Capitol Report 5/15/2026

Missouri News Network: Statehouse News for MPA Members

This report is written by Missouri School of Journalism students for publication by MPA member newspapers in print and online.

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Missouri News Network this week addressed final passage – and defeat – for major legislation as the legislature closed out it’s 2026 session.

If you have thoughts or questions, contact Fred Anklam at anklamf@missouri.edu.

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FRIDAY

GOP leadership celebrates progress as session wraps

By Jackson Cooper and Kennedy Voss, Missouri News Network

JEFFERSON CITY — Top Republicans in state government celebrated what they considered successes as this year’s legislative session neared its Friday close.

Gov. Mike Kehoe held a news conference in his office with Senate Majority Leader Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville, who also gave a status update on lingering Republican priority bills.

The pair highlighted several bills, including House Joint Resolutions 173 & 174, which put the elimination of individual income tax on the November ballot for Missouri voters to consider.

“With the passage of these HJRs, Missourians will be able to decide the future of our tax code for themselves,” Kehoe said. “This is a transformational moment for our state.”

Kehoe said it’s his view that approval by voters will help Missouri become more competitive with other states, as Republicans say removal of income tax will be an economic benefit to the state. Luetkemeyer spoke about the financial upside for middle-class Missourians.

“Elimination of state income tax will represent, if passed, the largest middle-class income tax cut in our state’s history,” Luetkemeyer said.

Critics, however, said that the language in the HJR would allow for an increase in sales tax and a broadening of the base of items and services on which taxes will be imposed. Any increase would be up to a future Missouri General Assembly to decide, with concern of higher sales taxes to cover the loss of individual income tax.

Currently, individual income tax makes up about two-thirds of Missouri’s general revenue for state operations.

“Missouri Senate Republicans were committed to funding government services in a responsible way,” Luetkemeyer said. “This year’s state budget operations came in at just $4.1 billion under the fiscal year 2026 budget that was signed into law last year.”

Kehoe also touted the legislature’s work on the operating budget, noting a historic level of funding of K-12 education.

That portion of the budget faced intense scrutiny from Democrats in both the Senate and the House, which passed the funding on a slim margin that included a sizeable number of Republicans voting “no.”

During debate, Democrats pointed out that the funding level was $190 million lower than what was requested by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

As for bills that have stalled, Luetkemeyer told reporters that those addressing property tax reform and Kehoe’s proposed A-F school funding model are unlikely to pass this year.

“We get to this point in the session, and a lot of people have legislative priorities,” Luetkemeyer said. “They’re right at the finish line, and they just come up short.”

Kehoe signed an executive order in January to implement an annual A-F school grading system based on a 100-point scale with the purpose of improving the performance of school districts and providing information on district performance to parents.

“We still believe it’s appropriate for our parents to understand what rate the district is receiving that their kids are going to school at,” Kehoe said.

Opponents worry that this system, if tied to school funding, will take away money from already underfunded schools, which are more likely to receive lower grades.

Also celebrated during the news conference were a number of bipartisan wins scored throughout the session. One bill with unanimous approval in both chambers was House Bill 1908, sponsored by Rep. Cecelie Williams, R-Dittmer, which made it legal for women to file for divorce while pregnant.

Another bill, originally dealing with drone regulations but expanding to include dozens of broader public safety measures, was celebrated for passing with support from both sides of the aisle.

The legislative session has a constitutional deadline to wrap up no later than 6 p.m. Friday. Both chambers are allowed to gavel out early, as they did last year.

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County clerk's stance lights fiery rhetoric in Senate

By Jackson Cooper, Missouri News Network

JEFFERSON CITY — Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon’s ears may have been burning Thursday as she was both castigated and praised on the Senate floor over her stance on Missouri’s new congressional map.

Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville, brought forth a remonstrance of Lennon early Thursday. The remonstrance is a non-binding motion, formally cataloging Brattin’s objection and placed in the Senate Journal.

Lennon and Secretary of State Denny Hoskins aired their differences of opinion about voting preparations for the August primary in a Missouri Independent article that was posted Wednesday.

In the article, Lennon said she could not move forward with aligning voters and voting precincts to congressional districts because Hoskins has delayed certifying a citizens’ petition seeking to block gerrymandered seats approved by the legislature’s Republican majority last fall.

The Missouri Supreme Court upheld using the map in a ruling Tuesday but noted that Hoskins’ delay in certifying the petition left them hamstrung over whether the map was legal. Hoskins has until Aug. 4, the date of the primary, to make that decision and indicated this week he intends to use all the time allotted before issuing a ruling.

In his speech on the floor, Brattin called on Lennon to rescind what he termed a “ridiculous, nonsensical statement.” He warned that he would call upon the attorney general and Boone County prosecutor to pursue her removal from office if noncompliance continues.

“I think that this is repugnant,” Brattin said. “This is unbecoming of a clerk, who’s meant to be an umpire on the field, executing the law of the land.”

Brattin has a vested interest in ensuring the new map is used in November. He is considered the frontrunner for the Republican nomination in U.S. House District 5, the Kansas City-area seat that was targeted when the map was redrawn last September.

Under the new map, the Fifth District includes a chunk of northern Boone County, in Lennon’s jurisdiction.

Within the hour, Brattin received pushback from Democrats, who lauded Lennon and insisted that Tuesday’s court ruling does not provide the final say on whether the map is now in effect.

Sen. Stephen Webber, D-Columbia, praised Lennon as a dedicated public servant who possesses unparalleled expertise on local elections.

“I don’t think there’s a single person in the state of Missouri in 2026 who knows more about elections,” he said in defense of his county’s clerk.

Webber also spoke highly of Lennon’s character and the manner in which she conducts her job as clerk, which places her in charge of elections and public records.

“She conducts herself with integrity, and she takes her job very, very seriously, and she’s very professional about it,” he said.

The Supreme Court ruling does not offer the procedural clarity that Republicans celebrated, Webber argued. He read directly from the court’s decision, which said it was “impossible to say” whether the new map was already in law or had simply been approved by the legislature and sent to voters for a final say.

“The actions of this legislature, and more specifically the actions of the Secretary of State following what’s happened in this legislature, have put our local county officials in a spot where they’re not clear what they’re supposed to do,” Webber said.

“They’re not playing games, they’re not being partisan; they just don’t know,” he added.

Webber received concurrence immediately after from Sens. Patty Lewis, D-Kansas City, and Maggie Nurrenbern, D-Kansas City, who both highlighted that redistricting efforts threaten to silence their city’s voice in Congress.

“I really applaud the Boone County clerk for doing what she’s doing,” Nurrenbern said.

For his part, Hoskins reaffirmed his stance that the new map is in place, issuing a letter Thursday afternoon to local election authorities directing the maps’ immediate implementation.

Reached for comment Thursday afternoon, Lennon said that the new communication from the Secretary of State’s office did not change her perspective on the new map.

When asked about the situation with Lennon at a press conference, Gov. Mike Kehoe asserted his faith in the court’s decision and said all county clerks were compelled to follow its guidance.

“As you saw in the Supreme Court this week,” Kehoe said, “the Missouri First map is the law of the land. My expectation is that clerks will follow the law of the land.”

