Missouri State Rep. Steven Roberts Jr. - Common Sense Gun Regulation

Missouri State Rep. Steven Roberts Jr. is a firm believer in common sense gun regulation – as well as to doing anything possible to help stem the epidemic of gun violence and violent crime throughout the city of St. Louis.

As the representative of the 77^th District, Rep. Roberts has taken a real step toward tackling the issue of gun violence with the introduction of House Bill 1326 – legislation that allows gun owners to deduct the costs of firearms safety courses and training from their taxes.

As Roberts knows, gun safety is an important public health issue that not only affects people in the state of Missouri, but also in communities throughout the country.

With the introduction of HB 1326, Rep. Roberts looks to make gun training and safety more affordable – as well as to help reduce the occurrence of gun-related accidents throughout the state.

HB 1322 is the only firearms-related legislation to make it out of both the Committee on General Laws and the Rules Committee with complete support from members of both sides of the aisle. 

Missouri State Rep. Steven Roberts Jr.: A Closer Look at HB 1996

Missouri State Rep. Steven Roberts Jr. takes the opportunity to serve his district and the people of Missouri seriously. As the representative of the 77^th District, Roberts looks forward to advocating for the best interests of all Missourians, and for standing up and fighting for the most vulnerable populations throughout the state.

During the legislature’s most recent session, Rep. Roberts introduced HB 1996 – a bill that would necessitate gender and racial bias training as part of basic peace officer training to include specific instruction on identity and racial profiling. This bill specified that this new training curriculum would take a look at evidence-based protocols, practices and patterns that make up identity and racial profiling – as well as to prescribe any protocols, practices and patterns that help prevent such profiling from taking place.

In addition, HB 1996 would establish the “Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board,” which, in conjunction with the POST commission (Peace Officer Standards and Training), would work not only to eliminate these types of profiling, but to also improve racial sensitivity and diversity in law enforcement.

Rep. Steven Roberts St Louis of Missouri State first introduced this bill on January 9, 2018. It was referred to the Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee in May of 2018.

Rep. Steven Roberts of St. Louis - Three Ways to Check Your Biases

Rep. Steven Roberts of St. Louis, Missouri, knows that one of the most important ways to build strong communities where people treat each other respectfully is to check our internal biases toward others.

·         Listen to yourself as you see yourself making snap judgments about people at work, in the street, at the grocery store, and wherever else you happen to be. Ask yourself what your judgment is based on, where it’s coming from, and if it seems truly fair.

·         Take a look at your social circles. Are they diverse? If not, consider ways that you might spend more time with people who don’t look like you, as this is an excellent way to expand your horizons and challenge your unconscious biases.

·         Recognize who you exclude and why. Pay attention to everyone around you and make an effort to involve everyone, regardless of background.

Rep. Steven Roberts was elected to speak for the central corridor east to the riverfront of St. Louis City in 2017.

Rep. Steven Roberts Jr. of St. Louis: Two De-Escalation Tips for Police Officers

Rep. Steven Roberts of St. Louis, Missouri, knows that police officers are an important part of a strong, healthy community, and he shares that there a variety of ways to de-escalate a tense situation that will help police officers do their jobs safely.:

·   De-escalation comes down to words, and it’s very important that as a police officer, you make genuine contact with the person you are talking with. Knowing the right thing to say in the right moment to make that initial contact is vital.

·   Rather than becoming upset by the cause, focus on what a positive outcome looks like for the particular situation in front of you. While it’s valuable information to know the source of the problem, it’s more important that you deal with the situation at hand quickly and effectively to ensure that no one gets hurt.

Rep. Steven Roberts Jr. was born in St. Louis, Missouri.

Rep. Steven Roberts Jr. of St. Louis - Three Reasons to Expand Medicaid

Based in St. Louis, Missouri, Rep. Steven Roberts Jr.  is dedicated to building strong, vibrant communities, and he knows that expanding Medicaid is one of the ways to do this.: 

• Expanding Medicaid has a positive economic impact on the state, providing large amounts of Federal funds that will create a stimulus effect leading to job creation.
  
• Because healthcare is so expensive in the United States, many hospitals are suffering financially because of uncompensated care, and expanded Medicaid services will help hospitals as well as other providers receive the revenue that they need to continue offering high-quality care.
  
• Expanding Medicaid will help boost the economy by supporting workers to stay healthy and vital, meaning less missed days at work and increased productivity in the workforce.

Rep. Steven Roberts Jr.  is a member of the Missouri Bar and represents the central corridor east to the riverfront in St. Louis.

Rep. Steven Roberts of St. Louis: Former Certified Law Clerk

Rep. Steven Roberts of St. Louis previously worked for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office in Compton, California, as a certified law clerk. 

In this role, Rep. Steven Roberts was primarily responsible for conducting preliminary hearings in felony narcotics cases, analysing jailhouse recordings, crime scene videos, police interviews, and medical examiner reports for trial preparation and exhibits in homicide and gang related cases.

Rep. Steven Roberts Jr. of St. Louis Introduces House Bill 1996

Rep. Steven Roberts Jr. of St. Louis is the State Representative for Missouri’s 77th District. In the most recent legislative session, he introduced House Bill 1996, legislation that would require a racial and gender bias training component of peace officer basic training to include specific instruction on racial or identity profiling, as defined in the bill.

Additionally, the bill specifies that training curriculum examine evidence-based patterns, practices, and protocols that make up racial or identity profiling, including implicit bias. The training would prescribe evidence-based patterns, practices, and protocols that prevent racial or identity profiling.

In developing the training, the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) commission would consult with the Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board -established by this bill - whose purpose would be to eliminate racial and identity profiling and improve diversity and racial sensitivity in law enforcement.

"Missouri is a state that continues to struggle with race and discrimination,” states Rep. Steven Roberts Jr. “Racial bias training in the Missouri Legislature will provide an example of what needs to be implemented throughout our state and all institutions. Law enforcement needs racial bias training in order to respectfully protect and serve the districts they patrol."