Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the House Journal for the seventh day by roll call vote, 137 ayes and 5 present. A member from Boone County then offered a personal privilege statement honoring Michael Ryan Burke, a Marine and community member who was killed in an apparent robbery and murder, and the chamber observed a moment of silence in his memory. The rest of the session was largely devoted to introductions of guests and recognition of visitors, including the Midwest AutoCare Alliance, several student groups participating in Show Me After-School Day, House interns from the University of Missouri, a Missouri 4-H Hall of Fame honoree, and other after-school program representatives. Members also made brief announcements about upcoming committee meetings, a rural health care informational session, a Department of Revenue presentation on tax credits, and a lunch event featuring paraplegic and amputee speakers. The clerk read first readings of House Bill 3039 on physician assistants, House Bill 3040 on advanced practice registered nurses, and House Bill 3041 on motor vehicle safety inspections. Before adjournment, the majority leader said members should be prepared to consider House Complaint 1 at the next meeting, and the House adjourned until 10 a.m. Thursday, January 22, 2020.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The committee continued its House Bill 5 budget hearing with the Office of Administration, reviewing numerous OA and FMDC items in Book 1 and Book 2. Testimony covered telecommunications, personnel, procurement, facilities, utility and janitorial increases, warehouse relocations, the Kansas City behavioral health hospital staffing needs, legal expense fund transfers, the Administrative Hearing Commission, the Children’s Trust Fund, MoPerm, debt service, and transportation transfers. Several items were noted as not recommended by the governor, including some OA workforce initiatives, janitorial funding, and certain Children’s Trust Fund and FMDC requests. A major portion of the discussion focused on the Children’s Trust Fund’s home-visiting and regional collective impact hub programs. The director explained that Medicaid-related funding would flow through OA’s federal authority into CTF, then out to providers through managed care organizations, with services targeted to high-risk pregnant women and families. Members asked about marketing, consent, rural access, contract structure, oversight, and audit frequency; CTF said participation is consent-based, services are not broadly marketed, rural providers are paid more due to travel costs, and the fund uses invoices, monthly and quarterly calls, annual reports, and periodic audits. The committee also spent substantial time questioning long-standing appropriations for the Bartle Hall and Jackson County sports authority payments. OA accounting staff said they were unaware of any contract or memorandum of understanding requiring the state to pay, but that statute authorizes matching payments subject to appropriation and that the state has been making these payments since 1991. Members from both parties expressed frustration about the lack of clear documentation and accountability, and several said they wanted to revisit or potentially zero out the appropriations. Similar questions were raised about the Jackson County sports stadium complex, including how the money is used and whether the state has any legal obligation. Later, members discussed the I-70 and I-44 transfer sections, asking how the I-70 project fund works, whether the general revenue transfer is tied to bond debt service, and whether there is a subject-to-appropriations or funding-out clause. OA said the I-70 funding was set up to track and control the project and that the debt service is handled in MoDOT’s budget, but it would need to check on the clause question. The hearing ended with the committee pausing before moving on to the next section of the bill.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The Commerce Committee first took up House Bill 2085, which deals with retail sales of alternative nicotine products and local regulation. Members adopted two amendments: one clarified that the act applies to retail sales, and a second grandfathered in local ordinances, rules, and regulations enacted before January 1, 2026. The sponsor and members discussed at length whether the bill would preempt zoning or local control; the sponsor said it was intended to block local bans on sales while not affecting zoning or existing restaurant/smoking rules. The committee then rolled the amendments into a House Committee Substitute and voted the substitute do pass by a roll call of 9-1. The committee then heard House Bill 2384, a housing affordability bill sponsored by Rep. Jones. He said the bill would address rising housing costs by capping local energy and building codes at the 2009 IRC/IECC level, setting permitting timelines, and allowing certain multifamily buildings to use a single staircase instead of two. Supporters argued newer energy codes and permitting delays add significant upfront costs, that local governments should have flexibility, and that the bill would help builders and homebuyers by reducing regulatory burdens. Several members questioned the rationale for the 2009 benchmark and the stair provisions, and the sponsor said the bill was meant to keep local codes from exceeding that level while still allowing local choices below it. Opponents, including representatives of insulation manufacturers, energy-efficiency groups, architects, mechanical contractors, and the City of Kansas City, argued the bill would override home rule, lock Missouri into an outdated code, and raise long-term utility and maintenance costs for homeowners. They said newer codes are more cost-effective over the life of a home, that the bill would hurt regional code consistency, and that the single-stair language lacked safety features used in other states. Kansas City’s representative emphasized local control and said the city’s code decisions were made by elected officials responding to constituents. No vote was taken on HB 2384 in the portion provided.