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Missouri senator balances anti-abortion advocacy and bipartisan policy

By Molly K. Gibbs, Missouri News Network

WASHINGTON — With the end of President Donald Trump’s term in view and the Republican Party looking for its next generation of leaders, Missouri’s senior U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley is appealing to an unusual combination of constituencies.

On issues like affordability and tech, the generally conservative Republican has struck some unexpected alliances with colleagues on the left end of the political spectrum. Partnering with the likes of Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., could carry some political risk in a party where any deviation from ideological purity earns the title of “RINO” — Republican in Name Only. At the same time, Hawley is showing himself willing to take political risks when it comes to the often divisive issue of abortion, where he finds no middle ground.

Hawley has always been vocal against abortion, but for him, the fight did not end in 2022, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, opening the door for states to ban abortions. Since then, he’s doubled down, wielding his congressional power to investigate abortion drug manufacturers, demanding federal oversight, introducing bills, calling on the public to “fight for life” and celebrating the courtroom victories of his wife, former University of Missouri law professor Erin Hawley, who is a top anti-abortion lawyer.

He’s done so even when it put him at odds with the Trump administration.

Leading the movement

That’s made him a hero to people like Tony Perkins, longtime president of Family Research Council, a leading conservative think tank and lobbying group that aims to advance a “family-centered philosophy of public life” from a “biblical worldview.”

While many politicians will vote for anti-abortion bills when they come up, Perkins said Hawley is among the few who will speak openly in support of those same policies.

“Josh is one of those who leads on this,” he said. “This is not out of a place of political convenience, but it’s a conviction that he addresses this issue.”

Within the Republican Party, Hawley’s views should not be controversial: 73% of conservatives say abortion should be illegal in all or most cases, according to a recent Pew Research poll. But that is not the case for most Americans: 60% of those responding to the Pew poll said abortion should be legal in all or most cases. When they had an opportunity to vote on the question in 2024, Hawley’s own Missouri constituents voted to restore access to abortion in the state.

Still, Perkins doesn’t think taking a strong anti-abortion stance is a bad political move — especially if it is coming from a place of conviction.

That’s also the view of David Kimball, a political science professor at the University of Missouri St. Louis. In Missouri, where Hawley is well-known for his opposition to abortion, Kimball noted, it hasn’t cost him an election yet.

Underscoring the UMSL professor’s point: Hawley and pro-choice advocates both came away with a win in Missouri’s 2024 election — 56% of voters voted to reelect Hawley while 52% favored legalizing abortion. Nationally, Kimball said, Hawley has aligned himself with a key demographic of voters who will be important as his political ambitions broaden.

“Within the Republican party he’s clearly linked himself with the pro-life movement and that’s an important constituency within the Republican party in a primary election and the country, if he chooses to run for president in the future,” Kimball said.

Momentum in the anti-abortion movement

Perkins sees the forefront of the anti-abortion movement right now as restricting the use of the drug mifepristone, commonly used in abortions — something Hawley has been actively fighting for. In 2023 mifepristone was used in 63% of abortions in the U.S., according to Guttmacher, a reproductive health policy and research nonprofit.

While Erin Hawley has been leading the fight to ban mifepristone in court, her husband has introduced the Safeguarding Women from Chemical Abortion Act, which would withdraw the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the use of mifepristone to end a pregnancy. He pitched the bill as a way to protect women as he said manufacturers of the drug hide its true dangers. Despite this claim, the World Health Organization recommends using mifepristone, followed by misoprostol, as a safe and effective method to terminate pregnancies up to 12 weeks.

Perkins said the abortion drug is what is driving an overall increase in abortions even as states implement full or partial bans on abortion following the Supreme Court’s 2022 reversal of Roe. The court’s 1973 decision in that case, which hinged on the constitutional right to privacy, made abortion legal nationwide. In the post-Roe era as state bans have set in and other states pass laws to ban the procedure, drug-induced abortions have become the only option for women who want to terminate their pregnancies but can’t travel.

The drug can be prescribed without an in-person visit to a physician’s office. According to the Society of Family Planning, a nonprofit dedicated to abortion and contraception information, the number of abortions provided via telehealth has increased from about 8% at the end of 2022 to about 27% in the first half of 2025.

In the past, Hawley suggested that the Trump administration is slow-walking a review of the safety of mifepristone. He celebrated the Tuesday resignation of FDA Commissioner Marty Makary who was in charge of the study.

“This is welcome news,” Hawley wrote on X. “Dr. Makary was uniquely destructive to the prolife movement.”

Makary isn’t the only member of the Trump administration that Hawley has been openly critical of when it comes to abortion policy. Last month, he wrote an open letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after the agency extended Title X grants for Planned Parenthood.

Those grants are what Hawley said are the most pressing issue facing the anti-abortion movement now.

“In just a month or two, the federal government is gonna start using federal funding for Planned Parenthood, which will mean funding for abortions,” Hawley said in April. “It will mean funding for transgender treatments, drugs, and other, so-called gender-affirming care. I just think that that’s outrageous.”

Only one provider in Missouri currently receives Title X funds: Beacon Reproductive Health Network. The organization which is based in Jefferson City distributes federal funding across over 60 health centers, including family planning clinics such as Planned Parenthood. Hawley has targeted Beacon specifically. In April, he asked Kennedy why the “abortion provider” is a recipient of federal funding.

Beacon responded to Hawley’s comments, pointing out that Title X funds cannot be used to provide abortions.

“Federal law already prohibits this, and Beacon has consistently complied with all Title X requirements while responsibly administering these funds in Missouri for more than 40 years,” the organization wrote in a news release.

Working across the aisle

Outside of the often polarizing abortion policy space, Hawley is known for striking alliances with Democratic senators on other headline-grabbing issues.

He’s the only Republican co-sponsor of Sanders’ bill to cap credit card interest rates at 10%, legislation that has triggered fierce opposition from normally GOP-friendly bankers and hasn’t budged in the Senate.

Most recently, Hawley has found success with an AI safety bill that he co-sponsored with Sen. Richard Blumenthal. The Guidelines for User Age-verification and Responsible Dialogue Act of 2025 or GUARD Act, seeks to prevent minors from accessing AI companions and chatbots, mandate the disclosure of non-human status, and creates new crimes for companies who make AI for minors that solicits or produces sexual content.

That bill passed unanimously out of the Senate Judiciary Committee where it received praise from Democrats and Republicans alike.

Hawley often works with Democratic senator Warren — one of Trump’s favorite punching bags — on bills that address healthcare affordability, despite often disagreeing with her on issues, including abortion.

The pair’s Breaking Up Big Medicine Act, is meant to bring down drug prices by targeting consolidation in the healthcare industry. On Thursday the duo reintroduced the Patients Before Monopolies Act to prohibit Pharmacy Benefit Managers from owning pharmacies, which the senators say drives up the costs of prescription drugs.

“We don’t agree on many things, obviously” Hawley said in February, “but I’ve always said that I’ll work with anybody to get good solutions for the people of my state and for the country.”

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Firearms legislation stalls

By KJ Drazen, Missouri News Network

Many efforts to expand legislation on firearm regulations were put forward this session. However, the bills failed to gain traction and with just a day left in the session they are not likely to pass.

