Rep. Steven Roberts of St. Louis - Accomplishments

Rep. Steven Roberts Jr. of St. Louis is a member of the Missouri House of Representatives known for his strong sense of civic responsibility and his love of community. He is passionate about helping others and he serves as Chairman of the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus. 

In 2018, he was elected for his second term, and he couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to continue serving St. Louis and its residents.

“My primary job as State Representative is to stand up for the interests of the people of the 77th District,” said Rep. Steven Roberts Jr. of St. Louis before discussing some of the important bills that he has sponsored and helped pass. 

For example, he passed legislation that helps pharmacies save people money on prescription drugs, and he co-sponsored legislation to help adults finish their high-school education. With a criminal justice reform as his primary focus, he also sponsored bills to raise the age at which children can be charged as adults and to establish racial bias training for police officers. 

Learn more about his accomplishments at www.robertsforstl.com. 

Rep. Steven Roberts of St. Louis - Feelings on Family

Rep. Steven Roberts Jr. of St. Louis was reelected as a member of the Missouri House of Representatives in November 2018 to serve a second two-year term. He represents portions of St. Louis City, ranging from the central corridor east to the riverfront, and he loves his hometown. 

As a fourth-generation native of St. Louis, Mr. Robert says his parents and grandparents fought to overcome segregation and discrimination as they established their successful careers. His mother became a distinguished doctor and his father became a respected attorney, St. Louis Alderman and successful businessman. 

He says that he learned his sense of civic responsibility and social justice from his parents, and he is eternally grateful to them.

“My parents encouraged our individuality, but what I value most is our cohesiveness,” said Rep. Steven Roberts Jr. of St. Louis in a recent interview with Missouri Times Magazine. “We have the usual good-natured and sometimes very real sibling rivalry, but we are always, without fail, there for each other.”

Rep. Steven Roberts of St. Louis - Black Caucus Member

Rep. Steven Roberts Jr. of St. Louis is a fourth generation St. Louis native who was re-elected to his second term in November of 2018 as a member of the Missouri House of Representatives. 

He is a passionate and dedicated professional with a reputation for his strong sense of civic responsibility and social justice. He's also Chairman of the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus, and a member of the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Missouri. 

In a recent interview regarding his reelection, he was asked who he most admires in his caucus and why, and his response reflects his passion for change:

"Representative Gail McCann Beatty," responded Rep. Steven Roberts Jr. of St. Louis, "even though the Republican Party holds a super majority in the House and Senate as well as a majority of the state’s executive offices, Gail fought for our values with passion. 

I admire how she’s been able to keep our caucus focused, despite the challenges of being greatly outnumbered." 

Rep. Steven Roberts of St. Louis: Reforming the System

Rep. Steven Roberts Jr. of St. Louis is a member of the Missouri House of Representatives who was reelected for his second term in November of 2018. 

He is a fourth generation St. Louis native whose sense of civic responsibility and social justice has earned him an excellent reputation, and he has received several awards for his dedication to those causes. 

During his tenure in the House of Representatives, he has set his sights on reforming the criminal justice system as his number one priority.

"There is no denying that the current system disproportionately and negatively impacts communities of color, the waste in lost human potential is absolutely staggering," said Rep. Steven Roberts Jr. of St. Louis in a recent interview. 

"Mandatory minimums for nonviolent offenses need to be eliminated, there needs to be increased funding for diversion and drug courts, as well as an end to money bail. As a nation, we can do a better job of holding to our basic principles of equality and justice for all."

Rep. Steven Roberts, St. Louis Legislator - This Week in Missouri Politics

Rising star of the Democratic Party and chair of the Missouri Legislative Black Caucus, St. Louis Rep. Steven Roberts was recently interviewed by Scott Faughn for This Week in Missouri Politics.

When asked what the Legislative Black Caucus is and why it matters, Steven Roberts Jr. explained, "The important thing about the Black Caucus is we're focused on issues facing the African-American community and we're especially relevant now that we make up half of the Democratic Caucus."

When asked about some practical things St. Louis Rep. Steve Roberts wanted to impact, he spoke about criminal justice reform and working with Republicans to raise the age of who can be charged as an adult. To see the entire interview, click here.

Rep. Steven Roberts of St. Louis: House Bill 2218

During the 2018 legislative session, St. Louis Rep. Steven Roberts sponsored several House bills that he believes are in the best interest of all Missourians, including a bill that would abolish the death penalty.

Rep. Steven Roberts Jr. of St. Louis explains that House Bill 2218 would repeal provisions that allow courts to issue the death penalty as punishment and would require courts to change the sentencing on anyone currently facing the death penalty who were sentenced prior to August 28, 2018.

A state legislator who represents portions of St. Louis, Rep. Steve Roberts works hard to advocate for solutions that benefit his constituents, as well as people throughout Missouri. House Bill 2218 was referred to the House Committee on Crime Prevention and Safety during the 2018 legislative session.

Rep. Steven Roberts, St. Louis Legislator: House Bill 2526

Rep. Steven Roberts of St. Louis sponsored House Bill 2526 during the 2018 legislative session of the Missouri’s General Assembly. 

Steven Roberts Jr. explains that House Bill 2526 would remove the requirement that certain defendants serve out specified minimum sentences upon conviction (i.e., mandatory minimum sentences).

In addition to the elimination of mandatory minimum sentences, St. Louis Rep. Steve Roberts explains that House Bill 2526 specifies that any offender who meets certain qualifications would be eligible for a parole hearing (excluding those found guilty of first-degree murder or certain sexual offenses). 

The bill was referred to the House Corrections and Public Institutions Committee during the 2018 legislative session.