Summary: The committee met with a quorum, entered executive session, and considered two House bills. House Bill 21-24, offered by Representative Banderman, was moved for do pass and approved on a roll call vote of 6 ayes and 3 noes. The transcript does not include the bill’s substance, only the motion and vote. The committee then took up House Bill 3383, offered by Representative Vernetti, along with a committee substitute. The sponsor explained that the substitute expanded nonprofit-related provisions, including additional designation language, coverage for certain nonprofit organizations that register only in Missouri, and added financial penalties for organizations that fail to comply with E-Verify or residency verification requirements. The committee adopted the substitute and then voted do pass on the House Committee Substitute for House Bill 3383 by an 8-0 vote, with two members present. With no further business, the committee exited executive session and adjourned. The chair noted that no Senate bills had yet been referred and asked members to watch for email updates on the schedule for the coming weeks.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Transportation heard Senate Bill 1408, which would allow Missouri to raise the rural interstate speed limit from 70 to 75 miles per hour. Senator Berger, the sponsor, argued the change would improve traffic flow and align Missouri with neighboring states, saying modern vehicles and driver behavior make the current limit outdated. Supporters echoed that view, citing the 85th-percentile speed concept, comparisons to surrounding states, and the idea that most drivers already travel above 70. Several members also raised concerns about the fiscal note, enforcement practices, and whether the bill should be tied to engineering studies or limited to specific road segments. Opponents, including a Haysville police lieutenant, AAA, the Missouri Insurance Coalition, and MoDOT Director Ed Hassinger, warned that higher limits would increase crash severity and fatalities. They cited data from neighboring states that raised limits, saying fatalities rose after the change, and argued Missouri’s higher traffic volumes, terrain, older interstates, and work zones make it different from flatter states. MoDOT said its roads were designed for 70 mph, that speed is a major factor in fatal crashes, and that raising the limit would reduce margin for error and put young drivers, older drivers, and road workers at greater risk. The committee did not take a vote on SB 1408 during the hearing. The committee then heard House Bill 3447, a towing and recovery bill sponsored by Representative Vernetti. The bill would require large commercial vehicles to carry towing and recovery insurance, strengthen notice and fee rules, create a dispute-resolution process, and update abandoned-vehicle procedures. The sponsor and tow-industry witnesses said the current system leaves towing companies unpaid for expensive recoveries and creates unclear rules, while trucking representatives warned the proposal could raise costs sharply for Missouri carriers and small owner-operators. Testimony focused on whether the bill would fairly address unpaid towing bills without harming the trucking industry, and no final committee action was taken in the transcript.

Summary: The chamber first established a quorum, then moved through House Bills for Perfection. The first major measure discussed was House Bill 305, which would set policies for reconsideration of library materials in public and school libraries, require appeals processes, and prohibit tracking or retaining personalized user data, especially for minors. Supporters framed it as a local-control and parental-rights bill that largely codifies existing library practices, while some members raised concerns about the privacy language and whether materials should be removed during reconsideration. After discussion, the House adopted the committee substitute and ordered the bill perfected and printed. Members then took up House Bills 2366 and 2511, a bipartisan construction-industry bill aimed at combating illegal labor and off-the-books hiring. The bill would give the Attorney General more investigative authority, including subpoena power, require complaints to be made by affidavit, and impose stronger penalties on violators. Supporters said it would protect law-abiding contractors and workers and level the playing field, while some members asked about possible overreach and whether the bill could be used against businesses unfairly. The substitute was adopted and the bills were ordered perfected and printed. House Bill 2409 followed, proposing child care tax credits for contributions to providers, employer assistance, and provider expansion; it was presented as a response to Missouri’s child care shortage and workforce challenges. Members from both parties largely supported it as an economic and family policy, though one member noted the bill’s fiscal cost and contrasted it with recent budget cuts to child care subsidies. The House adopted the substitute and ordered the bill perfected and printed. The chamber also considered House Bill 1885, which makes changes to the Missouri Clean Water Commission by adjusting membership qualifications and conflict-of-interest rules to make appointments easier while adding recusal procedures. Members said the changes would help fill vacancies and bring in knowledgeable members, and the bill was ordered perfected and printed. House Bill 2658 addressed telephony laws, expanding the no-call list to any phone subscriber, adding anti-spoofing provisions, and creating penalties for caller ID spoofing; an amendment adding misdemeanor penalties for spoofing was adopted, and the bill was then perfected and printed. House Bill 1919 would require more employers to file certain tax withholding documents electronically, aligning state practice with IRS rules; it passed with support and was ordered perfected and printed. Finally, House Bill 1871, an omnibus elections bill, proposed several election administration changes, including electronic receipt of notices, shifting filing deadlines away from holidays, expanding testing windows for voting equipment, protecting the confidentiality of the permanently disabled voter list, requiring tax compliance for certain local candidates, and tightening write-in candidate rules. A key amendment removed an expansion of no-excuse absentee voting to keep the fiscal note at zero; that amendment was debated at length and then adopted before the bill moved forward.