House Bill 1730, sponsored by Rep. Mike Costlow, R-Dardenne Prairie, challenged regulations on firearm suppressors. Under federal law, firearm suppressors are considered illegal. If the bill had passed, it would have made the possession, manufacturing, transportation, repair and sale of the item, within Missouri, possible without criminal offense. This bill stalled in the Senate Committee.

Senate Bill 1078, sponsored by Sen. Adam Schnelting, R-St. Charles, was an attempt to allow those with a valid concealed carry permit to carry on all forms of public transportation. The person would not be allowed to be detained or harassed by authorities for carrying their firearm on these public systems.

This part of the bill was removed during conference committee.

Senate Bill 1055, sponsored by Sen. Nick Schroer, R-Defiance, took on Red Flag Laws and created the Anti-Red Flag Gun Seizure Act.

Red Flag Laws allow people to petition for the seizure of firearms from a specific person whom they believe is a danger. The Anti-Red Flag Gun Seizure Act would reverse this. Any federal order of protection or federal judicial or executive order that implies the seizure of a firearm would not be enforced.

Additionally, there would be no funding given to a public agency, political subdivision or law enforcement agency that tries to enforce Red Flag Laws. If they try, they would be met with a $50,000 penalty per occurrence.

The bill also discussed firearm use for self-defense. Currently, a defendant must prove that he or she believed that using deadly force was necessary to protect themself or others. If the bill had passed, there would be a presumption of reasonableness that the defendant needed to use such force to be kept safe. This bill also stalled in the Senate.

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THURSDAY

Capitol printing rooms hit the 'busiest stretch of the session'

Story by Jack Schouten, Missouri News Network  

JEFFERSON CITY — Thousands of sheets of paper can be found in every corner of the Missouri State Capitol. Printed copies of bills cover the dark wood finish of the desks in the Senate, bright sticky notes cling to cork boards, and business cards sit in every office where every surface is seemingly lined with paper.

As bills see debate, committee hearings, amendments and votes, every single one is printed on paper. In order for bills to reach the desks of lawmakers, they first have to be printed on paper.

Paper is an essential part of life at the Capitol, and the printing rooms keep everything running.

Tucked in the basement of the Capitol are the printing rooms for both the House and Senate. Every second of the day, small teams contracted by Xerox produce pages of documents, binders for legislators and staff and items being sent to constituents by mail.

“Legislative business and time-sensitive operational needs are prioritized first,” said Ben Peters, the director of communication for the Missouri House of Representatives. “Particularly materials tied directly to floor activity, committee work or constitutional deadlines.”

Every print request is submitted digitally through staff, offices or legislative processes. Then the PDF gets sent to the House communications office to review format and production needs. After they are approved, the request is put into the printing queue.

“Printing is just one step or avenue within a broader digital workflow,” Peters said.

As printers come to life, blank sheets become dense blocks of text containing complicated legislative language.

The busiest time of the year for the printing room is the end of the session because on top of regular jobs they also print mailers for every representative that get sent to residents in each district about what happened at the Capitol during the session.

“We’re currently in the busiest stretch of session, the printing room is operating at full capacity,” Peters said of the crush of the final weeks of the legislative session.

Printing demand increases significantly during the session.

“Particularly when bill amendments, calendars and member materials are moving quickly through the process,” Peters said.

As legislators meet the end of the session, organized chaos ensues. Every legislator wants their bill to pass so they introduce amendments to add their bill on to another existing bill.

Most legislators have their own printers as well for when immediate copies are needed for meetings.

“Most of the time we print stuff in our office here,” said Issac Wiesner, an intern for Rep. Adrian Plank, D-Columbia.

“We have a big printer which we just make copies and make sure we do the amount that we’re going to need for whatever meeting it is that we are doing,” Wiesner said.

Especially in the House, the digital age has changed how paper is used.

“Over the last decade, the House has increasingly shifted toward digital distribution where practical,” Peters said.

Representatives in the chamber are often seen reaching over packets of printed bills to scroll through the same text on their laptops. Today, anyone can access every day’s journal and every bill summary and see the result of every vote through links on the House website.

One tradition with paper remains true in the House, however. When the speaker gavels the House adjourned for the year, members toss bills high into the air creating a shower of paper over the chamber.

The Senate is more attached to traditional methods. For example, every bill a senator wants to introduce is printed and then formally sent by a page to the front of the Senate chamber where the clerk reads the title and gives it a number.

Another difference from the House is that senators don’t have laptops on their desks, although they do from time-to-time consult cellphones.

Some aides say it can be frustrating working with paper copies. It’s not unusual to observe senators rifling through various copies of a bill on their desk to see what another senator is speaking about.

Just on Tuesday outside the Senate chamber sat a table stacked with copies of bills that senators wanted to propose as amendments to other bills. Aides, lobbyists, reporters and members of the public can grab the copies to follow along as a bill is debated on the Senate floor.

Down in the printing rooms in the basement, reams of paper packed into boxes line the walls. The smell of ink radiates off warm stacks of bill copies. The low mechanical churn of the printers drown out the sound of the cafeteria just outside.

Cardboard and loose paper lay across every surface of the office in a sort of organized chaos while the industrial-sized printers tower over every person in the office.

At the state level, one of the biggest projects that requires paper is budget books. For statewide projects, the Office of Administration steps in.

During the fiscal year 2026, budget book printing cycle, the Missouri Office of Administration Document Solutions office managed over 1.16 million printed pages for that one large-scale project.

“OA Document Solutions serves as a vital one-stop shop for Missouri state agencies, strategically transforming how the state handles its communication needs by moving from a decentralized model to a high-volume, centralized hub,” Shayne Martin, a public information officer with the Office of Administration, said in a statement.

Martin said the documents office, which is located in another building, allows the state to drive costs of printing and binding down due to consolidation. During the fiscal year 2026 budget book printing cycle, the cost per page was able to be reduced down to $0.071 per page for a total of around $82,360.

“The more the state can consolidate its demands, the more it drives down the per-piece cost for taxpayers,” Martin said in a statement.

The documents office doesn’t only provide printing and binding services, it “manages the entire lifecycle of a document,” Martin said. That includes graphic design, brand consistency, printing, postage and final delivery.

“OA Document Solutions grants every department access to high-tier production technology that would otherwise be financially unjustifiable for a single agency to maintain,” Martin said in a statement.

Noah Symes contributed to this story.

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'Born Alive' bill goes to the governor

By Jordan Davis, Missouri News Network 

JEFFERSON CITY — Democrats and Republicans held an intense debate on the House floor for almost two hours over a bill discussing the safety of babies from failed abortions.

The bill passed in a 102-46 vote, mostly split along party lines, and now goes to Gov. Mike Kehoe, who is expected to sign it.

Most of Wednesday afternoon was spent discussing Senate bill 999, sponsored by Sen. Brad Hudson, R-Cape Fair, and handled in the House by Rep. Brian Seitz, R-Branson.

Dubbed the “Born Alive Act,” the bill claims to prioritize the safety of “vulnerable persons,” such as babies of a failed abortion, immediately after birth. It places first-degree murder charges on anyone who “performs or attempts to perform” a life ending operation on the baby, typically by a physician.

