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SB 49 Missouri Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Authorizes school districts and charter schools to employ or accept chaplains as volunteers

This bill authorizes public school districts and charter schools to hire chaplains as employees or accept them as volunteers. It directly affects schools by allowing them to provide spiritual or emotional support services through chaplains, without requiring new state oversight. The key provision is simply granting schools the option to employ or volunteer chaplains, with no additional requirements or restrictions specified. This is a procedural change that modifies existing school autonomy, not a new program or funding measure.
Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2024
Committee Review
May 2025
Senate Passage
May 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Governor
Introduced Dec 1, 2024 Last action May 30, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Senate Committee Substitute → Perfected · 4 edits
MODERATE
The bill was amended to change the requirements for school chaplains. The most significant change is adding a new requirement that school chaplains must be members of a religious organization recognized by the Armed Forces Chaplains Board. Additionally, the requirement for chaplains to be certified teachers was modified to clarify that they only need certification if they are employed in a position requiring it.
Scope change
The bill's scope regarding who can serve as a chaplain was narrowed by adding a specific eligibility requirement related to religious organization recognition.
ELIGIBILITY

Added a new requirement that school chaplains must be members of a Department of Defense listed religious-endorsing organization recognized by the Armed Forces Chaplains Board.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the teacher certification requirement from a blanket mandate to a conditional one, stating chaplains only need certification if employed in a position that requires it.

Removed the requirement that chaplains must be certified teachers regardless of their assigned position.

TECHNICAL

Changed the bill header from Senate Committee Substitute to Senate Substitute and updated the bill number designation.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
30
Key actions
16
Committee
11
May 30, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported Duly Enrolled Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions & Ethics Committee
upper
May 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed
upper
May 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
H Third Read and Passed
lower
Apr 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported Do Pass H Rules - Administrative
lower
Apr 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
Voted Do Pass H Rules - Administrative
lower
Apr 17, 2025
Committee
Referred H Rules - Administrative
lower
Apr 16, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported Do Pass H Elementary and Secondary Education
lower
Apr 16, 2025
Lower · Passed
Voted Do Pass H Elementary and Secondary Education
lower
Mar 27, 2025
Committee
Referred H Elementary and Secondary Education
lower
Feb 20, 2025
Upper · Passed
S Third Read and Passed
upper
Feb 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported Truly Perfected S Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions and Ethics Committee
upper
Feb 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
SS for SCS, as amended, S adopted
upper
Feb 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
SA 3 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Nurrenbern)--(0552S03.12S)
upper
Feb 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
SA 2 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (May)--(0552S03.09S)
upper
Feb 18, 2025
Upper · Passed
SA 1 to SS for SCS S offered & adopted (Black)--(0552S03.07S)
upper
Feb 13, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported from S Education Committee w/SCS
upper
Feb 11, 2025
Upper · Passed
SCS Voted Do Pass (w/SCS SBs 49 & 118) Education Committee (0552S.02C)
upper
Feb 4, 2025
Upper · Passed
Hearing Conducted S Education Committee
upper
Dec 1, 2024
Introduced
Prefiled
upper
0 primary · 1 co-sponsor

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.