’t understand how it would take eight new full-time employees to do something that they’re already doing,” said Dinkins.

Dinkins said helping people escaping abuse get back into the work force would further offset any cost the bill could create for the state.

The 2019 bill passed out of the House and out of a Senate committee but was not voted on by the full Senate. Dinkins is optimistic that this year’s earlier start means the legislation has a better chance of reaching Governor Mike Parson (R).

The legislative session begins January 8.

House considering free birth certificates for individuals escaping domestic violence

House lawmakers are being asked to consider another measure meant to help victims of domestic violence get away from abusers and move on with their lives.

Often individuals who have left a home where abuse occurs have left behind birth certificates, as well as other documents and identification that they must get new copies of but cannot without those certificates. The fee to get a new copy is often a burden to a survivor faced with numerous other expenses while trying to start down a new path in life, according to Representative Chris Dinkins (R-Annapolis).

“To come up with $15 per kid to get them enrolled in school is sometimes a pretty [significant] hardship on them,” said Dinkins.

Dinkins is sponsoring House Bill 1135, which would allow people working with a shelter to get free copies of birth certificates.

She was presented with the proposal by the Southeast Missouri Family Violence Council. Assistant Director Tracy Carroll told the House Committee on Children and Families that abusers often use vital documents in their efforts to control a victim.

“The abuser either burns or throws away or keeps in a lock box their driver’s license, social security, their birth certificate, and so that’s a form of abuse – control, and so what I found was we had to start from the very bottom with them and try to get their identification,” said Carroll.

Carroll said most of the women that come into their shelter need this kind of help. Last year that included 200 of the 263 people that came in, yet the shelter, which is a nonprofit agency, had no budget for securing new copies of documents.

“We scrounged that money … we were digging through our purses because everybody needs a birth certificate. They can’t get a job, they can’t send their kids to school,” said Carroll.

In one case Carroll said a mother in the shelter had eight children. At $15 dollars apiece, that was a particular hardship for her as she tried to get them enrolled in school while escaping an abusive situation.

Carroll said any cost the State of Missouri sees would be offset by victims being able to get their lives on track.

“They’ll be able to be employed, they’ll be able to get an education, they’ll be able to vote,” said Carroll. “Most of the women in our shelter have not been allowed to vote.”

Committee chair Sheila Solon (R-St. Joseph) said people escaping abuse have good reason for not having these documents on hand.

“I know when I’ve had constituents call my office and it’s a domestic violence situation, I always tell them, ‘Don’t go back home. Get to the shelter,’ so that’s probably, most of the time, why they don’t have their documents,” said Solon. “They’re doing the wise thing and not returning and trying to retrieve those.”

An individual would have to provide documentation from a shelter to prove that he or she is involved with such an agency. The bill would only allow the fee for each eligible individual’s birth certificate to be waived one time.

The committee has not voted on HB 1135.