Legislative Update: March 8, 2024

A total of 2,589 bills and resolutions have been introduced – 1,718 in the House and 871 in the Senate.  The Senate has adopted and sent 11 pieces of legislation to the House for consideration. The House has adopted 34 pieces of legislation. For comparison purposes, 58 bills were Truly Agreed and Finally Passed in 2023, 60 in 2022, and 65 in 2021. The high water mark was 184 in 2014. 

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)

Committee hearings of interest

Senate

The Senate Insurance and Banking Committee met in executive session on March 5 and took action on legislation including the following:

SB 1346 (Trent), Modifies the term "purchase" as it relates to political subdivisions purchasing liability insurance for tort claims

• Do Pass by a vote of 5 to 0

The Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee met on March 6 and held public hearings on bills including:

SB 998 (Hoskins), Creates the Anti-Red Flag Gun Seizure Act

• In Support: Susan Myers, Western Missouri Shooters Alliance
• In Opposition: Moms Demand Action, City of St. Louis

SB 1008 (Crawford), Modifies provisions relating to outdoor advertising

• In Support: none
• In Opposition: none

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

SB 989 (Carter), Modifies provisions relating to civil actions

• Do Pass by a vote of 3 to 1

SB 1155 (Mosley), Creates the CTF Medical Alert System

• Do Pass by a vote of 4 to 0

The Senate Health and Welfare Committee met on March 6 and held public hearings on the following:

SB 931 (Arthur), Modifies provisions relating to telehealth services

• Provide for audio only telehealth; to be covered by insurance
• In Support: Missouri Psychological Association, Missouri Mental Health Counselors Association, National Association of Social Workers – Missouri Chapter, Dr. Amy Beck, Missouri Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Missouri Hospital Association, Missouri Academy of Family Physicians, Cox Health, Missouri Association of Rural Health Clinics
• In Opposition: none

SB 1260 Gannon), Modifies provisions relating to prenatal tests for certain diseases

• Adds Hepatitis C and HIV to tests to be administered
• In Support: American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Missouri Center for Public Health Excellence, Missouri Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Missouri State Medical Association
• In Opposition: none

SB 1212 (Moon), Modifies provisions relating to hospital price transparency laws

• Hospitals to post pricing codes in places where public can see them
• In Support:  Missouri Century Foundation
• In Opposition: Missouri Hospital Association, BJC Healthcare System, Mosaic Healthcare, SSM Health Care, St. Luke’s Health System, University of Missouri Health Care, Mercy

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

SB 874 (Bean), Repeals provisions relating to hemp extract for the treatment of intractable epilepsy

• Do Pass by a vote of 6 to 0

SB 1326 (McCreery), Modifies provisions relating to forensic examinations of victims of sexual offenses

• Do Pass by a vote of 6 to 0

The Senate Appropriations Committee met on March 7 to discuss the Supplemental Budget Bill.

House

The House Committee on Crime Prevention and Public Safety met on Feb. 29 and held public hearings on the following:

HB 1433 (Haley), Modifies the offenses of trafficking of drugs in the first and second degree

• Harsher penalties for fentanyl
• In Support: none
• In Opposition: none
• Electronic Witness Forms

HB 2137 (Voss), Modifies provisions relating to the “Pretrial Witness Protection Services Fund”

• Allow prosecuting attorneys’ offices to access the Fund
• In Support:  Department of Public Safety, Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys
• In Opposition: none
• For Information: Missouri Office of Prosecution Services
• Electronic Witness Forms

HB1653 (Roberts), Modifies the offense of making a false report

• Addresses damages to the victim and offenses committed by children
• In Support: Anti-Defamation League-Heartland, Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys
• In Opposition: John Stambaugh
• Electronic Witness Forms

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

HB 1707 (Myers), Allows the chief law enforcement executive in any jurisdiction to request assistance from another jurisdiction, including a jurisdiction outside the state of Missouri

• Do Pass by a vote of 22 to 0

HB 1991 (Gallick), Requires schools to establish cardiac emergency response plans

• Do Pass by a vote of 19 to 3

HCS HBs 2576 & 1433 (Casteel), Modifies the offenses of trafficking of drugs in the first and second degree

