Summary: The Special Committee on Property Tax Reform opened with no quorum present, so the planned executive session was canceled and action on two committee bills was delayed for a week. The chair explained that proposed changes involving the blind pension fund would be removed because the budget could not absorb the cost at this time, though the committee would continue to study the issue. The committee then moved to public presentations on House Bills 2671 and 2709, both focused on property tax reform by requiring levies to be calculated separately by subclass of property—residential, commercial, agricultural, and personal property—rather than as a blended district-wide levy. Sponsors said this would reduce tax shifting between classes and make Hancock rollback protections work more directly by subclass; one bill also included ballot language requiring tax impacts to be stated per $100,000 of value and disclosure of loan purposes on bond questions. Members raised concerns about constitutional single-subject issues, administrative burden on assessors and auditors, and whether separate levies could create problems in small jurisdictions with very few properties in a class. The sponsors and supporters responded that the bills were clarifications intended to align with Hancock, that counties already have subclass data, and that the State Auditor’s office and assessors could implement the changes with some added work. Support testimony came from the Boone County Assessor and Missouri State Assessors Association, who said subclass levies would better reflect reassessment impacts and would have reduced the residential tax increase in Boone County. The State Tax Commission’s representative also supported the concept and suggested additional reforms, including appeal-process changes and broader Hancock-related adjustments. The committee then heard House Bill 2925, which would create a standardized ballot language section for property tax levy questions and update numerous existing statutes to point to that new format. The sponsor said the bill is aimed at transparency and informed consent, requiring ballots to identify who is taxing, for how long, for what purpose, whether debt is involved, and the dollar impact per $100,000 of assessed value. Members generally supported clearer ballot language but questioned a provision requiring property tax questions to appear on November general election ballots, citing concerns about longer ballots, voter fatigue, and increased burdens on election authorities and poll workers. Missouri Association of Counties testified in opposition to that election-timing requirement, while not taking a position on the rest of the bill. No votes were taken, and the meeting adjourned after testimony and discussion.

Summary: The Ways and Means Committee met with a quorum and first took up House Bill 1919, a bill to expand electronic filing and align Missouri tax filing practices with the IRS. The committee initially voted do pass, then later redid the vote because it had occurred before 10:30 a.m.; the bill ultimately passed the committee 10-0. The committee also considered House Bill 2859, which would gradually reduce the assessment percentage for personal property over 15 years. Supporters said it would slow rising personal property tax bills and keep them from outpacing inflation, while opponents argued it would further pressure state and local revenues amid broader tax changes. The bill was voted do pass 7-3. The committee then heard House Bill 2098, with Vice Chair Davis offering an amendment. The amendment removed the proposal to reclassify golf courses and other recreational areas as agricultural land and instead clarified those properties as recreational areas; it also added language stating that short-term rental homes, such as Airbnbs, remain residential property rather than commercial property. Some members supported the clarification and said the short-term rental issue had been vetted previously, while others objected to the process and said the new language had not received fresh public testimony. The amendment and substitute were adopted, and the committee voted do pass on the House Committee Substitute for HB 2098 by 9-1. After leaving executive session, the committee opened a public hearing on House Bill 2819, which would authorize rounding of cash sales totals to the nearest five cents because the U.S. Treasury has stopped minting pennies. The sponsor and Department of Revenue said the bill would give businesses needed statutory authority and clear guidance, while retail and business groups supported the measure and asked for safe-harbor language and possibly an emergency clause to protect against litigation and address current cash-handling problems. Members discussed whether the bill should say businesses “may” round or “shall” round if they do round, and the Department said it would look into clarifying language. No vote was taken on HB 2819 before adjournment.

