This Missouri House resolution (HCR 51) urges Congress to pass HR 1970, a federal bill that would require the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to fully reimburse veterans' homes or directly provide high-cost medications and treatments for severely disabled veterans. It specifically addresses current shortfalls in VA funding that leave veterans' homes unable to cover expenses for specialized care. The resolution does not create new law but expresses Missouri's support for federal action to better support veterans' long-term care facilities.
HB 3445 requires licensed child care facilities serving children with medical needs (as documented by a provider statement) to collaborate with local schools or private education agencies when parents consent. Specifically, facilities must refer families to support services, coordinate care plans for children turning three, create specialized care plans following best practices, and train staff to meet those needs. This directly affects child care facilities enrolled with medically specialized children, mandating structured support through educational partnerships. The bill aims to improve coordination between child care providers and educational systems for these children. It is currently in early legislative stages, having been introduced in February 2026.
HB 3431 would provide pay increases to certain General Assembly staff members who hold college degrees. Specifically, it requires a 3% pay increase for staff with a bachelor's degree and a 6% increase for those with a master's or doctoral degree, based on their highest earned degree. The bill applies to roles like legislator assistants, policy directors, and chiefs of staff, and only the highest degree held qualifies for the increase. This is a procedural pay adjustment bill with no additional policy changes.
HB 3429 creates a dedicated office within Missouri’s Department of Public Safety focused on addressing disparities in cases involving missing and murdered African American women and girls. The office will collect and analyze data on missing persons, homicides, Amber alerts, and trafficking cases involving this group, comparing outcomes to other demographics. It will develop recommendations for legislative, agency, and community actions to improve responses, particularly regarding labor trafficking, sex trafficking, and domestic violence intersections. The office must report annual data and outcomes to the legislature by January 15 each year, including case statistics and analysis of justice system responses. This bill directly affects Missouri law enforcement agencies, state departments, and the communities impacted by these cases.
HB 3444 modifies Missouri's individual income tax rates by reducing the top rate from 6% to 4.95% for tax years beginning in 2023. It establishes future potential rate reductions (starting in 2024 and 2027) contingent on the state exceeding specific revenue thresholds tied to historical collections and inflation. The bill also requires annual adjustments to tax brackets based on inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index. This directly affects Missouri residents filing state income tax returns, particularly those in higher income brackets subject to the top tax rate.
HB 3437 requires gas, electric, water, and sewer utilities to obtain approval from the Public Service Commission (PSC) before selling, merging, or transferring their essential service assets. This applies directly to public utilities providing core infrastructure services, such as water and electricity providers. The bill mandates that utilities submit impact statements detailing how transactions might affect local tax revenues, and the PSC must formally determine that any transaction serves the public interest before it can proceed. Transactions violating these requirements are void, ensuring regulatory oversight of major utility ownership changes.
HB 3440 makes it illegal to share an elected county official's or their family's personal information (like home addresses, Social Security numbers, or children's names) online or otherwise, if the intent is to harass, intimidate, or influence the official's work. It classifies this as a class A misdemeanor, but becomes a class B felony if the act causes death or injury. The law directly protects county elected officials and their families from targeted privacy violations aimed at disrupting their duties. Key provisions define "personal information" broadly and establish specific penalties based on the severity of harm caused.
HB 3433 modifies Missouri law to allow grandparents to seek court-ordered visitation with a grandchild in four specific situations: during divorce proceedings, after one parent's death, when parents were never married, or when the child lived with the grandparent for six months in the past two years. The bill requires that visitation must have been denied for over 60 days and that the court must determine visitation is in the child's best interests before granting it. The court may appoint a guardian ad litem for the child and order a home study to assess the child's best interests, and the grandparent's right ends if the child is adopted. The bill also allows courts to award attorney fees to the prevailing party in such cases.
HJR 194 is a proposed constitutional amendment in Missouri that would authorize the highways and transportation commission to build toll roads on interstates and four-lane roadways, directly affecting drivers who use these routes. The bill specifies that toll revenue must be deposited into a dedicated "state road fund" to pay for highway bonds, maintain roads, and fund construction projects like widening highways or connecting state parks. It would also require that tolls collected only at entrances to these roads, with rates needing legislative approval. This amendment is currently pending in the Missouri legislature and would change how transportation funding is managed if adopted.
HB 3442 creates a state central registry for confirmed child abuse and neglect reports, maintained by the Department of Social Services. It allows sharing of substantiated reports with prosecutors, courts, and other states during active investigations, while requiring confidentiality except for specific uses like vetting CASA program volunteers or potential foster/adoptive parents (with written consent). The registry excludes names until all administrative appeals are resolved, and includes a $25 fee for authorized background checks. Violations of confidentiality carry criminal penalties. The law aims to improve child safety assessments by providing access to past reports while protecting privacy through strict rules.
HB 3417 defines and establishes specialized treatment courts (including adult, DWI, family, juvenile, mental health, and veterans courts) to address substance use or mental health disorders among defendants. It requires circuit courts to create these divisions by a specific deadline, mandating referrals to state-certified treatment programs unless none exist locally. The bill specifies that successful completion of treatment can lead to dismissed, reduced, or modified charges, with fees paid to treatment providers not classified as court costs. It directly affects defendants with substance use or mental health disorders in criminal cases, as well as courts and treatment providers operating within the system.
HB 3424 designates a section of highway in St. Louis County, from I-270 east to CST Sutter Avenue, as the "Mayor Mary Louise Carter Highway." The Missouri Department of Transportation will install and maintain signs for this route, with costs covered by private donations rather than public funds. This bill directly affects the local community and travelers using this specific highway segment. It is a procedural naming measure with no substantive policy changes.
