Rep. John Hewkin

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 1667, the "Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act," requires healthcare providers at abortion facilities to provide immediate medical care to any child born alive during or after an abortion, treating them as they would any other newborn. Providers must use standard medical care to preserve the child's life and arrange hospital admission, with failure to report violations carrying criminal penalties (up to 5 years in prison or $10,000 fines). The bill also establishes civil liability for providers who fail to provide care, for actions causing death of a born-alive child, or for performing unlawful abortions, allowing lawsuits for injury or death with damages including loss of companionship. It explicitly states that consent to an abortion cannot be used as a defense in such cases.

Maddy summaryHB 1885 establishes the "Clean Water Commission of the State of Missouri" to replace the previous commission structure. The bill sets specific requirements for the commission: seven members appointed by the governor (with Senate approval), no more than four from the same political party, and at least two members must have expertise in agriculture, industry, or mining. It also prohibits members from having significant income from permit holders in the past two years and mandates at least four public meetings annually. This commission directly governs water quality regulations affecting public health, agriculture, industry, and wastewater systems across Missouri.

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 2273 establishes a new "Committee on Sex and Human Trafficking Training" to standardize and improve training for professionals who interact with trafficking victims. The committee, composed of representatives from law enforcement, child advocacy, victim services, and medical centers, will create annual training guidelines and produce digital training materials for professions required to complete such training under existing laws. This bill directly affects state agencies, law enforcement, healthcare providers, and child advocacy organizations that must provide or receive trafficking training. The committee's work will replace outdated training requirements with updated standards, effective January 1, 2027, and expire December 31, 2031. The bill does not create new criminal penalties but focuses on coordinating and modernizing existing training obligations.

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 2175, titled the "No Shari'a Act," prohibits Missouri courts, arbitration panels, and agencies from enforcing contracts or rulings based on foreign law (including Shari'a law) that conflict with U.S. or Missouri constitutional rights. It specifically voids court decisions, contracts requiring foreign law, and jurisdiction transfers to foreign tribunals if they deny fundamental liberties. The bill excludes religious matters (like clergy selection), voluntary corporate agreements with foreign law, and cases where federal law preempts state law. It directly affects parties in legal disputes involving foreign law, courts, and arbitrators within Missouri.

Maddy summaryHB 1749 requires Missouri state agencies and local governments to give a three-point preference in contract bidding to veteran-owned businesses that are based in Missouri or maintain Missouri offices. It defines "honorably discharged veteran-owned enterprises" (including sole proprietors, partnerships, or corporations with 51% veteran ownership) and "service-disabled veteran businesses" (with similar ownership requirements). The bill sets a goal for 3% of state contracts to go to these businesses, but exempts agencies if no qualified veteran-owned bidders submit proposals for a specific contract. This policy change directly affects Missouri-based veteran entrepreneurs seeking state government contracts.

Maddy summaryHB 2588 creates the "Missouri Disabled Veterans Homestead Tax Credit Act," allowing Missouri counties to offer a real property tax credit to eligible disabled veterans who own their primary residence. It directly affects veterans with a 100% permanent and total service-connected disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, whose primary home has a market value of $500,000 or less. The credit equals all local property taxes paid (excluding state blind pension fund levies) on the qualified residence, is non-refundable, and carries over to a surviving spouse who remains in the home and doesn't remarry. Counties must adopt the program, and veterans must elect to participate; it does not reduce assessed property value or affect bonded indebtedness calculations.

Maddy summaryHB 1694, the "Act Against Abusive Website Access Litigation," creates a legal defense for Missouri residents and businesses targeted by lawsuits alleging website accessibility violations under the ADA or state law. It defines "abusive litigation" as lawsuits primarily seeking monetary settlement rather than improving accessibility, and allows Missouri residents or the Attorney General to challenge such suits in court. Key provisions include a 90-day window for defendants to fix accessibility issues before new claims can be deemed abusive, and courts may award attorney fees and punitive damages (up to three times fees) against parties filing abusive lawsuits. The bill expires if the federal DOJ issues website accessibility standards under the ADA. It directly affects Missouri-based website operators and plaintiffs filing accessibility lawsuits in state courts.