Seitz said that this bill aims to protect the rights of “the most innocent of human beings” that are no longer in the womb. He said that federal laws do not provide the same protections that this bill does.

Democrats, such as Rep. Pattie Mansur, D-Kansas City, and Rep. Mark Boyko, D-Kirkwood, said the passage of the bill would create a threatening work environment for medical professionals. It would also discourage more physicians from working in Missouri while there is already a drought of health care workers, they said.

Rep. Will Jobe, D-Independence, who is a lawyer, worried that the language of this bill will require the entire criminal code to be rewritten. He said that right now, prosecutors have a choice as to what degree of charges they press against an offender. SB 999 would remove those freedoms that prosecutors currently have, he said.

When the Senate passed SB 999 bill, it also attached several amendments concerning issues ranging from cyber stalking to when someone can be released from jail that raised questions about unconstitutionality, distorting the original bill language.

Rep. Bryant Wolfin, R-Ste. Genevieve, pointed out that a similar bill passed earlier in the session.

“Why would we do that?” Wolfin said. “When we lump other things in, with such good legislation, regardless of the intent, stuff that has nothing to do with the originality of the bill, we are going to violate the Constitution.”

SB 999 repeats three-fourths of the same language included in other bills that have already been sent to Gov. Mike Kehoe during this legislative session, Wolfin said. He worried that the courts are going to strike down this bill because of the irrelevant amendments added by the Senate.

These worries did not stop Republicans from rallying behind the bill. Over 10 Republicans spoke in favor of the bill, throwing insults toward Democrats such as a disregard for the safety of children, specifically babies as a whole.

Republicans insisted that Amendment 3, passed by Missouri voters in November 2024 pertaining to abortion rights, had no relevancy in this bill and raised points of order multiple times when Democrats tied abortion into their main discussion topic.

Legislators of both political parties shared personal stories of miscarriage, abortion and infertility, claiming their comments had relation to the bill. However, points of order were called by Democrats and Republicans alike.

Protesters rose in the gallery to shout objections as the House prepared to vote.

Voters will once again be asked to vote on abortion rights in November this year.

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Senate clears heavily amended public safety bill

By Peter S. Pynadath, Missouri News Network

A bill originally related to drone regulation was given final approval by the Senate on Wednesday after having its title changed and receiving 44 amendments from the House last Tuesday.

The Senate’s approved version of the bill removed some of the House’s amendments and now returns it to the House for confirmation.

Senate Bill 1421, sponsored by Sen. Nick Schroer, R-Defiance, aims to tighten restrictions on drone usage near sensitive locations. The underlying bill places restrictions on the use of drones or unmanned aircraft near open-air facilities and critical infrastructure. This legislation does not apply to authorized individuals such as peace officers and those using a drone for commercial purposes.

However, the first amendment was adopted in the House, changing the title of the bill to “relating to public safety,” allowing representatives to attach stalled legislation stuck in the House or Senate to Schroer’s bill. These loaded-up bills are commonly referred to as a “Christmas tree” bill.

Not all the amendments made it as the bill was transferred to a joint House and Senate conference committee where three amendments were trimmed.

Schroer described the pared-back bill as a “beautiful bouquet” rather than a “Christmas tree.”

Adopted amendments

House Amendment 44, sponsored by Rep. Mark Sharp, D-Kansas City, known as “Bentley and Mason’s Law,” mandates that if a person charged with driving while intoxicated causes the death of a parent or guardian, the convicted individual can be subject to paying child maintenance to the child of the deceased parent or guardian.

House Amendment 3, sponsored by Rep. Bishop Davidson, R-Republic, would create an automated expungement system for those charged with low-level drug offenses who have received a final conviction. If the offense is eligible for expungement, the record will be closed and the individual will have their legal status before their arrest restored.

House Amendment 17, sponsored by Rep. Raychel Proudie, D-Ferguson, created a registry for persistent domestic violence offenders available to the public online. Additionally, this amendment requires the defendant to register as a persistent domestic violence offender and pay a $150 fee.

House Amendment 2, sponsored by Rep. Holly Jones, R-Eureka, would allow school districts to install safety cameras on school buses if approved by the school district’s board. This amendment would also create the “Missouri Rangers” training program. Those trained and certified as rangers would be responsible for crises at schools, carry firearms and have limited arrest powers.

House Amendment 13, sponsored by Rep. Darin Chappell, R-Rogersville, would authorize those working for the attorney general’s office to carry firearms, and includes legislation that expanded freedoms related to concealed carry in a public setting.

Along with the aforementioned amendments, there are 37 amendments to this legislation that made it through the conference committee.

The last inquiry on the bill in the Senate regarded the bill’s constitutionality. Given the many different amendments added to the legislation, Sen. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove, said that he is concerned that the courts may find an issue with one amendment and take the bill down altogether.

The Missouri Constitution mandates that a bill must have an original purpose and that its various amendments be related.

Schroer cited a beefed-up severance clause on the last page as an assurance that the bill will not be affected by the courts. Schroer said that the language is consistent with what the courts have upheld. A severability clause allows the court to only strike the portion of the legislation deemed unconstitutional.

“I think they could discount that severability clause and still strike a bill,” Moon said. “I made this statement earlier in this session that I hope we would stay more streamlined and focused, so we wouldn’t even risk a challenge.”

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WEDNESDAY 

House passes 'Missouri Ranger' bill for schools

By Sawyer Bess, Missouri News Network

JEFFERSON CITY — The House passed a bill along party lines Wednesday that would create a training program to place “Missouri Rangers” in schools. Under the bill’s provisions, a school could choose to hire a trained ranger and would have control over what kind of weapons they use.

Under Senate Bill 905, sponsored by Sen. David Gregory, R-St. Louis, the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission would oversee and create the program, which must include training on combat, first aid and de-escalation. Republicans said the program would be beneficial for rural areas that see long response times.

“It allows schools or districts, if they choose, it’s optional, to place highly trained rangers on campus with narrow law enforcement powers to provide additional protection for our schools,” said Rep. Mike Jones, R-Kansas City, who handled the bill in the House.

Many House Democrats pushed back against the bill’s intention to decrease gun violence in schools, raising concerns that armed guards in schools may not be the solution. Republicans said the program would be fully optional and used only by schools that want to hire Missouri Rangers.

Other Democrats said that if a ranger were to be put in schools, they should be trained on adolescent psychology and have stricter background checks that look for conditions such as PTSD.

“When we’re writing a bill about creating a position for people to be in schools, why wouldn’t we require that they have some understanding of how to deal with children?” said Rep. Kathy Steinhoff, D-Columbia.

Others questioned the fiscal means of such a program because schools that opt in would be responsible for the rangers’ salaries. Republicans said that rangers could be hired as volunteers without the need for salary costs.

The provisions of the bill were also included in an omnibus public safety bill passed out of the Senate on Wednesday. The Senate’s bill now returns to the House for confirmation.

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AG Hanaway announces seizure of 35 illegal gaming machines

By Emerson Smith, Missouri News Network

JEFFERSON CITY — Attorney General Catherine Hanaway was joined Tuesday by Columbia Police Chief Jill Schlude during a news conference on illegal gaming machines.

