HB 2696 shifts responsibility for most circuit court expenses from local counties to the state treasury, requiring that all such expenditures (except salaries, clerk hire, and municipal court divisions) be paid from the state. The bill repeals prior laws and establishes new budget procedures: circuit courts must submit spending estimates to county officials, and disputes over these estimates must be reviewed by the judicial finance commission. This directly affects all 40 Missouri circuit courts and their counties, moving financial accountability for court operations from local governments to the state. The law aims to standardize funding and reduce budget conflicts between counties and courts.
HB 2689 requires Missouri state agencies to repeal at least two existing rules before implementing any new rule. This directly affects all state departments, agencies, commissions, and boards that create administrative regulations. The key mechanism is a mandatory "two-for-one" rule repeal requirement for new rule proposals. The bill aims to streamline regulation by reducing the overall number of rules, though it does not specify which rules must be repealed.
HB 2687 requires telecom and cable companies to remove abandoned underground lines and facilities from public streets, sidewalks, and similar public areas within 180 days of abandonment. Companies must notify local agencies within 30 days and submit a removal plan, facing $500 daily fines until removal is complete. The bill also holds owners financially responsible for costs if other infrastructure projects encounter abandoned lines. Local agencies enforce these requirements to improve public safety and infrastructure maintenance.
HB 3043 requires virtual currency kiosk operators to clearly disclose key risks to customers before transactions, such as that virtual currency isn't backed by government or protected by deposit insurance. It authorizes the state attorney general to bring civil lawsuits against operators who violate these disclosure rules or other provisions of the law. The bill defines critical terms like "virtual currency kiosk" (an electronic terminal for exchanging fiat currency and virtual currency) and mandates operators to provide written risk disclosures covering irreversibility, market volatility, and regulatory changes. It also establishes confidentiality rules for state division records and ensures federal laws like the Bank Secrecy Act take precedence if conflicts arise. This law directly affects businesses operating physical kiosks for virtual currency exchanges within the state.
HB 3041 modifies Missouri's requirements for obtaining a certificate of ownership when registering a motor vehicle or trailer. It requires applicants to submit a completed application within 30 days of acquiring a vehicle (or receiving dealer title), including vehicle details, odometer reading, and lien information, with a $8.50 fee plus a $25 delinquency penalty for late applications (capped at $200). The bill also mandates specific certificate designations for reconstructed vehicles, requires odometer information on certificates, and specifies that out-of-state vehicles needing inspection must provide proof of prior inspection to avoid a $25 fee. This directly affects Missouri vehicle owners and dealers during title transfers.
HB 2697 modifies the definition of "qualified student" for Missouri's Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program. It excludes students who are "illegal aliens" and adds two eligibility pathways: (1) students with an IEP under federal special education law, or (2) students from households earning ≤300% of the free/reduced lunch income threshold who attended public school recently or meet specific grade-level/sibling criteria. The bill directly affects students seeking scholarship funds to attend participating private, charter, or virtual schools. It does not create new funding but changes who qualifies for existing scholarship accounts under Section 166.700.
HB 2684 designates J. Rieger & Co. as the official Kansas City whiskey of Missouri. The bill recognizes the company's historical significance as the largest mail-order whiskey house in the U.S. before Prohibition and its role as the first whiskey distilled in Kansas City since Prohibition, following its 2015 revival. This is a ceremonial designation with no regulatory or financial impact on the company or state operations. The bill does not create new laws or affect any policies beyond this symbolic recognition.
HB 2685 designates the week of September 24-30 each year in Missouri as "Historically Black College and University Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Week." The bill encourages Missouri citizens to participate in events celebrating the diversity, equity, and inclusion goals exemplified by HBCUs. It has no funding requirements or policy changes - it is a symbolic recognition of HBCUs' contributions to education and community values. The bill is currently in early legislative stages (prefiled and read once).
HB 3073 requires owners of utility-scale solar projects (those generating 2+ megawatts) to submit a detailed decommissioning plan and financial assurance to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) before starting energy production. The plan must outline equipment removal, recycling (including PV modules and batteries), site restoration to pre-construction conditions, and cost estimates, while financial assurance (like bonds or insurance) ensures funds are available even if the owner becomes insolvent. This directly affects solar project developers and owners, mandating proactive planning for end-of-life site cleanup and cost coverage. The bill aims to prevent abandoned solar facilities by requiring these measures upfront, rather than after operations cease.
HB 3087 clarifies that sunflowers (Helianthus annuus and all varieties) are not classified as agricultural crops under state law. This definition affects farmers, landowners, and regulators who may have previously treated sunflowers under agricultural regulations. The bill changes how sunflowers are categorized for legal and regulatory purposes, but does not alter farming practices or tax treatment. As a procedural classification bill, it has no direct policy impact beyond this specific definition.
HB 3096 establishes a rebuttable presumption that certain cancers and occupational diseases (including heart, respiratory, and specific cancers like lung or prostate cancer) contracted by firefighters and fire investigators are work-related, shifting the burden of proof to employers to disprove the connection. It also adds PTSD as a compensable occupational disease for first responders when diagnosed after experiencing specific qualifying traumatic events, such as witnessing severe injuries or deaths. The bill updates Missouri's workers' compensation framework to cover these conditions without requiring proof of direct causation, provided clear evidence links the condition to job-related exposures or events. This directly affects paid firefighters and fire investigators certified under state law who develop covered illnesses during their duties.
HB 3071 requires property owners, sellers, landlords, or transferors to disclose in writing if a property was previously contaminated with radioactive or hazardous material, but only if they have official knowledge from a government agency. This affects anyone buying, leasing, or transferring property, with failure to disclose constituting a class A misdemeanor. The bill also mandates that owners must inform tenants if a government agency requests testing for contamination and requires state agencies to notify residents of contamination at residential properties within 30 days. Key provisions focus on written disclosure obligations, penalties for non-disclosure, and tenant rights to terminate leases without cost if contamination was knowingly hidden. The bill is currently in early legislative stages (introduced January 2026).