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the House Journal for the sixth day by roll call vote, 126 ayes with three present. The chamber then moved through a series of special guest introductions, with members recognizing representatives from YouthBuild and Youth Alliance, along with a student visitor from Eldon High School and another YouthBuild representative from Columbia. Members highlighted the organizations’ work helping young people build job skills, earn GEDs, and contribute to their communities. The clerk read first readings of House Joint Resolution 169, relating to state revenue; House Joint Resolution 170, relating to the Department of Transportation; and House Bill 3010, relating to prior authorization of health care services. No debate or action on those measures occurred during the transcript. Several committee announcements were made, including meetings of the Crime and Public Safety Committee, Ways and Means Committee, and Transportation Committee after adjournment. The House then adjourned until 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 21, 2026.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules met with a quorum and first elected new leadership as required by statute, naming Senator Nick Schor as chair and Representative Ben Keithley as vice chair. The committee then turned to a hearing on two Certificate of Need rules from the Department of Health and Senior Services, after noting that one previously noticed item had been withdrawn. For the first rule, department counsel Clayton Weems explained proposed language on when a certificate of need application must substantially conform to a letter of intent, including a catch-all phrase covering changes in owner, operator, project site, beds, or services. Several members questioned whether the “but not limited to” wording and the lack of a clear definition for “substantially conform” made the rule too broad or arbitrary, and whether the department should instead pull the rule back and work on more specific language. Department representatives said the intent was to prevent applicants from filing materially different projects under an old letter of intent, while still allowing a new letter of intent if the project changes substantially. The second rule concerned capital expenditures and was described as an effort to stop long-running “perpetual” projects that had obtained approval but never meaningfully advanced, sometimes by submitting minimal proof such as a pole in the ground. Weems said the proposed documentation requirements—such as financing, construction plans, contracts, and materials on site—were meant to show real commitment to completion, not to redefine capital expenditure. Members again raised concerns that the rule exceeded statutory authority, imposed burdens on all applicants, and lacked standards for reviewing the required documents; one member said the issue might require a statutory change rather than rulemaking. No vote was taken on either rule, and committee members discussed bringing the department back on Thursday to continue the matter before the deadline. Before adjourning, staff gave a brief update on an online rulemaking portal being developed with Senate IT and the Secretary of State’s office. The system is intended to replace paper filings, allow agencies to submit and track rules electronically, support public comments and notifications, and generate reports. Members responded positively to the transparency and efficiency improvements. The chair then adjourned the meeting.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard an apology from State Budget Director Dan Hogg, who said he made a calculation error in the FY26/FY27 general revenue balance sheet by double-counting $261 million in one-time spending, including disaster funding and Senate Bill 1 items. He said the corrected ending balance is $265.7 million instead of $4.7 million, but stressed that the error does not change the underlying structural imbalance between ongoing revenues and ongoing expenditures. Hogg and committee members discussed whether the extra money should remain on the bottom line as a cushion rather than be used for ongoing spending, and several members raised concerns about future withholds, FY28 pressures, and the possibility of federal funding reductions. The committee then moved into the Office of Administration budget presentation from Commissioner Ken Zellers and budget director Hanna Swan. Topics included core funding for the commissioner’s office, equal opportunity, the prescription drug monitoring program, America 250 Missouri, accounting, budget and planning, ITSD, the citizen portal, statewide customer service, and the state demographer. Members questioned reductions in accounting staff, the move toward a part-time demographer position, and whether IT services would remain consolidated across state government. OA officials said consolidation would continue, though some large agencies retain separate systems. A major portion of the hearing focused on the “Movers” ERP project. OA officials said the project is further along than a year ago, but hybrid testing for Phase 2 was paused after an independent validation report from Guidehouse recommended changes. They said the pause was not a cancellation, that Phase 2 would not go live in July as originally planned, and that additional long-term FTEs are needed for maintenance, testing, and help desk support after go-live. Members also questioned the project’s ongoing subscription costs, the use of customer feedback tools, and whether current staff would transition into permanent support roles. The committee also discussed funding shifts away from general revenue toward other funds, especially for GIS data housed in OA. Hogg said the governor’s budget seeks to have conservation and transportation-related funds help pay for services they use, rather than relying entirely on general revenue. Members raised concerns about transparency, fund authority, and possible constitutional issues with using road or conservation funds. The hearing ended with extended discussion of OA’s use of AI, including governance, security, interoperability, and how the state vets AI tools before adoption.