In four different counties, 35 illegal gaming machines were seized during a simultaneous sting operation, which retrieved nearly $59,000. Ten of those machines were seized in Boone County with the coordination of local law enforcement, including the Columbia Police Department. While Hanaway said this is a huge step for mid-Missouri, she is still receiving reports of active machines.

Illegal gaming machines, which became popular in gas stations and convenience stores in recent years, have been seen by some as more dangerous due to a lack of security, surveillance systems and trained staff. The unlicensed gaming machines were declared illegal in a federal court ruling in February.

“This remains a high priority for our office in conjunction with the Highway Patrol and all these local departments, because these machines are illegal, but they also become an attractive place for other criminal activity,” Hanaway said.

Schlude outlined recent actions taken by the Police Department and what the next phase of enforcement actions will look like.

In February, the Columbia Police Department conducted an audit of businesses throughout the city and identified 25 locations with illegal gaming machines after the federal ruling declared them illegal. After a follow-up audit done earlier this month, only two locations were found with illegal machines.

“They create environments where large amounts of cash are exchanged with little security and minimal safeguards,” Schlude said. “In Columbia, we have seen firsthand how widespread this problem has become.”

Schlude said that on April 9, 2025, in Columbia, a man playing a gaming machine at a convenience store was followed to his vehicle and robbed at gunpoint after cashing in his winnings.

“Incidents like this demonstrate that these locations have become magnets for criminal activity and even violence,” Schlude said.

In addition to Hanaway’s stance against illegal gaming machines, a bill that would legalize similar machines was shut down last week when a Senate committee unanimously voted down HB 2989, the “Missouri Video Lottery Regulatory Act.” This bill would have created a regulatory framework and taxing system to allow new gaming machines to remain in businesses.

“The number one priority of this attorney general’s office is to reduce crime in Missouri,” Hanaway said. “This is going to be a long and challenging fight to shut down these illegal slot machines.”

Torch Electronics, an electronic gaming company based in Missouri, has suspended and turned off nearly all of its machines in the state to avoid prosecution. Hanaway said roughly 60% of the illegal gaming machines are owned by Torch.

The state of Missouri and Torch Electronics are currently negotiating a settlement.

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State legislation on elder abuse brings light to uncomfortable topic

By Emily Skidmore, Missouri News Network 

JEFFERSON CITY — Sen. Adam Schnelting, R-St. Charles, said he found signs of neglect with his mom when she was left alone for eight to nine hours with no help, and she expressed fear of the staff at the facility she was staying at in Missouri.

Schnelting saw bruises on his mom’s face from what he believed were the result of someone at the long-term care facility punching her. His mom passed away shortly after sustaining the injuries, which included blood clots.

Despite numerous interactions between police and administrators of the facility, no person was charged with the abuse and Schnelting and his family never found justice.

Schnelting introduced a bill this session to address elder abuse in Missouri.

Senate Bill 910 seeks to increase transparency and accountability in long-term care facilities in Missouri through three main aspects: liability insurance requirements, icons on state department websites and increasing the severity of elder abuse charges.

Since Missouri does not currently require facilities to carry liability insurance, the bill would require that all facilities across Missouri have a minimum of $1 million in liability insurance.

The bill also increases penalties for elder abuse cases, making abuse or neglect by a caregiver in a long-term facility a Class E felony, which can lead to imprisonment for up to four years or one year in jail. Elder abuse is currently a Class A misdemeanor.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services would also be required, under the bill, to display a symbol on its website identifying facilities with abuse or neglect cases, bringing a federal system to the state level.

Schnelting’s bill had a committee hearing in March after the bill sat in committee for months. This was the first piece of legislation that Schnelting submitted for the session in December.

The bill moved out of committee in early April, but with the general session coming to a close this week, no other progress has been made.

This is the third year Schnelting has introduced this sort of legislation.

“If we don’t rectify those shortcomings, we’re going to be failing our older generations,” Schnelting said regarding elder abuse in Missouri.

In November, Schnelting joined Lt. Gov. David Wasinger on a statewide tour that brought together community members to talk about elder abuse and possible solutions in a series of forums.

Wasinger and Schnelting shared with communities across Missouri their personal connections to elder abuse as both of their mothers dealt with neglect and abuse while staying in a facility. Schnelting also sought feedback on the solutions he planned on bringing to this year’s session.

“We have a very serious problem,” Schnelting said during the November forum in Columbia. “It’s very, very important that we get a handle on this.”

Wasinger, who was elected in 2024, serves as the official senior advocate for elder Missourians. He joined Schnelting in the forum to tell his own story and hear from other residents on how to decrease elder abuse in the state.

“We heard story after story about these issues, and it’s heartbreaking,” Wasinger said. “It (can) touch every family and socioeconomic class.”

Wasinger’s mother went into a senior living facility because of medical issues. She was unable to move properly because of fluid in her legs and was left unattended for periods of time, he said. Wasinger and his family voiced their concerns to administrators of the facility and moved his mom out and into an independent living place. Wasinger points to inadequate staffing as one of the main reasons for this neglect.

“She didn’t receive the care that she deserved, and it was really, frankly, a very sad situation,” he said.

In Wasinger’s current position, he has worked with legislators like Schnelting to bring awareness to issues affecting seniors in Missouri. His drive for reforming these issues stems from his own mother’s story.

“I had heard stories about it, but when I saw it personally with my mother … you’re angry. You’re sad, it’s just a range of emotions,” Wasinger said.

Wasinger said that his office is consistently receiving calls from constituents about senior related issues. He is working on getting a senior advocate for his office to specifically help monitor problems and concerns related to seniors.

“It resonates with every family,” Wasinger said.

Missouri is ranked 38th overall in the country for long-term care services and support, according to a 2023 report from AARP.

The report also ranked Missouri as 47th for safety and quality in facilities. Additionally, turnover for registered nursing staff in facilities is at 50.2%, according to quarterly data released from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Tim Blattel, an assisted living facility worker of 44 years and CEO of Twin Oaks Estate, said he opposes Schnelting’s proposed legislation because of the possible impact it will have on family-owned facilities in Missouri.

“It’s going to raise the cost even higher, and that’s why we are seeing a record number of small operators getting out of health care,” Blattel said.

Blattel agrees there is an issue with elder abuse in the state but emphasizes there is a way to protect seniors and facilities at the same time.

“I would love to see a peer review and assistance program where we work together to help support each other more,” Blattel said.

Long-term care facilities in Missouri receive funding from federal and state programs. The Older American Act and Social Security Act allows for federal funding to be allocated to senior services like long-term care facilities. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services distributes these amounts to facilities across the state.

However, Blattel said there is a shortage in funding for nursing homes that creates inadequate staffing issues in many smaller long-term care facilities. He expressed concern about how much more nursing facilities would have to pay toward insurance and maintenance under Schnelting’s proposed legislation.

“We need to incentivize and work together to get funding in these rural areas,” Blattel said.

Schnelting said that he recognizes the additional cost that insurance would be for facilities but emphasizes that it is necessary for providing a layer of accountability and transparency at long-term care facilities.

“At the end of the day, it ensures that when a facility harms a patient, those costs are not absorbed by the taxpayers of that facility for that negligence,” Schnelting said.

