Legislative Update - March 4, 2022

BILL FILING CLOSES IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Tuesday, March 1, 2022, was the deadline for members of the General Assembly to introduce legislation (without special leave).  Legislators have introduced 2,253 bills and joint and concurrent resolutions.  To date, the General Assembly has approved a single bill (HB 3014 – an emergency supplemental appropriations bill), which Governor Parson has already signed into law.  The final day for floor action on regular bills will be Friday, May 13, 2022, leaving 71 calendar days and approximately 37 to 45 legislative days.           

Current Legislative Status of Bar-Initiated Legislative Proposals (2022 Introduced Legislation)

To review bills of interest and check their legislative progress, visit The Missouri Bar’s Legislative Engagement Center.  The bill feeds are organized by subject or practice area and automatically update as legislative actions occur, so bookmark the page and check back regularly.  If you have any questions or comments about specific legislation, please contact Government Relations Counsel at 573-659-2280 or govrel@mobar.org for more information.   

COMMITTEE HEARINGS OF INTEREST

SENATE

The Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee met on Feb. 28, 2022, and held public hearings on the following legislation:

• SB 886 (Luetkemeyer), modifying provisions relating to trust interpretation and trust decanting (Consent) – Witnesses [Bar-initiated legislative proposal]        
  Support: Dan Wheeler (The Missouri Bar)        
   
• SB 919 (Burlison), creating the offense of mail theft – Witnesses        
  Support: Tom Dempsey (Amazon Services); Carol Mitchell (Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry)        
   
• SB 937 (White), modifying provisions relating to change of venue for felonies and misdemeanors – Witnesses        
  Support: Locke Thompson (Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys)

The Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee met on March 1, 2022, and held public hearings on the following legislation:

• SB 967 (Hough), requiring motor vehicle dealers to collect and remit sales taxes on sales of motor vehicles – Witnesses        
  Support: Doug Smith (Missouri Automobile Dealers Association); Sam Licklider (Missouri Auto Dealers Association, Powersports Group)        
  For Informational Purposes: Kurt Schaefer (CoPart, Inc.); Zach Wyatt, (Missouri Dept. of Revenue)        
   
• SB 971 (Brown), creating the Missouri Motor Vehicle Commission, and transfers to it responsibility for licensing and regulating vehicle dealers – Witnesses        
  Support: Doug Smith (Missouri Auto Dealers Association); Sam Licklider (Missouri Auto Dealers Association, Powersports Group)        
   
• SB 713 (Razer), modifying provisions relating to the operation of motor vehicles while using electronic devices – Witnesses        
  Support: Ron Bentch (Missouri Hands Free Coalition); Angela Nelson (Triple A Missouri); Nicole Hood and Kyle Fischer (MODOT); Doug Ruediger (Jefferson City Police Department); Dwight Scharnhorst (Missouri Tow Truck Association); Richard Brownlee (State Farm Insurance Company); Michael Gibbons (Associated General Contractors and Enterprise Leasing); Scott Swain (Verizon and the Missouri Police Chiefs Association); Melissa Kirk (individual); Braeden Elifrits (teen drivers); Brandon Koch (Missouri Insurance Coalition); Ross Lien (Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry); Kaycee Nail  (Missouri State Medical Association); Cara Alexander Stark (General Motors); Tony Shepherd (ABATE Motorcycle Group); Adrienne Siddens (victim’s advocate); Stephany Bening (individual); Mattheuw Prenger (individual); Kevin Hahn (Trailnet)        
  For Informational Purposes: Collin Stosberg (Missouri State Highway Patrol)

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

• SCS SB 785 (Eslinger), modifying provisions relating to limitation on certain commercial motor vehicles        
  Do Pass by a vote of 5 to 0        
   
• SB 685 (May), modifying provisions relating to the suspension of licenses for failure to comply with a child support order        
  Do Pass by a vote of 5 to 0        
   
• SB 689 (Williams), modifying provision relating to peace officer standards        
  Do Pass by a vote of 4 to 1        
   
• SB 786 (Bean), establishing a reimbursement program for peace officer training        
  Do Pass by a vote of 5 to 0

The Senate Seniors, Families, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee met March 2, 2022, and held public hearings on the following legislation:

• SB 794 (Washington), modifying provisions relating to medical marijuana program participants in family court matters – Witnesses        
  Support: Laurie Snell (individual attorney); Jamie Kacz (NORML, KC); Tom Robbins (MoCannTrade); Happy Brosnahan (individual)        
   
• SB 941 (Mosley), modifying the compensation of certain state employees in positions within Missouri Veterans' Homes – Witnesses        
  Support: Nicole Lynch (VOYCE)        
   
• SB 982 (Arthur), transferring authority over child-care facility licensing and subsidies to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education – Witnesses        
  Support: Craig Stevenson (Kids Win Missouri); Jessica Petrie (Children’s Trust Fund); Garrett Webb (Aligned); Morgan Atwood (Office of Childhood)        
   
• SB 916 (Bernskoetter), modifying provisions relating to exempt child care facilities – Witnesses        
  Support: Kyna Iman (Missouri Park and Recreation Association); Kelly Schultz (Missouri State Alliance of YMCAs); Craig Stevenson (Kids Win Missouri)        
  For Informational Purposes: Jessica Kever (Jefferson City YMCA)        
   
• SB 839 (Brattin), modifying provisions relating to child custody arrangements – Witnesses        
  Support: Jeremy Roberts (self); Elizabeth Lauber (National Parents Organization of Missouri); Linda Reutzel (self); Jeff Miller (Americans for Equal Shared Parenting)        
  Oppose: Lara Underwood (individual attorney); Carla Holste, (individual family law practitioner); Larry Swall, (individual family law practitioner)        
  For Informational Purposes: Jennifer Carter Dochler (Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence); Rebekah Perry (Synergy Services); Tressa Price (Agape House of Mountain View); Judge Bruce Hilton        
   