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The Special Committee on Property Tax Reform first met in executive session and approved House Bill 1766 by a 9-5 vote. It then took up House Committee Substitute for House Bill 2178, where Representative Steinhoff offered an amendment to extend local appeal deadlines from September 30 to October 31 and set a 15% valuation floor if appeals were not completed on time. Supporters said the change would give assessors more time and prevent large windfalls from missed deadlines, while opponents argued it would weaken the bill’s enforcement and could disrupt the tax timeline. The amendment failed, a committee substitute was adopted, and the committee voted 14-4 to pass HB 2178. The committee then held a public hearing on House Bills 2668 and 2780, identical property tax reform bills sponsored by Representatives Keathley and Taylor. The sponsors described a broad package aimed at taxpayer relief and transparency, including banning “no tax increase” advertising for tax proposals, moving tax increase elections to November, requiring numerical or alphabetical ballot labels, classifying short-term rentals as residential, redefining true value in money as replacement cost, counting TIF and other abatements toward Hancock caps, including new construction in Hancock calculations, preventing levy stacking, clarifying senior tax freeze treatment, allowing partial payments statewide, lowering the operating levy threshold, and shifting the blind pension fund from a property tax item to an appropriation. Committee members questioned several provisions, especially the effects on school funding, local tax timelines, apartment and assisted living classifications, and the replacement-cost valuation approach. Witnesses from Missouri health care, assisted living, hotel and lodging, school administrators, municipal leagues, and counties largely opposed parts of the bill, especially the reclassification of long-term care facilities as commercial property, the Airbnb/short-term rental language, and the potential impact on local revenues and school finance. Some witnesses supported the transparency and taxpayer-relief provisions, but county and municipal groups said the bill would be difficult to administer and would not simplify property tax law. The hearing ended without further action, and the committee adjourned.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Veterans and Armed Forces heard testimony on House Bill 2593, sponsored by Rep. Bill Hardwick, which would modernize Missouri military and veterans statutes. The bill would rename the Military Family Relief Fund panel position to “senior enlisted advisor,” add three Missouri National Guard state ribbons for counterdrug, Homeland Response Force, and explosive ordnance clearance service, authorize the National Guard to provide cybersecurity prevention and response support to state and local entities at their request, update veterans recognition language for post-Vietnam-era conflicts, adjust tuition waiver sequencing so federal GI Bill benefits are used after state tuition waivers and other aid, and repeal the obsolete military council now that the National Guard is its own department. Hardwick and Adjutant General Charlie Hausman said the cybersecurity provisions would let the Guard assist civilian agencies and critical infrastructure while preserving civilian control and consent, and that the revolving fund would support those efforts. Several members asked about the fiscal note, the scope of the new ribbons, the naming of the senior enlisted position, and how cyber requests would be coordinated; Hardwick said the bill was intended as a broad modernization measure and that the Veterans Commission already has funds for recognition programs. The committee also heard a separate informational presentation from the Healing Box Project, which provides guitars and lessons to disabled veterans; the witness described the program’s PTSD benefits and shared a story about a veteran whose life was saved by music. No vote was taken during the hearing.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The Committee on Higher Education and Workforce Development convened and heard testimony on House Bill 2740, a proposal to create a University of Missouri-based governance structure focused on rare pediatric disease research, especially pediatric cancer and neurogenetic conditions. The bill sponsor described it as a family-centered, time-limited effort to improve coordination, transparency, and accountability around existing research assets, with an annual public report to the General Assembly and a sunset date in 2030. Members repeatedly raised questions about who would appoint the patient/family and nonprofit representatives, whether legislators should serve on the board, how conflicts involving industry would be handled, and whether the board had enough defined authority and structure. Several members suggested the bill may need cleanup to clarify its purpose, appointments, meeting schedule, and whether it is truly a governing board or more of a task force/reporting body. University of Missouri Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Rick Barron testified in strong support, saying the university is already collaborating across campuses and entities like MURR, NextGen Precision Health, and the School of Medicine on rare pediatric cancer and neurogenetic research. He said the bill would mainly formalize reporting and communication to the legislature, help showcase ongoing work, and support future funding and strategic growth; he also said he would not favor an industry representative on the board. John Ruth, a parent advocate involved in rare disease research, also supported the concept, emphasizing that these diseases affect families across party lines and that the goal should be to move from research papers to results that improve lives. Additional supporters, including a parent whose daughter survived childhood leukemia, said the bill could help families navigate the shock and complexity of rare disease diagnoses. No opposition testimony was presented, and the hearing on House Bill 2740 was concluded and adjourned.