Julie Peetz, executive director of Missouri Association of Area Agencies on Aging, an advocacy organization for seniors in Missouri, supported Schnelting’s claims that there needs to be transparency and accountability within the home where abuse occurs, but noted the possible dangers of overregulation of nursing facilities.

“We want to target the bad actors, but not penalize quality providers,” Peetz said.

Despite the lack of action on his bill this year, Schnelting said he plans to bring this legislation back to the Capitol for a fourth time next January.

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Missouri Supreme Court upholds new congressional maps

By Sophia Gromowsky, Missouri News Network

JEFFERSON CITY — The Missouri Supreme Court upheld the implementation of the newly drawn congressional maps on Tuesday after hearing oral arguments for three cases challenging its constitutionality earlier in the day.

The “Missouri First Map,” which was passed during a special session and signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe in September last year, redraws Missouri’s eight congressional districts. One of its goals is to create a Republican advantage in the 5th Congressional District, which contains Kansas City and is currently represented by U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Democrat.

Tuesday’s unanimous rulings mean this year’s congressional elections will be held under the new gerrymandered maps created last fall at the urging of President Donald Trump. At the same time, if a pending initiative petition seeking a referendum on the maps is certified, voters will be asked to decide whether the new maps should be used in the future.

Two similar suits, brought by two different sets of Jackson County residents, were combined for oral arguments. The petitioners in the cases claimed the new map is unconstitutional because it divides natural communities in order to promote certain political outcomes.

They pointed to Article 3, Section 45 of the Missouri Constitution, which says that when the state is split into congressional districts, the districts must be as compact and nearly equal in population as possible.

The attorneys for the plaintiffs focused specifically on the redrawn 4th and 5th Districts, which split the Kansas City area and combine the separate sections with more distant rural areas. They argued that dividing closely united communities and combining far-spread urban and rural areas will prevent citizens living in those districts from having their needs effectively represented.

“Downtown Kansas City is neither close nor united with Osage and Maries counties, hundreds of miles away, under any conceivable definition of that phrase,” said Abha Khanna, an attorney representing the appellants.

The plaintiffs requested that the court reinstate the previously used 2022 map for the upcoming election cycle.

Lawyers defending the state argued that the plaintiffs misapplied the constitution’s compactness standard. They said the 2025 map unites more counties and municipalities within the same districts than the 2022 map, including in the Kansas City area.

Additionally, they argued that no Missouri court has ever declared a congressional map unconstitutional for failing to meet compactness requirements, and doing so now would tread on the legislature’s power to create districts.

“This court has never taken a maximalist approach with respect to the compactness requirement,” Principal Deputy Solicitor General Kathleen Hunker said. “There is no such thing as a perfect map or a perfect district. Maps can be drawn in multiple ways, all of which meet the constitutional requirements.”

The court’s ruling upheld the map’s legality, saying that the challengers failed to prove that the Missouri First Map violated the Constitution.

Chief Justice W. Brent Powell wrote in the opinion that “Every Missouri district in the 2025 Map, including districts 4, 5, and 6, is more compact than the least compact district in the 2022 Map.”

Powell added, “Drawing maps establishing congressional districts is a political process, involving policy decisions that are political in nature, best left to elected representatives and the citizens of this state, not judges.”

The third lawsuit centers on the state’s referendum process and whether citizens can prevent the Missouri First Map from going into effect before it is approved by voters.

On December 9, 2025, two days before the legislation implementing the Missouri First Map went into effect, political action committee People Not Politicians submitted reportedly over 300,000 signatures on a petition to let voters decide whether the map be approved or rejected.

Attorneys representing the appellants argued that the submission of the signatures should have immediately suspended the bill from going into effect until it could be voted upon.

Lawyers defending the state said the suspension could not begin until the signatures were verified by the secretary of state. They claimed this serves both to prevent fraud and to protect the rights of the majority by assuming laws passed by the General Assembly are valid until signatures can be certified by the secretary of state.

“Appellants insist that an unverified box of papers, even a box of fraudulent signatures submitted by a foreign government, must freeze duly enacted state laws to preserve what they call a meaningful right to a referendum,” Solicitor General Louis Capozzi III said. “That is wrong. The Missouri Constitution balances between the right of a political minority to force a referendum vote and the majority’s right to enact laws through elected representatives.”

Lawyers for the plaintiffs pointed to Article 3, Section 52(b) of the Missouri Constitution, which says that any law challenged by the people shall not go into effect until it is approved by a majority of voters.

They argued that Missouri citizens are stripped of their veto power when the government is permitted to enforce a law in the months that it takes to certify signatures.

Additionally, they said that the state already has safeguards in place to protect from fraud in the referendum process, including exempting emergency legislation from the referendum process and criminalizing fraud in the referendum process.

Justice Zel Fischer questioned what the issue would be with waiting until the secretary of state completed his role in verifying that the petition is sufficient, which must occur by the July 28 deadline, prior to the election.

Attorney for the appellants Jonathan Hawley responded that delaying the suspension would “dilute the referendum right, if not destroy it altogether.”

“The purpose of that right is to give the people the opportunity to approve legislation before it goes into effect,” Hawley said. “Referendum does not exist to allow people to weigh in on bills that have already gone into effect. The sufficiency review must happen after the suspension has already occurred.”

The court ruled that nothing in the plain language of the constitution allows for a petition’s filing alone to automatically suspend a law. The Missouri First Map will remain in effect while the secretary of state completes the certification process on the referendum petition, expected later this year.

Justice Ginger Gooch wrote in the opinion, “While article III, section 52(b) addresses when “[a]ny measure” takes effect after having been referred to the people, it does not provide the mere filing of a referendum petition automatically suspends the act of the General Assembly at issue.”

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Legislators clash over "No Foreign Laws Act"

By Kennedy Voss and Jordan Davis, Missouri News Network

JEFFERSON CITY — The House of Representatives saw intense debate Tuesday before giving final legislative approval to a bill that exempts Missouri from complying with international laws.

Senate Bills 977 and 1011, handled on the floor by Rep. Chad Perkins, R-Bowling Green, are known as the “No Foreign Laws Act.” The bills place the Missouri Constitution over international organizations like the World Health Organization, the United Nations and the World Economic Forum when dealing with laws enacted in the state.

The bill also states that no laws from foreign governments, including religious laws, should overshadow Missouri constitutional rights. This is a nod to the original intent of the bill, which specifically targeted Shari’a Law.

Rep. Micheal Burton, D-Lakeshire, said that the purpose of this bill seemed to be a “hybrid of undermining organizations that are put in place to save lives and the other part is to attack the Muslim community.”

Though the bill contains no mention of COVID-19, representatives on the floor debated the validity of that pandemic.

“The United Nations and World Economic Forum have always been opposed to our constitutional republic,” said Rep. Brian Seitz, R-Branson. He then referred to COVID-19 as a “scam-demic” and said these international organizations contributed to an overregulation of American liberties.

Opponents of the bill, like Burton, pointed out that the international organizations gave recommendations, not laws. He also raised concerns about the lack of protections for Missourians with the possibility of a modern-day health crisis, referencing a recent cruise ship outbreak of hantavirus.

“When you reduce the amount of COVID spread, you have less dead people,” Burton said. Noting one former House member lost a spouse, he said, “With all the misinformation and disinformation, I still hear, you know, the anti-vaxers and the people that say that COVID was just like the flu.”

