Recent Legislative Updates

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26
January
2024
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10:23 AM
America/Chicago

Legislative update - Jan. 26, 2024

Governor outlines proposed budget

Mark your calendars! The State of the Judiciary Address will take place Feb. 7 at 10:15 a.m.

Though both chambers of the General Assembly cancelled session on Monday due to extremely adverse weather conditions, the House managed to re-schedule committee meetings of interest to The Missouri Bar.  However, it seems a rift has developed among members of the majority party in the Senate.  On Tuesday, Jan. 23, the president pro tem of the Senate removed members of the Freedom Caucus from chairmanship of the following committees and replaced them with other members of the Senate:

  • the Committee on Economic Development and Tax Policy
  • the Committee on Education and Workforce Development
  • the Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs, and Pensions
  • the Select Committee on the Protection of Missouri Assets from Foreign Adversaries

In addition, the pro tem established the Select Committee on Empowering Missouri Parents and Children with Sen. Curtis Trent as chair.

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.

Bar-initiated legislative proposals (2024 introduced legislation)

State of the State Address / FY2025 executive budget

On Wednesday, Jan. 24, Gov. Parson delivered his annual State of the State Address to a joint session of the General Assembly. His speech focused on budget priorities, including: workforce development and education, infrastructure, and government reform.  A summary and the full text of the governor’s address is available on-line.

The FY 2025 executive budget, the FY 2025 budget and legislative priorities and the FY 2025 budget summary also are available on line, as are the FY 2025 judiciary budget request and the FY 2025 public defender budget request.

Committee hearings of interst

Senate

The Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee met on Jan. 24 and held public hearings on the following:

SB 841 (Arthur): Modifies provisions relating to funding for the Office of the Public Defender

  • Separate fund
  • In support:  Public Defender’s Office
  • In opposition: none

SB 887 (Washington): Modifies provisions relating to certification of juveniles for trial as adults

  • Raises the certification of juveniles for trial as adults from 12 to 14
  • In support: Missouri State Public Defender System, Empower Missouri, Juvenile Justice Association, and Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
  • In opposition: none

SB 765 (Williams): Establishes a conviction review unit

  • Creates the unit and makes sure courts are fair and just
  • In support: Missouri Office of Prosecution Services, Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and Empower Missouri  
  • In opposition: none

SB 861 (Williams): Modifies provisions relating to expungement

  • Remove cap on records that could be expunged, enable people to enter workforce
  • In support:  Missouri Office of Prosecution Services, Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Missouri Catholic Conference
  • In opposition: none
  • For information: Judicial Conference of Missouri 

The committee took action on the following legislation in executive session:

SCS SBs 754, 746, 788, 765, 841, 887 and 861 (Luetkemeyer): Modifies provisions relating to public safety, with penalty provisions

  • Do Pass by a vote of 4 to 2

SB 760 (May): Modifies provisions relating to the critical incident stress management program

  • Do Pass by a vote of 4. to 2

The Senate Health and Welfare Committee met on Jan. 24 and held a public hearing on the following:

SB 810 (Schrier): Modifies provisions relating to eligible Missouri HealthNet providers

  • No monies to Planned Parenthood
  • In support: Missouri Right to Life, Bound 4 Life St. Louis, Campaign Life Missouri, and Missouri Catholic Conference
  • In opposition: Great Plains Planned Parenthood; Missouri Family Health Council; Kimber Palmer – Planned Parenthood volunteer; Planned Parenthood patients – Kathryn Ryan, Lisa Williams, Cara Hile, Samantha Hawickhorst, Sarah Felts; Abortion Action Missouri; (formerly Pro Choice Missouri); National Council of Jewish Women - St. Louis; ACLU of MO; Advocates of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest MO; May Hall – friend of Planned Parenthood patients
  • For information: Department of Social Services and Project Veritas

The committee took action on the following legislation in executive session:

SCS SB 811 (Coleman): Modifies provisions relating to child protections

  • Do Pass by a vote of 6 to 0

House

The House Committee on Children and Families met on Jan. 24 and held public hearings on the following:

HB 1951 (Gragg): Establishes provisions relating to the removal of a child from his or her home

  • Removing a child from a home administratively, for alleged abuse
  • In support: Mr. Kinney - a foster parent
  • In opposition: Stand for Health Freedom, Coalition for Children, Alalia Kraft, Fractured Families, and Jeremy Jacobs
  • For information: Children’s Division and Department of Social Services
  • Electronic witness forms

HB 1795 (Hinman): Modifies provisions relating to youth employment

  • Youth work certificates, switch requiring permission from school superintendent to parent
  • In support: Opportunity Solution Project, Missouri Retailers Association, Missouri Grocers Association, and Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry
  • In opposition: none
  • For information: Department of Labor and Industrial Relations
  • Electronic witness forms

HB 2227 (Kelly - 141): Modifies provisions relating to money held by the children’s division for the benefit of a child

The House Judiciary Committee met on Jan. 24 and held public hearings on the following:

HB 1718 (Falkner): Establishes provisions relating to the removal of certain court records from automated case management systems

  • Makes the names of deceased persons confidential, therefore not able to be seen on Casenet
  • In support: none
  • In opposition: none
  • Electronic witness forms

HB 1958 (Henderson): Establishes provisions requiring certain persons convicted of driving while intoxicated to pay child maintenance

  • Bently and Mason’s Law – if driving DUI & kill parents, you have responsibilities for children
  • In support: Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Jennifer Neldon, and Cecilia Williams – grandmother
  • In opposition: none
  • Electronic witness forms

HB 2064 (Black): Establishes provisions relating to mental health courts

  • Authorizes mental health courts in the treatment courts
  • In support: Judge Cotton Walker
  • In opposition: none
  • Electronic witness forms

HB 1927 (Stinnett): Restores voting rights to individuals on probation and parole

  • Removes the requirement to complete probation & parole before registering to vote
  • In support: Secure Democracy USA, Clifton Davis, Missouri Appleseed, ACLU of Missouri, Missouri Justice Coalition, Secure Election Project, Empower Missouri, Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, and Felisha Hampton
  • In opposition: none
  • Electronic witness forms

HB 2194 (Veit): Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation administrative law judges and repeals the position of chief legal counsel

  • Workers Comp ALJ removal process
  • In support: Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry
  • In opposition: Workers Compensation Attorney
  • For information: Jones Advocacy Group
  • Electronic witness forms

HB 1838 (Evans): Repeals the expiration date of funding of basic civil legal services for certain persons