Rep. Chris Warwick

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 summaryHJR 119 proposes a constitutional amendment to change how judges are selected in Missouri. It would require the governor to appoint judges from three nominees provided by a nonpartisan judicial commission for vacancies in the supreme court, court of appeals, and St. Louis city/Jackson County circuit courts. For other judicial circuits, voters would decide at elections whether to adopt this appointment method (instead of the current system) or maintain the existing process, with changes allowed only once every four years. The amendment must be approved by voters in 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 2145 modifies outdoor advertising rules near highways in Missouri. It permits signs within 660 feet of interstate, federal-aid primary, or National Highway System roads - especially in industrial/commercial zones - and sets specific limits: signs cannot exceed 800 square feet (30 ft tall, 72 ft long), must avoid flashing lights (except scoreboards), and must maintain 1,400 feet between structures on the same highway side. The bill directly affects outdoor advertising companies, property owners in commercial zones, and highway safety by restricting sign placement to reduce visual clutter and driver distraction. Existing signs not meeting these rules after 2002 will be considered "nonconforming" but may remain.

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 2559 requires state agencies to obtain legislative approval before implementing new administrative rules that would cost over $250,000 annually for government, businesses, or individuals. Agencies must notify the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules and the full legislature, which must pass a concurrent resolution approving the rule before it takes effect. Rules not approved this way become invalid, with exceptions for federal compliance or funding requirements. This directly affects state agencies creating significant-cost rules and shifts authority to the legislature for final approval.

Maddy summaryHB 2059 modifies Missouri's income tax rules for private pension income by repealing an existing section and replacing it with new provisions. It directly affects Missouri taxpayers receiving retirement benefits from privately funded sources (like 401(k)s or IRAs, excluding Roth IRAs), setting specific deduction limits based on tax years: up to $6,000 annually for benefits received before 2027, increasing to $12,000 for tax years starting in 2027 or later. The bill also clarifies that these deductions apply only to retirement income from private sources, not public pensions, and excludes Roth IRAs from the deduction calculation. These changes adjust how much pension income is taxable for Missouri residents filing state returns.

Maddy summaryHB 2060 reclassifies short-term residential rentals (less than 30 days) as "residential property" for tax purposes in Missouri, directly affecting homeowners and property managers who rent single-family homes or rooms for brief stays. The bill clarifies that such rentals - subject to sales tax under state law - must be taxed as residential property, not as "transient housing" like hotels. This change ensures these properties are treated consistently with traditional residential real estate under Missouri's tax classification system. The law also updates definitions to exclude short-term rentals from being considered "transient housing" for tax classification purposes.

Maddy summaryHB 1785 creates a state income tax credit for Missouri taxpayers who donate to qualifying pregnancy resource centers. It offers tax credits of 50% (2007-2020), 70% (2021-2026), and 100% (2027+) of donations, up to $50,000 annually per taxpayer. To qualify, centers must provide free, non-abortion services (no abortions performed/referred) and meet strict criteria like in-person support and IRS tax-exempt status. The bill sets annual spending limits on total credits ($2.5M until 2019, then $3.5M until 2021, with no cap after 2021) and requires state verification of center eligibility.

Maddy summaryHB 2698 repeals Missouri's existing ban on off-track pari-mutuel wagering for horse racing by removing Section 313.660 from state law. This bill directly affects businesses that operate off-track betting facilities and individuals placing wagers on horse races outside racetrack locations. The repeal eliminates the previous legal restriction that prohibited accepting or transmitting such bets for a fee, which had carried penalties including class D felony charges for violations. The policy change removes a specific regulatory barrier, allowing off-track wagering to operate under existing frameworks without this prohibition.