Summary: The House opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the House Journal for the 43rd day by roll call vote, 122-1. Members also used points of personal privilege to honor former state representative and St. Louis public servant Edward L. Bushmeyer with a moment of silence, and to recognize Jean Carnahan during Women’s History Month. The chamber then welcomed numerous guests, including students from California Middle School, Missouri Centers for Independent Living, Southern Boone cheer teams, Conservation Day participants, Project Home woodworking students and veterans, Coro Fellows, YMCA advocacy day participants, Easter Seals guests, and others. The House then took up several appropriations bills. House Bill 2017, the reappropriations bill, was explained as carrying forward previously approved capital and other projects into a new fiscal year; members raised concerns about unspent general revenue and the large $186 million storm-recovery item for St. Louis, but the bill was adopted and perfected. House Bill 2018, the maintenance and repair bill for state facilities, was described as routine upkeep of state buildings and was also adopted and perfected. House Bill 2019, the capital improvements bill, drew more debate over new projects, the $104 million transfer from the Capital Commission Fund, and whether some projects had been adequately vetted; an amendment by the gentleman from Texas to shift $3 million from the Conservation Commission Fund to help repair a state-owned road to the George O. White Nursery was adopted, and the bill then passed through committee substitute adoption and perfection. House Bill 2020, the ARPA spending bill, was described as the final year for spending federal pandemic funds, with any unspent amounts to flow to the foundation formula; members discussed how much might remain and whether funds could be used to offset education costs, and the bill was adopted and perfected. The House also considered House Bill 2760, the “Praise Act,” which would bar government from imposing stricter emergency restrictions on houses of worship than on comparable private entities, while preserving emergency carve-outs for disasters, terrorism, and civil unrest. Supporters framed it as a religious liberty bill and argued it would prevent unequal treatment during emergencies; opponents warned it could undermine public health protections during pandemics and noted past restrictions on church gatherings. The debate included extended exchanges over whether churches were treated differently from airports and other venues during COVID-19. The transcript ends during continued discussion of House Bill 2760, with no final vote shown in the excerpt.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 3174, a school safety measure dealing with wearable panic alert systems and school emergency access. Members adopted an amendment to remove a highly prescriptive mapping section so the bill would be less restrictive for vendors, and another amendment requiring schools to have at least one master key box (often referred to as a Knox Box) for emergency responders. The committee then rolled the amendments into a committee substitute and voted the substitute do pass by a 10-5 roll call. A second executive-session bill was postponed until the following week because of a family emergency involving Representative Williams. The committee then heard Senate Bill 982, a cleanup bill for Missouri’s sex offender registry laws. Senator Mary Elizabeth Coleman said the bill was intended to reorganize and clarify existing registry provisions, align them with prior legislation, and address issues raised by the Highway Patrol and case law without changing the substance of the tier system. Questions focused on how offenders are classified when they have ties to Missouri but live elsewhere, the look-back date in the statute, information sharing, and why some sections use “sex offender” while others say “offender.” A witness from the Missouri Alliance for Family Restoration supported the bill, saying it would reduce confusion and administrative burden for law enforcement and registrants. No opposition testimony was offered. House Bill 3414 was then heard as a state-level online fraud offense modeled on federal law but without the federal commerce-clause language. The sponsor and law enforcement supporters said it would give Missouri prosecutors another tool against increasingly complex internet-based fraud schemes, including credit card, VoIP, and elder fraud, and that it would help in cases that are difficult to pursue across jurisdictions. A convenience-store representative also supported the bill, citing prior work on credit card skimmer laws. No opposition testimony was presented. Finally, the committee heard House Bills 2628 and 3460, identical versions of the CARE Act, which would require hospitals and health