Warren Eastman Hearnes (D)

Overview

At a Glance

• Missouri Western State University created (1969)
• Signed Public Accommodation Law (1965)
• Created Clean Water Commission
• Increased funding for higher education by 204 percent
• Increased funding for public education by 167 percent
• Enacted Missouri's first air pollution law
• Established nine regional centers for mental health patients and three intensive treatment centers for the mentally ill
• Created the state's first Alcohol and Drug Abuse program
• Appointed the Third State Reorganization Commission, which led to the 1972 constitutional amendment and 1974 legislation that vastly reorganized state government

Personal History

Warren Eastman Hearnes was born on July 24, 1923, in Moline, Illinois. He was the youngest of five children born to Edna Mae Eastman and Earle B. Hearnes, from Charleston, Missouri. He received his education in the public schools of Charleston and graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1946. In 1952, he earned an A.B. degree and a law degree from the University of Missouri in Columbia.

In 1948, he married Betty Sue Cooper. The couple had three daughters: Lynn, Leigh, and Julia.

During World War II, Hearnes served with Headquarters Company of the 140th Infantry in the 35th Division and later with the 77th Anti-Aircraft Regiment. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the regular army on June 4, 1946, and was promoted to first lieutenant on December 12, 1947. Hearnes retired from military service in 1949 and then practiced law in East Prairie from 1952 to 1961.

An active member of the First Baptist Church in Jefferson City, Hearnes was involved in various fraternal, legal, and military organizations, including the Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite, Missouri Bar Association, Phi Delta Theta, Phi Delta Phi, Lions Club, Order of Elks, Order of Eagles, American Legion, and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Warren E. Hearnes passed away on August 16, 2009, from natural causes, and was buried in the IOOF Cemetery in Charleston, Missouri. 

Political History

At the age of 27, Warren E. Hearnes was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives from Mississippi County in 1950. He was reelected in 1952, 1954, 1956, and 1958. During this time, Hearnes served as the majority floor leader in 1957 and 1959. In 1961, he further increased his political influence by winning the election for Secretary of State.

In 1964, Hearnes challenged the remnants of the Pendergast political machine in the gubernatorial race, facing Kansas City establishment candidate Hilary A. Bush in the Democratic primary. Hearnes campaigned on a platform against machine politics, stating, "This type of machine politics should never be allowed to rear its ugly head again in Missouri politics." He secured the Democratic primary nomination by winning 51.9 percent of the vote. In the general election, bolstered by Lyndon Johnson's victory in the presidential election, Hearnes won with 62 percent of the vote against Republican candidate Ethan A.H. Shepley.

The Missouri Constitution was amended in 1965 to allow governors to serve two consecutive terms, and Hearnes was reelected in 1968, defeating former St. Louis County Executive Lawrence K. Roos.

As governor, Hearnes prioritized various initiatives, focusing on education, infrastructure, civil rights, and environmental protection. Under his administration, state aid to public schools increased from $145.5 million to $389.2 million, and aid to higher education rose from $47.5 million to $144.7 million. Hearnes also expanded state support for vocational education from $856,000 to $8.8 million, resulting in the establishment of 53 new vocational education schools. Among his legislative accomplishments was the establishment of a four-year college in St. Joseph, despite the proximity of Northwest Missouri State University.

Additionally, Hearnes built 350 miles of four-lane highways, created the Division of Highway Safety, and enacted mandatory breath tests for suspected drunken drivers. He increased the strength of the Missouri State Highway Patrol from 500 to 750 officers.

During the Civil Rights era, Governor Hearnes signed the Public Accommodations Law, strengthened the Fair Employment Practices Act, and grew the Human Rights Commission staff from two to 35 employees. His administration passed the state's first air pollution law, initiated a $150 million bond issue for sewage control projects, and created the Clean Water Commission to enforce water pollution laws. He also provided the first state financial grants for mass transit and urban rapid transit facilities while establishing the Department of Community Affairs for local government support in planning and development. In 1970, he was elected chair of the National Governors' Association.

Hearnes' administration is noted for its innovation and expansion in mental health services. He helped lay the groundwork for Missouri's public mental health system, which today serves over 170,000 individuals affected by substance abuse, mental illness, and developmental disabilities. Additionally, programs for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services were initiated, and the Missouri Regional Office System for individuals with developmental disabilities was established.

Following his governorship, Hearnes pursued several political offices unsuccessfully. He ran for the U.S. Senate in 1976, finishing second in the Democratic primary. After the primary winner, Jerry Litton, was killed in a plane crash, Hearnes became the Democratic nominee but lost the general election to Republican John Danforth. In 1978, he ran for State Auditor but was defeated by Republican James F. Antonio. In 1980, Hearnes was appointed Circuit Court Judge for the 33rd district, encompassing Mississippi and Scott counties, but he did not win election to that position later that year. Hearnes' wife, Betty Cooper Hearnes, began her own political career as a state representative in 1979, serving until 1988, and was the 1988 Democratic nominee for governor.

Historical Significance

Governor Warren E. Hearnes is credited with several significant "firsts" for the state of Missouri. He was the first governor eligible to serve two consecutive four-year terms following the adoption of a constitutional amendment that allowed governors to succeed themselves. Additionally, after his appointment as a circuit court judge, Hearnes became the first individual in Missouri's history to serve in all three branches of state government: executive, legislative, and judicial.

In 1965, Hearnes signed the Public Accommodation Law, which effectively ended segregation in public places. This law marked the first civil rights act passed in Missouri and paved the way for the repeal of other racially discriminatory statutes, including the law banning interracial marriage, which was abolished in 1969.

In recognition of his lifelong advocacy for mental health issues, the Warren E. Hearnes Children and Youth Center was dedicated on the campus of Fulton State Hospital in 1971. Furthermore, the Hearnes Center at the University of Missouri in Columbia was named in his honor in 1972, reflecting his contributions to education and social services in the state.