Rep. Don Mayhew

Maddy summaryHB 2535 provides property tax exemptions for certain veterans and their families starting in 2027. Disabled veterans with a 30%+ disability rating, Purple Heart recipients, and Gold Star spouses (surviving spouses of service members killed in action) receive tax relief based on disability levels, ranging from $3,000 to full exemption on their primary home. To offset lost property tax revenue, the bill increases cigarette taxes and adds new excise taxes on vaping products, tobacco paraphernalia, and hemp consumables. Revenue from these taxes funds a dedicated state fund to reimburse counties for property tax losses tied to the veteran exemptions.

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 3393, the "Missouri Social Media Safety for Minors Act," requires social media platforms operating in Missouri to implement age verification for users under 18. Minors under 16 cannot create accounts without a parent or guardian, while those aged 16-17 need verified parental consent. Platforms must offer parents tools to monitor activity, delete accounts within 10 days, and restrict messaging from unverified adults. The bill also bans addictive features (like infinite scroll) and advertising to minors under 16, with violations subject to $50,000 fines per violation enforced by the attorney general.

Maddy summaryHB 2904 modifies Texas law defining animal abuse by clarifying three specific prohibited actions: intentionally killing an animal without legal exemption, causing intentional injury or suffering, or failing to provide adequate care resulting in substantial harm. It maintains animal abuse as a misdemeanor offense but elevates it to a felony (class E) for repeat offenders or cases involving torture/mutilation causing suffering, or starvation causing harm. The bill directly affects individuals who own or care for animals and commit these specific violations. The key change is updating the legal definition and penalty structure to explicitly address severe cases like torture, mutilation, or starvation.

Maddy summaryHB 2205 modifies Missouri's tax treatment of retirement income, affecting residents receiving pensions or retirement benefits. It establishes specific deduction limits for retirement income based on the benefit source (public vs. private), filing status, and income level, with varying annual caps (e.g., up to $6,000 for public benefits before 2027). For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, the bill eliminates income-based limits, allowing full deduction of all private retirement income regardless of filing status or income. The changes apply to retirement benefits from government sources (like state pensions) or private plans (like 401(k)s), excluding Roth IRAs. This bill adjusts how retirement income is subtracted from taxable income under Missouri law.

Maddy summaryHB 3491 requires foreign applicants for commercial driver's licenses to demonstrate sufficient English proficiency to converse with the public, understand traffic signs, respond to officials, and complete reports. It directly affects non-U.S. citizen commercial drivers seeking or holding licenses in this state. Violations result in fines ($1,000 for drivers, $3,000 for carriers) and misdemeanor charges (class D for first offense, class B for repeat offenses), with drivers prohibited from operating commercial vehicles until meeting language standards. The bill also mandates verifying lawful U.S. presence before issuing licenses, effective July 1, 2005, as part of compliance with federal laws.

Maddy summaryHB 2906 establishes a process for the Office of Administration to create "master agreements" with architecture, engineering, and land-surveying firms for ongoing state projects. These agreements allow the state to hire firms for multiple projects without separate bidding for each, with each project costing no more than $100,000 and the total annual spending under an agreement capped at $1 million. The process requires a public request for qualifications, evaluation based on firm experience and past performance, and limits agreements to two years. This primarily affects the Office of Administration's Division of Facilities Management and the firms providing these services.

Maddy summaryHB 3086 adds one new associate circuit judge position specifically for Miller County within the existing twenty-sixth judicial circuit. This judge will be appointed by the governor to serve until January 1, 2029, with an election scheduled for 2028, and is not counted toward the standard formula for associate judges per county. The bill directly affects Miller County residents by creating a dedicated judicial position for their local court. It is a procedural change to judicial staffing, not a policy affecting laws or regulations.

Maddy summaryHB 2202 provides free hunting and fishing permits, waives hunter education fees, and offers lifetime permits to specific groups in Missouri. It directly affects disabled veterans (with 100% service-connected VA disability), active military personnel, and their eligible dependents (spouses or minor children). The bill requires the conservation commission to issue free permits and waive all associated fees for these groups, including a combined lifetime permit for Purple Heart recipients. This policy change eliminates cost barriers for these individuals to access hunting and fishing opportunities under state law.

Maddy summaryHB 2208 establishes rules for operating fully autonomous vehicles (without human drivers) on public roads in this state. It requires these vehicles to achieve a "minimal risk condition" during system failures, submit law enforcement plans to the Department of Public Safety, and maintain proof of financial responsibility. The bill mandates special vehicle registration and titling identifying the vehicle as fully autonomous, while exempting them from human-driver-specific traffic laws during autonomous operation. These provisions directly affect companies operating self-driving vehicle fleets, ensuring safety protocols and accountability without restricting human control when needed.