facilities treating sexual assault survivors to inform them about emergency contraception, dispense it if requested, and test/treat for sexually transmitted infections, with reimbursement through the Department of Public Safety. The sponsor and several supporters emphasized that emergency contraception is time-sensitive, does not terminate an existing pregnancy, and is already part of the standard of care in many facilities; they said the bill would improve consistent access, especially in rural areas. Some members raised concerns about the bill’s wording, possible abortion-related implications, conscientious objections, and reimbursement language, and the sponsor said she intended to amend the bill to clarify that it does not apply to medications that terminate an existing pregnancy. Support testimony came from a sexual assault nurse, reproductive health advocates, and other organizations; no opposition testimony was offered.

Summary: The Committee on Children and Families heard public testimony on three bills. House Bill 3470, sponsored by Rep. Schmidt, would create a Missouri partner network linking state agencies, nonprofits, faith-based groups, and private partners through a website and case-management system to connect adults 18 and over who opt in with resources for employment, housing, education, and self-sufficiency. Supporters described the model as already working in 36 counties through the Care Portal and emphasized efficiency, reduced duplication, and stronger family outcomes. Committee members generally supported the concept and asked about opt-in participation, navigators, and how nonprofits would be included as true partners; no opposition testimony was offered. House Bill 3322, sponsored by Rep. Hausman, would extend foster-care school stability timelines from 10 days to 30 days, or 60 days in summer, and increase the mileage limit for remaining in a school of origin from 10-15 miles to 30 miles. The sponsor and witnesses from the Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition and Foster Adopt Connect said the current limits can force unnecessary school changes and are especially difficult in rural areas, while the bill would better preserve continuity for children in foster care. Committee members asked about edge cases, transportation, and whether the child’s best interests would still control; there was no opposition testimony. House Bill 1872, presented by Rep. Reuter, would allow survivors of domestic violence to seek resentencing if the abuse was related to the offense, so that the abuse can be considered as mitigating evidence after conviction or plea. Supporters, including a survivor, Missouri Appleseed, Forward.US, and Empower Missouri, said the bill would address cases where abuse was not fully considered at the original sentencing and would provide a second look for people serving long sentences. Several members raised procedural concerns about how the bill would interact with trial strategy, existing battered spouse syndrome law, evidentiary requirements, and appeals; the sponsor said he was open to revisions. No opposition testimony was presented, and the committee adjourned after the hearing.

Summary: The Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development met in executive session and first took up House Bill 123, a higher education funding reform bill. Representative Black, the bill sponsor, explained a committee substitute that lowered the proposed scholarship benefit from full tuition to $5,000 per semester or the lesser of tuition, tied the scholarships to qualified higher education funding, and clarified that institutions must continue existing scholarship programs for top ACT/SAT students. He also said the substitute revised the performance-funding model to better reflect workforce needs, institutional outcomes, and higher education community feedback, while lowering the fiscal note. Committee members asked about how the model would treat two-year versus four-year institutions, whether funding would be assigned individually or through a block approach, and whether the bill would prevent future funding reductions. The sponsor said the model uses different factors for two-year and four-year schools, would generally operate more like the current two-year funding approach, and would initially guarantee institutions at least the prior year’s funding unless all institutions are reduced proportionally. Some members expressed concern that this could limit legislative appropriations flexibility, while others said the proportional-reduction language preserved that power. The substitute was adopted, and House Committee Substitute for House Bill 123 was voted do pass by a roll call of 9 ayes, 0 noes, and 3 present. The committee then voted House Bill 1627 do pass without discussion, passing it by a roll call of 12 ayes and 0 noes. The meeting then adjourned.

