Rep. Hardy Billington

Maddy summaryThis bill requires regular inspections of fire safety dampers (devices that prevent fire/smoke spread through HVAC systems) in most non-residential Missouri buildings, excluding small homes. It mandates an initial inspection within 12 months of installation and subsequent checks every four years, following NFPA standards with physical visual inspections required (not remote methods). Inspectors must hold specific ICB certifications or equivalent, and building owners must maintain compliance records, issue deficiency reports for failures, and post public verification notices. These requirements apply to commercial buildings, schools, hospitals, and other multi-use structures governed by Missouri political subdivisions.

Maddy summaryHB 1759 modifies how Missouri counties assess personal and real property taxes. It lowers the personal property assessment rate from 33.3% to 30% of current market value for most properties starting in 2027, while maintaining specific lower rates for items like solar panels (5%), historic vehicles (5%), and agricultural crops (0.5%). The bill also updates real property assessment rules, including a provision reducing assessments for airport-related properties where private parties funded improvements. These changes directly affect property owners, county assessors, and local governments managing tax assessments across Missouri.

Maddy summaryHJR 159 is a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow Missouri's State Treasurer to invest state funds in municipal bonds with high credit ratings (among the top five long-term ratings) and other safe, sensible financial instruments. The amendment requires the Treasurer to follow a written investment policy with asset allocation limits, ensures all investments maintain high credit ratings, and restricts maturities (e.g., municipal bonds must mature within five years). It clarifies that the Treasurer's duties are limited to managing state and U.S. government funds, excluding unrelated responsibilities. This amendment must be approved by Missouri voters in a future election after passing the legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 1611 requires scrap metal dealers and secondhand property sellers to maintain detailed records for transactions involving detached catalytic converters. Specifically, they must document the seller's ID, transaction details, vehicle identification number (VIN), and weight/price for each converter sold, and store these records for 36 months. The bill prohibits off-site sales of catalytic converters (requiring fixed business locations) and bans altering converters for five business days after purchase. Dealers who knowingly buy stolen converters face fines up to $10,000 for repeat violations or license revocation. This law directly affects scrap metal dealers and scrap buyers, targeting the theft of catalytic converters by increasing accountability in their resale.

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 1766 modifies how local governments adjust property tax rates when property valuations change. It requires counties, cities, and school districts to revise tax rates for different property types (like residential or commercial) to maintain the same total tax revenue as the previous year, excluding certain properties such as railroads and utilities. The bill sets limits on rate increases, preventing them from exceeding voter-approved ceilings or a 5% annual inflation cap. This ensures local governments collect consistent revenue after valuation changes while adhering to constitutional and legal constraints.

Maddy summaryHB 1610 shortens the time limit for filing certain lawsuits in Missouri. It lowers the statute of limitations for contract disputes (excluding some), statutory liability claims (not penalties), trespass on land, personal property damage, and fraud cases. For fraud, the bill clarifies that the clock starts when the harm is discovered, but limits the total window to ten years from the discovery. This change directly affects individuals and businesses seeking legal recourse for these specific types of claims by reducing the timeframe they have to file a lawsuit.

Maddy summaryHB 2116 modifies Missouri's tax treatment for qualified tuition programs, primarily federal 529 college savings plans. It exempts program assets, income, and refunds for qualified education expenses from state income tax, while allowing taxpayers to deduct up to $8,000 annually (or $16,000 for joint filers) from their state taxable income for contributions. Distributions not used for education expenses or transferred per federal rules would become taxable income. This bill directly affects Missouri residents who use 529 plans for education savings, providing state tax benefits tied to federal program rules.

Maddy summaryHB 1608 would prohibit health care providers from performing gender transition surgeries or prescribing cross-sex hormones or puberty-blocking drugs to individuals under 18 for the purpose of gender transition, with exceptions for medically verified disorders of sex development. Violations could result in license revocation for providers and allow lawsuits seeking up to three times the damages (with a $500,000 minimum) for harm like infertility. The bill also creates a legal presumption of harm for infertility linked to such treatments, allowing lawsuits to be filed within 15 years of the minor turning 21. This legislation is currently pending in committee after recent hearings and has not yet been enacted.

Maddy summaryHB 1607 would require K-12 schools and colleges to determine athletic eligibility based on a student's biological sex as recorded on their official birth certificate or another government record (correcting only clerical errors). It prohibits students from competing in sports designated for the opposite sex unless no comparable sport is available for their sex. Schools violating this rule would lose state funding, and affected students or parents could seek legal remedies. The bill expires in 2027 and is currently pending in committee.