Summary: The Commerce Committee met in executive session and voted to do pass House Bill 3027 by an 8-0 vote. It then considered House Bill 3490, which deals with historic preservation and colleges and universities. Members debated local control, private property rights, and whether the bill should apply statewide rather than only to Kansas City. The committee adopted a House Committee Substitute that removed the geographic limitation and made the measure apply to public and private colleges and universities, with an option for institutions to opt in or out of local historic commission rules. The substitute was then passed 6-2. The committee next took up House Bill 3316, which includes Department of Revenue cleanup changes related to vehicle registration, temporary plates, boats, trailers, and lien notice language. Members discussed the bill’s effect on temporary tags and enforcement. The committee adopted a House Committee Amendment, rolled it into a substitute, and then voted unanimously 8-0 to do pass the House Committee Substitute for House Bill 3316. The committee then moved to a public hearing on Senate Bill 973, a consumer protection bill sponsored by Senator Curtis Trent. The bill requires disclosures for real estate wholesaling and sale-leaseback transactions so sellers understand that wholesalers are not acting as fiduciaries and may not be maximizing the seller’s price. Supporters said the bill would protect distressed or uninformed sellers, while opponents from the real estate industry supported the disclosure concept but raised concerns about the 14-day waiting period before a transaction can proceed, especially in foreclosure or other time-sensitive situations. Some members also questioned whether the bill should require licensed real estate agents or allow waivers of the waiting period. No final action was taken on SB 973, and the committee adjourned after the hearing.