Summary: The Committee on Legislative Review met with a quorum and first took up House Bill 2179. Members adopted a House committee substitute that clarifies public notice requirements by allowing a digital copy to satisfy the statute when a newspaper is unavailable in the area or cannot print the advertisement. The committee then voted the House committee substitute for HB 2179 “do pass” by a 6-2 vote. The committee next considered House Bill 3465 and voted it “do pass” by a 5-3 vote. After a brief recess, the committee returned to open session for a hearing on House Bill 2576, which would name an overpass over I-44 in Webster County for Dr. Tommy McDonnell, a longtime local physician and World War II veteran. The sponsor explained that the bill would also serve as a vehicle for additional naming requests this session through a forthcoming committee substitute. No testimony was taken on HB 2576 beyond the sponsor’s presentation, and no vote was taken on that bill. The chair said a House committee substitute would be brought the following Tuesday with a vetted list of naming items, and the committee then adjourned.

Summary: The House Committee on Insurance met in executive session with 11 members present, establishing a quorum. The main item was House Bill 3314, for which the committee adopted a House committee substitute. Representative Hinman explained that the substitute incorporated provisions from two previously approved bills, House Bill 1615 and House Bill 2071, and updated the title to reflect insurance regulation. Members noted the substitute was intended to focus on industry-related measures with committee support. After adopting the substitute, the committee voted on the House committee substitute for House Bill 3314 and passed it do pass by a roll call vote of 10-4 with one against. No other substantive bills were considered in the session. Before adjournment, the chairman said the committee would be off the following Monday and would need to adjust its schedule to handle remaining bills, noting Tuesday timing could be difficult for some members. The meeting then adjourned.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The House met with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the House Journal for the 42nd day by roll call vote, 135-1. Members then observed several points of personal privilege and introduced guests, including family members, veterans, university students, and birthday recognitions. One member also led a moment of silence for a constituent killed in a roadway crash, using the occasion to call attention to highway shoulder safety and transportation funding. The chamber then took up a series of third-reading bills. HB 2944, dealing with senior property tax freeze relief and automatic renewal, passed 145-4. HB 2230/2978, addressing school instructional practices including screen time and cursive writing, passed 143-10 after extended debate about technology use in early grades and local school board policy. HB 1825, removing sheriffs and prosecutors from county salary commissions with a Boone County carve-out, passed 152-0. HB 1840, creating a Purple Alert system for missing individuals with developmental disabilities, passed 153-0, and its emergency clause was adopted 143-8 so implementation could begin immediately. HB 1623, allowing emergency suspension or restriction of licenses for massage therapists and chiropractors, passed 103-48. On the consent calendar, HB 3279 moved the Community Service Commission from the Department of Economic Development to the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development and passed 151-0. HB 2508 clarified Secretary of State authority regarding certificates of good standing for series LLCs and passed 152-0. HB 1963 allowed social workers to supervise after three years of practice and passed 151-0. The House also perfected HB 2408, removing a statutory cap on grants for deaf-blind support services, and perfected HB 313, which would require Narcan in public buildings, designate October as Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month, and expand prevention and school-law enforcement coordination. HB 3000, concerning audit and surplus-property procedures for fire protection districts, was perfected as amended after adoption of a Jackson County amendment requiring online auction or sealed-bid sales for items valued at $500 or more. The House also perfected HB 2898, reviving the land bank/judicial foreclosure framework after prior litigation over a single-subject issue, and HB 1740, renamed Melanie’s Law, which increases penalties for intoxicated driving causing injury or death and strengthens ignition interlock requirements for high-BAC first offenders. The session ended with announcements, including committee meetings and a fish fry notice, and the House adjourned until 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 31, 2026.