Supreme Court of Missouri / Jun 1, 2021
Missouri National Education Association, et al., Respondents, vs. Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, et al., Appellants, Ferguson-Florissant School District, et al, Defendants.
The Missouri National Education Association and other labor unions challenged the constitutional validity of House Bill No. 1413, which significantly altered public labor relations in Missouri. The circuit court found the bill violated multiple provisions of the Missouri Constitution and permanently enjoined its operation. The Missouri Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the exemption of public safety labor organizations in HB 1413 violated the equal protection clause of article I, section 2 of the Missouri Constitution. The Court further held that the unconstitutional exemption permeated the entire bill, making severance inappropriate, and thus declared HB 1413 void in its entirety.