Rep. Richard West

Maddy summaryHB 1613 moves elections for county planning commission members to coincide with regular countywide general elections. This affects voters in townships within counties that have planning commissions, requiring them to elect one representative per township during existing general elections. The bill replaces previously appointed commissioners with elected members, establishing four-year terms with overlapping two-year terms for half the members. It also specifies that elected members serve without pay but receive expense reimbursement, while the county highway engineer remains an ex officio member.

Maddy summaryHB 1722 changes Missouri school board election rules, affecting all public school districts. It sets biennial elections for school board members on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even-numbered years, starting in 2028. The bill limits total service to eight years (counting pre-2028 terms) and requires school board elections to be partisan, with candidates declaring party affiliation or running as independents. These changes replace existing election cycles and term limits for school board members statewide.

Maddy summaryHB 1721 requires prosecuting and circuit attorneys to submit standardized, annual reports on case handling to the governor, attorney general, and legislative committees by March 1st each year. The reports must include non-personally identifying data broken down by offense category, covering intake (arrests, referrals, dismissals), dispositions (diversion, pleas, dismissals), and sentencing (incarceration, probation, jail terms). These reports must be made publicly available upon request and help compile uniform data for oversight. The bill directly affects local prosecutors' offices by mandating specific data collection and reporting formats. It aims to increase transparency in how criminal cases are processed across jurisdictions.

Maddy summaryHB 1720 requires cities, towns, counties, and villages to establish public comment policies for their regular meetings. It mandates a designated public comment period at the start of each meeting, with at least three minutes per speaker, a one-hour total limit, and no restrictions on comment content. The bill also requires local governments to accept written comments from those unable to attend and prohibits banning attendees except for specific offenses like disorderly conduct. These rules apply directly to residents, businesses, and taxpayers seeking to address local governing bodies.

Maddy summaryHB 1719 requires that all peace officers' basic law enforcement training include at least four hours of instruction on officer-canine encounters and canine behaviors. This training must cover specific topics such as understanding canine behavior, handling unplanned encounters, using humane methods, relevant state canine laws, and nonlethal defense techniques. The bill applies to every peace officer's basic training requirement, meaning it will be mandated for new officers as part of their initial certification process. The bill is currently pending in the legislature after being prefaced and read in the House.

Maddy summaryHJR 169 proposes a constitutional amendment requiring voter approval before Missouri state or local districts can increase taxes, debt, or annual spending above certain thresholds. It directly affects state and local governments (excluding government-owned enterprises) by mandating public votes for new revenue measures and creating a refund process for illegally collected revenue. Key mechanisms include requiring districts to provide detailed spending data to voters before tax/debt votes, refunding illegally collected revenue with 10% annual interest, and suspending certain spending limits only during declared emergencies. The amendment takes effect January 1, 2027, and would override conflicting existing laws.

Maddy summaryHB 1717 would allow veterans aged 21+ with PTSD, major depression, substance use disorders, or end-of-life care needs to legally use psilocybin for therapeutic purposes under strict conditions. To qualify, veterans must enroll in a research study, provide physician documentation of their condition, identify a trained facilitator (a licensed mental health professional meeting specific criteria), and have psilocybin tested by a state-licensed lab. The bill prohibits state/local penalties for compliant use, requires a 150mg annual limit, and shields healthcare providers from professional discipline for participating. It also mandates a $2 million state grant for psilocybin research and annual reports on the program’s implementation. This bill is currently pending in committee and has not yet become law.

Maddy summaryThis bill limits digital instruction to 45 minutes daily for elementary students in kindergarten through grade five and requires at least 70% of assignments to be completed using pen, paper, or handwriting practice. It mandates daily access to printed books, hands-on learning tools (like blocks or science materials) in core subjects, and explicit cursive handwriting instruction starting in grade two, with requirements to read/write legible cursive by grade five. Exemptions apply for students with IEPs or 504 plans, and schools must adopt written technology-use policies, report device usage, and verify compliance with paper-based and cursive requirements. The law takes effect for the 2027-28 school year.

Maddy summaryHJR 153 proposes a constitutional amendment to change how judges are selected in Missouri courts. It would replace current election-based selection with a system where the governor appoints judges (with Senate approval) from a list of nominees recommended by a nonpartisan judicial commission. The amendment also establishes a new seven-year term for all judges, including circuit and associate circuit judges, instead of varying terms under current law. Voters in certain counties could later choose through a ballot measure whether to maintain this appointment system or revert to elections. This change would affect all judges serving in Missouri's circuit courts, associate circuit courts, and higher courts, with the proposal requiring voter approval in the 2026 election.

Maddy summaryHCR 29 is a Missouri legislative resolution urging the U.S. Congress to reinstate mandatory country-of-origin labeling for meat products. It specifically calls for requiring labels to show whether beef or pork was born, raised, and slaughtered in the U.S., reversing a 2015 repeal of a similar 2008 law. The resolution states this labeling would help consumers identify truly American-made meat and support U.S. farmers and ranchers by distinguishing domestic products from imported ones processed in the U.S. It does not create new law but formally expresses Missouri's support for this policy change.