Rep. Sherri Gallick

Maddy summaryHB 243 ensures that pregnancy cannot delay or prevent a court from granting a divorce (dissolution of marriage) or legal separation. It explicitly states that a court must proceed with the judgment regardless of whether one party is pregnant, removing pregnancy as a barrier to these proceedings. The bill affects individuals seeking divorce or legal separation who are pregnant, requiring courts to follow standard residency and procedural requirements without considering pregnancy status. This change applies to all divorce or separation cases, maintaining existing rules about residency, custody, and property division while clarifying that pregnancy alone does not block finalization.

Maddy summaryHB 364 allows Missouri residents who donate to qualifying local hospital foundations to claim a state income tax credit equal to 50% of their donation amount, up to a maximum of $2,500 per taxpayer annually. The credit directly affects individual taxpayers who make donations to foundations that are tax-exempt under IRS Section 501(c)(3) and provide financial assistance for unpaid hospital bills in the donor’s area. The program is capped at $2 million in total tax credits per year, is non-refundable but carry-forwardable for three years, and will expire after six years unless renewed by the legislature. This policy reduces state tax liability for qualifying donors while supporting hospitals that assist low-income patients.

Maddy summaryHB 176 creates the "Missouri Electronic Wills and Electronic Estate Planning Documents Act," establishing legal rules for electronic wills in Missouri. It defines key terms like "electronic will" (a will executed digitally in compliance with the law) and "electronic presence" (real-time video communication for witnessing). The bill requires electronic wills to be readable text at signing, signed by the testator (or someone acting under their direction in their presence), and witnessed by two people either physically present or via live video. It makes electronic wills legally equivalent to paper wills for all purposes in Missouri and allows remote online notarization to create self-proved wills. This directly affects Missouri residents creating wills, as well as witnesses, executors, and beneficiaries relying on electronic estate documents.

Maddy summaryHB 443 prevents local governments (cities, counties, and towns) from creating stricter employment rules than state law. It blocks local ordinances requiring higher minimum wages, additional benefits like health coverage, paid leave, or scheduling regulations that exceed state standards. The bill specifically overrides existing or future local rules on these topics, while allowing local anti-discrimination laws to remain in effect. This law would shift control of employment standards from local to state level for covered issues.

Maddy summaryHB 236 requires commercial websites where 33% or more of content is deemed "material harmful to minors" to use reasonable age-verification methods before allowing minors access. If a website fails this, it can be sued by a minor who accessed such content, facing damages and legal fees. The law explicitly excludes news organizations and internet service providers from liability, stating they aren't responsible for content they transmit but don't create. It defines "material harmful to minors" as content appealing to prurient interests, depicting sexual acts or nudity, or lacking artistic/scientific value for minors.

Maddy summaryHB 833 creates a $250 annual state income tax credit for Missouri volunteer first responders who serve for at least one month during the tax year. It directly affects volunteer firefighters, EMS personnel, and reserve peace officers who meet state training requirements and provide verified service (via a supervisor's statement). The credit is prorated for partial-year service (e.g., $20.83 per month) but limited to one role per year and non-refundable. The program expires automatically six years after implementation unless reauthorized by the legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 269 creates three tax credits to support child care access: a credit for individuals donating to child care providers, a credit for employers purchasing care for their employees' children, and a credit for child care providers themselves. Taxpayers can claim a 75% credit (minimum $100, maximum $200,000 annually) on verified donations to approved child care providers or organizations, provided funds are used for specific purposes like facility improvements, staff training, or quality enhancements. Contributions must be made to entities without the donor’s financial interest, and providers must verify proper use of funds within 60 days. The credits apply to tax years starting January 1, 2026, and cannot be refunded or transferred, though unused credits may be carried forward for up to six years.

Maddy summaryHB 1499 modifies Missouri's tax credit program for motion media productions (like films, series, and digital content) by increasing the base credit to 20% of qualifying expenses spent in Missouri, plus up to 25% more based on specific criteria. It requires productions to film at least 50% in Missouri, with additional credits for filming in rural/blighted areas (15%), hiring Missouri residents for skill development (3 departments), or promoting Missouri locations (with photo requirements). The bill sets annual caps of $8 million per year for film/series credits through 2025, rising to $16 million annually after 2025, and mandates minimum employment of Missouri apprentices/veterans based on project size. It directly affects production companies seeking tax credits for qualifying projects filmed in Missouri, including those meeting expense thresholds ($50k for short projects, $100k for longer ones) and excluding news, ads, or political content.

Maddy summaryHB 233 updates Missouri's notice requirements for county planning board hearings. It removes the current rule that mandates posting hearing notices in two conspicuous locations within each township and replaces it with a requirement to post notices on the county's website. The bill maintains the existing rule requiring notices to be published in a newspaper with general circulation in the county. This change directly affects county planning boards and the public by shifting notice distribution from physical locations to a digital platform for improved accessibility.

Maddy summaryHB 349 modifies how Missouri counties assess motor vehicle property taxes by establishing a specific 5% valuation rate for certain historic vehicles and aircraft. It directly affects owners of qualifying historic motor vehicles (registered under §301.131) and noncommercial aircraft over 25 years old used less than 200 hours yearly. The bill sets this lower rate - compared to standard 19% for residential property - applying only to these defined categories of vehicles. This change simplifies valuation for eligible taxpayers without altering general assessment rules for most property.