Legislative Update - Jan. 12, 2024
Session begins in earnest
The first full legislative week of the 2024 Regular Session was primarily dominated by organizational matters. The Senate started its review of gubernatorial nominations. The House began conducting hearings on legislation that has been introduced.
2024 Introduced legislation
To see legislation that has been introduced, organized by subject matter or practice area, visit The Missouri Bar’s Legislative Engagement Center. The bills are automatically updated with the latest status of the bills listed and provide links to the individual bill webpages. If you have any questions or comments about specific legislation, please contact government relations staff at 573-659-2280 or govrel@mobar.org for more information.
Committees of interest
House | Senate |
| Judiciary Rep. David Evans, Chair | Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, Chair |
| Budget (depending on agency heard) Rep. Cody Smith, Chair | Appropriations (depending on agency heard) Sen. Lincoln Hough, Chair |
| General Laws (depending on bill(s) heard) Rep. Alex Riley, Chair | General Laws (depending on bill(s) heard) Sen. Mike Bernskoetter, Chair |
| Children and Families Rep. Hannah Kelly, Chair | Health and Welfare Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, Chair |
| Crime Prevention and Public Safety Rep. Lane Roberts, Chair | Insurance and Banking (depending on bill(s) heard) Sen. Sandy Crawford, Chair |
| Emerging Issues (depending on bill(s) heard) Rep. Bill Hardwick, Chair | Emerging Issues (depending on bill(s) heard) Sen. Justin Brown, Chair |
| Financial Institutions (depending on bill(s) heard) Rep. Michael O’Donnell, Chair | Gubernatorial Appointments (depending on appt) Sen. Caleb Rowden, Chair |
| Local Government (depending on bill(s) heard) Rep. Alex Riley, Chair | Transportation, Infrastructure, and Public Safety Sen. Travis Fitzwater, Chair |
| Professional Registration & Licensing Rep. Jeff Coleman, Chair | Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy & the Environment Sen. Mike Cierpiot, Chair |
Joint committees
Joint Committee on the Justice System
Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, Chair
Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (depending on subject matter)
Sen. Nick Schroer, Chair
Committee hearings of interest
SENATE
There were no Senate Committees of Interest that met during the week.
HOUSE
The House Judiciary Committee met on Jan. 10, 2024, and held a public hearing on the following:
HB 1886 (Veit), modifies provisions relating to judicial proceedings
- Prohibits any Missouri incorporated city, town, or village from imposing or enforcing a moratorium on eviction proceedings unless specifically authorized by state law.
- Expands the circumstances under which an LLC may be dissolved.
- Establishes an alternative dispute resolution process
- Changes the definitions of "adult" and "child" as they relate to actions under Chapter 455, RSMo.
- Establishes the “Missouri Electronic Wills and Electronic Estate Planning Documents Act”
- Specifies that certain estate planning documents executed during the state of emergency due to COVID-19 will be deemed to have satisfied the physical presence requirements
- Adds a person acting as a parent of a minor entering adult guardianship or conservatorship to the list of those persons who must be appointed as guardians or conservators of minors, and the hierarchy of those who must be considered for appointment to serve as guardian or conservator
- Excludes persons acting as parents, as well as grandparents, from the requirement that persons seeking guardianship complete a background screening at their own expense.
- Specifies what assistance a court clerk must provide or make available for a petitioner filing for emergency or full orders regarding a minor entering adult guardianship or conservatorship
- Allows fees incurred for guardianship or conservatorship proceedings by court-appointed attorneys, physicians, or other professionals, as well as fees incurred by court clerks providing assistance, to be given priority for payment from the "Family Services and Justice Fund".
- Increases the age from 14 to 18 that for which a statement made by a child or vulnerable person is admissible in evidence in criminal proceedings as substantive evidence to prove the truth of the matter asserted. Amends the definition of "vulnerable person" to include a person whose developmental level does not exceed that of an ordinary child of 17, increased from 14 years.
- Specifies that each grand and petit juror will receive at least $6 per day for every day the juror actually serves and a mileage reimbursement rate as provided by law for state employees.
- Establishes the “Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act”
- Establishes the "Uniform Public Expression Protection Act, specifying that, when a person has a cause of action filed against him or her based upon communication in a governmental proceeding, or when exercising rights of freedom of speech, the press, to assemble, or association, that person may file a special motion to dismiss the cause of action.
- Excludes criminal proceedings from the circumstances under which information and data obtained by a probation and parole officer is privileged.
- Increases the age of the child from under 15 to under 17 regarding a person 21 years old or older committing the offense of enticement of a child
- With regard to committing the committing the offense of patronizing prostitution being a class E felony , the age of the person being patronized is under 18 years old but older than 14 is raised to 15. The offense is currently a class D felony if the person being patronized is 14 years of age or younger. This bill increases the age to 15 years of age or older and increases the penalty to a class B felony.
In Support: The Missouri Bar's Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee; Dale Doerhoff re: 347.143; RiezmanBerger re: 456.950; The Institute for Free Speech; Office of Prosecution Services & Association of Prosecuting Attorneys; Missouri Kids First; The Missouri Bar; Judicial Conference of Missouri
In Opposition: No one spoke in opposition