Discrimination Lawsuit Limits Proposed in Senate Committee
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Discrimination Lawsuit Limits Proposed in Senate Committee

Date: January 24, 2017
By: Jack Morrisroe
State Capitol Bureau
Links: SB 43

Intro: 
The business agenda of Missouri's General Assembly continued by proposing restrictions on discrimination lawsuits
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OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Missourians fired based on their race, religion, sex or age would have a higher standard of proof in court under a Missouri Senate measure.

Daniel O'Keefe, a St. Louis lawyer, said major businesses will not move to the state due to the fear of a discrimination lawsuit.

Actuality:  OKEEFE.WAV
Run Time: 00:12
Description: Fortune 100 company clients in the state of Missouri say that they are not going to open a plant in the state of Missouri and instead are going to take it to another state because of this law. So we are losing jobs.

Opponents at the hearing said discriminated workers would be hurt by raising evidence standards.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Jack Morrisroe.

Intro: 
The NAACP said raising the standard for proving guilt in discrimination lawsuits would hurt working Missourians.
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OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: 

Actuality:  CHAPEL.WAV
Run Time: 00:07
Description: To say that we can't hold people responsible for they harms that they bring to another is anti-American, it's against our faith and it's against our social morals.

The president of the Missouri NAACP, Nimrod Chapel Jr., also said the bill would not help address racial tensions in Ferguson and statewide.

Proponents of the measure say Missouri's burden of proof for discrimination is too low, leading to frivolous lawsuits.

Reporting from the state Captiol, I'm Jack Morrisroe.