With the General Assembly constitutionally required to adjourn by 6 p.m. on Friday, May 16th, only five weeks remain in the 2025 Regular Session. The General Assembly is further constitutionally mandated to pass all appropriation bills a week prior, by 6 p.m. on Friday, May 9th. The House Budget bills made their way to the Senate this week, and the Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to begin budget markup next week.

The House Perfected and Third Read many House bills this week, the most notable being legislation related to the regulation of so-called “gray” machines and video lottery terminals, which passed by very narrow margins only after the voting board was held open on both the perfection and third read votes and several votes flipped from no to yes. Also of note, the House Truly Agreed and Finally Passed a Senate bill relating to class action lawsuit reform, and it Third Read legislation relating to tobacco preemption. 

This week, floor activity slowed down considerably in the Senate, as the upper chamber only passed three bills out of the Senate. Bills relating to public school academic assessments and intoxicating cannabinoids took up extended floor time this week before both bills were laid over after prolonged and contentious debates. The less efficient and, at times, heated Senate debate suggest that we could see a more fractured Senate moving forward.

In other news, Governor Kehoe signed his second bill into law yesterday, enacting SS#2 SB 4, which modifies and creates new provisions relating to utilities.

Budget Update
 This week, the House Committee on Budget completed the markup process on the remaining three capital improvement (CI) bills, HBs 18, 19 and 20, sponsored by Representative Dirk Deaton (R-Seneca). There were few substantive changes made through the amendment process. No changes to allocated ARPA funding may be made as that deadline passed December 2024. The three CI bills are planned to be debated before the full House next Tuesday before being sent to the Senate for further consideration. Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Appropriations had the FY 2026 operating budget bills referred to them this week and are expected to begin crafting their version of the budget next week.

Notice of County Planning Board Hearings
On Monday afternoon, the Senate Local Government, Elections, and Pensions Committee gathered in executive session on Senate Committee Substitute for HB 233, sponsored by Rep. Sherri Gallick (R-Belton). The committee vote was 7-1. The bill requires that notices of county planning board hearings be posted on the county’s website, and it repeals the requirement that such notices be posted at least 15 days in advance of the hearing in at least two places in each of the county’s townships. Notices of the hearings shall continue to be published in at least one newspaper in the county, 15 days prior to the hearings. The notice portion of the bill only applies to Cass and Greene counties. The Senate Committee Substitute added increased state funding for various regional planning commissions in Missouri.

Water Exportation
The House Rules-Administrative Committee convened Thursday morning to consider passage of HB 1295, sponsored by Representative Cameron Parker (R-Campbell). This bill specifies that it is unlawful for any person to withdraw from any water source for export outside the state of Missouri unless a water export permit issued by the Department of Natural Resources is held. Additionally, the bill requires a permit application recommendation be submitted to the General Assembly and the permit is deemed denied if the General Assembly does not take action on the recommendation within sixty days. Finally, the bill also outlines the process for renewing issued permits. A committee substitute was adopted to align the bill with SB 29 and remove the provision creating a Missouri Water Resource Commission. The bill was voted do pass by a vote of 10-0.

Judicial Security
The House Rules-Administrative Committee met Thursday morning to consider passage of HB 1457, sponsored by Representative David Hinman (R-O’Fallon). The bill amends the Judicial Privacy Act to include circuit clerks, deputy circuit clerks, division clerks, and municipal clerks in the definition of "judicial officer". The bill also amends the definition of written request and amends the offense of tampering with a judicial officer and the offense of tampering with a judicial proceeding to prohibit a convicted person from parole or probation. The substitute adjusts the terminology to reflect court related instead of judicial. The bill was voted do pass by a vote of 10-0.

Protection of Children
The Senate Committee on Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence convened on Wednesday morning to discuss House Bill 1464, sponsored by Representative Ed Lewis (R-Moberly). The bill has many provisions that prevent minor sex trafficking, and it adds more words to define child pornography. The bill will also recreate a statewide task force counsel. A fund of $900,000 is populated and $1.1 million next year to help with attacking minor trafficking. MO Network Against Child Abuse, Municipal League Metro St. Louis, MO Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, Child Advocacy Center of Northeast MO, MO Municipal League, Magnolia House, and MO Coalition Against Trafficking and Exploitation provided supporting testimony. No witness provided testimony in opposition. 

State Department Purchasing
The House Committee on Government Efficiency convened Tuesday afternoon to discuss HB 1570, sponsored by Representative John Black (R-Mansfield). Currently, all State purchases in excess of $10,000 are based on competitive bids. On purchases where the estimated expenditure will be $100,000 or more, the Commissioner of Administration advertises for and solicits bids, then selects the lowest and best bid. The bill seeks to allow any State department to conduct its own purchasing according to the procedures and requirements of Chapter 34. The Commissioner of Administration will cooperate with and assist any State department requesting to conduct its own purchasing. The sponsor’s intent with legislation is to keep the procurement process safe for departments while allowing the process to be expedited. No supporting or opposing testimony was presented to the committee.