• Do Pass by a vote of 18 to 3. with 1 voting Present

Archived Video of Committee Hearing

The House Committee on Children and Families met on March 5 and held public hearings on the following:

HB 1975 (Stinnett), Creates a prescribed pediatric extended care facility license issued by the department of health and senior services

• Care for children with disabilities
• In Support:  Department of Health and Senior Services, Special Learning Center of Jefferson City, Kids Win Missouri
• In Opposition: none
• Electronic Witness Forms

HB 2547 (Christ), Establishes the "Zero-Cost Adoption Fund Act" which establishes a fund to offset costs associated with adoption and a tax credit for any person who contributes to the fund

• In Support:  Campaign Life Missouri,
• In Opposition: none
• Electronic Witness Forms

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

HB 1928 (Gragg), Modifies provisions relating to child care provider licensing requirements for certain providers

• Do Pass by a vote of 9 to 0

HSC HB 1996 (Perkins), Modifies provisions relating to drug offenses involving persons under the age of twenty-two years old

• Do Pass by a vote of 6 to 2, with 1 voting Present

Archived Video of Committee Hearing

The House Professional Registration and Licensing Committee met on March 5 and considered the following in executive session:

HCS HB 1800 (Copeland), Modifies provisions relating to criminal history background checks

• Do Pass by a vote of 8 to 0

Archived Video of Committee Hearing

The House Committee on Financial Institutions met on March 5 and held public hearings on legislation that included the following:

HB 2798 (O’Donnell), Modifies the “Missouri Family Trust Company Act”

Moves oversight Family Trust Companies from the Secretary of State to the Division of Finance

• In Support: Paul Vogel – Vogel Law Office, Missouri Bankers Association
• In Opposition: none
• Electronic Witness Forms

Archived Video of Committee Hearing

The House Committee on General Laws met on March 5 and held public hearings on legislation that included the following:

HB 1452 (Veit), Establishes the “Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act”

• Allows working with other states to get subpoenas issued and make judicial action more efficient
• In Support: none
• In Opposition: none
• Electronic Witness Forms

HB 2727 (Parker), Establishes the "Uniform Unlawful Restrictions in Land Records Act"

• Uniform procedures to remove unlawful restrictive covenants
• In Support: The Community Associations Institute, Arnie Dienhoff
• In Opposition: none
• Electronic Witness Forms

Archived Video of Committee Hearing

The House Judiciary Committee met on March 6 and held public hearings on the following:

HB 2595 (Burton), Modifies and establishes provisions relating to summer camps

• Summer camps will not have to follow the same requirements as day cares, but will be regulated
• In Support:  Olga and Travone Mister – parents of a child who died in summer camp
• In Opposition: Missouri Park and Recreation Association, Van Kelley – camp owner and operator
• For Information: Missouri After School Network
• Electronic Witness Forms

HB 2640 (West), Modifies provisions relating to juvenile proceedings

• Changes made to comport with raise the age
• In Support:  Missouri Juvenile Justice Association
• In Opposition: Office of the State Public Defender, Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Electronic Witness Forms

HB 2492 (Evans), Modifies provisions relating to the offense of unlawful use of weapons

• Allow juvenile officers, if permitted by court, to possess firearms
• In Support: Missouri Juvenile Justice Association  
• In Opposition: none
• Electronic Witness Forms

HB 2783 (Evans), Modifies the offenses of tampering with a judicial officer and tampering with a judicial proceeding

• Addition to the judicial protection act; additional safeguards for judges
• In Support: Judicial Conference of Missouri
• In Opposition: none
• Electronic Witness Forms

Archived Video of Committee Hearing

The House Corrections and Public Institutions Committee met on March 6 and held a public hearing on the following:

HB 2558 (Sparks), Establishes provisions relating to jail reimbursement by the department of corrections

• In Support: Missouri Association of Counties, St. Louis County
• In Opposition: none
• For Information: Department of Corrections
• Electronic Witness Forms

Archived Video of Committee Hearing

The House Emerging Issues Committee met on March 6 and held public hearings on legislation including the following:

HB 2776 (Schulte), Authorizes an income tax deduction for employers who provide pay regular wages to employees serving jury duty

• In Support: none
• In Opposition: none
• Electronic Witness Forms

Archived Video of Committee Hearing