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard Senate Bill 953, which would address a projected funding shortfall in the Department of Natural Resources’ air pollution control program. Senator Jason Bean and supporters from Associated Industries of Missouri, quarry and sand producers, engineering firms, the Missouri Chamber, forest products, and municipal utilities said the bill would stop sweeping unused program funds into general revenue and dedicate a portion of existing sales and use tax revenue from utility companies to keep the program solvent without raising permit fees on businesses that have reduced emissions. A witness from DNR said the fee fund is projected to become insolvent in fiscal year 2028. One informational witness argued the bill could reduce general revenue and create broader tax burdens. No opposition testimony was offered, and the hearing on SB 953 was concluded. The committee then took up House Bills 3362 and 3364, identical measures sponsored by Representatives Wellenkamp and Koslow to regulate large AI/data center buildouts. The bills would require separate utility treatment for very large electric loads so costs are not shifted to residential or ordinary commercial customers, and would create water-use permitting and related safeguards for large users, including review by DNR and emergency “kill switch” provisions. The sponsors and many witnesses described the bills as consumer-protection and resource-protection measures rather than anti-development bills, citing concerns about grid strain, water withdrawals, transparency, and local impacts. Support came from environmental groups, conservation organizations, the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, Renew Missouri, and residents affected by proposed data centers; several witnesses urged stronger water thresholds, more frequent reporting, and broader protections. Utility and municipal representatives offered informational testimony. The Missouri Municipal League said it is educating local officials and will work with municipal utilities on the bill’s effects. Missouri Electric Cooperatives said it supports fair cost allocation but is concerned some terms are undefined and could create ambiguity or legal disputes. Ameren Missouri said its current load-shedding policies already prioritize critical services and that large-load customers are subject to emergency conservation plans. Missouri American Water noted the bills would require PSC approval for arrangements with regulated water utilities, but that PSC oversight would not cover all Missouri water systems. The committee adjourned after the hearing, with members encouraging further written testimony and sponsor follow-up.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The committee first met in executive session and approved a House Committee substitute for Senate Bill 937. Members adopted an amendment, rolled it into the substitute, and then voted the substitute do pass by roll call, with 11 ayes, 0 noes, and 1 present. The bill was then moved out of executive session. In open session, Senator Mary Elizabeth Coleman presented Senate Substitute for Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 890, a cleanup measure aimed at repealing obsolete boards, commissions, and committees that have not had appointments in years or whose duties have been reassigned elsewhere. She identified several inactive bodies, including the Board for Certification of Interpreters, Life Sciences Research Board, Missouri Quality Home Care Council, and others, and explained that some provisions were added at the request of DHSS and the Office of Workforce Development. Members asked about whether extending an expired committee, such as the joint committee on child abuse and neglect, could fit within the bill’s title and about the fiscal note and FTE implications. No one testified in favor, opposition, or for information, and the hearing on SB 890 was closed. Representative Terry Violet then presented House Bill 1829, which would let municipalities that publish their codes online keep one physical copy instead of three. She said the bill would reduce costs and improve public access, noting that many cities already post ordinances electronically. Members asked about how quickly ordinances appear online and whether there was any penalty for noncompliance. The Missouri Municipal League testified in support, saying the change would save money on code books and that online access is now standard. There was no opposition, and the committee adjourned after the HB 1829 hearing.

