HB 3266 establishes a formal bill of rights for people experiencing homelessness in the state. It guarantees specific protections, including the right to move freely in public spaces, receive equal treatment from government agencies, access emergency medical care, maintain reasonable privacy for personal belongings, vote with necessary documentation, and keep personal records confidential. The law explicitly prohibits denying these rights solely due to homelessness, ensuring existing legal protections apply equally to all residents regardless of housing status.
HB 3268 creates a tax credit for Missouri businesses or organizations that provide specific services to homeless individuals. Eligible entities must be certified by the Department of Economic Development as providers of employment services, direct employment (at minimum wage for 28+ hours/week), or housing (rented/leased at income-based rates). Certified providers can claim up to $10,000 annually against their state income tax, with a total annual cap of $1 million across all credits. The program expires December 31, 2032, unless renewed by the legislature.
HB 3426 modifies Missouri's domestic violence protection laws, primarily affecting victims seeking orders and respondents accused of abuse. It establishes new temporary orders prohibiting contact, access to shared housing, and communication, while banning mutual protection orders unless both parties properly filed petitions. Key provisions include courts granting custody, visitation, housing payments, pet custody, and wireless phone number transfers to victims, with specific rules for safety and property. These changes apply to cases under sections 455.010-455.085 of Missouri law.
SB 1625 prevents leftover money in two specific state funds from being moved into the general state budget at the end of each two-year budget cycle. It applies to the Highway Patrol Academy Fund (used for training non-patrol peace officers) and the Crime Victims' Compensation Fund (funded by court surcharges and felony judgments). The bill requires that any remaining funds in these accounts must stay dedicated to their original purposes - such as academy operations or victim compensation services - rather than being redirected to general state spending. This ensures these funds continue supporting targeted programs without being absorbed into the broader state budget.
SB 1658, known as "Mason's Law," allows Missouri residents with a health condition or disability that impairs communication with police to request a special designation on their vehicle license plate. To qualify, applicants (or their family members) must obtain certification from a physician or psychologist confirming the condition will last at least five years. Approved designations will be shared with law enforcement via the Missouri Uniform Law Enforcement System (MULES), alerting officers to potential communication needs during interactions. The program requires renewal every five years and mandates that law enforcement agencies receive training on the designation.
HB 3339 requires Missouri parole board members to visit state prison facilities at least four times annually starting January 1, 2027. This directly affects parole board members, who must conduct these in-person facility inspections as part of their duties. The bill adds this specific requirement to existing rules governing the board’s operations. It does not change parole decision-making processes but mandates regular on-site oversight of correctional facilities. The bill is currently in committee after its introduction on February 18, 2026.
HB 3355 makes it a minor criminal offense (class D misdemeanor) to knowingly approach within 25 feet of a first responder after being orally warned not to, when the person intends to impede duties, threaten physical harm, or harass. It directly affects anyone who engages in such behavior toward law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, or hospital staff performing emergency duties. Key provisions require an oral warning before the 25-foot approach, define "harass" as causing substantial emotional distress with no legitimate purpose, and specify the three prohibited intents. The law aims to protect first responders during active duty by criminalizing disruptive or threatening conduct near them.
HB 2345 creates tax credits for Missouri taxpayers who donate to domestic violence shelters or rape crisis centers. Businesses and individuals can claim a 50% tax credit for donations before July 1, 2022, and 70% after, up to $50,000 annually per taxpayer. The bill limits total annual credits to $2 million before 2022 (no limit after), requires donations of at least $100 to qualify, and includes a $1,000 credit for converting abandoned property into shelters starting in 2027. It directly affects taxpayers making qualifying donations and shelters classified by the Department of Social Services.
HB 1689 updates child pornography laws to explicitly include "artificially generated visual depictions" that are obscene, indistinguishable from real minors, morphed from real minor images, or created without actual minor involvement. It defines such images as illegal child pornography under the same legal framework as real images, covering digital or computer-generated content that appears to show minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. This bill directly affects individuals creating, distributing, or possessing these AI-generated images, treating them as equivalent to traditional child sexual abuse material. The key provision expands the legal definition of "child pornography" to address emerging technologies without requiring proof of the minor's actual identity. The bill is currently in early legislative stages (prefiled, first reading).
HB 2035 prohibits using artificial intelligence to create explicit sexual material featuring a person's image or voice without their express written consent. It directly affects individuals whose likenesses could be misused and entities (like companies or creators) generating such AI content. The bill bans altering or replicating someone's image/voice via AI for explicit material and requires written consent for any use of a person's likeness in such content. Violators face civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation, and victims can sue for actual damages plus attorney fees. The law explicitly excludes artistic or anthropological works from its definition of "explicit sexual material."