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The committee considered House Joint Resolution 154 and first took up an amendment, which was rejected on a roll call vote. The committee then adopted a House Committee substitute that rolled in House Committee Amendment No. 1. Members then debated the substitute, with one representative opposing it on the grounds that Medicaid fraud is mainly provider/billing fraud rather than recipient fraud, and that the proposal would add bureaucracy, costs, and government surveillance while locking a costly federal compliance approach into the state constitution. Supporters said the measure was needed to ensure Medicaid is reserved for those truly eligible and to protect the program from collapsing under its own weight, while another member said it was a caring bill because limited resources should go to those most in need. After discussion, the committee voted the House Committee substitute for H.J.R. 154 do pass. The roll call was 5 yes and 3 no, with Chair Pollitt and Vice Chair Hurlbert voting yes, and Representatives Diehl, Crossley, Fuchs, and Laubinger voting no; Houseman, Keathley, and Perkins voted yes. The committee then adjourned.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The House Committee on Elections met in executive session, noted that House Bill 1871 would not be taken up, and then considered House Bill 1788. The bill sponsor explained that the committee substitute incorporated suggestions from members, including a disclaimer for companies involved in donations, moving from a moratorium to an opt-in system for recurring political donations, and language ending recurring donations at the election in which the candidate or issue appears on the ballot. Members raised questions about how the bill would apply to party committees and recurring donations that are not tied to a specific candidate or issue, and the sponsor said he would study that issue further before floor debate. Representative Murphy then offered Amendment No. 1 to clarify the election-ending language, particularly as it relates to primaries and whether donations could continue through the general election if a candidate wins the primary. The committee adopted the amendment without objection, then adopted the committee substitute as amended. The final roll call on House Committee Substitute for House Bill 1788 passed 12-0, with one member present and not voting.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The committee first heard House Bill 2498, sponsored by Representative Christ, a juvenile justice reform bill focused on public safety, cross-jurisdiction tracking, and increased prosecutor involvement in certification decisions. Christ said the bill would raise the age threshold to 18 for certain reportable offenses, expand fingerprinting and MULES tracking, require juvenile officers to consult with prosecutors, and allow prosecutors or the attorney general to petition for adult certification. Supporters, including the Missouri Fraternal Order of Police, the Municipal League of Metro St. Louis, the Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, and the Attorney General’s Office, said the bill would help address repeat juvenile offending, improve communication across jurisdictions, and ensure more serious cases are reviewed by prosecutors. Opponents, including the Missouri Justice Coalition, Empower Missouri, the Missouri State Public Defender, and the Missouri Juvenile Justice Association, argued the bill is punitive, could increase detention and delays, raise privacy concerns over fingerprinting and records, and may strain staffing and bed capacity in juvenile facilities. No vote was taken, and the hearing concluded after public testimony. The committee then heard House Bills 1908 and 2337, sponsored by Representatives Williams and Proudie, which would remove the current Missouri restriction that prevents a court from finalizing a divorce while a spouse is pregnant. The sponsors said the law can trap survivors of domestic abuse in dangerous marriages and can also create problems for non-abusive spouses, including presumed paternity issues. Domestic violence advocates, including the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, Avenues Battered Women’s Shelter, Kids in Missouri, Abortion Action Missouri, Planned Parenthood Great Rivers Action, and the Missouri chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, supported the bills, saying pregnancy should not block access to divorce and that the change would improve safety for women and children. There was no opposition testimony, and the public hearing ended after the supportive witnesses. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 1667, the Born Alive Survivors Protection Act, sponsored by Representative Seitz and supported by Representative Jones. The bill would require that a child born alive during or after an abortion attempt be treated as a legal person and receive the same degree of care as any other child of the same gestational age, and it would create civil and criminal consequences for failure to provide that care. Seitz and Jones argued the bill is needed because Missouri lacks a reporting mechanism and clear statutory protections for infants born alive after failed abortions. Several members questioned whether existing law already criminalizes such conduct and whether the bill’s language could be too broad; the sponsor said the bill is intended to clarify duties and add reporting and enforcement. Testimony and discussion were ongoing when the transcript ended, and no vote was taken on this bill in the excerpt provided.