Missouri Press Association
Serving Missouri Newspapers Since 1867
The following is a legislative update from Clarkston Nelson, LLC concerning the Missouri General Assembly’s 2026 legislative session. Use the information within to develop local coverage of issues important to your readers.
This week the Missouri House of Representatives began full floor debate on legislation and quickly moved through several bills, including the “Born-Alive Abortion Survivor’s Act,” the “Act Against Abusive Website Access Litigation,” and bills relating to workers’ compensation reform and campaign finance reform.
The Senate finally broke through its four-week filibuster, as it passed legislation that conveys several state properties for sale, which passed the Senate by a vote of 31-1, and ended its stalemate over gubernatorial appointments. The renewed function of the Senate was attributable to the chamber adopting a procedural rule to increase the vote threshold required to cut off debate by way of a cloture motion called the “previous question.”
Committee activity on both sides of the building saw contentious issues. In the House, the House Committee on Emerging Issues and the House Committee on Rules-Legislative both approved by narrow margins the passage of a bill to legalize video lottery terminal (VLT) and pre-reveal “gray machine” gaming devices. And the Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy and the Environment heard bills relating to regulations and moratoriums on solar energy projects.
Next week the House Committee on Budget will continue hearings on the Governor’s proposed budget, specifically those proposed for the Department of Health and Senior Services, the Department of Mental Health, and the state Auditor.
Budget Update
This week’s FY 2027 budget hearings highlighted the widening gap between Missouri’s limited recurring revenue and rapidly growing demand for state services, as lawmakers pressed agencies on budgets increasingly propped up by federal funds, dedicated revenue streams, and one-time backfills. Across House and Senate committees, agencies defended spending plans that largely avoid expansion, instead relying on fund swaps and temporary solutions to maintain current service levels.
Both the House and the Senate worked all week hearing from Departments regarding their budgets. The House heard from MoDOT, Secretary of State, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Governor’s Office, early childhood programs and took up the $3.7B supplemental budget. The Senate heard from Higher Education and Workforce Development, Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Mental Health.
Highlights from the House include:
Discussion with MoDOT regarding winter weather removal and staffing and the desire to use general revenue only when federal funds are not available. Regarding the SOS, the House remained skeptical on restoring staff in its from last year, cost of printing the ballot in the paper and aging election technology in a bad budget environment. DESE’s conversation centered around fully funding the foundation formula, reading literacy and concerns around running out of federal funding for early childhood programs which may lead to waiting lists.
Highlights from the Senate include:
The reduction of higher education scholarship programs like Bright Flight and A+, the use of MOHELA dollars to backfill some programs and the long-term viability of that approach and the zero funding of new initiatives to reengage adults with some college to go back to school and the impact to workforce. DNR discussions included the need for water and wastewater dollars, the new revised energy plan task force and Missouri River issues. DMH issues included much concern over reductions in developmental disability resources including self-directed supports and day habilitation.
Attempt to Restore the Presidential Primary Election
On Tuesday morning, the House Elections Committee met to hear House Bill 2387, sponsored by Rep. Brad Banderman (R-St. Clair) and House Bill 2480, sponsored by Rep. Rudy Veit (R-Wardsville), both of which would reinstate the Presidential Primary Election in Missouri on the first Tuesday in March of each presidential election year. The two bills are expected to be combined into a substitute. The bills also deal with absentee voting, both in-person and by mail. Rep. Banderman said the cost of the Presidential Primary Election, estimated at $9 million or more, has always been an issue, but it is a weak argument. Several committee members criticized the presidential primary, saying some voters believe they are voting for a presidential candidate, but that doesn’t happen until November. Rep. John Simmons (R-Washington) said he would support the presidential primary if it were binding to select delegates to the political party caucuses. Rep. Veit replied that it is up to the Republican and Democratic parties to set their rules. Testimony in favor of the bills was provided by Republicans Mike Haffner and Miles Ross (Executive Director of the Missouri Republican Party), Russ Carnahan (chairman of the Missouri Democratic Party), a representative of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, Arnie Dienoff, the ACLU of Missouri, and the Missouri Farm Bureau. One person testified in opposition to the bill, saying Missouri does not need to spend $9 million on the election. Information-only testimony was offered by Chris Roepe, representing the Missouri Association of County Clerks and Election Authorities, who said county clerks would support more time for in-person voting at clerks’ offices. It was noted that previous presidential primaries in Missouri have attracted hundreds of thousands of Republicans and Democrats to vote, while eliminating the primary and depending on caucuses have attracted fewer than 30,000 participants from each party.
