After a month of session, the Missouri General Assembly appears more relaxed and collegial than in recent years. This may be attributed, in part, to a popular new governor, new House and Senate leadership, including Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin (R-18) and Speaker of the House Jon Patterson (R-30), and changes in the makeup of both legislative chambers.
The Senate functioned relatively efficiently during its first week of floor activity, perfecting six bills and third reading five of them, and yet some late floor debate seemed to signal some disagreement just below the surface within each caucus. Bills passed in the Senate and sent to the House include topics as varied as county officials, county financial statements, emergency medical services, modifications relating to jails, and cotton trailers.
The House is expected to advance to floor debate as early as the week of February 10th, with Speaker Patterson’s priority legislation, relating to the support and safety of foster children, expected to be the first bill passed out of the House.
Like many sessions following a general election, it takes time to get things rolling with so many new parts. But by the end of week 2, House and Senate committees were in full swing. Some of the committee actions and bill filings that have occurred during the first month of session, in no particular order:
– Legislation banning intoxicating cannabinoids not sold in dispensaries, but allowing a narrow carve-out for low-dose intoxicating hemp drinks to continue to be sold in grocery and liquor stores, won the committee approval in each chamber.
– Bills relating to abortion – some in favor of putting the issue back on the ballot, others wanting to enact restrictions on the margins that would not violate the state’s new constitutional provisions – have injected the topic back into General Assembly soon after voters approved Amendment 3 last November.
– Missouri’s long-splintered GOP Senate supermajority seems united in further regulating transgender care for minors.
– Both Chambers have seen legislation introduced to change the terms of the Missouri minimum wage and sick leave law, which voters approved in November.
– Tough-on-crime bills, including state takeover of the St. Louis Police, have seen movement in both chambers, as the General Assembly seeks to pass measures that Governor Mike Kehoe has identified as a top priority.
– Sprawling, at times competing, tax reform measures have been offered in both the House and Senate, some aimed at eliminating Missouri’s state income tax, others attempting to eliminate the state’s capital gains tax.
– The House has moved out of committee legislation that would legalize and regulate tax video gambling machines. The bill would require unregulated VLT and gray machines to convert to regulated lottery games within eighteen months.
– Missouri lawmakers are considering legislation that would increase funding for local governments to test for radioactive waste around contaminated sites in the St. Louis region.
– Education bills seek to inject $50 million into Missouri’s private school voucher program, while others seek to expand open enrollment and school transfers.
– Legislation would shield Bayer and other pesticide manufacturers from lawsuits claiming its herbicide, Roundup, causes cancer as long as federal labeling requirements are followed.
– With millions of dollars at stake, a legislative battle in Missouri over payments for prescription drugs has kicked off between pharmacies, health care providers, and insurance companies.
– Missouri lawmakers are considering legislation that aims to expand nuclear power generation across the state. Other energy bills would allow utilities to base customer rates on projected expenses rather than actual costs.
– Three legislators have introduced plans to reinstate Missouri’s presidential primary vote in 2028.