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 2934, which would consolidate the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission and the Regional Sports Authority into a single reconstituted board to govern the Dome and Convention Center complex. The sponsor and supporters said the bill would modernize governance, clarify tax revenue use, and create a convention district funding structure without imposing new general taxes on residents or businesses. Testimony emphasized the facilities’ economic impact, including about $205 million annually, roughly 120 full-time jobs and over 4,000 part-time jobs, and support from Explore St. Louis, hotel interests, the RSA, St. Charles County, and Greater St. Louis, Inc. Committee members asked detailed questions about board representation, ownership, liens, and the proposed sales tax and special assessment tools; supporters said the taxes would apply only within the district, be capped, and be used for maintenance and operations. No opposition testimony was offered. The committee then heard House Bill 2559, the REINS Act, which would require affirmative legislative approval for administrative rules with fiscal notes over $250,000 before they could take effect. The sponsor and an Americans for Prosperity witness argued that major rules should not become binding without a vote of elected lawmakers, especially after Missouri’s recent move away from judicial deference to agencies. They said the bill would strengthen checks and balances, with emergency rules and rules needed for federal compliance exempted. Members questioned the $250,000 threshold, how it would work procedurally, and whether agencies might try to avoid the trigger; the sponsor said the process would shift major rules from an opt-out to an opt-in framework through concurrent resolution. No vote was taken on the bill in the transcript. The committee also heard House Bill 2928, which would add certification by the United States Concealed Carry Association as an approved qualification for concealed carry instructors in Missouri. The sponsor said the change would simply expand the list of recognized instructor credentials alongside NRA and law enforcement certification, and members asked about the state registry and sheriff’s role in verifying instructors. House Bill 1752 was then heard, a fire protection district ethics measure requiring surplus property to be sold through sealed bid or an approved online auction platform such as govdeals.com. The sponsor and a fire district witness said the bill was meant to prevent improper sales to insiders and ensure transparent disposal of public property; several members supported it and suggested it could be a consent bill. The transcript ends with the committee concluding its hearing after no opposition or informational testimony on HB 1752.

Summary: The Committee on Pensions met with a quorum present and heard opening remarks from the chair about the committee’s limited number of referred bills and the possibility of combining several minor technical fixes into an omnibus bill later in the session. The committee then took up House Bill 2884, sponsored by Rep. Barry Hovis, which concerns the St. Louis Police Officers Retirement Board. Rep. Hovis explained that the bill would stagger the two mayoral appointments to the nine-member retirement board so the seats would not expire at the same time. He said the change is intended to reduce the risk of vacancies preventing a quorum, which can delay board business such as contracts, and emphasized that the bill does not change the board’s size or basic structure. Committee members asked about accountability, transparency, board communications, and whether the language changes altered the balance between active and retired members; Hovis and witness John Barge, representing the St. Louis Police Retirement System, said the revisions were mainly clarifying and not intended to change board makeup. Barge said the retirement system had sent the language to the mayor’s office multiple times without receiving concerns and reported no known opposition. He also explained that the board had experienced problems when vacancies left it without a quorum. After questions about mayoral appointment and replacement authority, the hearing concluded with no testimony in opposition or for informational purposes, and no vote was taken during the hearing.

Summary: The Special Committee on Rural Issues held a public hearing on House Bill 1714, sponsored by Rep. Greg Sharp, and did not vote on the bill. Sharp said the measure would modernize Missouri’s animal neglect laws by defining neglect more clearly, adding abandonment, creating tiered penalties, and allowing reimbursement for costs tied to caring for neglected animals. He emphasized that the bill was aimed at accountability and public safety, not responsible owners or livestock, though members raised questions about accidental escapes, repeat offenses, and whether the bill could sweep in ordinary pet mishaps. Sharp and later witnesses said the intent was to address chronic neglect and dangerous situations, while also giving law enforcement clearer authority. A major portion of the hearing focused on testimony from Susan and Virtual Welker, whose son was severely injured in a March 2024 pit bull attack in Quincy, Illinois. They described the attack, the police response, the son’s hospitalization and recovery, and the owners’ repeated history of letting the dogs run loose. Committee members expressed sympathy and asked about insurance, Illinois law, and whether the dogs were euthanized; the Welkers said the dogs were eventually put down and that the owners had no insurance. Rep. Christensen also noted that existing Missouri definitions of adequate care and control already address some of the bill’s language. Several witnesses supported the bill but urged changes. A lobbyist for sporting dogs and representatives of Missouri Federation of Animal Owners said hunting and hounds should be exempted or clearly protected, and that the bill should not interfere with field trials, training, or lawful hunting practices. Lewis County Sheriff David Parrish testified that current statutes leave gaps, citing the difficulty of using animal trespass, the “dangerous dog” law’s two-bite requirement, and the lack of penalties when dogs repeatedly run at large, attack livestock, or injure people. He said the bill would help law enforcement intervene sooner. Another supporter from the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation backed the bill but opposed removing property damage language or creating breed-based immunity, while one witness recommended making the second offense a misdemeanor rather than a felony. The hearing ended after testimony with no action taken.