Unmanned Aircraft Systems
The House Committee on Crime and Public Safety convened Tuesday afternoon to receive public testimony on HB 2587, sponsored by Representative Mike Jones (R-Kanas City). The bill allows law enforcement to take any measures necessary to prevent imminent threats posed by unmanned aircrafts when being utilized in a criminal action. Additionally, the modifies the offense of unlawful use of an unmanned aircraft to include when one is flown over a critical infrastructure facility. Supporting testimony was presented by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the City of Kansas City, L3 Harris Technologies and the Kansas City Police Department. Opposing testimony was presented by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry who stated they would like to see what regulations result from the passage of the federal Safe Skies Act before enacting statutory changes at the state level.
Newspaper Notices Eliminated That Promote Self-Storage Auctions
On Wednesday morning, the House Commerce Committee conducted a hearing on House Bill 2717, sponsored by Rep. Dane Diehl (R-Butler), a bill that would delete newspaper public notices currently required to spread word about auctions of self-storage units' contents. The bill would eliminate the newspaper notice, which advertises the sale of an occupant’s personal property if the occupant is in default for more than 45 days. Instead, the bill seeks the operator of the facility to provide a written notice in person, by mail, or by electronic mail, terminating the occupant’s rental agreement, and personal property left in the unit would be disposed of by the operator after the date provided in the written notice. Rep. Diehl noted that often the public notices do not have the name of the unit occupant, so family, friends, and neighbors do not know whose contents are in the unit. Testifying in opposition to the bill was Chad Stebbins, Executive Director of the Missouri Press Association, who said sometimes it takes a village to notify the contents’ owner, and he explained how Chad’s father had seen a public notice in The Joplin Globe that said his son’s storage unit contents were to be auctioned. The contents were saved. Three witnesses presented supporting testimony: one representing Gateway Storage and the Missouri Self Storage Owners Association; a self-storage owner with facilities in Jefferson City and Eldon; and Randy Scherr, representing the National Self Storage Association. One witness said operators, if they wish, could still place notices in newspapers. Another witness testified that the St. Joseph News-Press does not print classified ads and legal notices in its newspaper, but a check by Missouri Press Association staff found that such ads are published in the News-Press. The committee took no action on the bill.
Taxpayer Protection Act
Representative Jim Murphy (R-St. Louis) appeared before the House Committee on Ways and Means Monday afternoon to present HJR 169. The bill would place a proposed “Taxpayer Protection Act” constitutional amendment on the 2026 ballot to require voter approval for most new or increased taxes and for most multi-year government debt, while also capping annual state and local spending growth based on inflation plus population or local growth. The measure creates detailed election notice and ballot language rules for tax and debt questions, requires local governments to build minimum emergency reserves, restricts certain taxes including prohibiting new transfer tax rate increases and new state real property or local income taxes, and strengthens property valuation notice and appeal requirements. It also allows citizens to sue to enforce the limits, provides attorney’s fees for successful plaintiffs, and requires excess or illegally collected revenue to be refunded with 10% annual simple interest, with the amendment taking effect January 1, 2027. Americans for Prosperity supported the bill. No opposing testimony was presented. American Legislative Exchange Council provided informational testimony regarding the differences between this proposal and what was passed in Colorado (TABOR).
Elections Bill
The Senate Committee on Local Government gathered in executive session on Monday afternoon and voted “do pass” on Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 836, sponsored by Sen. Sandy Crawford (R-Buffalo). The vote was 5-1. The original bill reinstated the Presidential Primary Election every four years, but the committee substitute deleted that election. The original bill did not allow human electioneering within 50 feet of a polling place, but the substitute returned the limit to the current 25 feet. Also, the original bill would have provided four weeks of absentee voting before election day, but the substitute sets absentee voting at two weeks, which is the current law. SCS SB 836 allows notice of an election to be sent by email or by fax to the election authority from the officer or agency calling the election. The bill changes the candidate filing period to 8 a.m. on the 16th Tuesday before the election until 5 p.m. on the 13th Tuesday before the election, unless the 13th Tuesday falls on a holiday, and then the close of filing will be 5 p.m. on the next day that is not a holiday. The substitute bill also deals with testing of election equipment, absentee voting by interstate former residents and new residents, voter ID requirements, casting provisional ballots, and the bill specifies that write-in candidates are only counted when a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate has been filed with the proper election authority.
