Rep. Scott Miller

Maddy summaryHB 2918, the "Cronkite New Voices Act," protects student journalists in public high schools and colleges by guaranteeing their right to publish school-sponsored media (like student newspapers or broadcasts) without censorship for political or controversial content. It defines "school-sponsored media" as student-created content distributed broadly to students, not just in classrooms, and prohibits schools from suppressing it solely due to controversy. The bill allows schools to restrict content only for specific, legally defined reasons like libel, threats, safety disruptions, or violations of law, but not for subjective disagreements. It also shields student-media advisors from retaliation for upholding these rights and clarifies that schools or staff cannot be held liable for student publications unless they actively participated in or failed to stop prohibited content.

Maddy summaryHB 1745 requires employees to file a complaint with the state labor department before suing employers for minimum wage or overtime violations, effective January 1, 2027. Employees must submit pay stubs, time sheets, and all relevant pay periods as evidence within the complaint. The department must investigate within 90 days, issue findings, and may facilitate settlement offers between parties before a "right to sue" notice is issued. This process directly affects employees seeking unpaid wages and employers facing wage law violations, mandating administrative review before court action.

Maddy summaryHB 1743 modifies tax collection rules by adding specific exemptions to property seizures for unpaid taxes. It protects primary residences (including farm properties held in LLCs used as homes) and farm-related personal property from seizure solely due to tax delinquency. The bill requires tax collectors to first attempt personal payment demands or leave written notices, and prohibits seizures before October 1 each year. These changes directly affect homeowners and farmers whose properties qualify for the new exemptions. The bill is currently pending in committee with no votes yet recorded.

Maddy summaryHB 2931 restricts how cities and airports can spend tax revenue collected from airport operations. It requires that these funds be used **only** for airport-related costs, such as airport maintenance, capital improvements, or other facilities directly tied to air transportation (like runways or terminals). The bill explicitly prohibits using this revenue for general city expenses, non-airport projects, or unrelated facilities owned by the airport operator. This policy change directly affects cities operating airports and their revenue management practices.

Maddy summaryHB 1873 requires Missouri's Air Conservation Commission to terminate the state's motor vehicle emissions inspection program by January 1, 2028, as established under the Air Quality Attainment Act. The bill repeals existing laws governing emissions inspections and replaces them with new sections focused on vehicle license renewal and fleet registration. This change eliminates the requirement for emissions inspections during vehicle registration, directly affecting vehicle owners who would have been subject to these inspections. The bill terminates the program without establishing a new emissions inspection system.

Maddy summaryHB 1748 establishes rules for private scholarship organizations that provide education funding to Missouri students. It requires these organizations to be tax-exempt (501(c)(3)), distribute scholarships in a specific priority order (favoring students with IEPs, military families, low-income status, or unaccredited district enrollment), and spend at least 90% of funds on scholarships while capping administrative costs. The bill mandates reporting test results, parent satisfaction surveys, and graduation data to state education officials, with scholarship amounts limited to 100-175% of the state's education funding target based on student need. This directly affects private scholarship programs, participating students, and Missouri public schools receiving these funds.

Maddy summaryHB 1750 defines who qualifies as a lobbyist in Missouri, specifically for executive, judicial, and local government contexts. It sets criteria like earning pay for influencing government decisions, making $50+ in annual expenditures for officials, or being designated as a lobbyist. The bill includes exemptions for activities like testifying in court, selling goods to government, or preparing tax documents. It does not address initiative petitions as suggested in the title, but instead revises lobbying regulations. The bill amends Missouri Revised Statutes to clarify lobbying definitions and exclusions.

Maddy summaryHJR 59 proposes a constitutional amendment to replace Missouri's current Section 36 (which limits reproductive rights) with a new section guaranteeing "The Right to Reproductive Freedom." This amendment would directly affect all Missourians seeking reproductive healthcare, including abortion, prenatal care, and miscarriage management. Key provisions require the government to justify any restriction on reproductive freedom through a "compelling interest" test using the least restrictive means, while preserving exceptions for abortions needed to protect a person's life or health. If approved by voters in 2026, this amendment would become part of Missouri's constitution, altering how reproductive healthcare laws are evaluated.

Maddy summaryHB 1473 establishes rules for scholarship organizations providing private educational assistance in Missouri. It requires these organizations to distribute scholarships in a specific priority order (starting with students with IEPs, military dependents, and those in low-academic districts) and mandates that at least 90% of contributions fund scholarships, with strict limits on administrative costs. Scholarship amounts are tied to state funding targets (e.g., up to 175% for students with IEPs) and require organizations to report student test results, graduation rates, and parental satisfaction annually. The bill does not directly fund public schools but regulates private scholarship programs to ensure accountability and transparency.

Maddy summaryHB 1510 reorganizes Missouri's education structure by abolishing the current Department of Education and transferring its functions to a new Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. It establishes a "Quality Control Committee for Oversight" composed of state agency representatives and legislative appointees to define and monitor "Key Performance Indicators" (KPIs) like student punctuality, respect, and work ethic. The bill requires all high schools to ensure graduating students meet these KPIs before awarding diplomas or high school equivalency certificates. This directly affects all educational entities in Missouri, including public schools, charter schools, private schools, home schools, and specialized schools like the Missouri School for the Deaf.