Legislative update: April 19, 2024
So far, 106 House bills have been third read, while 32 bills have been sent from the Senate to the House for consideration. HB 1886, a Missouri Bar priority sponsored by Rep. Rudy Veit, was third read in the House on April 15 and sent to the Senate for consideration.
Of the bills crossing chambers, four have been Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed. This occurred on April 18, and they are as follow:
- SB 727 (Koenig): Creates and modifies provisions relating to elementary and secondary education;
- HB 1803 (Thompson): Increases the limit on investments in linked deposits by the state treasurer;
- HB 2016 (Smith): Appropriates supplemental funding for the Missouri Department of Public Safety and the National Guard (This provides funding for the Highway Patrolmen and members of the National Guard who were sent from Missouri to the southern border in Texas.); and
- HB 2287 (Christofanelli): Establishes provisions relating to elementary and secondary education.
The budget bills have been referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee. However, there have been no hearings on these bills in the Senate. The Missouri Constitution requires that both chambers adopt the budget bills no later than May 10.
FY 2025 Tracking – House budget chair substitute
FY 2025 Governor recommendation
FY 2025 Department budget requests with governor’s recommendations
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 The Missouri Bar government relations staff at 573-659-2280 or govrel@mobar.org for more information.
Bar-initiated legislative proposals (2024 introduced legislation)
Committee hearings of interest
Senate
The Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee met on April 15 and held public hearings on the following:
SB 853 (Luetkemeyer): Modifies provisions relating to statutes of limitations
- Lowers time frame from five to two years
- In support: Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers; Missouri Hospital Association; Missouri Insurance Coalition; Missouri Civil Justice Reform Coalition; National Federation of Independent Business; Missouri Canoe and Floaters Association; Missouri Railroad Association; Associated Industries of Missouri; American Tort Reform Association; Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Missouri Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds; and Missouri Farm Bureau
- In opposition: Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys
SB 1451 (Thompson Rehder): Modifies provisions relating to the offense of drug trafficking
- In support: Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys
- In opposition: none
- For information: Missouri Office of Prosecution Services
SJR 64 (Eslinger): Establishes crime victims’ rights to a civil action with the same time limitations as the criminal action
- Addresses child sexual abuse
- In support: Child USAdvocacy; Elizabeth Phillips; Chris O’Leary; David Clohessy; Ken Chackes; Missouri Network Against Child Abuse; and Chris Wilmer
- In opposition: Missouri Civil Justice Reform Coalition and Missouri Insurance Coalition
SJR 88 (Washington): Modifies the statutes of limitations for civil actions based on certain sexual offenses
- In support: J. Kevin McGraw; Child USAdvocacy; Elizabeth Phillips; Douglas Lay; David Clohessy; Missouri Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence; and Missouri Network Against Child Abuse
- In Opposition: Missouri Civil Justice Reform Coalition and Missouri Insurance Coalition
The committee took action on the following legislation in executive session:
SCS HCS HB 1659 (Roberts): Modifies provisions relating to public safety
- Do Pass by a vote of 5-0
SB 1338 (Fitzwater): Modifies provisions relating to the sexual offender registry
- Do Pass by a vote of 5-0
SCS SB 1390 (Schroer): Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation administrative law judges
- Do Pass by a vote of 5-0
The Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee met on April 17 and held public hearings on bills including:
SB 1381 (Washington): Designates “Fallen Firefighters Memorial Bridge” in Kansas City
- In support: none
- In opposition: none
SB 1412 (May): Creates the “Ebony Alert System” for abducted or missing Black youth
- In support: Aina Marcono; National Association of Social Workers – Missouri Chapter; Missouri State Conference of the NAACP; and Patricia Henderson
- In opposition: none
The committee took action on the following legislation in executive session:
HCS HBs 1626 & 1940 (Busick): Increases the age at which certain requirements apply to school bus drivers
- Do Pass by a vote of 4-0
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee met on April 17 and held public hearings on the following:
SB 1485 (Gannon): Modifies the amount of certain drugs that may be sold or dispensed to an individual in a 30-day period
- Deals with pseudoephedrine
- In support: Nikki Strong for Haleon
- In opposition: none
SB 905 (Coleman): Modifies provisions relating to the protection of vulnerable persons
- Those convicted of a drug crime would be eligible for SNAP benefits; anti-shackling provisions for pregnant women who are incarcerated
- In support: Missouri Network Against Child Abuse; Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys; Missouri Appleseed; Keyway Center for Diversion & Reentry; National Association of Social Workers – Missouri Chapter; Feeding Missouri; Empower Missouri; Missouri Catholic Conference; and Justice Action Network
- In opposition: none
HCS HB 2227 (Kelly): Modifies provisions relating to child protection
- Substantially similar to SB 862; also includes playing outside independently is not child abuse
- In support: FosterAdopt Connect; Kids Win Missouri; Missouri Coalition for Children; Foster Care & Adoptive Care Coalition; and Center for the Rights of Abused Children
- In opposition: none
- For information: Missouri Department of Social Services
The committee took action on the following legislation in executive session:
SB 851 (Brown): Modifies provisions relating to telemedicine
- Do Pass by a vote of 6-0
HCS HB 2227 (Kelly): Modifies provisions relating to child protection
- Do Pass by a vote of 6-0
House
The House Committee on Crime Prevention and Public Safety met on April 11 and held public hearings on the following:
HJR 134 (Burger): Proposes a constitutional amendment relating to first responders
- In support: Ambulance District Association of Missouri
- In opposition: none
- Electronic witness forms
HB 2728 (Parker): Establishes the “Uniform Civil Remedies for Unauthorized Disclosure of Intimate Images Act”
- Creates a civil cause of action
- In support: none
- In opposition: none
- For information: MOST Policy Initiative
- Electronic witness forms
The committee took action on the following legislation in executive session:
HB 1781 (Perkins): Creates provisions relating to intoxicating cannabinoids
- Do Pass by a vote of 15-8
HCS HB 2219 (Buchheit-Courtway): Modifies the offense of unlawful posting of certain information over the internet
- Do Pass by a vote of 24-0
HB 2631 (Hausman): Establishes the “Uniform Unregulated Child Custody Transfer Act”
- Do Pass by a vote of 21-3
HB 2728 (Parker): Establishes the “Uniform Civil Remedies for Unauthorized Disclosure of Intimate Images Act”
- Do Pass by a vote of 21-0
Archived video of committee hearing
The House Committee on General Laws met on April 16 and held public hearings on legislation including the following:
HJR 129 (Seitz): Proposes a constitutional amendment allowing for certain civil actions barred or dismissed due to a statute of limitation
- In support: Child USAdvocacy; Elizabeth Phillips; Kevin McGraw; Missouri Network Against Child Abuse; and Arnie Dienoff
- In opposition: Missouri Civil Justice Reform Coalition and Missouri Insurance Coalition
- Electronic witness forms
The committee took action on the following legislation in executive session:
HCS HB 2866 (Gallick): Modifies provisions governing the preemption of local ordinances involving employment law
- Do Pass by a vote of 9-5, with 2 voting present