Legislative Update: Missouri House approves proposed state budget

Both chambers of the General Assembly reconvened on Monday, March 27, 2023.  This week, the House of Representatives approved its proposed Fiscal Year 2024 state budget, paving the way for the Senate to begin its consideration of the appropriations bills.  The deadline for legislative approval of the FY2024 appropriations bills will be Friday, May 5, 2023.  Prior to this date, the two chambers will reconcile their versions of the proposed budget in conference committees for final approval by both bodies.  The governor will have until June 30, 2023, to consider the legislative budget and veto specific line items.   

FY2024 Budget Information 
FY2024 Judiciary Budget Request with Governor’s Recommendations 
FY2024 State Public Defender Budget Request with Governor’s Recommendations

Crossover Legislation and Floor Action

View a complete list of legislation approved by the Senate and delivered to the House for consideration.

View a complete list of legislation approved by the House and delivered to the Senate for consideration.

View the Senate Calendar to see potential bills for floor debate and final approval (Formal and Informal Calendars – Third Reading of Senate Bills, Senate Bills for Perfection, and House Bills on Third Reading).

View the House Calendar to see potential bills for floor debate and approval (House Bills for Perfection, House Bills for Perfection – Informal, House Bills for Third Reading, House Bills for Third Reading – Informal, and House Bills for Third Reading – Consent). 

2023 Missouri Bar-Initiated Legislative Proposals

On the website of The Missouri Bar, members can access a list of the 2023 Bar-initiated legislative proposals, as well as links to the corresponding legislation introduced in the General Assembly.  These proposals were drafted by committees or division of The Missouri Bar and approved by the Board of Governors.  Members can also access a tracking report to see the current status of the legislation containing Bar-initiated proposals and follow their legislative progress.

Missouri Bar-Initiated Legislative Proposals

2023 Bills of Interest

Among other legislative resources, The Missouri Bar’s Legislative Engagement Center provides information about bills of interest in different subject or practice areas.  These bills of interest reports are automatically updated with the current bill status and provide links to the relevant bill webpages.  Anyone who is interested in a specific subject or practice area can bookmark the relevant report page for later reference.  If you have suggestions for a new category or if you have questions or comments about specific legislation, please contact Government Relations staff at govrel@mobar.org.

2023 Missouri Bar-Reviewed Legislation

The Missouri Bar limits its review of legislation in the General Assembly to matters concerning the administration of justice, the integrity of the judiciary, improvement of the law, or the dignity of the profession of law.  Each session, Government Relations staff identify and monitor bills of particular interest that impact Missouri courts or the legal profession.  These bills are referred to the Government Relations Committee and the Legislative Review Committee, which review them and make recommendations to the Board of Governors or its Executive Committee for potential action.  Members are encouraged to submit comments on any bills referred for review or any bills eligible for consideration by the Board or Executive Committee. 

Board of Governors or Executive Committee Actions Taken on 2023 Bills

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 March 27, 2023, and held a public hearing on the following legislation:

• SB 384 (Gannon), modifying provisions relating to the supervision of adult offenders on probation or parole from other states – Witnesses
• SB 387 (Trent), modifying provisions relating to behavioral health services for certain accused persons – Witnesses
• SB 405 (Schroer), modifying provisions relating to the offense of endangering the welfare of a child in the first degree – Witnesses
• SB 423 (Washington), modifying provisions relating to certification of juveniles for trial as adults – Witnesses

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

• SCS SBs 406 & 423 (Schroer), modifying provisions relating to the certification of juveniles for trial as adults – Do Pass by a vote of 5 to 0.

The Senate Insurance and Banking Committee met on March 28, 2023, and held public hearings on the following legislation:

• SB 521 (Crawford), extending the sunset of the 2.5% supplemental surcharge collected by the Division of Workers' Compensation – Witnesses
• SB 342 (Trent), creating provisions related to consumer legal funding and litigation financing – Witnesses
• SB 492 (Trent), relating to motor vehicle financial protection products – Witnesses

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

• SB 263 (Eslinger), enacting provisions relating to motor vehicle financial responsibility - Do Pass by a vote of 4 to 1.

The Senate General Laws Committee met on March 29, 2023, and held public hearings on the following legislation:

• SJR 46 (Black), providing for the levying of certain court costs and fees to support the salaries and benefits of certain law enforcement personnel – Witnesses
• SB 537 (Fitzwater), authorizing the conveyance of state property – Witnesses
• SB 505 (Thompson Rehder), authorizing the Department of Natural Resources to convey certain state property located in Iron County to the State Highways and Transportation Commission – Witnesses
• SB 60 (Razer), prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity – Witnesses

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

• SB 10 (Eigel), creating the Anti-Red Flag Gun Seizure Act – Motion to Do Pass failed by a vote of 3 to 3.
• SJR 39 (Brown - 26), authorizing an exemption from increases in property tax assessments for certain taxpayers – Do Pass by a vote of 5 to 1.

The Senate Health and Welfare Committee met in executive session on March 29, 2023, and took action on the following legislation:

• SCS SB 349 (Trent), modifying provisions relating to county or township-owned nursing homes – Do pass by a vote of 6 to 0.
• SB 375 (Cierpiot), modifying provisions relating to child protection – Do pass by a vote of 6 to 0.

House

The House Judiciary Committee met on March 27, 2023, and held public hearings on the following legislation:

• HB 395 (Buchheit-Courtway), modifying provisions relating to expungement – Electronic Witness Forms
• HB 753 (Hicks), establishing provisions relating to automatic expungement for certain cases – Electronic Witness Forms
• HB 352 (Christofanelli), establishing provisions relating to expungement – Electronic Witness Forms

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

• HCS HB 881 (Christofanelli), establishing provisions relating to electronic estate planning documents – Do Pass by a vote of 11 to 0.

Archived Video of Committee Hearing (March 27, 2023)

The House Children and Families Committee met on March 28, 2023, and held a public hearing on the following legislation:

• HB 594 (Kelly - 141), modifying provisions relating to do-not-resuscitate orders for children – Electronic Witness Forms

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

• HB 822 (Smith - 155), establishing the Missouri Parkinson's disease registry act – Do Pass by a vote of 10 to 0.
• HB 351 (Christofanelli), authorizing a sales tax exemption for the purchase of diapers and feminine hygiene products – Do Pass by a vote of 9 to 1.
• HB 716 (Kelly - 141), changing provisions governing educational costs for children residing in a psychiatric residential treatment facility – Do Pass by a vote of 10 to 0.
• HB 743 (Kelly - 141), changing provisions governing educational services costs – Do Pass by a vote of 10 to 0.

Archived Video of Committee Hearing

The House Corrections and Public Institutions Committee met in executive session on March 29, 2023, and took action on the following legislation: 

• HB 513 (Mayhew), authorizing the conveyance of certain state property in Phelps County – Do Pass by a vote of 9 to 0.

Archived Video of Committee Hearing (March 29, 2023)

The House Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee did not meet this week.

Legislative Dates to Remember

First Regular Session

Veto Session