Legislative Update: Legislative floor debate begins in earnest

General Assembly

Both chambers of the General Assembly reconvened on Monday, January 30, 2023.  The Senate has perfected three bills, which must be third read to be sent to the House for consideration:  SS SCS SBs 3 & 69 (Hoskins), relating to the promotion of business development; SS SB 25 (Hough), relating to a tax exemption for certain federal grants; and SB 51 (Eslinger), relating to the scope of practice for physical therapists.  On Wednesday, February 1, 2023, the Senate also debated SCS SBs 4, 42 & 89 (Koenig), relating to elementary and secondary education, but it was laid it over on the informal perfection calendar without action.  On Thursday, February 2, 2023, by a vote of 108 ayes and 50 noes, the House third read HJR 43 (Henderson), relating to initiative petitions proposing constitutional amendments.  HJR 43 proposes to raise the threshold for voter approval of proposed constitutional amendments from a simple majority to sixty percent of the votes cast.

In the Senate, thirteen bills and resolutions are currently on the Senate Perfection Calendars – Formal and Informal.  Hearings have been conducted on eighty-two bills or resolutions.  In the House, 148 bills and joint resolutions have been referred to committees, and seventeen bills and joint resolutions have been voted do pass.  At this time, no additional bills have been added to the House perfection calendars. 

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.  The bills of interest listed 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.    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 (2023 Introduced Legislation)

COMMITTEE HEARINGS OF INTEREST

Senate

N.B.:  The “Witnesses” links for Senate committees will lead to the “Committee Minutes” page of the relevant committee.  On the “Committee Minutes” page, scroll to the appropriate bill number in the middle column of the page and click the “View” button.

The Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee met on January 30, 2023, and held public hearings on the following legislation:

• SB 103 (Crawford), modifying the expiration dates for provisions relating to court automation – Witnesses
  
  Support: Hon. Andrea Vandeloecht, Associate Circuit Judge, 9th Judicial Circuit (Missouri Court Automation Committee and Judicial Conference of Missouri); Patricia Churchill (Judicial Conference of Missouri); Kurt Schaefer (St. Louis County); Eric Jennings (The Missouri Bar); David Klarich (Missouri Circuit Judges Association)
   
• SB 119 (Luetkemeyer), repealing provisions relating to a mandatory salary range for the Kansas City police chief – Witnesses
  
  Support: Lucas Winder (St. Joseph police officer); Paul Gash (Jefferson City Police Department); Randy Dorman (Missouri Department of Conservation); Andy Arnold (Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners); Shannon Cooper (City of Kansas City, Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, Civic Council of Greater Kansas City); Brad Lemon (President of the Kansas City MO Fraternal Order of Police); Deputy Chief Derek McCollum (Kansas City Police Department)
   
• SB 120 (May), establishing post-traumatic stress disorder as an occupational disease – Witnesses
  
  Support:  Brad Lemon (President, Kansas City MO Fraternal Order of Police); Dr. Jennifer Prohaska (Clinical Psychologist); Michael Delaney (individual capacity); Jay Reichard (Missouri Behavioral Health Council); Mark Habbas (International Association of Firefighters); Sharon Jones (Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys)

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

• SB 22 (Bernskoetter), modifying provisions relating to eligibility for parole – Do Pass by a vote of 4 to 1
   
• SB 117 (Luetkemeyer) , modifying provisions relating to civil actions, including statutes of limitations and liability for private contractors of a public entity – Do Pass by a vote of 4 to 1

The Senate Health and Welfare Committee met on February 1, 2023, and held public hearings on the following legislation:

• SJR 4 (Koenig), modifying provisions relating to MO HealthNet beneficiaries, providers, and services – Witnesses
  
  Support:  James Harris (Opportunity Solutions Project); Jeremy Cady (Americans for Prosperity)
  
  Oppose: Jay Hardenbrook (AARP Missouri); Emily Kalmer (American Cancer Society); Maura Gray (American Heart Association); Tyler McClay (Catholic Charities of St. Louis); Brian Colby (Missouri Budget Project); Rob Monsees (Missouri Hospital Association); Curtis Wichmer (Missouri Catholic Conference); Jeremy LaFaver (Empower Missouri); Katie Gamble (Health Forward Foundation); Mandy Hagseth (Missouri Family Health Council); Jessica Petrie (BJC Healthcare Systems); Nancy Copenhaver (Missouri League of Women Voters); Farilyn Hale (National Council of Jewish Women, St. Louis); Justin Alferman (SSM Health Care); Dr. Emma Crocker (Missouri Healthcare for All); Ellen Alper (individual capacity)
   
• SB 82 (Coleman), modifying provisions relating to public assistance – Witnesses

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

• SCS SBs 45 & 90 (Gannon), modifying provisions relating to MO HealthNet services for pregnant and post partum women – Do Pass by a vote of 4 to 2

The Senate Gubernatorial Appointments Committee met on February 1, 2023.  Potential appointees considered included Hon. Roy L. Richter (sponsored by Senator Moon) as a member of the Public Defender Commission.  In executive session, the committee approved a motion to report the nominees as a slate by a vote of 8 to 0.

House

The House Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee met on January 30, 2023, and continued the public hearing on the following legislation:

• HB 301 (Roberts), modifying and establishing provisions relating to public safety – Electronic Witness Forms 
  
  Oppose:  Christopher Hinckley (Chief Warrant Officer, St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office); Redditt Hudson (Diversion & Alternative Prosecution, St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office)
  
  Archived Video of Committee Hearing
  Archived Video of the First Committee Hearing on HB 301

The House Judiciary Committee met on January 30, 2023, and held a public hearing on the following legislation:

• HB 87 (Veit), modifying provisions relating to the compensation of jurors – Electronic Witness Forms
  
  Support:  Patricia Churchill (Judicial Conference of Missouri)
  
  Archived Video of Committee Hearing

The House Professional Registration and Licensing Committee met on January 31, 2023, and held public hearings on the following legislation:

• HB 348 (Coleman), establishing Missouri as a member of the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact – Electronic Witness Forms
   
• HB 557 (Houx), modifying provisions relating to deceased persons – Electronic Witness Forms
  
  Support:  Donald Otto (Missouri Funeral Directors Association)

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

• HCS HB 115 & 99 (Shields), modifying provisions relating to the scope of practice for physical therapists – Do Pass by a vote of 9 to 0
  
  Archived Video of Committee Hearing

The House Children and Families Committee met on January 31, 2023, and held public hearings on the following legislation:

• HB 677 (Copeland), allowing the Office of Child Advocate to disclose the identity of a complainant or recipient if requested by law enforcement as part of an investigation – Electronic Witness Forms
  
  Support: Becky Ruth (Office of Child Advocate)
  
  Oppose: Arnie Dienoff (individual capacity)

The following two bills were heard together:

• HB 428 (Perkins), modifying provisions relating to licensed child care facilities – Electronic Witness Forms
   
• HB 913 (Farnan), modifying provisions relating to licensed child care facilities – Electronic Witness Forms
  
  Support: Mandy Burnett (in-home day care operator); Joyce Luebrecht (licensed group in-home operator)
  
  Oppose: Robin Phillips (ChildCare Aware of Missouri); Arnie Dienoff, (individual capacity); Robyn Schelp (Kids Win Missouri)
  
  Archived Video of Committee Hearing

The House Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee met on February 2, 2023, in executive session and took action the following legislation:

• HCS HB 301 (Roberts), modifying and establishing provisions relating to public safety – Do Pass by a vote of 19 to 3, with one voting member voting present
  
  Archived Video of Committee Hearing

Legislative Dates to Remember

First Regular Session

Veto Session