Rep. Cecelie Williams

Maddy summaryHB 3012 would create a public registry for individuals convicted of multiple domestic violence offenses against family or household members in Missouri. It requires courts to order registration after a conviction when a person has at least one prior conviction for domestic violence against the same type of victim. The registry, maintained by the Department of Public Safety, would include name, date of birth, offense details, and a photo (but not address or ID numbers) and be accessible online. Offenders would pay a $150 registration fee (with $100 funding domestic violence prevention services), and their names would be removed after 5-20 years based on prior offenses. The registry would apply only to offenses occurring on or after January 1, 2027, and expire after six years unless renewed.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires regular inspections of fire safety dampers (devices that prevent fire/smoke spread through HVAC systems) in most non-residential Missouri buildings, excluding small homes. It mandates an initial inspection within 12 months of installation and subsequent checks every four years, following NFPA standards with physical visual inspections required (not remote methods). Inspectors must hold specific ICB certifications or equivalent, and building owners must maintain compliance records, issue deficiency reports for failures, and post public verification notices. These requirements apply to commercial buildings, schools, hospitals, and other multi-use structures governed by Missouri political subdivisions.

Maddy summaryHB 3434 establishes a Missouri Statewide Sexual Assault Response Task Force to study and improve the state's system for supporting sexual assault victims. The task force, composed of 22 members including legislators, law enforcement, healthcare providers, victim advocates, and agency representatives, will analyze current response practices from initial reporting through legal proceedings. It must evaluate needs for rape crisis center staffing, assess implementation of the Sexual Assault Survivor Bill of Rights, collect data on reporting and prosecution, and identify gaps in victim services. The task force will submit recommendations to the governor and legislature by December 31, 2028, focusing on concrete improvements to victim care and justice system coordination. This bill directly affects state agencies, law enforcement, healthcare providers, and victim service organizations involved in sexual assault response.

Maddy summaryHB 1910, "Bentley and Mason's Law," requires a person convicted of driving while intoxicated (DWI) that caused a parent's death to pay child maintenance to surviving children if a surviving parent or guardian petitions the court. The maintenance continues until the child turns 18 (or 21 if the court extends it) or meets specific milestones, such as completing secondary school, vocational training, or higher education (with at least 12 credit hours per semester and passing grades). The law also allows extensions beyond age 18 for children with physical or mental incapacities that prevent self-support. This bill directly affects children who lost a parent due to a DWI offense and the convicted individuals ordered to pay maintenance.

Maddy summaryHB 3435 limits social host liability for injuries caused by guests who consumed alcohol at their home. It allows lawsuits only if a host willfully provided alcohol to someone visibly intoxicated (e.g., slurring speech, unsteady), created an unreasonable risk of harm (like allowing driving), and the injury resulted from the guest’s vehicle accident. The bill uses blood alcohol concentration (BAC) as evidence: under 0.10% BAC creates a strong presumption the guest wasn’t visibly intoxicated, while 0.10-0.15% BAC requires proof to overcome that presumption. This law applies solely to incidents involving adults aged 21+ and is the exclusive legal remedy for such injuries.

Maddy summaryHB 1772 modifies Missouri's foster care subsidy program to clarify eligibility and add new adoption-related financial assistance. It requires written agreements between the children's division and foster parents covering payment terms, and allows subsidy suspension if a child is adjudicated dependent and removed from parental custody. Beginning January 1, 2027, the bill creates a new grant program to cover adoption legal fees (up to $2,500 for uncontested adoptions, $4,000 for contested), including attorney fees billed at $175/hour and related court costs. This directly affects foster parents, prospective adoptive parents, and the children's division, with the adoption fee assistance applying specifically to successful adoption proceedings.

Maddy summaryHB 1808 limits social host liability for injuries caused by serving alcohol to adults aged 21 or older. It allows lawsuits only if the host knowingly provided alcohol to someone visibly intoxicated (evidenced by BAC ≥0.10%), created an unreasonable risk of harm, and the injury resulted from that person driving while intoxicated. The bill establishes legal BAC thresholds: under 0.10% BAC creates an irrebuttable presumption the guest wasn’t visibly intoxicated, while 0.10%-0.15% BAC creates a rebuttable presumption. This section becomes the exclusive civil remedy for such incidents.

Maddy summaryHB 3460 (the "Assistance for Rape Emergencies (CARE) Act") requires hospitals and affiliated health care facilities to provide specific medical care to sexual assault victims. It mandates that facilities: (1) verbally inform victims about emergency contraception, (2) immediately provide the full regimen if requested, and (3) offer sexually transmitted infection screening and treatment. The bill also establishes standards for forensic examinations, requiring trained providers or telehealth support for non-SANE staff, with limited waivers for technological barriers. This directly affects hospitals, health care facilities, and sexual assault victims across the state, standardizing emergency medical responses to sexual assault.

Maddy summaryHB 1908 ensures Missouri courts can grant a divorce (dissolution of marriage) or legal separation even if one party is pregnant. The bill explicitly states that pregnancy status does not prevent a court from entering such a judgment, removing any prior barrier. Courts must still meet standard requirements, including residency, the marriage being irretrievably broken (for divorce) or not (for legal separation), and arrangements for children and property. This change directly affects individuals in Missouri family court cases involving pregnancy who seek divorce or legal separation.

Maddy summaryHB 2323 establishes Missouri's "Domestic Abuse Offender Registration and Accountability Act," requiring high-risk domestic abuse offenders (those with two prior convictions or a high-risk assessment) to register with the Department of Public Safety. Offenders must provide detailed personal, residential, employment, and vehicle information within 72 hours of conviction or release, update details within 10 days of changes, and maintain registration for five years post-sentence. The law mandates court hearings before registration orders, restricts database access to law enforcement for victim safety (not public disclosure), and requires victim notification before sharing offender data. Violations carry civil fines for first offenses and misdemeanor penalties for repeat failures, with biennial reports to the legislature on registry effectiveness.