Summary: The Special Committee on Tourism met with a quorum and first went into executive session, where House Concurrent Resolution 36, honoring Josephine Baker Day, was moved do pass. Vice Chair Allen spoke in support, urging bipartisanship and respectful conduct, and the resolution was approved 10-0. The committee then moved into public hearings. House Bill 3420, sponsored by Representative Sassman, would designate Bland as the “Silver City of the Rock Island Trail” to highlight the town’s namesake, Richard Parks Bland, and encourage tourism and economic development. Witnesses supported the bill, emphasizing Bland’s railroad history, its connection to silver coinage, and the potential for trail-related tourism. No opposition was offered. The committee then heard House Bill 3408, which would designate Bland and Bell as Rock Island Trail communities, and House Bill 3407, which would name Bell the “Cowbell Capital of Missouri.” Supporters described both measures as ways to promote the Rock Island Trail, bring visitors to small towns, and boost local businesses, schools, and recreation. Testimony also highlighted Bell’s large cowbell attraction and the communities’ local food and events. No witnesses testified in opposition to either bill, and the hearing concluded with adjournment.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and heard Senate Bill 835, sponsored by Senator Sandy Crawford. Crawford explained that the bill, which had already passed the committee and the House in similar form, would update Missouri’s attachment, execution, and garnishment laws to improve civil judgment enforcement while balancing debtor and creditor interests. Key provisions include immunity for debtors’ compelled deposition testimony from use in criminal prosecution except for perjury, CPI-based updates to exemption amounts every three years, increased and more flexible garnishment and bankruptcy exemptions, a homestead exemption increase from $15,000 to $40,000, and modernization of bank account garnishment procedures. She also noted the bill was developed with input from debtor and creditor attorneys and was intended to mirror House Bill 1870. Testimony in support came from the Missouri Bankers Association and the Missouri creditors’ bar. Both witnesses said stakeholders had worked together on the legislation and expressed support for aligning the Senate bill with the House version. The creditors’ bar representative suggested a minor additional amendment allowing a garnishee five days to cure an error, similar to the existing cure provision for other parties. No one testified in opposition or for informational purposes. After the testimony, the chair closed the hearing. No vote was taken during the hearing, and the bill was left at the hearing stage.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum present and went into executive session. It first took up House Bill 2957, combining several respiratory care-related measures into a House Committee substitute. Members briefly discussed the consolidation as a way to condense related bills and save floor time. The committee adopted the substitute and then voted the bill due pass by a roll call vote of 19 yes and 2 no. The committee then considered House Bill 2897, the optometry bill. Members noted there had been recent discussion about collaborative practice, the Board of Healing Arts, and continuing education, and several said they wanted the conversation to continue. One member opposed the bill as too broad and a public safety concern, while another said he still had reservations but would vote yes to move the issue forward. The committee voted the bill due pass by a roll call vote of 19 yes and 2 no. After the two votes, there was no further business and the meeting adjourned.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the previous journal by a 126-0 vote, and the Speaker signed several bills so they could become law. Members then spent much of the day introducing guests, including county assessors, students, educators, and civic groups visiting the Capitol. The chamber then moved into budget perfection work on appropriations bills, beginning with House Bill 2002 for elementary and secondary education. On House Bill 2002, members adopted several amendments related to early childhood and K-12 policy. These included technical changes to allow board-operated schools to use personal service funds for Career Ladder, clarification of child care subsidy language to preserve payment for up to five absent days and to ensure foster children are paid at 100% of market rate, and a change to Parents as Teachers language that removed a blanket prohibition on pre-K dual enrollment while adding reporting requirements and a ban on state reimbursement for virtual visits. A Green amendment to shift $1 million from one child care line to Child Care Works was adopted, as was a Boone amendment to fund the Success-Ready Student Assessment as a replacement for the MAP test. A Green amendment to allow child care subsidy payments for foster children based on enrollment rather than attendance failed by a vote of 53-93, and a St. Louis County amendment to move $10 million in Title I funds into a competitive grant program also failed. Members also debated a Green amendment to distribute budget reports and waivers to the ranking minority member of the House Budget Committee; that amendment was adopted. Another Green amendment to strike the child care attendance language and restore enrollment-based payment for providers was defeated after a roll call vote of 53-93. A St. Louis City amendment to fund school counselors from lottery proceeds was withdrawn after the chair said the proposed funding source was already overappropriated. The House then moved to higher education and workforce development budget bills. On House Bill 2003, the chamber adopted an amendment broadening a pre-apprenticeship program statewide and another funding Coyote Hill Foster Care Ministries. The most extensive debate centered on higher education funding formulas: a Randolph amendment sought to soften a proposed FTE-based allocation by keeping 70% of core funding with institutions and pooling 30%, but it was later withdrawn after extended discussion. A St. Louis County amendment to restore the governor’s recommendation and reject the new funding model was then offered, continuing the floor debate over how higher education should be funded.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Children and Families met briefly in executive session with a quorum present and moved quickly through two bills. First, House Bill 3451, described as a bill related to interviewing with recordings, was moved do pass and approved by a roll call vote of 11 ayes and 0 noes. The committee then considered House Bill 3534, a playground-related bill, and adopted a substitute that combined the bill strings for HB 3534 and HB 2342. After that, the House Committee Substitute for House Bills 3534 and 2342 was moved do pass and passed by a roll call vote of 12 yes and 0 no. No further business was raised, and the committee adjourned.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Economic Development met in executive session with a quorum present and took up three bills. House Bill 3262 was moved do pass and approved unanimously, 15-0. No discussion was recorded on that measure. House Bill 3157 was then considered with a House Committee substitute ending in .02C. The sponsor explained the substitute cleaned up language with DHSS, clarified definitions, required one license per vehicle, extended the licensing timeline to 30 days, and preserved local inspection authority through collaborative agreements with state reimbursement. Members asked about inspection standards, local control, county reimbursement, and concerns raised by Kansas City; the sponsor said the substitute addressed those issues. The committee adopted the substitute and then voted the bill do pass, 15 ayes and 2 present. House Bill 2886 was also taken up with a House Committee substitute ending in .04C. The sponsor said the substitute aligned speed standards with existing technology, adjusted eligibility for middle-mile and related broadband funding, clarified treatment of second-place finishers, and removed language limiting other forms. After brief questions and support from members, the committee adopted the substitute and voted it do pass by 17-0. The committee then adjourned.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Agriculture met in executive session and first took up House Bill 2280, which would direct the state land surveyor to survey abandoned railroad rights-of-way so adjoining landowners can more easily determine boundaries after railroad abandonment. Members discussed the bill’s fiscal note, the difficulty of locating old center lines, and whether railroads should bear the cost instead of the state. The committee voted 21-0 to do pass HB 2280. The committee then held a public hearing on House Bill 3014, a conveyance bill authorizing Northwest Missouri State University to sell about 59 acres of property to Nottaway County Economic Development for a fairground, expo center, and campsites. Members asked about the acreage and the intended buyer, and no witnesses testified for or against the bill. A lengthy hearing followed on House Bill 3392, which would remove the requirement that retailers and distributors keep Form 149 exemption certificates on file for dyed diesel purchases at retail pumps. Representative Haley and several witnesses, including a fuel company representative, the Missouri Petroleum and Convenience Association, Missouri Soybean Association, Missouri Farm Bureau, and Missouri Corn Growers Association, said the current paperwork requirement is burdensome for farmers and small rural stations and had led to a large audit assessment against one company. Department of Revenue staff said the law reflects outdated procedures, noted that farmers can still seek refunds directly, and said they were reviewing proposed amendment language to avoid unintended compliance issues. No opposition testimony was offered, and the hearing concluded without a vote.