Summary: The Committee on Insurance held a public hearing on House Bill 1718, which would clarify Missouri’s sovereign immunity statute so that the liability cap is tied to the date of the accident or injury rather than the date of judgment or settlement. Representative Dave Hinman, the bill sponsor, said the measure is a narrow fix to address a court interpretation in Robinson v. St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners and argued it would reduce budget uncertainty for political subdivisions and remove incentives to delay settlement. Supporters said the bill would align coverage with occurrence-based insurance policies and prevent local governments from being responsible for amounts above the policy limits when cases take years to resolve. Witnesses in support included representatives of municipal self-insurance pools, the Missouri Municipal League, the Missouri Insurance Coalition, the Missouri Association of Counties, and housing authority interests. They said the current rule can create “unfunded” exposure when inflation increases the cap between the injury date and the resolution date, and they emphasized that the bill would provide certainty and consistency for public entities. Committee members asked about the cap amounts, inflation adjustments, minor claims, and whether delaying settlement could increase recovery; the Department of Commerce and Insurance later clarified that the inflation factor is tied to a GDP-based implicit price inflator rather than CPI. Opposition came from the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys and the State Public Advocate. Opponents argued that the current rule is fair because it uses the cap in effect when the claim is resolved, that the alleged incentive to delay settlement is unrealistic, and that injured plaintiffs—especially minors or people with serious injuries—should not be limited by an older cap when the case is finally adjudicated. They also noted that some claims involve significant harm and that municipalities should resolve valid claims promptly. No vote was taken; the hearing concluded after testimony and questions.

Summary: The committee first met in executive session and established a quorum. It took no action on House Bill 2155. On House Bill 2682, the committee adopted a House Committee Substitute that removed a reference to the 11th Amendment in the portion waiving state immunity, then voted the bill do pass by a roll call vote of 6-3. The committee then held a public hearing on House Bill 2308, which would require parenting time lost during a child abuse investigation to be made up if the allegation is unfounded. Representative Holly Jones presented the bill as a way to restore time to falsely accused parents and children. Testimony in support came from Robert Garza and Lincoln Brewbaker, both of whom described extensive personal experiences with repeated false allegations, CPS involvement, court orders, and lost parenting time; they argued the bill would deter misuse of the system and conserve investigative and court resources. Several members raised concerns about logistics, fairness to the other parent, judicial discretion, and whether the bill should apply only when the accuser is the other parent. No opposition testimony was offered. The committee also heard House Bill 2176, a broad firearms measure described by the sponsor as combining prior committee-approved provisions, including limits on red flag laws, preemption of local gun ordinances, changes to self-defense immunity, and lowering the concealed carry permit age from 19 to 18. Supporters from the Missouri Firearms Coalition and Women for Gun Rights argued the bill protects due process and the Second Amendment and prevents abuse of gun seizure laws. Opponents from Moms Demand Action argued it weakens public safety, undermines local control, and could worsen gun violence and suicide. Members questioned the bill’s dangerous felony carve-out, the scope of the $50,000 civil penalty, and how the bill would affect firearms at home or in mental health crises. The hearing concluded without further action.