HB 1606 Fix
The House Rules-Administrative Committee convened Thursday morning to consider passage of SB 1, Senator Sandy Crawford (R-Buffalo). The bill includes several provisions relating to county officials. Specifically, the bill allows county corners that fill the slot of sheriffs to receive that salary, allows salary commissions to amend the base salary schedule, allows county collectors to conduct tax sales via electronic media, allows county auditors to audit and examine claims, excludes the Boone County sheriff from the current salary schedule, and changes statutes concerning public administrators. The bill was voted do pass out of committee.

Vital Records
The Senate Families, Seniors and Health Committee met Wednesday morning to discuss SB 598, sponsored by Senator David Gregory (R-St. Louis). The bill repeals a provision of law permitting the Department of Health and Senior Services to disclose a listing of persons who are born or who die on a particular date upon a person's request. MO Department of Health and Senior Services testified in support of the bill. A state public advocate testified in opposition to the bill.

Raines Approved as University of Missouri Curator
On March 31st, Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) appointed John Raines, of Senath, an Independent, to the University of Missouri Board of Curators. On Wednesday, Raines was introduced to the Senate Gubernatorial Appointments Committee by Sen. Jason Bean (R-Holcomb). The Senate Committee approved Raines and other appointments by a vote of 9-1. On Thursday, Raines was approved by the full Senate. Sen. Bean said Raines is a native of southeast Missouri and is focused on agriculture. “John will be a strong voice for rural Missouri,” Sen. Bean said. Raines was asked by Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin (R-Shelbina), the committee chair, about The Climate Corporation, where he previously worked, and Raines noted the company is about “agronomics that occur in the field; what may or may not be causing crop yield to go up or down.” Raines' leadership in agriculture and food spans nearly four decades, most recently retiring as president of TELUS Ag & Consumer Goods. Prior to TELUS, Raines served as the chief commercial officer at The Climate Corporation, now part of Bayer, a leading global provider of agricultural products. Raines serves on the board of directors for several companies, including FMC Corporation, Sydenstricker Nobbe Partners, and TPNB Bank, as well as the advisory board for the University of Missouri Fisher Delta Research, Extension, and Education Center. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Missouri, Columbia.

Tax Levies Ballot Language by Political Subdivisions
On Tuesday afternoon, the full House perfected by voice vote HCS HB 119, as amended, sponsored by Rep. Jim Murphy (R-St. Louis). Another House vote is needed to move the bill to the Senate. HCS HB 119 requires that taxation-related ballot measures of political subdivisions or special districts must be labeled by election authorities numerically or alphabetically. Any ballot measure affecting a tax on real property must include ballot language that explains the change in real dollars owed per $100,000 of a property’s market valuation. If voters approve a temporary levy increase before the expiration of a previously approved temporary levy increase, the new tax rate ceiling will remain in effect only until the temporary increase expires under the terms originally approved by voters. The bill also requires that when voters in a political subdivision pass an increase in the tax rate, the political subdivision shall use the current tax rate ceiling and the increase approved by voters in establishing the rates of levy for the tax year immediately after the election. If the assessed valuation of real property in a political subdivision sees a reduction in value in the tax year immediately following the election, the political subdivision may raise its tax rates so that the revenue received from the local real property tax rates equals the amount the political subdivision would have received from the increased rates of levy had there been no reduction in the assessed valuation of real property in the political subdivision. Floor amendments to the bill include legislation by Rep. Peggy McGaugh (R-Carrollton) for condensed county financial statements to be published in newspapers annually before June 30th in all counties of the first, second, third, and fourth classes. Another amendment, offered by Rep. Rodger Reedy (R-Windsor), allows counties or cities to opt out of certain laws regarding property assessments with an affirmative vote of the governing body. An amendment by Rep. Ben Keathley (R-Chesterfield) specifies that if a political subdivision submits a tax proposal for a new or increased tax authorized under a specific statute, and it does not pass, the proposal cannot be submitted again for two years after the rejection. A previously rejected tax proposal may be reintroduced to voters before the next election cycle if the new proposal introduces a new tax authorized by law or increases the rate of an existing tax authorized by law in a federal- or state-declared natural disaster area. In other portions of the amendment, if a city council wishes to establish a sales tax by way of a proposed special community district, the amendment requires the ordinance to be approved by a two-thirds vote of the council members. The amendment exempts non-profit 501(c) entities from any property tax or special assessment that might be levied by a taxing district. An amendment added by Rep. Don Mayhew (R-Crocker) says if a municipality’s general ordinances are available online for inspection without cost by the public, at least one copy (currently three copies) of the published book shall be kept on file in the office of the municipal clerk and available for inspection by the public during business hours.