Summary: The committee first met in executive session and took up House Bill 2280, a bill to address abandoned railroad rights-of-way in Missouri by assigning the state land surveyor the duty of surveying them over a 20-year period. Supporters said the bill would help clarify boundaries and ownership where old rail corridors have been abandoned and physical evidence of the centerline has disappeared. Members discussed the bill’s fiscal note and the possibility of shifting survey costs to railroads in the future. The committee voted 21-0 to do pass HB 2280. In public hearing, Representative Farnan presented House Bill 3014, a conveyance bill authorizing the sale of about 59 acres owned by Northwest Missouri State University to Nottoway County Economic Development for a fairground, expo center, and campsites. Members asked about the acreage and whether the bill directed a specific buyer, and the sponsor said the county group was the intended purchaser if it secures funding. No witnesses testified, and the hearing closed without action. The committee then heard House Bill 3392 from Representative Haley, which would remove the requirement that retailers and distributors keep Form 149 exemption certificates on file for dyed diesel sales at retail pumps. Haley and supporting witnesses from Geyer Oil, the Missouri Petroleum and Convenience Association, Missouri Soybean Association, Missouri Farm Bureau, and Missouri Corn Growers said the current paperwork requirement is burdensome, especially for unmanned or rural stations, and had led to a large audit assessment against one company. Department of Revenue staff explained that the current law requires the form, that refunds are available through DOR if a retailer does not accept it, and that they were reviewing proposed amendment language to avoid unintended consequences. No vote was taken on HB 3392, and the committee adjourned after the hearing.

Summary: The Committee on Economic Development met in executive session with a quorum present and took up three bills. House Bill 3262 was moved do pass and approved by a roll call vote of 15 ayes and 0 noes. House Bill 3157 was then considered with a House Committee substitute; the sponsor explained changes intended to clarify mobile food vendor licensing and inspections, including tying the definition of food to existing law, standardizing terminology, requiring one license per vehicle, extending the licensing timeline to 30 days, and preserving local/county inspection roles through collaborative agreements and state reimbursement. Members asked about inspection standards, local control, and concerns raised by counties and Kansas City, and the substitute was adopted before the bill was approved 15 ayes, 0 noes, with 2 present. The committee next took up House Bill 2886 with a House Committee substitute. The sponsor said the substitute aligned broadband speed standards with current technology, adjusted eligibility language for middle-mile and related federal programs, clarified treatment of second-place finishers in auctions, and removed a restriction on other forms of service. After brief questions and comments about stakeholder input, the substitute was adopted and the bill was voted do pass by 17 ayes and 0 noes. The committee then adjourned.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Insurance met with a quorum present and moved into executive session. House Bill 3314 was not taken up because Representative Hinman was still working on a committee substitute. The committee then considered House Bill 1894. An amendment to HB 1894 was offered and adopted. The amendment was described as clarifying that insurers are not required to contract with every provider seeking participation, while preserving insurers’ ability to select and manage networks based on quality, performance, effectiveness, and credentialing standards. The committee then rolled the amendment into a new House Committee substitute. After adopting the substitute, the committee voted the House Committee substitute for HB 1894 do pass by a 9-0 vote. No other business was before the committee, and the meeting adjourned.

