Rep. Jeff Myers

Maddy summaryHB 226 creates a new "Department of the Highway Patrol" to replace the existing Missouri State Highway Patrol, transferring all its powers and duties to this department. The bill designates the Highway Patrol as the central hub for collecting, analyzing, and reporting all crime incident data from Missouri law enforcement agencies to the FBI's national system. It requires all law enforcement agencies to submit crime reports to this department using standardized formats and creates a Criminal Records and Justice Information Advisory Committee to guide data policies. Agencies failing to comply after December 31, 2021, risk losing state or federal law enforcement funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows alcohol manufacturers and wholesalers to donate beer, wine, or spirits to qualified charitable, religious, or educational organizations for nonresale purposes. It permits donations for events with admission fees (not considered resale), religious ceremonies, and fundraising auctions/raffles held on licensed premises, with all proceeds going to unrelated funds. Donors must maintain records of all such donations, and the bill explicitly states that admission fees for events with free alcohol do not constitute resale. The bill does not alter existing rules about price discounts for retail alcohol sales.

Maddy summaryHB 910, nicknamed "Brown's Law," creates a new offense for knowingly making false reports about animal abuse with the intent to harass, disrupt, or cause financial harm to an animal owner. It defines this as a minor criminal offense (class C misdemeanor) if the report is false, made to authorities, and actually causes disruption, harassment, or monetary loss to the owner. The law includes a defense for reports made in good faith, shifting the burden to the prosecution to prove the report was not made honestly. This bill directly affects individuals making false reports and protects those who report abuse reasonably, without changing existing animal abuse penalties.

Maddy summaryHB 992 modifies Missouri's criminal background check process for specific licensed professions. It requires fingerprint submissions for applicants seeking teaching licenses, EMT/paramedic certifications, and other state-licensed roles, with fingerprints processed through the Missouri Highway Patrol for both state and federal criminal history checks. The bill updates procedures to ensure state agencies (like the Board of Education and Health Department) receive direct access to background check results. It repeals and replaces multiple existing sections with new, streamlined provisions governing these background checks. The changes apply directly to individuals applying for or renewing licenses in these regulated occupations.

Maddy summaryThis Missouri constitutional amendment (HJR 12) proposes to reduce the size of the House of Representatives from 163 to 103 members starting after the 2030 census. It replaces existing constitutional provisions with new rules for redistricting, requiring districts to be as equally populated as possible (within 1% deviation), comply with the Voting Rights Act, preserve communities by following county lines where feasible, and prioritize population equality over partisan fairness. The amendment does not change term limits for legislators, as the title incorrectly suggests, but focuses on structural changes to the legislature's composition and redistricting process. If approved by voters, it would take effect for the 2032 legislative session.

Maddy summaryHB 224 establishes a committee to develop mandatory human trafficking training for Missouri prosecutors and related professionals. The committee, including representatives from law enforcement, child advocacy, and victim services, will create annual training guidelines and distribute digital training materials. Prosecutors must complete 20 hours of annual training (including one hour on trafficking) to qualify for a $2,000 salary incentive. The requirements take effect January 1, 2026, and expire December 31, 2030.

Maddy summaryHB 1523 establishes specific guidelines for how Florida schools must teach human sexuality and related topics to students. The bill requires that instruction present abstinence as the preferred choice while also providing medically accurate information about contraception, sexually transmitted diseases, and the consequences of sexual activity. It mandates that schools teach concepts such as consent, sexual harassment, and online safety, while also defining terms like "gender identity" and "sexual orientation" for educational purposes. Additionally, the law gives local school boards the authority to decide on policies regarding contraception referrals and allows schools to separate students by gender during these lessons. Parents are required to be notified about the content of these classes and have the right to remove their children from any instruction related to sexual orientation or gender identity.

Maddy summaryHB 1402 permits members of the general assembly and other elected officials to hang state and national flags outside their office doors. This change authorizes the capitol building to manage the display of these flags beyond the interior of the offices. The bill applies specifically to elected officials and does not alter other flag-related policies.

Maddy summaryHB 1450 reorganizes and updates Missouri laws to strengthen protections for children and vulnerable individuals by modernizing statutes related to computer crimes and sexually oriented businesses. The bill establishes a regional computer forensics lab to help investigate electronic-based offenses such as child sexual abuse material and consumer fraud. It also clarifies definitions for terms like "sexually oriented business" and "nudity" while setting specific time limits on when individuals convicted of certain crimes can operate in such establishments. Additionally, the legislation outlines grounds for disciplining or revoking teaching certificates if educators are convicted of felonies or crimes involving moral turpitude.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new category called "earnings tax opportunity zones" within existing distressed communities to encourage economic growth. Starting in 2024, it exempts salaries, wages, and business profits earned by residents or generated within these specific zones from the state's earnings tax. To ensure transparency, the bill requires local governments to publish and maintain an updated map of these zones on their websites. The law directly affects individuals and businesses operating in designated areas by reducing their tax liability on income derived from work performed there.