Precautions from foreign organizations helped limit the spread of viruses like COVID-19 and should continue to be implemented in American life, Burton said. He noted hantavirus has appeared in the United States and has not been contained. While it may not appear to be a current major risk, people have died from it, he said.

“Information, and science, and trust and facts are really important when you’re dealing with a pandemic or an epidemic and people’s lives,” Burton said.

Twice during Burton’s speech, Republicans raised a point of order that his comments deviated from the purpose of the bill.

House Speaker Jon Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, approved one point of order until House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, D-Kansas City, reminded the floor of Seitz’s “scam-demic” words.

The second point of order was struck down.

“Gentleman, this bill addresses the World Health Organization. Let the man speak for the next 11 minutes,” Patterson said, referencing the amount of time Burton had left to speak.

This ruling was not well received by Republicans, as many stood to leave the chambers for the rest of the debate.

When Burton concluded, Republicans filed back in to vote, passing the bill 99-45 and sending it to the governor.

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TUESDAY 

House committee kills AI regulation bill

By Faith Jacoby, Missouri News Network

JEFFERSON CITY — The House Committee on Emerging Issues voted down a bill on artificial intelligence regulations Tuesday afternoon.

Senate Bill 1012, sponsored by Sen. Joe Nicola, R-Grain Valley, aimed to establish several provisions regulating AI use in elections and health care.

The bill also would have established the “AI Non-Sentience and Responsibility Act,” which states that AI systems are not considered a person and that all harm caused by AI is the responsibility of the user of that system.

For elections, the bill would have required any political advertisements or communication campaigns that used AI to include a disclaimer, and any media that failed to include a disclaimer would be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

The bill additionally included provisions for mental health and interactions between users of AI chatbots, which provide human-like responses to user input. The provisions would include requirements for AI chatbots to provide users with hotlines and resources.

The act would have required operators of companion chatbots to make annual reports to the Missouri Department of Mental Health regarding crisis interactions and instances of suicidal ideation by users.

“This is not anti-innovation,” Nicola said. “It is accountability, transparency and keeping powerful tools under human control.”

In opposition, Camellia Peterson of Americans for Prosperity said the bill goes too far and includes unnecessary guidelines.

“It creates an overly broad regulatory framework that risks chilling innovation, creating unnecessary government overreach,” Peterson said. “It does include a wide range of unrelated mandates, liability standards, speech restrictions ... there’s not very much clarity on, as Representative Fuchs said, how you would enforce or have compliance on this issue.”

Also in opposition was Jared Hankinson with the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, raising complaints about the drafting errors and filler language in the legislation.

The bill was killed on a unanimous vote.

Missouri does not have extensive state laws that regulate AI.

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Senate approves new Ethics Commission member

By Faith Jacoby, Missouri News Network

JEFFERSON CITY — The Missouri Ethics Commission welcomed new member Clem Smith to return a quorum to the commission on Monday.

Gov. Mike Kehoe announced the gubernatorial appointment of Smith to the commission last week. The Senate approved his appointment in a routine motion on Monday.

Smith is a former state representative for District 85, which includes parts of St. Louis County. 

"We have to have transparency in government, accountability, and we have to have compliance," Smith said at a Senate committee hearing Monday on his nomination. "I would live my life that way, and I think this is kind of an extension of how I already live, and that's what I want to bring to the board." 

Smith currently serves as a director of the Hazelwood School District Board of Education, secretary of the Uplift Foundation of Greater St. Louis and as a unit committeeman with the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 399.

Restoring a quorum means the commission can take action on official matters, such as complaints about finances involving candidates and political action committees. The first meeting with Smith is on Thursday.

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MONDAY 

Oh, Christmas tree: Bills get decorative as session ends

By Kennedy Voss, Missouri News Network 

JEFFERSON CITY — The House of Representatives is closing out its session with a last-minute race to the finish line to get action on their priorities.

“Further discussion on Senate Bill 1421,” Speaker Jon Patterson, R-Lees Summit, said repeatedly from the dais last Tuesday.

Around the chamber, as many as 40 lawmakers raised their hands clutching a piece of white paper while standing behind their microphone to signify their desire to add an amendment.

As the legislative session comes to a close this week, there are many bills that have not ended up on the schedule for debate or passage. However, lawmakers are still beholden to their campaign promises and the expectations of their constituents — the result is what is known as a “Christmas Tree bill.”

Like a Christmas tree, these bills are decorated with bits and bobs of other unsuccessful bills that have not made it out of the House or the Senate. What starts out as a small bill with a single focus becomes a large, overwhelming piece of legislation .

An example is Senate Bill 1408, sponsored by Sen. Jamie Burger, R-Benton, which started as a six-page bill about raising the speed limit on rural interstate highways from 70 to 75 mph. The bill has expanded to 99 pages, with a slew of amendments added in the House.

“It’s hard to read a 100-page bill and consume everything in there, because you never know what the unintended consequences may be,” Burger said in an interview. “Just not a real big fan of (the Christmas tree bills).”

Though he may not be happy with the number of additions the bill has, Burger is still focused on increasing the highway speed. He says that as a resident of Benton, he is close to the Arkansas border, which has a speed limit of 75 on some rural highways.

“I get into Arkansas and it’s 75 miles per hour for 60 miles,” Burger said. “I don’t see any more wrecks or people getting speeding tickets or anything like that. And the flow of traffic seems better.”

Legislators have many reasons for filing amendments, from small language changes to realizing their campaign promises. While SB 1408 had the title broadened to fit under the general umbrella of transportation, the amendments covered expansive topics ranging from vehicle inspections to vanity license plates.

In the case of SB 1408, representatives expressed confidence that their amendments fit the title and do not run the risk of being thrown out by the Missouri Supreme Court.

“I think we’ve done a much better job this year, not broadening it to the point of ridiculousness, which I think has been done in years past,” said Rep. Jeff Vernetti, R-Camdenton.

Vernetti’s bill, HB 2055, is a fix to allow municipalities to try offenders who use technological devices while driving instead of sending the case to county courts, which are backlogged. He said those courts do not need to be weighed down with smaller traffic infractions.

Due to lack of traction on the floor for his bill, Vernetti has added his bill as an amendment to SB 1408 and to another House bill.

Though he and other representatives stated their frustrations with the process, Vernetti feels that a long process is what legislation needs.

“Rightfully so, laws should be difficult to (pass),” Vernetti said. “It should be a long and structured process.”

Though this is the time of year for amendments, not everything is added without question. Nonpartisan aides help legislators make sure their amendments are germane, and representatives have to make sure the amendments are constitutional.

If the courts finds one part of the bill strays from the original purpose, the entire legislation will be thrown out.

In January, Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville, saw a law he sponsored last year struck down by the Missouri Supreme Court because it differed too much from its original purpose. He is currently writing legislation to eliminate the offending amendments, but until then, bills run the risk of being eliminated due to a single amendment.

Last Tuesday, Senate Bill 1421 was debated on the House floor and saw 44 amendments tacked on.

During debate, members like Minority Leader Ashley Aune, D-Kansas City, paid close attention to ensure any amendment had been timely distributed and was germane to the bill.

