Rep. Bill Hardwick

Maddy summaryMissouri HB 913, the "Missouri Rural Doctors Act," limits non-compete agreements between physicians and nonprofit healthcare employers. It requires such agreements to be for no more than 365 days and restrict competition within no more than 50 miles of the physician's practice location. The law does not apply to research university hospitals, which are excluded from these restrictions. This bill directly affects physicians working for nonprofit clinics or hospitals and the employers who enforce these agreements.

Maddy summaryHB 1226 modifies how healthcare providers in this state share patient medical records. It requires providers to give patients, guardians, or authorized representatives copies of health records within a reasonable time after a written request, including electronic copies if the provider uses digital records. The bill sets specific fees for search, copying (max $0.57/page), and delivery, with annual inflation adjustments, while exempting fees for records needed for Social Security, Medicaid, or veterans' benefits. It also outlines procedures for releasing records of deceased patients to family members or legal representatives under certain conditions.

Maddy summaryHB 1088 designates a bridge in Pulaski County as the "COL Elmer R Parrish Memorial Bridge." The bill requires the Department of Transportation to erect and maintain signage for this bridge, with all costs covered by the department. This is a commemorative resolution naming a specific bridge, not a policy change affecting residents or programs.

Maddy summaryHB 970 establishes a regulatory framework for video lottery gaming terminals in Missouri, directly affecting operators, retailers, and the state lottery commission. The bill creates a 34% tax on "adjusted gross gaming revenue" (revenue after player payouts and operational costs) and sets up an Enforcement Fund to finance law enforcement investigations of gaming violations. Key provisions include defining terms like "video lottery game operator" and "retailer," requiring licenses for all involved parties, and allowing law enforcement to use the Enforcement Fund for enforcement activities without annual budget reversion. This legislation primarily impacts businesses operating video lottery terminals, local law enforcement, and state revenue streams derived from this gaming activity.

Maddy summaryHB 436 establishes mandatory cybersecurity standards for insurance companies licensed to operate in Missouri, directly affecting all such insurers handling customer data. The bill requires insurers to develop written security programs based on risk assessments, including specific safeguards for sensitive customer information like Social Security numbers, health records, financial account details, and biometric data. Key provisions mandate multi-factor authentication for access, regular threat assessments, and protocols for responding to cybersecurity incidents. Insurers must also define data retention and secure destruction practices, with no private legal claims allowed for violations. The law sets the exclusive state standard for data security, overriding conflicting local rules but not impacting existing private lawsuits.

Maddy summaryHB 1175, titled "Reestablishes the Second Amendment Preservation Act," prohibits Missouri state officials from enforcing federal laws, regulations, or executive orders related to firearms within Missouri. It declares that federal actions restricting firearm ownership, possession, or use in Missouri are "unauthoritative, void, and of no force," and grants Missouri exclusive authority over such matters under state law. Key provisions include imposing a $50,000 civil penalty per violation on state officials who knowingly enforce federal gun laws, allowing citizens to sue for damages, and removing sovereign immunity as a defense in such cases. The bill directly affects Missouri law enforcement officers and state agencies operating within Missouri’s borders, ensuring they cannot comply with federal firearm regulations. It does not alter Missouri’s own firearm laws but asserts state authority against federal overreach in this domain.

Maddy summaryThe provided bill text for HB 44 appears corrupted and contains unrelated federal code references (e.g., "50 U.S.C. Section 1701") that do not align with the stated title about income tax deductions for private pensions. The text includes garbled phrases like "shall pick up and pay the to review" which are not coherent legislative language. Without a clear, accurate description of the bill's provisions or specific policy changes, a factual summary cannot be generated. The title suggests it would affect taxpayers claiming pension deductions, but the provided text does not describe any actual modifications to tax rules or their concrete effects.

Maddy summaryHB 756 sets new salary standards for Missouri circuit clerks, directly affecting county and city clerks in all 114 counties and the city of St. Louis. It establishes tiered base salaries based on county classification (first, second, third, fourth) and location (e.g., counties with two cities holding court), with significant increases effective September 1, 2025 - such as raising first-class county salaries from $36,145 to $94,330 annually. The bill requires annual salary adjustments matching judicial department raises and replaces all previous fees collected by clerks with the new state-funded salary, requiring fees to be paid to the state or local governments. Circuit clerks in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and Jackson County remain paid by local entities rather than the state.

Maddy summaryHB 437 sets new rules for settlement demands in personal injury, bodily injury, or wrongful death cases. It requires claimants to submit written settlement offers via certified mail that remain open for at least 90 days and include specific details like injury descriptions, policy limits, release terms, and medical/employment records with proper authorizations. If a demand meets these requirements, it counts as a "reasonable opportunity to settle" in court; otherwise, it cannot be used to challenge an insurer's handling of the claim. The bill applies to claims against liability insurers and aims to standardize settlement processes before litigation.

Maddy summaryHB 433's title about "storage and use of gold and silver" is inaccurate - the bill is actually a Missouri income tax modification. It adjusts how Missouri calculates taxable income by adding back certain items excluded from federal taxable income, such as: 1) Federal tax refunds that created Missouri tax benefits (excluding pandemic-related refunds), 2) Interest on some government bonds, 3) Specific deductions for property purchases (2002-2003), and 4) Net operating loss carryforwards. It also subtracts certain items added back (like state tax refunds or military combat zone income) to prevent double taxation. The bill directly affects all Missouri individual income taxpayers by changing their taxable income calculation relative to federal rules.