Rep. Colin Wellenkamp

Maddy summaryHB 516 creates a dedicated "Radioactive Waste Investigation Fund" within Missouri's state treasury to investigate potential radioactive contamination. It directs the Department of Natural Resources to use this fund - funded by annual transfers of up to $1 million from the hazardous waste fund - to conduct scientific investigations in areas where local governments request them, prioritizing sites near known radioactive contamination. The bill requires public reporting of preliminary findings for 90 days, final reports with test results, and soil/water sampling (with homeowner permission in residential areas) to assess if contamination exceeds EPA standards. Any unused funds revert to the hazardous waste fund at year-end.

Maddy summaryHB 1487 creates a state-regulated rebate program for residential and commercial customers installing solar energy systems paired with battery storage. It mandates electrical corporations to offer rebates per watt of solar capacity (ranging from $2 down to $0.25 per watt), decreasing over time until 2031, with specific deadlines for system installation. To qualify, customers must install a "smart inverter" and energy storage system connected to their solar setup, and transfer renewable energy credits to the utility for 10 years. The bill also caps annual and total rebate costs for utilities based on their customer size and allows utilities to recover rebate expenses through rate adjustments.

Maddy summaryHB 1498 creates a 15% state income tax credit for property owners renovating or building in designated historic districts. It applies to occupied residential or commercial properties within National Register-listed historic districts that meet specific income criteria (e.g., in census areas with median household income between 70%-90% of regional averages). The credit covers eligible renovation costs like architectural services and construction, with a maximum $40,000 per project over ten years, while excluding costs covered by other grants. New construction must avoid flood zones and agricultural land, and properties must not be in distressed communities for certain eligibility.

Maddy summaryHB 243 ensures that pregnancy cannot delay or prevent a court from granting a divorce (dissolution of marriage) or legal separation. It explicitly states that a court must proceed with the judgment regardless of whether one party is pregnant, removing pregnancy as a barrier to these proceedings. The bill affects individuals seeking divorce or legal separation who are pregnant, requiring courts to follow standard residency and procedural requirements without considering pregnancy status. This change applies to all divorce or separation cases, maintaining existing rules about residency, custody, and property division while clarifying that pregnancy alone does not block finalization.

Maddy summaryHB 477 requires school districts to obtain written or electronic parental consent before making certain changes to a child's Individualized Education Program (IEP), such as initial placements, service removals, or changes exceeding 25% in service minutes. It mandates a standardized consent form with options for full consent, refusal, or partial consent, and requires schools to document parent signatures. The bill also establishes a 10-business-day timeline for resolving disagreements and allows parents to visit proposed programs before consenting. This bill, which would take effect July 1, 2026, is currently inactive after being dropped from the legislative calendar in May 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1499 modifies Missouri's tax credit program for motion media productions (like films, series, and digital content) by increasing the base credit to 20% of qualifying expenses spent in Missouri, plus up to 25% more based on specific criteria. It requires productions to film at least 50% in Missouri, with additional credits for filming in rural/blighted areas (15%), hiring Missouri residents for skill development (3 departments), or promoting Missouri locations (with photo requirements). The bill sets annual caps of $8 million per year for film/series credits through 2025, rising to $16 million annually after 2025, and mandates minimum employment of Missouri apprentices/veterans based on project size. It directly affects production companies seeking tax credits for qualifying projects filmed in Missouri, including those meeting expense thresholds ($50k for short projects, $100k for longer ones) and excluding news, ads, or political content.

Maddy summaryHB 1271 modifies how county sales tax revenues for parks are allocated, allowing counties to use 50% of collected taxes for park-related storm water management projects that use natural infrastructure (like rain gardens or bioswales) without harming park benefits. This directly affects counties within the metropolitan park district, municipalities receiving grant funds, and park districts managing recreational facilities. The bill requires counties to reserve 40% of this 50% allocation for municipal grants to fund park projects, with specific rules for large counties (over 900,000 residents) to distribute funds via a municipal grant commission. It maintains existing funding for park operations and the Gateway Arch grounds but expands eligible uses for county-level park funds.

Maddy summaryHB 1466 bans the sale and use of firefighting foam containing intentionally added PFAS (a type of harmful chemical) in Missouri, with limited exceptions for airport use (if federally required) and military applications. It requires manufacturers to report foam discharges within 24 hours, provide compliance certificates, and recall PFAS-containing foam before the 2027 ban takes effect. The law also directs the Department of Natural Resources to create rules protecting water and soil from PFAS contamination. This directly affects foam manufacturers, fire departments, airports, and military facilities using such foam.

Maddy summaryHB 513 modifies how local governments (political subdivisions) can use design-build and construction manager-at-risk delivery methods for public projects. It sets spending thresholds: noncivil projects (like buildings) over $7 million and civil projects (like roads or water systems) over $3 million can use these methods, with a limit of five smaller noncivil projects under $7 million per fiscal year. The bill requires a two-step selection process for construction managers, prioritizing qualifications (40%) over cost (60%), and mandates public disclosure of selection criteria before bidding. It also prohibits the project’s own engineer or architect from serving as the construction manager.

Maddy summaryHB 1461 creates a revolving loan fund to help Missouri homeowners' associations (HOAs) fund erosion control projects near waterways. The program provides loans covering up to 80% of project costs at 3.5% interest, requiring HOAs to first approve a homeowner assessment. Eligible projects include natural solutions like restoring creek banks with vegetation, daylighting waterways, or adding natural flood capacity - excluding impermeable surfaces like concrete lining. This directly affects HOAs that are nonprofit under Missouri law and need to implement environmentally focused erosion control.