Summary: The committee first met in executive session with 12 members present and 4 absent, establishing quorum. Members considered Senate Bill 937, adopted a House committee substitute and one amendment, then voted the substitute do pass by a roll call of 12 yeas, 0 nays, and 1 present. The bill was then moved out of executive session. In open session, the committee heard Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 890 from Senator Mary Elizabeth Coleman. The bill is a cleanup measure to remove obsolete boards, commissions, and panels from statute, based on long periods without appointments or because duties have been reassigned elsewhere. Coleman also described a workforce development reorganization and noted that some panels were removed at the request of state agencies. Members asked about whether any of the bodies were still meeting, the fiscal note, and whether adding or extending a committee such as the joint committee on child abuse and neglect would fit under the bill’s title; Coleman said the legal question was uncertain but that the bill was intended to address obsolete entities. No one testified in opposition or for information, and the hearing closed. The committee then heard House Bill 1829 from Representative Terry Violet, which would let municipalities that publish their codes online keep one physical copy instead of three. Violet and supporters said the change would save cities money and improve public access to ordinances. Members asked about how quickly ordinances appear online, whether there was any penalty for not maintaining three copies, and how the current system works; witnesses said online posting is typically fast and that the hard-copy requirement is outdated. The Missouri Municipal League testified in support, saying the bill would reduce unnecessary costs for municipalities. There was no opposition or informational testimony, and the committee adjourned after the hearing.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The House Ways and Means Committee met in executive session and first took up Senate Bill 994. Members adopted a House committee substitute and a committee amendment that removed conflicting language and inserted a federal tax filing reference, then voted the substitute do pass by an 8-0 roll call with one member absent. The committee then considered House Bill 2461, with an amendment to roll in related bills and extend, rather than eliminate, a sunset on a tax credit; members clarified that the sunset would remain in place. The committee adopted the amendment and the substitute and voted the House committee substitute do pass by a 6-2 roll call. In public hearing, the committee heard Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 1032, which would allow a one-time $2,400 state income tax deduction for each child born or adopted in the tax year beginning after January 1, 2027. Senator Moon described it as pro-family tax policy intended to help with the costs of birth and adoption and to encourage families to remain in or move to Missouri. Support came from Missouri Right to Life, which said the bill would help families choose life and assist with early child-related expenses. Several members questioned the policy rationale, whether it should apply only to new births or adoptions, whether it could influence family decisions, and the estimated fiscal impact; no opposition testimony was offered. The committee also heard House Bill 3329, which would repeal a long list of expired or unused tax credits and clean up related statutory language. Representative Thompson said the bill removes obsolete credits with no remaining balance or activity, while the Department of Revenue supported the measure as a way to streamline reporting and reduce administrative burden. The department also said the cleanup updates definitions and references so current tax credit administration is clearer. No opposition or informational testimony was presented, and the hearing concluded with adjournment.

Summary: The committee met in executive session and first adopted a House committee substitute for House Bill 1611, then voted the bill do pass on a roll call vote. House Bill 2032 was also taken up in executive session; after adopting a substitute, members discussed concerns about liability, age verification, data retention, and the $100,000 per-case aggregate, and the committee voted the bill do pass by a 9-3 roll call. The committee then considered House Bills 3393 and 2392 together, adopted a committee substitute and a further amendment after a point of order challenge was rejected, and voted the combined substitute do pass by 12-1. The committee then held a public hearing on House Bill 1747, which would address AI-generated images, video, and audio by creating a cause of action for damages when realistic synthetic content causes harm, while also allowing optional labeling or watermarking to provide legal protection. The sponsor said he intended to change the labeling requirement from mandatory to permissive, partly due to First Amendment and cost concerns, and emphasized that the bill was aimed at photorealistic content that could be mistaken for reality. Members asked about standing, global enforcement, the definition of artificial intelligence, incidental sharing by users, and possible application to political content. Testifying in opposition, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry said it appreciated the sponsor’s willingness to work on the bill but argued that even a permissive watermarking approach would still create significant liability and uncertainty for businesses unless the cause of action was also narrowed or removed. The chamber also raised concerns about retroactive application and the burden of going back to watermark existing AI-generated content. After public testimony, the chair closed the hearing and adjourned the committee, noting there might be a quick hearing later in the week.