Summary: The Committee on Children and Families met in brief executive session with a quorum present and moved quickly through two measures. First, House Bill 3451, described as the CITES bill related to interviewing with recordings, was moved “do pass” and approved by roll call vote, 11-0. The committee then took up House Bill 3534, the playground bill, and adopted a substitute that combined the bill strings with House Bill 2342. After the substitute was adopted, the House Committee Substitute for House Bills 3534 and 2342 was moved “do pass” and approved by roll call vote, 12-0. No additional discussion or business was raised before adjournment.

Summary: The Committee for Insurance convened with a quorum and moved into executive session after noting that House Bill 3314 would be taken up later because Representative Hinman was still working on a committee substitute. The committee then considered House Bill 1894. An amendment to HB 1894 was offered and adopted. The sponsor explained that the amendment was intended to clarify that insurers are not required to contract with every provider seeking network participation, and that plans may still manage networks and select providers based on quality, performance, effectiveness, credentials, or related criteria. The committee then rolled the amendment into a House Committee substitute. The House Committee substitute for HB 1894 was voted do pass by a roll call vote of nine ayes and no nays. No other business was brought before the committee, and the meeting adjourned.

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the previous day’s journal by a 126-0 vote, and suspended business for the Speaker to sign several bills and substitutes. Members then spent much of the day introducing guests, including county assessors, students, civic groups, and visitors from local schools and universities. The chamber then took up House Bill 2002, the elementary and secondary education budget. Members adopted several amendments, including technical fixes to allow board-operated schools to use personal service funds for career ladder payments, clarifications to child care subsidy language, and changes to Parents as Teachers rules so that enrollment remains voluntary and virtual visits are not reimbursable. An amendment to shift $1 million from one child care facilities line to Child Care Works passed, as did an amendment to fund a new Success-Ready Student Assessment with $2 million to help replace the MAP test. A proposal to pay child care subsidies for foster children based on enrollment rather than attendance failed 53-93, and an amendment to divert $10 million in Title I funds into a competitive grant program also failed. A later amendment to send budget reports to the ranking minority member passed, while an attempt to remove child care subsidy language from the bill failed. The House then moved to higher education and workforce development appropriations. Members approved an amendment broadening a pre-apprenticeship program statewide and supported funding for Coyote Hill Foster Care Ministries through a transfer from dual credit scholarship funds. The most extensive debate centered on House Bill 2003’s higher education funding model, where the chair defended an FTE-based approach as more transparent than the long-standing status quo, while opponents warned it would sharply cut funding for institutions such as Harris-Stowe, Lincoln, Truman State, and some community colleges, and would ignore factors like graduation rates, research, and workforce needs. A compromise amendment to soften the transition was withdrawn, and a separate amendment to restore the governor’s recommendation was also debated at length, with members arguing over the fairness and consequences of the proposed model.

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and first went into executive session, where it adopted a House Committee substitute combining House Bills 3078 and 2672 and voted the substitute do pass, with one no vote. It then separately voted House Bill 2362 and House Bill 2588 do pass, each by 16 ayes and one no. During the executive session, one member objected to the combined bill on constitutional equal-protection grounds, while another supported it as a benefit for veterans. In public hearing, Representative Stephanie Boykin presented House Bill 3280, which would create a Missouri specialty license plate for the surviving spouse of a disabled veteran who previously qualified for a disabled veteran plate. She described it as a low-cost way to continue honoring a veteran’s service and family sacrifice. Committee members and a surviving spouse testified in strong support, emphasizing the recognition of spouses’ sacrifices and noting that similar plates exist in other states. No opposition was offered. The committee then heard House Bill 3029, sponsored by Representative Schulte, which would require disclosures and prohibit compensation for referrals in the business of advising or assisting with veterans’ benefits, with penalties for violations. Supporters, including a Missouri veterans service officer, argued the bill was needed to stop unaccredited “claim shark” companies from charging veterans for initial claims and using misleading social media advertising. Opponents, including a representative of Veterans Guardian and a VA-accredited attorney, argued the bill would restrict lawful private-sector assistance, reduce veterans’ choice, and should be narrowed to target bad actors while exempting accredited attorneys and referral arrangements. The hearing also included a presentation on the Missouri Veterans Recognition Program, which provides medals and certificates for veterans of major conflicts, and a presentation on MU Extension’s Veteran REEDS program, which uses literature and discussion to support veterans and first responders through community-based resilience work.