Summary: The discussion focused on a literacy/reading bill modeled in part on other states’ reforms, especially Mississippi, with debate over universal screening, science-of-reading instruction, intervention, and mandatory retention. Several members raised concerns about early childhood and kindergarten being pushed too far academically, arguing for more play-based learning, parent support, and funding changes before adding more requirements. Others said the bill should more closely mirror the full set of Mississippi-style steps, including supports before retention, and questioned whether the legislation was skipping important implementation pieces. Representative Steinmetz spoke in favor of science-of-reading approaches and said teachers should retain professional flexibility in using tools, but not as a primary reading strategy. She also raised concerns about retaining students who have worked hard but still struggle, especially students with disabilities or other challenges, and emphasized the need for parent involvement and age-appropriate kindergarten. A witness from the Show-Me Institute supported the bill, saying Missouri’s literacy outcomes have been poor, the bill strengthens earlier law, bans three-cueing, simplifies screening to one universal screener, and uses mandatory retention as an objective backstop that can improve incentives and outcomes. Opposition testimony from Missouri NEA said the bill contains some useful pieces, including annual reporting on educator preparation institutions, but argued that parts of the bill duplicate or alter provisions already addressed in prior legislation. The witness urged keeping the advisory council for stakeholder input, warned that adding another annual test and possibly a new assessment could disrupt districts, and noted that the retention language should preserve decision-making around promotion or retention rather than impose a rigid mandate. The committee also discussed whether the bill’s language should be revised to better reflect the intended limits on three-cueing and the timing of assessments.

Summary: The Judiciary Committee met in executive session first and voted House Bills 1834, 2458, and 2164 due pass unanimously, and House Bill 2167 due pass on an 8-3 vote. HB 1834 and HB 2458 were described as technical clean-up measures changing references from age 17 to 18 in child enticement and orders-of-protection language. HB 2164 would clarify wrongful-death standing so a biological sibling is not barred from bringing an action if parental rights were terminated. HB 2167 would allow the Attorney General to appoint commissioned and non-commissioned investigators. The committee then held a lengthy public hearing on HB 2637, a broad sentencing-reform bill described by its sponsor as “transparency in sentencing.” The bill would move minimum parole-eligibility calculations into statute, reduce reliance on Department of Corrections/probation-and-parole rules, require jail-time credit to be known at sentencing, eliminate conditional release, and set minimum service percentages by felony class, with some specific sex offenses receiving higher minimums. Committee members and witnesses debated whether the bill would simply make sentencing more predictable or would effectively lengthen prison terms, reduce plea bargaining, and increase costs. Supporters, including prosecutors, the Department of Corrections, a public advocate, and a sheriff, emphasized clarity for victims, defendants, judges, and jurors, while opponents argued it would raise incarceration time, weaken incentives for rehabilitation, and add fiscal pressure. Witnesses on HB 2637 also addressed technical issues such as the 120-day callback, good-time credit, consecutive versus concurrent sentences, and how jail-time credit would be calculated. The Department of Corrections said good-time credit would remain in existing law and that the bill would shift calculations out of DOC records staff and into the sentencing judgment. Opponents from Empower Missouri and the Missouri Justice Coalition argued the proposal would increase prison populations and costs and that crime reduction is better achieved through prevention and clearance of violent crime. Supporters countered that the bill would provide needed certainty and better inform sentencing decisions. Finally, Representative Hovis presented HB 2256, a narrower truth-in-sentencing bill focused on repeat offenders. He said it would require offenders with prior felonies convicted of certain Class A misdemeanors and felony offenses to serve 50% of their sentence, aiming to close loopholes and make outcomes more understandable for courts, victims, and law enforcement. Committee discussion on HB 2256 centered on whether the bill would improve certainty or simply increase time served for repeat offenders, but no vote was taken in the portion provided.

Summary: The transcript contains only repeated expressions of thanks and no substantive legislative discussion. No bills, topics, testimony, motions, votes, or other actions are mentioned.

