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Connie Steinmetz's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

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Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
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Connie Steinmetz has provided voters with clear stances on key issues by responding to the 2024 Political Courage Test.

What is the Political Courage Test?

Missouri State Legislative Election 2024 Political Courage Test

Pro-choice a) Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
Yes b) Do you support legalizing abortion when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
No c) Do you support the prohibition of public funds (e.g. Medicaid) for organizations that perform abortions?
I personally feel that the decisions that need to be made for a woman should be between herself and her medical provider, not by legislators. However, I would support and vote for legislation that supports all healthcare issues for all genders and populations.
Yes a) In order to balance the budget, do you support limiting state government spending on social programs (e.g. SNAP, TANF)?
Yes b) Do you support a decrease in income taxes in order to promote economic growth?
Yes c) Do you support a wealth tax in order to pay for public programs in your state?
My answers may be different once I am in the legislature and research more on the state budget.
a) Do you support capital punishment for violent crimes?
b) Should an individual under 18 accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
c) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
No d) Do you support the use of private prisons?
e) Do you support mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenders?
I honestly cannot answer the questions that I left blank with a simple yes or no. I feel like the circumstances need to be looked at individually. I am not pro capital punishment, but if there was a crime committed that was so violent and the person who committed the crime had prior felonies/convictions...maybe. I support immigration laws to be sure people enter safely and legally. I do not think that they should all be shipped out. As far as nonviolent drug offenders, it depends on the offense. It may be a mental health issue and that should be treated in a rehab program.
Yes a) Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth (e.g. grants, tax incentives)?
b) Do you support reducing state government regulations on the private sector (e.g. for business or the environment)?
Yes c) Do you support an increase of the minimum wage in Missouri?
Yes d) Do you support government spending on affordable housing projects in Missouri?
No e) Do you support the legalization of gambling on sporting events in Missouri?
I am not sure what question b is asking.
No a) Do you support adopting federal education standards (e.g. Common Core) in Missouri?
No b) Do you support state funding for charter schools?
Yes c) Do you support increasing teacher salaries AND/OR benefits in Missouri?
d) Should immigrants in the United States who graduate from Missouri high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities, regardless of immigration status?
As a public-school educator for 40 years, I feel that each district should have some form of testing for accountability of student growth. I would introduce legislation that would take that back to each district. There would be chosen "tests" that the districts could choose from that would best fit their population. Charter schools do not have the same restrictions and accountability that the public-school systems have and if they are going to take money, they should somehow be held accountable just like the public schools. Teachers often have to work second jobs and/or do not have health care...so yes, I would support increasing salaries and benefits. Legal immigrants should have the elgible for in state tuition.
Yes a) Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, geo-thermal)?
b) Do you support state governments allowing permits for drilling on public lands?
Yes c) Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives?
I would need to do more research for the permits for drilling on public lands.
Yes a)Do you support limiting campaign contributions from corporations, unions, and individuals?
Yes b) Do you support the use of an independent or bipartisan commission for redistricting?
Yes c) Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
Yes d) Do you support automatic voter registration?
e) Do you support the implementation of ranked choice voting in Missouri?
I strongly support all of the government reform mentioned above. I am on the fence with ranked choice voting.
Yes a) Do you generally support gun-control legislation (e.g. red flag laws, closing the boyfriend loophole)?
Yes b) Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
Yes c) Do you support the right to concealed carry in Missouri?
I have no issue with people owning guns to protect themselves and/or to go hunting. But I can NOT support legislation that would not have safety measures in place. Including, but not limited to background checks regardless of purchase place, red flag laws and closing the boyfriend loophole.
Yes a) Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse?
b) Do you support a government-run (e.g. single-payer) healthcare program such as Medicare-for-All?
c) Should an individual have the right to choose to die (e.g. those with a terminal illness) through euthanasia?
d) Do you support mandating vaccinations (e.g. for school or employment)?
Yes e) Do you support expanding paid family AND/OR medical leave benefits (e.g. maternity leave)?
Yes f) Should the government be able to regulate the cost of prescription drugs?
No g) Do you support banning gender affirming care for transgender individuals under the age of eighteen?
I did not answer the question about Medicare-for-All simply because I would need to do more research and discuss this people who would have more knowledge of how this is paid for and what does government-run mean exactly. I believe that vaccinations should be required for the protection of the student themselves and for others. I am on the fence about requiring Covid vaccinations (even though I do get them myself), but the other childhood diseases should be on the mandated list.
Yes a) Do you support inclusion of sexual orientation in Missouri's anti-discrimination laws?
Yes b) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Missouri's anti-discrimination laws?
Yes c) Do you support greater efforts by Missouri's state government in closing gender, racial, and other wage gaps?
1. Public Education I was a public school teacher for 37+ years. Public education is the backbone of our nation, and it needs to be protected. I want to ensure that public schools are fully funded and that vouchers do not take away money that is needed to fully fund public schools. I am concerned that low-income families who think they will have their tuition paid for will find out that a voucher would only pay for part of the tuition to a private school. 2. Working families, I was born and raised into a very strong union family. My dad was president of his local for the Engineers of the KC Terminal. I carried that legacy with me as president of the teacher's union in the Hazelwood School District. We need to make sure workers are paid wages that allow them and their families to thrive, not just survive. We need to make sure workers, and their families have high-quality healthcare that won?t bankrupt them. We need to make sure there are protections and paid leave for pregnant workers and new parents, and that people are able to care for themselves and their families through an illness, whether acute or chronic. a living wage that is adjusted to match the rising cost of living. We need to make sure that families are able to meet their needs without struggling to survive from paycheck to paycheck. 3. Strong, Safe Communities I live in a fabulous area and am proud of the area that I live in, however there are concerns that I have that I would address as a legislator. I will support, advocate for, cosponsor, and/or submit legislation to bring funding back to Planned Parenthood. We must restore reproductive rights and freedoms and access to full reproductive healthcare, as well as gender-affirming healthcare, to all Missourians. We need to implement common sense gun safety and gun violence prevention laws to make sure Missourians feel safe in their communities. The West Lake Landfill borders on the 87th district. We must ensure that people are compensated due to exposure from this landfill and other toxic/radioactive waste sites in the area. The contamination in and around our communities never should have been allowed to happen and should have been fully remediated years ago.

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