Legislative Update: Bill pre-filing begins for 2023 legislative session

2022 Legislative Digest, December Issue

The Legislative Digest is made available each year as a service to all members of The Missouri Bar.  It provides summaries of legislation that was Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed during the legislative sessions, as well as other tools to aid lawyers in reviewing the newly enacted laws.  The electronic Legislative Digest is available as a PDF file for viewing online or for download.

The December 2022 issue of the Legislative Digest includes actions reflecting the Second Regular Session (Jan. – May 2022), the annual Veto Session (Sept. 14 – Sept. 21, 2022) and the First Extraordinary Session (Sept. 6 – Oct. 4, 2022), as well as voter actions at the November election on proposed constitutional amendments and questions.

If you have questions about individual bills or newly enacted sections resulting from the 2022 legislative sessions (or introduced legislation that did not pass in 2022), please contact Government Relations staff at 573-659-2280 or govrel@mobar.org for more information.    
 

Composition of the 102nd General Assembly

Based on the unofficial 2022 general election results, when the 102nd General Assembly convenes on Jan. 4, 2023, the partisan alignment of the legislature will be:

Introduction of 2024 Legislation

The introduction of legislation for the 2023 Regular Session began on Dec. 1, 2022.  As of Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, members and members-elect of the General Assembly have already filed over 770 bills and joint resolutions. 

The bills listed in the Selected Pre-Filed Legislation of Interest (at the end of this update) are just a sample of those already introduced this year, many of which could significantly impact the administration of justice, the integrity of the judiciary, or the dignity of the profession of law.  To see more bills of interest, organized by subject or practice area, visit The Missouri Bar’s Legislative Engagement Center (and bookmark the page).  These bills of interest feeds are automatically updated with the latest status of the bills listed and provide links to 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.    
 

Legislative Leadership

After each general election, the party caucuses in each legislative chamber meet to elect their leadership, including nominees for Speaker and Speaker Pro Tempore of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, who are constitutional officers. The official votes to elect constitutional officers will occur on the first day of the new legislative session (Jan. 4, 2023).

Over a year ago, on Sept. 20, 2021, the majority caucus elected Representative Dean Plocher as speaker designate. On Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022, the House Republican caucus filled its remaining leadership positions. On Thursday, Nov.10, 2022, House Democrats and Senate Republicans and Democrats met to elect their leadership for the upcoming session.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SENATE

* Member of The Missouri Bar

Lawyer Members of the 102nd General Assembly

In total, twenty-six of 163 members of the General Assembly will be lawyers. Fifteen incumbent lawyer-legislators are returning to Jefferson City, two incumbent senators are mid-term, and nine lawyers are members-elect of the General Assembly.

Selected Pre-Filed Legislation of Interest

Senate Joint Resolutions

SJR2 - Modifies provisions relating to initiative petitions    
Sen. Andrew Koenig (R)

SJR5 - Raises the threshold for approving initiative petitions proposing constitutional amendments    
Sen. Caleb Rowden (R)

SJR10 - Modifies the initiative petition process    
Sen. Sandy Crawford (R)

SJR12 - Creates standard for initiative petitions to meet the single subject requirement    
Sen. Mike Cierpiot (R)

SJR24 - Modifies provisions relating to jury trial waivers    
Sen. Angela Mosley (D)

SJR28 - Modifies the process for approving constitutional amendments    
Sen. Jill Carter (R)

SJR31 - Modifies provisions relating to the judiciary, including access to judicial records, judicial lobbying activities, and the nonpartisan court plan    
Sen. Rick Brattin (R)

Senate Bills

SB28 - Modifies provisions relating to access to public records of the Missouri highway patrol    
Sen. Justin   Brown (R)

SB36 - Modifies provisions relating to expungement    
Sen. Brian Williams (D) 

SB72 - Establishes the Judicial Privacy Act, which provides restrictions on the use of a judicial officer's personal information    
Sen. Curtis Trent (R)

SB83 - Creates provisions relating to the jurisdiction of the attorney general    
Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman (R)

SB103 - Modifies the expiration dates for provisions relating to court automation   
Sen. Sandy Crawford (R)

SB117 - Modifies provisions relating to civil actions, including statutes of limitations and liability for private contractors of a public entity    
Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer (R)

SB128 - Modifies provisions relating to costs and fees in divorce proceedings    
Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder (R)

SB129 - Modifies provisions relating to child custody arrangements    
Sen. Rick Brattin (R)

SB145 - Creates certificates of exemplary conduct and good moral character issued by circuit courts    
Sen. Steven Roberts (D)

SB154 - Modifies the compensation of court reporters    
Sen. Curtis Trent (R)

SB174 - Modifies provisions regarding the Missouri Sunshine Law    
Sen. Andrew Koenig (R)

SB215 - Establishes provisions relating to alternative dispute resolution    
Sen. Steven Roberts (D)

SB223 - Modifies the expiration dates for provisions relating to court automation    
Sen. Curtis Trent (R)

SB227 - Modifies provisions relating to the culpable mental state necessary for a homicide offense    
Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman (R)

SB245 - Modifies provisions relating to funding for the Office of the Public Defender    
Sen. Lauren Arthur (D)

SB252 - Allows the circuit court of St. Louis City to collect a civil case filing fee of an amount not to exceed $20, rather than $15, for certain uses, including the maintenance of a law library    
Sen. Karla May (D)

SB286 - Authorizes the General Assembly and the Attorney General to review and prohibit implementation of certain federal actions in this state    
Sen. Rick Brattin (R)