Summary: The committee heard House Bill 2710, which would require the State Board of Education to create a simple A-through-F report card for every public school, charter school, and district, based on academic achievement, growth, and college/career readiness measures. Sponsor Rep. Dane Deal said the bill is intended to improve transparency for parents, keep the current testing system intact, and create a reward program for high-performing schools. Committee members raised concerns about the bill’s “moving target” provisions, the constitutionality and administration of performance bonuses, whether the grading system would oversimplify school quality, and how poverty, school size, and other demographics would be accounted for. Deal said he was open to revising timelines, bonus language, and other details with DESE and the committee. Supporters included a Louisiana education board member, who said Louisiana’s A-through-F system helped make school performance more understandable to families and was associated with major gains in NAEP rankings and reductions in the share of D/F schools. A researcher from the University of Missouri explained the state’s growth model and said growth measures are statistically designed to compare students to similar peers and are publicly available through DESE. Parent and advocacy witnesses from Missouri said families want a clear, digestible rating and that growth should be emphasized. They argued the bill would help parents make decisions and hold schools accountable. Some supporters also said the bill should be refined to ensure the letter grade is prominent and to better explain the underlying metrics. Opponents, including the Missouri State Teachers Association and other witnesses, argued that a single letter grade would oversimplify school performance, ignore factors such as poverty and staffing shortages, and create a punitive “moving target” by raising standards automatically as schools improve. They warned it could narrow curriculum, increase burnout, and lead to more administrative burden and possible litigation. Several witnesses said parents need a broader dashboard of information rather than one grade, and some questioned whether the system would fairly compare schools with very different student populations. No vote was taken on the bill during the hearing.

Summary: The House convened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, then approved the House Journal by roll call vote, 135-2. Members also observed a moment of silence for Weston Wisnett, a 12-year-old from Rep. from Ripley County’s district who died after a hunting accident and had chosen to be an organ donor. The bulk of the session consisted of personal privilege remarks and introductions of guests. Members recognized leaders and visitors from Lafayette Industries, the Missouri Society of CPAs, Care to Learn, the Missouri Circuit Clerks Association, optometry board nominees, sheltered workshop representatives, the Missouri Developmental Disability Council, legislative interns, and other constituents. One member also delivered extended remarks on Second Amendment rights in connection with the death of Alex Jeffrey Preddy in Minneapolis. The House then gave first reading to House Bill 7 on written guidance for financial institutions, House Bill 3108 on homemade food, and House Bill 3109 on conduct at the Capitol with penalty provisions. Under announcements, members were told Missouri Farmers Care would host a meal-packing event the next morning, with a goal of 15,000 meals, and the Commerce Committee was scheduled to reconvene after adjournment. The House then adjourned until 10 a.m. Thursday, January 29, 2026.

Summary: The Committee on Professional Registration and Licensing met with a quorum present and first went into executive session, where House Bill 1980 was moved do pass. A member spoke in favor of protecting peer review discussions as candid, confidential conversations that support patient care and continuity of care, while noting that state licensing boards still have subpoena authority over peer review documents when investigating complaints. The bill passed the committee 21-0. The committee then heard House Bill 1797, sponsored by Representative McGill, which would create an additional pathway to CPA licensure by allowing candidates with a four-year accounting degree and required coursework to qualify with two years of experience, while retaining the existing 150-hour route with one year of experience. The bill also addressed CPA firm naming/structure issues for CPAs who do not perform attestation work. McGill and supporting witnesses from the Missouri Society of CPAs and the State Auditor’s office said the measure would strengthen the CPA pipeline, align Missouri with national model language, preserve public protection through the CPA exam and board oversight, and help address staffing shortages. Questions focused on whether the bill lowered educational standards, how supervision works, reciprocity and fees, and whether the board retained authority; the sponsor said the profession supported the change and that board fees and oversight would remain. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2974 from Representative Stinnett, which clarifies that professionals licensed through Missouri’s universal licensure reciprocity process may practice telehealth in the state. The sponsor and the Division of Professional Registration said the bill is intended to make existing authority explicit and support rural health access, especially in light of Missouri’s rural health transformation funding. Witnesses from health systems, physician assistants, nurses, behavioral health, and workforce organizations supported the bill as a clarification that would improve access and mobility for licensed professionals. No opposition testimony was presented, and the committee adjourned after the hearing.

