Missouri Bills

HB 3472 creates a new "establishment training program" allowing licensed barber shops to employ unlicensed staff to provide barbering services under direct supervision. The program requires participating businesses to register, complete a 4-hour sanitation and state law course (self-certified), and provide written disclosures to customers stating services are performed by unlicensed staff. Unlicensed workers must operate only under the physical presence of a licensed barber, and businesses remain responsible for their training and compliance with health/safety standards. The bill exempts participants from standard licensing requirements, unlicensed practice penalties, and new instructor license categories.

HB 3526 modifies Missouri's property tax credit program for senior citizens. It creates a credit equal to the difference between a senior's current property tax on their primary home and their tax liability in their "initial credit year," directly affecting Missouri residents aged 65+ (or receiving specific Social Security/veterans benefits) with household income under $75,000 who own their primary residence. Counties must adopt an ordinance or pass a referendum to implement the credit, and the state will reimburse counties for revenue losses. The bill also clarifies how property tax increases from home improvements or annexation affect the credit calculation.

HB 3522 requires that the written portion of Missouri's driver's license examination be administered exclusively in English, with no translators permitted for applicants taking this section. The bill directly affects all Missouri driver's license applicants who must complete the written test, including those renewing licenses or applying for new licenses. It specifically mandates that the written exam (covering traffic laws and sign comprehension) be given in English only, though vision tests and practical driving demonstrations remain unaffected. This policy change applies to all applicants except those covered under existing exemptions, such as active military personnel or those with reciprocal license agreements.

HB 3488 requires public and charter schools serving grades 7-12 to develop suicide and self-harm prevention policies by 2027, including strategies to identify at-risk students and protocols for responding to crises. Starting July 1, 2025, schools must print the national suicide lifeline number (988) and local police nonemergency numbers on student ID cards, with optional inclusion of text line codes (741741) or local hotlines. By 2027, schools must establish mandatory reporting procedures for staff to alert designated personnel about students at risk of suicide or self-harm, requiring immediate parental notification and risk assessments before releasing students. The bill also mandates the education department to create and periodically update a model prevention policy by 2021, incorporating school feedback.

HB 3515 prohibits Missouri state and local governments from using taxpayer funds to enforce federal emissions regulations on diesel-powered commercial vehicles, including trucks, buses, and transporters. It directly affects state agencies, local officials, and businesses operating these vehicles by banning enforcement actions like inspections or fines related to emissions control devices. The law imposes $100,000 civil penalties on entities employing officials who knowingly enforce such federal rules, and allows lawsuits to recover attorney fees and costs. Violators must pay court costs if sued, with no immunity for government employees acting under federal authority.

HB 3514 requires Missouri's Department of Transportation (MoDot) to obtain written consent from a county, city, town, or village government before constructing roundabouts on federal highways, numbered state highways, or state routes within that local jurisdiction. This directly affects MoDot and local governments, which must respond to MoDot's request within 30 days. The bill specifies that "roundabout" refers to traffic circles where vehicles travel counterclockwise around a central island. The key change is a procedural requirement for local approval before construction begins on these specific roadways.

HB 3523 creates Missouri's "Homes for Missouri Program," allowing the Department of Corrections to contract with nonprofits for inmates to build single-family homes in areas with documented affordable housing shortages. Inmates participating voluntarily would receive structured vocational training in construction trades (like carpentry and electrical work), classroom instruction, and opportunities to earn industry certifications (such as OSHA safety credentials), with homes sold at below-market, cost-based prices. The program requires participation to be voluntary, mandates documentation of skills for post-release employment, and expires six years after enactment unless renewed by the legislature. It directly affects eligible incarcerated individuals and communities facing housing shortages, focusing on workforce development and affordable housing delivery.

HB 3476 modifies how Missouri counties calculate property taxes for real and personal property. It changes the assessment rate for personal property to use a "base year value" starting January 1, 2027, and reduces taxes for solar equipment installed before August 2022 to 5% of value. The bill also adjusts airport-related property assessments by subtracting costs paid by non-government parties for improvements after 2008. Property owners, counties, and the City of St. Louis are directly affected, with assessments now tied to a biennial cycle (odd-year valuations applied in the following even year). Key provisions include updated tax rates for specific property types like agricultural crops (0.5%) and livestock (12%), alongside new rules for computer-assessed properties.

HB 3542, the "Community Safety and Law Enforcement Integrity Act," prohibits state and local law enforcement agencies from using public funds, personnel, or facilities to assist federal immigration enforcement or entering into immigration enforcement agreements with the federal government. It requires immediate termination of existing agreements and imposes civil penalties of $25,000 per violation, with funds going to public schools. The bill directly affects county sheriffs, local police departments, and state agencies by restricting their cooperation with federal immigration authorities, while also requiring ICE agents to display identification and obtain warrants for home entries during operations.

This constitutional amendment clarifies Missouri's rule that bills must cover only one specific legislative purpose. It replaces the current vague standard with a precise definition requiring bills to address a single, focused topic (e.g., one policy area or problem). Exceptions remain for general budget bills and certain other legislation specified in the constitution. The change aims to prevent bills from bundling unrelated issues, though it requires voter approval to take effect.

HB 3531 requires the Missouri State Highway Patrol to create and maintain a public website where anyone can enter a firearm's serial number to check if it has been reported stolen. This bill directly affects firearm owners, law enforcement agencies, and the general public by providing a simple, accessible tool to verify a gun's status. The key mechanism is an online database that allows real-time searches using a firearm's serial number, leveraging existing reports of stolen firearms. The bill does not change how law enforcement reports stolen firearms but adds public access to this information.

HB 3529 designates June 28th each year as "Eliot and Muriel Battle Day" in Missouri. The bill honors Eliot Battle (the first Black faculty member at Hickman High School) and Muriel Battle (the first Black principal in Columbia Public Schools), who worked together to ease racial tensions in the 1960s. It encourages Missouri citizens to participate in events celebrating their legacy, which is already recognized through schools named after them in Columbia. This is a symbolic commemorative resolution with no new policy or regulatory impact.