Rep. Brad Banderman

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 summaryHJR 115 proposes a constitutional amendment to create a property tax exemption for Missouri disabled veterans and their surviving spouses. It defines a "disabled veteran" as a Missouri resident honorably separated from military service with a 100% VA-certified service-connected disability, and a "homestead" as their primary residence (not exceeding 2.5 acres). The exemption would apply to real property used as a primary home, excluding portions rented for more than six months annually. This amendment requires voter approval in the 2026 general election and would replace the current property tax exemption provisions in Missouri's constitution.

Maddy summaryHB 1869 creates a Missouri grant program to help families repair or reset grave markers for deceased veterans buried in state cemeteries when markers are damaged by natural causes (like weather or erosion). Eligible applicants must be family members of veterans who were honorably discharged or died while on active duty, and they must provide proof of relationship and burial location. The program is funded through a dedicated "Veterans' Grave Marker Trust Fund," which can receive state appropriations and private donations, with unspent funds not reverting to general revenue. Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, and applicants must agree to use funds solely for repairing the grave marker.

Maddy summaryHB 2126 updates how school districts evaluate and manage contracts for building-level administrators (like principals and assistant principals). It requires districts to conduct ongoing, research-based performance evaluations using clear standards, maintain written evaluations in personnel files, and provide written renewal notices by March 1st (with automatic one-year renewal if missed). The bill also protects administrators with five+ years of service by requiring "cause" (such as poor performance or policy violations) for non-renewal, mandating written reasons for non-renewal within 10 days, and allowing a school board hearing with due process rights. These changes directly affect school administrators and districts in their evaluation and contract management procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 2760, the "PRAISE Act," prohibits state and local governments from restricting religious services during emergencies declared under specific laws, directly affecting places of worship and their attendees. It ensures religious services cannot be made impractical by emergency orders, unless the emergency involves imminent dangers like wildfires or terrorism that apply broadly to the area. The bill allows places of worship to be exempt from general emergency restrictions and provides a legal path for civil lawsuits seeking injunctions, damages, or declarations if violations occur. It explicitly excludes emergency evacuations for immediate threats but requires services to resume once the danger passes.

Maddy summaryHB 2658 creates a state "no-call database" allowing Missouri residential phone subscribers to opt out of unsolicited telemarketing calls at no cost. It requires telemarketers to check both the FCC's reassigned number database and the state database before calling, and prohibits "call spoofing" (faking caller ID to defraud or harass). The law also mandates that telemarketers clearly identify themselves at the start of calls and blocks efforts to circumvent caller ID services. This directly affects residential subscribers (who can join the database) and telemarketers (who must comply with the rules and database checks).

Maddy summaryHB 2033, known as the "Missouri Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act," prohibits health care providers in Missouri from performing gender transition surgeries or prescribing cross-sex hormones and puberty-blocking drugs for gender transition to individuals under 18 years old. The law includes a temporary exception allowing continued treatment for minors who began such care before August 28, 2023, until March 1, 2027. Violations would be deemed unprofessional conduct, risking license revocation for providers, and could lead to civil lawsuits against them. This bill directly affects transgender and gender-diverse minors under 18 seeking medical transition care and the health care providers who treat them in Missouri.

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 summaryThis resolution grants Riverbend Middle School, St. Clair Junior High School, Union Middle School, and Lonedell R-XIV School permission to use the Missouri House Chamber on April 17, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. for presenting "Glory of Missouri" Awards to students. The schools must follow strict conduct rules, including no food, drinks, smoking, banners, or equipment use in the chamber, and participants must dress respectfully. The event is limited to the award presentation and does not involve legislative policy changes.

Maddy summaryHB 2761 updates Missouri's solid waste management regulations by defining key terms like "advanced recycling" (excluding incineration) and "advanced recycling facility," while adding new requirements for operators. It mandates detailed disclosure statements from facility applicants, including five years of environmental compliance history, felony convictions, and antitrust violations related to waste handling. The bill also establishes new standards for closure plans, financial assurance instruments, and definitions for waste types like "bioreactor" landfills and "construction and demolition waste." These changes directly affect waste management facilities, manufacturers, and local governments overseeing solid waste disposal operations under Missouri law.