Summary: The committee resumed hearing the Department of Social Services’ Family Support Division budget request for FY 2027, with testimony from Director Mandy Adams, fiscal manager Jennifer Lovell, and other staff. Members reviewed core funding for FSD administration, income maintenance field staff, the call center, Medicaid renewal staffing, EBT, Summer EBT, refugee resettlement, the judgment payment related to EngagePoint, FAMIS/MEDES system maintenance, eligibility verification, and SNAP outreach. Several items were explained as core reductions due to one-time funding, changing match rates, or shifts in federal requirements, especially in light of HR1 implementation and Medicaid/SNAP renewal backlogs. The division emphasized using contract staff, technology upgrades, IVR improvements, and AI call summarization to reduce wait times, clear backlogs, and protect federal funding compliance. A large portion of the discussion focused on the call center and resource centers, including how calls are triaged, how outbound and inbound calls are handled, weekend IVR access, and whether county resource centers are publicized as alternatives. Members asked for more data on backlog volumes, call performance, and customer survey results. The division reported improved average wait times and said it is trying to shift Tier 1 questions to automated tools so staff can focus on more complex Tier 2 matters and interviews. Members also discussed the refugee resettlement line, with questions about why the state is again administering federal refugee support funds, how much of the appropriation will actually be spent in FY 2026 and FY 2027, and what oversight exists; staff said MoRA and its subrecipients will be monitored and that federal reporting and audits apply. The committee also spent considerable time on Summer EBT/Sun Bucks and TANF. Members questioned why some higher-income families might receive Summer EBT in CEP schools, whether the state can alter eligibility rules, and how the program is audited; staff said the criteria come from federal guidance and DESE, and that DSS will be audited later this spring. On TANF, members asked how the department and governor selected organizations and programs for funding, how much TANF was over-appropriated in FY 2026, and whether new additions would require offsets elsewhere. Staff explained that TANF spending is constrained by the block grant and carryover, that some items are mandated or prior-approved, and that new additions would require reductions elsewhere or later restrictions. The committee then recessed before finishing the TANF section, with no votes taken during the portion provided.

Summary: The Committee on Local Government met and first moved into executive session to consider three bills. House Bill 1825 and House Bill 1940 were each voted do pass by unanimous roll call votes of 16-0. HB 1940 was then also approved do pass by consent, with the sponsor explaining it would help small-town rural newspapers survive and preserve a local source for legal advertising. House Bill 2395, which was described as updating soil/perk test standards and protecting consumers, was voted do pass 15-0 and then also do pass by consent 15-0 after brief questions about whether it was the same bill as last year and whether it had changed. The committee then held a public hearing on House Bill 1867, which would allow the City of Joplin to ask voters to approve a 2% increase in the hotel-motel tax, with the revenue dedicated to tourism-related capital projects. Sponsor and witnesses said the measure was intended to help fund the rehabilitation of Memorial Hall, a city-owned historic building and veterans memorial, and to support future tourism projects through an oversight board and city approval process. Several members voiced support for local control and historic preservation, and witnesses from Joplin, including a former mayor and an American Legion commander, testified in favor. No opposition testimony was offered. The committee also heard House Bill 2600, a bill to update ambulance district law. The sponsor and witnesses from the Missouri Ambulance Association said it would make ambulance district elections at-large, allow board size changes with voter approval, and create a clearer process for consolidating adjacent ambulance districts, including public notice, hearings, and voter approval if objections are filed. Supporters said consolidation is needed to improve rural EMS efficiency, staffing, and response times, and cited a difficult prior consolidation process. Some members raised concerns about at-large elections, the 10% petition threshold, and whether the bill should be narrowed or revised, but no one opposed the bill on the record. Finally, the committee heard H.J.R. 143, which would remove a constitutional restriction to allow the legislature and counties to consider a limited motor vehicle personal property tax exemption. The sponsor framed it as a local-control measure and a possible future tax cut, while committee members and the Missouri Municipal League warned it could shift revenue burdens to local governments, schools, fire districts, and other services. The hearing closed with no further business and the committee adjourned.