SB288 - Modifies provisions relating to bail    
Sen. Rick Brattin (R)

SB297 - Establishes time standards for court proceedings, orders, and judgments    
Sen. Angela Mosley (D)

SB298 - Provides exemptions for records of certain offenses from public access on statewide court automation systems    
Sen. Curtis Trent (R)

SB302 - Provides for the redaction of personal identifying information of minors and next friends from public court automation systems    
Sen. Bill Eigel (R)

SB311 - Creates a new occupational disease under workers' compensation to include post-traumatic stress disorder in certain first responders    
Sen. Doug Beck (D)

SB314 - Modifies provisions relating to child custody    
Sen. Angela Mosley (D)

SB315 - Modifies provisions relating to the transfer of appeals    
Sen. Angela Mosley (D)

SB320 - Modifies provisions relating to automatic stays of court and administrative proceedings for members of the General Assembly    
Sen. Angela Mosley (D)

SB342 - Creates provisions related to consumer legal funding and litigation financing    
Sen. Curtis Trent (R)

House Joint Resolutions

HJR1 - Proposes a constitutional amendment changing the retirement age of judges    
Rep. Hardy Billington (R)

HJR2 - Modifies the process for getting an initiative petition on the ballot    
Rep. Hardy Billington (R)

HJR6 - Modifies provisions for the adoption of constitutional amendments    
Rep. Ann Kelley (R)

HJR13 - Proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting an initiative measure approved by the voters to be amended or repealed by the General Assembly except by referendum    
Rep. Joe Adams (D)

HJR18 - Modifies requirements for the passage of initiative petitions proposing constitutional amendments    
Rep. Ed Lewis (R)

HJR19 - Modifies requirements for votes required to pass constitutional amendments    
Rep. John Black (R)

HJR22 - Requires initiative petitions to receive votes equal to a majority of registered voters    
Rep. Adam Schnelting (R)

HJR24 - Modifies provisions for amending the constitution    
Rep. Bishop Davidson (R)

HJR25 - Modifies provisions for amending the constitution    
Rep. Bishop Davidson (R)

HJR26 - Modifies provisions for amending the constitution    
Rep. Ed Lewis (R)

HJR28 - Modifies requirements for signatures required to propose a constitutional amendment    
Rep. Bill Falkner (R)

HJR29 - Modifies provisions for initiative petitions    
Rep. Bill Falkner (R)

HJR30 - Modifies provisions for amending the constitution    
Rep. Ed Lewis (R)

House Bills

HB35 - Modifies provisions relating to the retirement of certain judges    
Rep. Hardy Billington (R)

HB42 - Provides that a full-time judge shall not be a judge or prosecutor for any other court    
Rep. Ingrid Burnett (D)

HB77 - Establishes provisions relating to the collection of court costs    
Rep. Ann Kelley (R)

HB82 - Repeals and establishes provisions relating to alternative dispute resolution    
Rep. Rudy Veit (R)

HB83 - Creates the Change of Venue for Capital Cases Fund to reimburse a county that receives a capital case from another county for costs associated with the sequestering of jurors    
Rep. Rudy Veit (R)

HB84 - Establishes the Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act    
Rep. Rudy Veit (R)

HB87 - Modifies provisions relating to the compensation of jurors    
Rep. Rudy Veit (R)

HB90 - Modifies the expiration dates for provisions relating to court automation    
Rep. Rudy Veit (R)

HB104 - Changes the age when a person may be excused from serving on a petit and grand jury    
Rep. Jerome Barnes (D)

HB128 - Modifies provisions relating to tort actions based on improper health care    
Rep. Dave Griffith (R)

HB162 - Establishes the Uniform Collaborative Law Act    
Rep. Ian Mackey (D)

HB204 - Modifies provisions relating to proceedings of the Judicial Finance Commission    
Rep. Peggy McGaugh (R)

HB211 - Establishes provisions relating to the refiling of cases dismissed by a court    
Rep. David Tyson Smith (D)

HB272 - Modifies the statute of limitations for personal injury claims from five years to two years    
Rep. Alex Riley (R)

HB273 - Modifies provisions relating to the collateral source rule    
Rep. Alex Riley (R)

HB274 - Modifies provisions relating to actions for damages due to exposure to asbestos    
Rep. Alex Riley (R)

HB275 - Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation    
Rep. Alex Riley (R)

HB279 - Repeals the Missouri Limited Liability Company Act and establishes the Uniform Limited Liability Company Act as proposed by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws    
Rep. Alex Riley (R)

HB352 - Establishes provisions relating to expungement    
Rep. Phil Christofanelli (R)

HB353 - Establishes provisions relating to the admissibility of evidence of a defendant's creative or artistic expression    
Rep. Phil Christofanelli (R)

HB370 - Increases personnel for certain judicial circuits    
Rep. Richard West (R)

HB371 - Establishes provisions relating to the removal of certain court records from automated case management systems    
Rep. Bill Falkner (R)

HB380 - Creates provisions relating to attorney's fees for certain civil actions brought against political subdivisions    
Rep. Crystal Quade (D)

HB389 - Modifies and establishes offenses involving the disclosure of personal information    
Rep. Rudy Veit (R)

HB390 - Modifies provisions relating to guardians ad litem    
Rep. Jim Murphy (R)

HB395 - Modifies provisions relating to expungement   
Rep. Cyndi Buchheit-Courtway (R) 

Legislative Dates to Remember

102nd General Assembly, First Regular Session (2023)

Veto Session