Rep. Eric Woods

Maddy summaryHB 1533 modifies Missouri's senior citizens property tax relief credit to clarify eligibility and calculation rules. It affects Missouri residents aged 65+ (or 60+ with surviving spouse Social Security benefits), disabled individuals (unable to work for 12+ months), or veterans with 100% service-connected disabilities who own or rent a homestead. Key changes include adjusting income calculations to add back certain benefits (like Social Security), requiring proof of disability or veteran status, and specifying residency requirements for surviving spouses. The bill also updates definitions for "homestead," "property taxes accrued," and "gross rent" to streamline claims.

Maddy summaryHB 702 creates automatic voter registration for eligible individuals when they interact with specific state services, such as applying for a driver's license, social services, university enrollment, or unemployment benefits. The bill requires state agencies to share eligible individuals' information with the secretary of state, who then sends nonbinding registration recommendations to local election offices. Voters can opt out by returning a postage-paid postcard within one month; otherwise, their name is added to the voter list. This system works alongside existing registration methods and does not replace current processes. The bill mandates verification procedures to ensure only eligible voters are registered.

Maddy summaryHJR 38 proposes a constitutional amendment in Missouri that would prevent the state legislature from amending or repealing laws approved directly by voters through the initiative process, except under three specific conditions. It directly affects voters who use the initiative process to pass laws and the Missouri General Assembly, which would lose the ability to change those laws without meeting strict criteria. The key provisions require that any legislative change to a voter-approved law must either wait six years, secure a 3/4 vote in both legislative chambers, or be approved by voters in the next general election. This would make it significantly harder for the legislature to alter laws passed by citizen initiatives.

Maddy summaryHB 1553 modifies Missouri's Working Family Tax Credit to make it refundable for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, meaning eligible taxpayers will receive cash refunds for any credit amount exceeding their state tax liability (unlike current years, where excess credits are not refunded). The credit equals 10% of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), with a potential increase to 20% if Missouri's net general revenue growth meets a $150 million threshold over prior fiscal years. It applies to Missouri residents filing as single, head of household, widowed, or married filing jointly who qualify for the federal EITC. The bill also requires the state Department of Revenue to proactively identify eligible taxpayers who didn’t apply for the credit and issue annual reports on credit usage and revenue impacts.

Maddy summaryHB 588 extends the duration of unemployment benefits in Missouri based on the state's average unemployment rate. It replaces previous provisions with a new section setting benefit limits: 20 weeks if the rate is 9% or higher, down to 13 weeks if below 6%. This directly affects unemployed workers in Missouri who qualify for state unemployment benefits. The bill adjusts benefit length annually using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, without creating new eligibility or changing benefit amounts.

Maddy summaryHB 983 requires businesses to present arbitration agreements as separate, distinct written documents rather than including them within standard contracts or terms of service. This applies to disputes between businesses and consumers or employees where arbitration is sought. The bill mandates that parties must explicitly agree to arbitration in a standalone agreement, preventing businesses from embedding arbitration clauses within broader contractual terms. It directly affects businesses that currently use bundled contracts for dispute resolution.

Maddy summaryHB 1550 requires employers at large warehouse distribution centers (with 100+ employees at one site or 1,000+ total) to provide written descriptions of performance quotas to employees before implementation. These descriptions must include the specific work targets, potential consequences for not meeting them (like termination), and related incentives. Employers must update this written notice within two business days if quotas change and share the exact work-speed data used if taking negative action against an employee. The bill also mandates that work periods include time for rest breaks, bathroom use, safety activities, and travel, ensuring quotas don’t force unsafe work conditions. It directly affects warehouse workers and their employers, focusing on transparency and safety in productivity tracking.

Maddy summaryHJR 67 proposes a constitutional amendment to modify term limits for Missouri's General Assembly members. It would limit legislators to a total of sixteen years across both the House and Senate (down from the current eight-year limit per house), with specific rules for counting prior service. The amendment also restricts the Speaker of the House to three terms and the Senate President Pro Tempore to two terms. If approved by voters, these changes would take effect starting December 5, 2030, requiring a statewide vote for adoption.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HB 1200) creates a new "intermediate driver's license" for 16-17 year olds, directly affecting minors seeking to drive. Key provisions require applicants to: hold a temporary permit for 6+ months, complete 40+ hours of supervised driving (with parental/guardian or instructor consent), pass a written test, and pay a $5 fee. Restrictions include nighttime driving curfews (1 a.m.-5 a.m. without supervision), limits on teen passengers (max 1 non-family under 19 for first 6 months), and mandatory seatbelt use. The license transitions to full driving privileges at age 18 if the teen has no alcohol-related offenses or traffic violations in the prior year. The bill’s title referencing "age of marriage" appears inconsistent with its actual focus on driver licensing rules.

Maddy summaryHB 706 updates Missouri's child labor laws to address children's involvement in compensated online content creation (vlogging). It directly affects children under 16 featured in vlogs meeting specific thresholds (e.g., 30% of content featuring the child with compensation ≥ $0.10 per view). Key provisions require vloggers to maintain detailed records of children's featured time, earnings, and set aside 50%+ of related revenue into a trust account for the child until age 18. Children can also request permanent deletion of their content from platforms upon reaching adulthood. The bill creates new accountability measures for vloggers while exempting standard child labor protections from applying to this activity.