Clean Elections
On Monday afternoon, the Senate Local Government, Elections, and Pensions Committee gathered to hear Senate Bill 896, sponsored by Sen. Ben Brown (R-Washington), legislation creating new provisions relating to funds used for administering elections. Specifically, the bill prohibits government entities from soliciting, accepting, or using any funds or in-kind goods or services for election administration if those funds or in-kind goods or services are donated directly or indirectly by any person other than a government entity. Government entities are also prohibited from being members of or participating in programs run by organizations that engage in election administration and receive foreign funding. Except as otherwise provided in the bill, a government entity or election officer shall not join the membership of any entity, participate in any program, or purchase any services from any entity unless the entity complies with certain certification requirements as described in the bill. Sen. Brown said he seeks to restore confidence in elections and to focus on the ban of in-kind goods or services from non-governmental entities. Testimony in support of the bill was presented by the Honest Elections Project and Heritage Action, noting that money that comes in to fund how elections are run does not look good. Two years ago, the Missouri General Assembly passed a bill on this issue, but SB 896 is to tighten some language of concern in the current state law. A witness said the bill does strengthen the existing ban on private entities becoming involved in elections. Opposition testimony was offered by the St. Charles County Director of Elections, the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, and the League of Women Voters of Missouri. The opposing witnesses said while they support the intent of the legislation, there are minor issues that need to be changed, including whether the definition of election officers includes workers at election polls. The bill also allows voters to bring charges against election officials, and there is concern about intimidating election workers. Sen. Brown said a Senate Committee Substitute bill will tighten some language of concern voiced by witnesses. The committee took no action on the bill.
Public Expression Protections
The Senate Committee on Judiciary, Criminal and Civil Jurisprudence met Wednesday morning to consider passage of SB 1067, sponsored by Senator Mike Henderson (R-Bonne Terre). The bill establishes the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act, allowing parties to file a special motion to dismiss civil actions based on speech or conduct related to government proceedings, matters of public concern, or constitutional rights, with expedited court consideration and automatic stays of other proceedings. It sets procedures for discovery, appeals, and award of costs and attorney’s fees, and applies to causes of action filed on or after August 28, 2026. After no discussion, the committee passed the bill by a 5-0 vote.
Act Against Abusive Website Access Litigation
The full House convened Thursday morning to third read and pass HCS for House Bills 1694, 1674, 1780, 2056, 2312 & 1755, handled by Rep. Mazzie Christensen (R-Bethany). The bill creates the “Act Against Abusive Website Access Litigation,” which seeks to prevent abusive litigation practices from those filing lawsuits claiming a website is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and seeks to recover damages. Supporters of the bill have said the legislation will encourage compliance with existing law, while at the same time disincentivizing frivolous lawsuits. There were no floor amendments added earlier in the week. The House vote was 149-0, and the bill now moves to the Senate.
Anti-Trafficking Efforts
The full House gathered Wednesday morning and perfected anti-trafficking legislation, HCS for House Bills 2273, 1946, 1814 & 2551, handled by Rep. Ed Lewis (R-Moberly). The bill includes several provisions seeking to modify sex crimes, increasing the age of offenses, reactivating the statewide task force, providing protections for victims, updating terms, and providing additional resources to prosecuting attorneys. The bill attempts to strengthen Missouri’s response to sex and human trafficking by creating new oversight bodies, expanding training for professionals, updating legal terminology and penalties, and increasing victim protections and civil remedies. It also enhances law enforcement authority, funding, and sentencing, particularly for crimes involving children. The bill modifies and establishes provisions relating to sexual offenses. Also, the bill removes the exemption for licensed teachers, health care providers, and youth mentors, modifies the felony penalty provisions, and increases the age of grooming by an adult from 18 to 21. No floor amendments were added to the bill. The full House perfected and printed the bill by voice vote, and another vote is needed to send the bill to the Senate.
House-Economic Development
2/10/26 8:00 AM
Committee Hearing, HR 1
Executive Session:
HB2047 Terry - Creates provisions relating to expungement
HB2747 Davidson - Modifies provisions relating to proceedings resulting from criminal conduct
Senate-Education
2/10/26 8:00 AM
Committee Hearing, Senate Lounge
SB1029 Brattin - Requires school districts to maintain an easily accessible online record of all money the district receives and spends
House-Legislative Review
2/10/26 12:00 PM or upon morning recess (whichever is later)
Committee Hearing, HR 5
HB2179 Casteel - Modifies the process by which public notice is required to be published in charter counties
House-Crime and Public Safety
2/10/26 3:00 PM
Committee Hearing, HR 6
Executive Session:
HB2587 Jones - Modifies provisions relating to law enforcement interception of unmanned aircraft systems
House-Consent and Procedure
2/10/26 4:00 PM
Committee Hearing, HR 5
Executive Session:
HB1940 McGaugh - Changes the law regarding advertisements and orders of publication in newspapers