• SB 671 (White), modifying provisions relating to the protection of vulnerable persons – Witnesses        
  Support: Michelle Grainick (self); Miranda Malones (self); Jay Hardenbrook (AARP-Missouri); Nicole Lynch (VOYCE)        
  Oppose: Jorgen Schlemeier (Missouri College of Emergency Physicians); Nikki Strong (Missouri Health Care Association)        
  For Informational Purposes: Jon Doolittle (Missouri Hospital Association)

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

• SB 779 (Gannon), modifying provisions relating to MO HealthNet providers        
  Do Pass by a vote of 4 to 1

HOUSE

The House Crime Prevention Committee met on Feb. 28, 2022, and held public hearings on the following legislation:

• HB 1705 (Roberts), establishing procedures for a violent offender registry, which will include any person on probation or parole for first or second degree murder – Electronic Witness Forms        
  Support: Mona Caylor (self)        
   
• HB 1736 (Roberts), modifying provisions relating to medical marijuana facilities – Electronic Witness Forms        
  Support: Lt. Collin Stosberg (Missouri Highway Patrol)

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

• HB 1680 (Mark Sharp), requiring persons convicted of an intoxication-related traffic offense to use an ignition interlock device for a period of at least six months        
  Do Pass by a vote of 7 to 1        
   
• HCS HB 1702 (Roberts), modifying court procedures for certain offenses classified or charged as infractions        
  Do Pass by a vote of 7 to 0        
   
• HCS HB 2032 (Ed Lewis), establishing and modifying provisions relating to child trafficking        
  Do Pass by a vote of 7 to 1        
   
• HCS HB 2108 (Roberts), establishing the offense of organized retail theft, and provisions relating to disclosures by online marketplaces        
  Do Pass by a vote of 7 to 1        
   
• HB 2623 (Veit), modifying provisions relating to required background checks of individuals employed by or associated with licensed residential care facilities, child placing agencies, or residential care facilities        
  Do Pass by a vote of 8 to 0

Archived Video of Committee Hearing

The House General Laws Committee met on Feb. 28, 2022, and held a public hearing on the following legislation:

• HB 2595 (Shields), authorizing a tax credit for certain physicians providing preceptorships – Electronic Witness Forms        
  Support: Dr. Chris Paynter (Missouri Society of American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians, MO Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons); John Paulson (Missouri Academy of Family Physicians); Kelly Dougherty (4^th year medical student at UMC); Genevieve Delrosario (teaches at SLU); Heidi Geisbuhler Sutherland (Missouri State Medical Association); John Burroughs (suburban small practice doctor); Stephen Nittler (Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons); Jessica Petrie (Cox Health)

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

• HB 1490 (Porter), modifying provisions for charitable organization solicitations         
  Do Pass by a vote of 9 to 3        
   
• HCS HB 1613 (Lovasco), establishing provisions relating to asset forfeiture        
  Do Pass by a vote of 12 to 0

Archived Video of Committee Hearing

The House Public Safety Committee met on March 1, 2022, and held a public hearing on the following legislation:

• HB 2699 (Schnelting), requiring law enforcement agencies to submit missing person cases to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System – Electronic Witness Forms        
  For Informational Purposes: Lt. Collin Stosberg (Missouri Highway Patrol)

Archived Video of Committee Hearing

The House Special Committee on Litigation Reform met on March 1, 2022, and held public hearings on the following legislation:

• HB 1717 (Riley), modifying provisions relating to actions for damages due to exposure to asbestos – Electronic Witness Forms        
  Support: Mark Behrens (U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform); Ray McCarty (Associated Industries of Missouri); Michael Henderson (Missouri Insurance Coalition); Carol Mitchell (Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry)        
  Oppose: Bart Baumstark (O’Brian Law Firm); Lauren Williams, (SWMW Law)        
   
• HB 2206 (Trent), modifying the statute of limitations for personal injury claims from five years to two years – Electronic Witness Forms        
  Support: Rich Aubuchon (Missouri Civil Justice Reform Coalition, The Doctors Company, and American Property Casualty Insurance Association); Dana Frese (Missouri Hospital Association, Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers, Healthcare Services Group); Ray McCarty (Associated Industries of Missouri); Michael Henderson (Missouri Insurance Coalition); Carol Mitchell (Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry); Brad Jones (NFIB); Richard Brownlee (State Farm Insurance)        
  Oppose: Ken Barnes (Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys); Joe Goff (attorney)

Archived Video of Committee Hearing

The House Judiciary Committee met on March 2, 2022, and held public hearings on the following legislation:

• HB 2678 (McCreery), allowing elected officials to use campaign funds for legal fees incurred as result of official duties– Electronic Witness Forms        
   
• HCR 71 (Riggs), urging the Missouri Delegation to support the creation of a federal district judge or magistrate position to be based in the Hannibal Federal Building or urge the confirmation of a judicial nominee from the Northern Division– Electronic Witness Forms        
  Support: Andy Briscoe (practitioner)

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

• HCS HB 1682 (Chris Brown), prohibiting a court from imposing or enforcing a moratorium on eviction proceedings unless authorized by state law        
  Do Pass by a vote of 7 to 2        
   
• HB 2056 (Evans), Modifies provisions relating to individuals who are not required to submit background screenings if seeking appointments as guardians or conservators to certain persons        
  Do Pass by a vote of 8 to 1        
   
• HB 2160 (Dinkins), Modifies provisions relating to a sexual offender's duty to report        
  Do Pass by a vote of 9 to 0

Archived Video of Committee Hearing