When a new amendment was proposed, representatives asked the sponsor if it was also a separate bill and had it been voted out of committee. This kind of transparency was well received as lawmakers stood up to speak in favor of the amendment if it had gone through their committee, which signaled to members of their party to vote in favor.

In the case of SB 1408, one amendment was withdrawn by the amendment maker. Rep Jim Murphy, R-St. Louis, filed an amendment that would have allowed schools to put signs on the side of the road in support of their sports teams.

He said that the main purpose of his amendment was actually to make a statement against the Missouri Department of Transportation, as they were trying to fine schools for such signs.

“MoDOT said that if there was a sign on the school, they would lost $90 million worth of federal funds, which is absolutely absurd,” Murphy said.

Because he had not spoken to the bill sponsor and felt that his amendment might be unconstitutional, he ended up withdrawing the amendment.

“I’m going to withdraw this amendment, but I just want us to be consistent with what we do and be aware that this is a tactic that MoDOT is using on us,” Murphy said. “If we fall for it, shame on us.”

As the handler of SB 1408 in the House, Rep. John Voss, R-Cape Girardeau, felt that SB 1408 remained germane to the original purpose even with the amendments.

“I’m pretty confident that all the provisions that are in there now fall under the transportation title,” Voss said.

Like Burger, Voss feels that the original bill will be helpful to Missourians. Though he, like many lawmakers, are not fans of Christmas tree bills, he said that this time of year can be frustrating, but also exciting.

“It’s an exciting time of year. You have to be on your toes and pay attention to what’s going on to make sure you care about what you’re voting on,” Voss said.

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House committee advances 'born alive' abortion bill

By Emma Farrel, Missouri News Network 

JEFFERSON CITY — The House Children and Families Committee voted to advance a bill that would establish the “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act” Monday after an emotional hearing.

SB 999, sponsored by Sen. Brad Hudson, R-Cape Fair, would require that fetuses born alive during or after an abortion procedure receive the same rights and medical care as any live-born fetus in Missouri.

The legislation has become a priority for lawmakers in the final weeks of the legislative session, with supporters working to move the bill through both chambers before adjournment at the end of this week.

Hudson argued the legislation is vital because current Missouri law does not explicitly require medical providers to care for fetuses born alive after an abortion procedure.

“Regardless of your stance on the practice of abortion, you cannot deny that a baby who is born alive is a human being,” Hudson told the committee. “We must ensure that our laws reflect our values.”

Hudson cited a 2024 study published by the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology that studied abortions later in pregnancy in Canada, and 11% of those abortions resulted in a live birth. He said applying Canadian data to U.S. abortion figures could suggest more than 1,700 fetuses are born after surgical abortions in the U.S., though he acknowledged comprehensive U.S. data is unavailable.

Committee members repeatedly questioned Hudson about Missouri’s infant mortality rates and existing infanticide laws.

Rep. Jamie Gragg, R-Ozark, called the possibility of fetuses remaining after abortion procedures as “horrific,” and said Missouri already struggles with infant mortality rates.

The bill also includes provisions related to online harassment, domestic violence, stalking and the Missouri Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review board.

Several lawmakers questioned whether the bill violated Missouri’s constitutional requirement that legislation address a single subject. Rep. Raychel Proudie, D-Ferguson, said the bill appeared to include multiple unrelated policy areas under the broad category of “vulnerable persons.”

Samuel Lee, a lobbyist for Campaign Life Missouri, testified for informational purposes, and said that the bill’s non-severability clause could jeopardize the entire measure if any section is struck down in court.

“If any portion of the bill is struck down for any reason, the whole bill is struck down,” Lee said.

Maggie Olivia, a representative from Abortion Action Missouri, testified against the bill, arguing that it is medically unnecessary and politically motivated.

“These types of bills were drafted by anti-abortion lobbyists, not medical professionals,” Oliver said. “They were designed as a part of the larger anti-abortion strategy to ultimately make abortion illegal and unavailable.”

Oliver also disputed Hudson’s interpretation of the Canadian study, saying “there was not a single instance throughout this study where an infant was denied care.”

She said the legislation could create confusion among physicians providing emergency pregnancy care, and said major medical organizations oppose “born alive” legislation because doctors may feel forced to “second guess with attorneys” before providing treatment.

Supporters argued the bill is focused solely on protecting fetuses born after abortion procedures.

Susan Klein, a representative for Missouri Right to Life, said the legislation would eliminate ambiguity about whether those fetuses deserve medical treatment.

“This is not an abortion bill,” Klein said. “This is a baby that is born alive, laying on a table and waiting to get care.”

The committee passed the bill with a 12-4 vote, where it will now head to the House floor in the final days of the session. 

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House passes bills that address city and county issues

By Chase Pray and Caroline Sweet, Missouri News Network

JEFFERSON CITY — The House debated and passed bills Monday regarding sheriff duties and limits on how cities can voluntarily annex land.

Language in Senate Joint Resolution 87, sponsored by Sen. Jill Carter, R-Granby, which would move election guidelines for sheriffs from statute into the Missouri Constitution, faced scrutiny from several representatives.

Concerns were raised about a section of the bill that would require sheriffs to apprehend and commit to jail all felons and traitors in their county.

Rep. Aaron Crossley, D-Independence, stated he doesn’t see the terms staying narrow.

“Is a traitor a protestor? What if a sheriff believes that a journalist has wrote something negative about them, are they a traitor?” Crossley asked. “I’m already uncomfortable with it being in statute but putting it in our Constitution … I think we’re really trying to hit on that dangerous route.”

Crossley argued that this debate was a reversal of traditional views on how much reach the government should have.

Others like Rep. Brad Banderman, R-St. Clair, argued that these arguments distracted from the bill's purpose.

“The idea that we’re on the House floor today and we don’t know what a traitor is or what a treasonous act is within our state or constitutional framework is silly at best,” he said. “This is an opportunity to guarantee the local control of the communities around our state, to guarantee a vote for sheriff, an important office within the state."

The bill passed 100-47 and returns to the Senate for action.

The conference report for House Bill 2818, sponsored by Rep. Brenda Shields, R-St. Joseph, passed with a vote of 136-7. It was sent to the Senate for final action. 

The bill was initially written to allow the city of St. Joseph to annex its airport into city limits, but it grew with additions that deal with the voluntary annexation of land into a city.

Current statute dictates that land must be “compact and contiguous” to be voluntarily annexed, but that phrase wasn’t defined. Rep. Richard West, R-Wentzville, said the conference committee of senators and representatives decided land that's 18% contiguous to city limits would serve as that definition.

This was done to prevent developers from asking cities with more lax zoning requirements to annex land. West said that housing developers will go to nearby, less contiguous cities that don’t require a land permit with declaration of future use so they can build more houses.

“You get a bunch of houses and the highways, the sewers, the police, the fire, the trash, everything, cannot keep up with the growth,” West said. “We’re just doing this so that growth will be made and maintained with the development of the infrastructure.”

Final passage was given to House Bill 1825, about county salary commissions, and Senate Bill 903, about expanding the duties of a pharmacist, gained final passage. 

SB 878 imposing criminal penalties for damaging certain infrastructure was sent back to the Senate with amendments.