Rep. Kem Smith

Maddy summaryHB 790 modifies Missouri's voter qualification rules by allowing residents aged 17 years and six months or older to register to vote, with eligibility to cast ballots in elections occurring on or after their 18th birthday. The bill also removes voting rights for individuals: (1) incarcerated under a prison sentence, (2) on felony probation/parole until discharge, or (3) convicted of a felony or misdemeanor related to voting rights. It requires all voters to register in their residence jurisdiction before the deadline, except as specified by federal law or other state provisions. The bill passed committee unanimously in the House (10-0) and is now moving forward in the legislative process.

Maddy summaryHR 1289 is a procedural resolution granting permission for multiple schools in Missouri House District 68 to use the House Chamber on May 5, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to present "Glory of Missouri" Awards to students. The resolution specifies strict rules for the event, including prohibiting food, drinks, banners, photography, and unauthorized equipment use in the Chamber, while requiring participants to dress respectfully and maintain decorum. It directly affects the participating schools and students in District 68, with Representative Kem Smith or her designee overseeing the event. The resolution passed unanimously in the House on April 1, 2025, and focuses solely on venue access for this specific award ceremony.

Maddy summaryHB 729 creates an independent "Office of the Department of Corrections Ombudsman" to monitor prison conditions and investigate inmate complaints. This office directly affects incarcerated individuals, their families, and prison staff by overseeing issues like sanitation, medical care, abuse, and access to programs. Key mechanisms include annual facility inspections (more frequent for high-risk sites), collecting data on incidents like suicides and assaults, and publishing annual reports with recommendations. The office will also handle complaints and provide resources to support inmate rights, using a statewide reporting system to track facility conditions.

Maddy summaryHB 32 lowers the age requirement for enrollment in adult high schools from 21 to 18 years old, directly affecting adults aged 18 or older without a high school diploma. The bill establishes new adult high schools that must offer high school diplomas alongside industry certification programs, childcare for students, and flexible learning options (including limited online instruction). It requires nonprofit organizations to meet specific criteria, such as partnerships with colleges and plans to address local workforce needs, while ensuring diplomas are equivalent to traditional high school credentials with no distinguishing marks. The legislation also adjusts admission preferences to prioritize students receiving income-based assistance and clarifies how student transfers affect school dropout rate reporting.

Maddy summaryHB 1221 amends Missouri's empowerment scholarship program to allow funds in students' accounts to cover driver education costs. Specifically, it adds "reimbursing a qualified student for up to one thousand dollars of costs and fees incurred for driver education instruction, training, and testing" as an eligible expense. This directly affects students enrolled in the Missouri empowerment scholarship program who need driver education. The change expands existing allowable uses of scholarship funds without altering eligibility requirements or program administration.

Maddy summaryHB 355 creates state funding to help public school districts hire licensed school nurses or mental health professionals, or to cover telehealth services providing these services remotely. School districts can apply for funds to cover salaries (up to district-approved rates) for one nurse or mental health professional per school, with priority given to schools with higher student-to-staff ratios or greater socioeconomic need (e.g., higher free/reduced lunch rates). The bill establishes dedicated state funds for this purpose, ensuring unused funds carry over to future biennia and cannot revert to general revenue. Schools must use the funds primarily for student health services, with telehealth options requiring parental consent and similar reimbursement rules as other programs.

Maddy summaryHB 1308 creates grants to support deaf-blind individuals and their families in Missouri by funding three key areas: (1) organizations providing services for deaf-blind children, including family support and parent training; (2) programs helping deaf-blind adults achieve independence; and (3) training to certify support service providers. Grants are awarded through a competitive request-for-proposal process, with total annual funding capped at $300,000. The bill directly affects deaf-blind Missourians, their families, and service organizations that deliver these specific supports. It does not change eligibility or funding levels for existing programs but establishes new grant categories and administrative procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 1382 expands Missouri's MO HealthNet program to cover children under 19 years old meeting specific income thresholds (133% of federal poverty level for ages 1-6, 100% for ages 6-19), removing resource limits for eligibility. It automatically extends coverage to newborns of eligible mothers and streamlines applications by eliminating the requirement to apply for other assistance programs first. This change directly affects low-income children and pregnant women in Missouri who qualify under these income-based standards.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Missouri's public community colleges and universities to grant undergraduate course credit to incoming freshmen who score 4 or higher on International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma program exams. Institutions must establish written policies specifying the number of credit hours awarded for qualifying IB scores, based on courses offered at the time of student acceptance. The policy applies only to new freshmen who provide their IB scores during admissions. It does not affect current students or require credit for scores below 4.

Maddy summaryHB 1039 extends the expiration date of a provision allowing retired teachers (not receiving disability benefits) to work as part-time or temporary substitute teachers without losing their retirement allowance. The bill updates the existing policy, which currently expires in 2025, to remain in effect until June 30, 2030. This change directly affects retired teachers who wish to substitute in public schools while continuing to receive their retirement benefits, provided they work part-time or temporarily (not full-time). The law maintains existing requirements, such as background checks and school district approval, but clarifies that retirees cannot contribute to retirement systems during substitute work and must not exceed part-time limits to retain benefits.