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The Special Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs heard House Bill 1997, sponsored by Rep. Irwin, which would give House and Senate security officers explicit statutory arrest authority and access to law-enforcement information systems such as MULES and NCIC. The sponsor said the officers are already POST-certified and armed, and argued the bill would mainly formalize their authority, improve information sharing with Capitol Police and other agencies, and help them respond to threats without fear of being charged for good-faith actions. Several members questioned whether the bill was really about communication, whether the emergency clause was necessary, how arrest and detention would work without a holding facility, and whether the proposal could increase the Speaker’s control over security. One witness in favor supported the bill but urged better coordination among security entities and warned against abuse of power; another informational witness asked about staffing and security arrangements. The sponsor said he intended to drop the emergency clause. The committee then heard House Bill 2108, sponsored by Rep. Griffith, which would authorize conveyance of state-owned land in Cole County to the City of Jefferson for the viaduct/bridge project on High Street. Griffith and the city engineer said the conveyance is needed to proceed with a bridge redesign, right-of-way adjustments, and related pedestrian underpasses, and noted the city is seeking federal BUILD grant funding. Supporters said the project is important for safety and downtown access, while one witness opposed the bill, arguing MoDOT and the state transportation system should remain involved, that parking impacts have not been fully addressed, and that the state should not give up assets without broader coordination. Committee members asked about ownership, whether the city and state both want the transfer, and how the project would affect parking and access. No votes were taken on either bill during the hearing.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The committee first met in executive session on House Bill 2069, where members adopted a committee amendment, rolled it into a substitute, and then advanced the House Committee Substitute by a 7-4 roll call vote. The committee then took up House Bill 2016, which drew debate over a legal definition of anti-Semitism and concerns about free speech and cross-referencing a website to enforce the statute. After discussion, the bill was reported do pass by a 7-3-1 vote. The committee then opened a public hearing on four bills dealing with gender transition procedures for minors: House Bills 233, 1608, 1672, and 1854. The sponsors argued the bills would remove the sunset from the SAFE Act and make its restrictions permanent, saying the state should protect children from puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgery, and citing court rulings and studies from other countries as support. Opponents argued the measures would interfere with medical judgment, parental rights, and access to care, and several members questioned whether the bills were based more on ideology than evidence. Public testimony was sharply divided. Jamie Reed testified in support of the bills, saying her experience in pediatric gender medicine led her to conclude the treatments were harmful and rooted in homophobia; members questioned her about funding, expertise, and her claims. Dr. Brandon Barthel, an endocrinologist, testified against the bills, saying gender-affirming care is carefully evaluated, usually begins with counseling, and should remain available for selected patients with parental and physician involvement. The hearing continued with additional witnesses after the excerpt, and no final committee action on the four gender-related bills is shown in the transcript.

Keywords: 959, house, all

Summary: The committee first met in executive session and approved House Bill 1853, which was described as allowing counties and cities to use memorial signs while rolling back several pages of existing statute. It then took up House Bill 2145, where Representative Mayhew offered an amendment that had been used in prior years to allow population on city limit signs and to permit high schools to sell advertising on outfield fences visible from highways if the audience is the patrons. The amendment was adopted, the committee substitute was adopted, and the bill was voted do pass by 11 ayes and 2 present. The committee then heard House Bill 2951, sponsored by Representative Lewis, addressing motor vehicle registration and tax evasion through out-of-state LLCs and plates, especially Montana and South Dakota registrations used by Missouri residents. Testimony from the Department of Revenue said the bill would strengthen enforcement by tying residency to Missouri driver’s licenses and voting records, create a presumption that resident-owned vehicles must be registered in Missouri, and impose a 25% penalty on the vehicle’s purchase price or fair market value if taxes were evaded. Members raised concerns about snowbirds, over-the-road truckers, enforcement, payment plans, and whether the bill could affect legitimate multi-state residents or commercial fleets; the Missouri Trucking Association asked that commercial trucking be excluded. The department said it already investigates such cases, uses citizen complaints and field observations, and is working on broader system changes including real-time insurance checks, elimination of temp tags, and dealer-based title and tax processing expected around early 2027. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2742, sponsored by Representative Jones, to address school bus stop-arm violations. The bill would authorize school bus safety cameras, make recorded images admissible in court, and strengthen penalties by adding mandatory minimum fines, possible license suspension, and points for violations. Representative Jones cited 143 documented violations in Platte County R-3 alone so far this school year and said current penalties are too weak to deter dangerous passing. School district transportation director J.T. Thomas testified in support, saying the district has seen rising violations, uses stop-arm cameras, and has had drivers willing to testify in court; he described multiple recent violations and said the cameras have helped document the problem. Members discussed camera retention rules, whether the bill should address autonomous vehicles, whether the camera provisions are necessary, and how fines and suspensions would be enforced.