The Missouri General Assembly is set to convene on Wednesday, Jan. 6, in Jefferson City. This year’s legislative session is scheduled to end on Friday, May 13.
Missouri Press Association staff members, along with Gallagher Consultants in Jefferson City, have been monitoring bills since pre-filing began on Dec. 1.
So far, 565 House bills and 267 Senate bills have been introduced. Also, 11 constitutional amendments have been introduced by House members, and 18 constitutional amendments have been introduced by Senators.
Missouri Press Association will be providing members a weekly legislative report via email during the session, and if you wish to receive the report, please contact Doug Crews dcrews@socket.net or Mark Maassen mmaassen@socket.net , and we’ll add you to the list.
It’s very important that you contact your legislators when you receive any “legislative alerts” from MPA during the session. It’s vital that you pick up the phone and make a call or send your legislator an email when your help is requested. It’s important that legislators hear from their constituents “back home.” Thanks!
Below is a list of House and Senate bills that have been filed and the bills’ sponsors. These bills are of particular interest to newspapers. Several of the bills would close or expunge criminal records of job applicants. Some would affect the Sunshine Law. A few bills relate to body cameras worn by police.
You may find more information about various bills and the 2016 legislative session on the House of Representatives’ web site: www.house.mo.gov or the Senate’s web site: www.senate.mo.gov.
Also, we hope you will attend Missouri Press Association Day at the Capitol activities on Wednesday and/or Thursday, Feb. 3-4, in Jefferson City. We urge you to meet with your state legislators on a regular basis in Jefferson City or at home.
MPA will be following these bills and others during the session:
House Bill 141 — Rep. Jay Houghton — Exempts data collected by state agencies under the federal Animal Disease Traceability Program from disclosure under Missouri’s Sunshine Law.
HB 1459 — Rep. Michael Butler — Prohibits employers from inquiring into or considering the criminal records of applicants before offering a conditional offer of employment.
HB 1479 — Rep. Sue Entlicher — Modifies laws relating to filing deadlines when a candidate withdraws from a race within two working days prior to the deadline.
HB 1516 — Rep. Brandon Ellington — Requires a uniformed police officer to wear a video camera while on duty to record any interaction between a police officer and a member of the public.
HB 1519 — Rep. Brandon Ellington — Modifies provisions authorizing a one-time expungement of certain criminal records including a conviction for any nonviolent crime, misdemeanor, or nonviolent drug violation.
HB 1555 — Rep. Gina Mitten — Changes the laws regarding petitions for the expungement of criminal records.
HB 1627 — Rep. Steve Cookson — Caps school superintendent salaries and requires publication of school employee salaries in local newspapers.
HB 1688 — Rep. Jason Chipman — Creates provisions relating to the use of state-owned and operated email systems by certain state employees. As drafted, the bill requires: Executive branch state employees and state agency officials engaging in making formal decision involving their official governmental functions shall make use of appropriate state-owned and operated email systems designed to ensure the appropriate encryption or retention of documents. The use of private email by legislative branch employees or the judiciary to discuss matters of discretion involving lawmaking, regulation, and the political process would not be prevented. Executive branch officials may use private email to discuss matters of discretion and political strategy, except that confidential information and orders shall not be disclosed in such communications. According to the bill, “confidential information” shall include any information produced by action or request of a state agency that is exempt from disclosure under the state’s Sunshine Law or exempt from disclosure based on federal law or state or federal constitutional law.
HB 1798 — Rep. Anne Zerr — Prohibits any tax imposed on internet access or the use of internet access.
HB 1803 — Rep. Sharon Pace — Allows misdemeanor offenses for stealing to be expunged.
HB 1810 — Rep. Don Gosen — Changes the laws regarding the advertisement of alcohol prices or discounts.
HB 1817 — Rep. Lyndall Fraker — Extends the sunset on provisions related to amending county budgets (requires public notice in newspapers).
HB 1829 — Rep. Joe Don McGaugh — Establishes the Political Accountability in Campaigning Act. Political candidates could be in violation of this proposed law by knowingly publicizing a false statement of material fact in a political ad, released in any print or broadcast medium, that refers to a clearly-identified candidate for statewide office or the general assembly.
HB 1832 — Rep. Joe Don McGaugh — Provides that certain persons shall not be required to disclose news sources or information. (This bill would institute a news reporters shield law in Missouri.)
HB 1843 — Rep. Kimberly Gardner — Modifies laws relating to which offenses are eligible to be expunged.
HB 1864 — Rep. Randy Dunn — Prohibits employers from inquiring into or considering the criminal records of applicants before offering a conditional offer of employment.
HB 1889 — Rep. Shamed Dogan — Modifies provisions relating to petitions for expungement of criminal records.
HB 1890 — Rep. Shamed Dogan — Prohibits police from engaging in biased policing practices; however, the bill closes to the public information contained in incident reports.
Senate Bill 588 — Sen. Bob Dixon — Modifies provisions relating to petitions for the expungement of criminal records.
SB 603 — Sen. Kiki Curls — Expands the crimes eligible for expungement and modifies the time period a person must wait before being eligible to petition for expungement.
SB 628 — Sen. Jamilah Nasheed — Requires law enforcement agencies in certain cities to require their officers to wear a camera while on duty and in uniform and record all contacts with people.
SB 716 — Sen. Kiki Curls — Repeals provisions regarding nonjudicial foreclosure proceedings and requires all foreclosure proceedings to be handled judicially.
SB 763 — Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal — Requires police on duty to wear video cameras, and requires the recordings to be preserved for at least 30 days, but the video footage from a camera is a closed record to the public, except upon court order or the request of a civilian review board, by the person who appears on the recording, or an attorney representing such person.
SB 767 — Sen. Eric Schmitt — Requires public colleges and universities to post certain course information on their internet websites.
SB 795 — Sen. Wayne Wallingford — Implements the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement.
SB 823 — Sen. Will Kraus — Creates a state and local sales tax exemption for internet access or the use of internet access.
If you have any questions about these or other bills, please contact Doug Crews at dcrews@socket.net or 573.449.4167 extension 309.
