Rep. Betsy Fogle

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a legal framework for community solar gardens in Missouri, allowing residents who cannot install solar panels on their own roofs to subscribe to shared solar projects. It defines specific terms such as "community solar facility" and "subscriber," and sets size limits for these projects between 100 and 5,000 kilowatts with a minimum of ten subscribers. The legislation requires retail electric suppliers to run a three-year pilot program from 2024 to 2026 to enroll customers and apply bill credits that offset subscribers' monthly electricity costs. Additionally, the bill includes definitions for low-income customers and outlines the roles of entities like subscriber administrators in managing these programs.

Maddy summaryHB 2685 updates Missouri laws to regulate consumer credit interest rates and strengthens oversight of short-term lending. The bill caps the combined interest, fees, and finance charges on loans at an annual percentage rate of 36% and prohibits lenders from using deceptive tactics to evade these limits. It requires small unsecured lenders to obtain a state license, post clear notices about loan terms, and implement a rule that borrowers must reduce their principal debt by at least 5% with each loan renewal, with a maximum of six renewals allowed. Additionally, the legislation mandates that loans have a minimum term of 14 days and a maximum term of 31 days, while giving the state finance director authority to suspend licenses or issue fines for violations.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires counties in Florida that are not currently using the nonpartisan court plan to hold a vote on whether to adopt or reject that system at the next general election after August 28, 2024. It mandates that these specific counties present the option to their voters during the upcoming election cycle, allowing them to decide on the implementation of the plan. The legislation directly affects county governments and the electorate in those areas by establishing a formal voting mechanism for this judicial reform measure.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new rules for non-compete agreements, which are contracts where workers promise not to work for competitors after leaving their current job. The key provision makes these agreements automatically unenforceable for employees who are paid hourly wages, regardless of any time or geographic limits included in the contract. This change directly affects hourly workers by removing the legal ability of employers to restrict their future employment in the same industry. The legislation aims to clarify that such restrictive contracts cannot be used against hourly staff, while leaving the enforceability of non-compete clauses for other types of workers subject to existing laws.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to add a new section to the Missouri Constitution that guarantees the right to keep and bear arms for defense and when summoned to aid civil power. It establishes that these rights are unalienable and requires courts to apply strict scrutiny to any restrictions, while explicitly allowing laws that disarm convicted violent felons and individuals deemed dangerous due to mental disorders. The amendment also permits counties and major cities like St. Louis and Kansas City to pass local ordinances regulating firearm possession, carrying, and transfers, provided they limit permit fees to actual costs, restrict permit validity to five years, and cap penalties for violations. Additionally, the text mandates that local regulations must recognize out-of-state permits and exempt law enforcement, judges, and certain security personnel from local restrictions.