Beck, Quade file legislation to protect taxpayers from Attorney General’s election stunt lawsuits

By TIM ROWDEN
Managing Editor

Jefferson City — State Sen. Doug Beck (D-St. Louis) — a member of Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 562 — and House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, (D-Springfield) have filed legislation in both chambers to reimburse to local school districts communities for legal expenses incurred defending themselves against frivolous lawsuits filed by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt.

Schmitt, who is campaigning for Senate has filed a series of lawsuits against local communities and school districts seeking to, among other things, ban critical race theory, which isn’t taught in Missouri schools; seal the Mexican border, which doesn’t touch Missouri; promote lies and, most recklessly, stamp out pandemic mask policies – all in a shameless bid to grab headlines ahead of the Republican Senate primary.

“The attorney general is abusing the powers his office to stop schools from keeping kids and teachers safe,” Beck said. “I am in disbelief we are even having this conversation. He is even suing the St. Louis County Special School District, which educates some of our most vulnerable children. This has got to stop.”

Senate Bill 992 and House Bill 2569 would require attorney’s fees, court costs and all other expenses incurred by a political subdivision or school district resulting from civil action brought by the attorney general to be awarded to that political subdivision or school district if the civil action is terminated in their favor.

“Local public school budgets are already stretched thin because the pandemic,” Quade said. “They shouldn’t have to foot the bill for Eric Schmitt’s shameful campaign stunts.”

To date, Schmitt has sued 45 public school districts across Missouri over their mask mandates for students, faculty and staff. Schmitt’s lawsuits, which cite scant legal authority in support of his position, come just as many Missouri schools have to been forced to shut down due to coronavirus outbreaks.

Under the legislation proposed by Beck, the money used to pay back local school districts and communities for defending themselves against Schmitt’s lawsuits would come from funds appropriated to the attorney general by the Missouri General Assembly and could not be paid from any other designated statutory or administrative fund.

“The attorney general is suing local school districts in an effort to strip parents of local control while sticking them with huge legal bills,” said Beck. “Local schools are funded primarily with local tax dollars. When local school districts are sued by the attorney general, it’s local taxpayers who have to pay the expensive legal costs. Under our legislation, the attorney general would be held accountable for treating local taxpayers like an ATM. It’s time we return local control to local parents.”