Rep. Marla Smith

Maddy summaryHB 2892 requires high-risk domestic abuse offenders (those with two prior convictions or a high recidivism risk assessment) to register with Missouri’s Department of Public Safety within 72 hours of conviction or release. Offenders must provide personal details like addresses, employment, and vehicle information, updating within 10 days of changes, with registration lasting five years after sentence completion. The confidential registry is accessible only to law enforcement for safety planning, not the public, and includes penalties for non-compliance (fines for first violations, misdemeanor charges for repeat offenses). The program expires after six years unless reauthorized by the legislature, with biennial reports required to assess effectiveness and recidivism rates.

Maddy summaryHB 2797 designates April 9th each year as "Clyde S. Cahill, Jr. Day" in Missouri. The bill honors Clyde S. Cahill, Jr., a former senior judge of the U.S. Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, recognizing his career that included service on the 22nd circuit court, as NAACP legal advisor, and as a regional attorney for the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity in Kansas City. This is a ceremonial resolution with no policy changes or direct impact on laws or regulations. The bill was introduced in the Missouri House on January 7, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 2385 modifies Missouri railroad safety rules to address highway crossings, train length, crew requirements, and crew privacy. It prohibits trains from blocking highway crossings for over 15 minutes (except during emergencies or continuous movement), limits freight trains to 8,500 feet in length, and requires two qualified crew members for most freight operations (excluding helper/hostler services or slow loading/unloading). Violations incur fines up to $10,000 per offense, and the bill mandates redaction of crew members' personal information in public incident records, with limited access for authorized entities like railroads or law enforcement. The law aligns with federal safety regulations and is enforced by the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Maddy summaryHB 2505 modifies Missouri custody law to establish that grandparents must be given priority over other third parties when a court considers placing a child in third-party custody. The bill specifically states that if a court finds parents unfit or unable to care for a child, custody should first be offered to the child's grandparent(s) before considering other third parties like relatives or non-relatives. This applies only in cases where the court determines third-party custody is necessary and in the child's best interest, not automatically. The law requires courts to make this priority explicit in their custody decisions under the "best interest of the child" standard. It does not change existing custody rules for parents but adds grandparents as the first option for third-party custody placements.

Maddy summaryHB 2519 expands Missouri's hate crime definitions to include offenses motivated by race, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. It upgrades penalties for hate-motivated crimes to class D or E felonies and requires law enforcement agencies to report such offenses. The bill mandates new training for peace officers, including six hours on hate offense identification and victim assistance for those licensed after 2026, and six hours on racial profiling and bias for those licensed after 2027. These changes directly affect law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and court systems by altering how hate crimes are defined, prosecuted, and handled during officer training.

Maddy summaryHB 1935 repeals a requirement in Missouri law that mandated certain counties (those with charters and populations between 600,000-700,000) to hold regular county municipal court sessions in the evening outside the county seat. The bill replaces this provision with updated language that removes this specific scheduling and location rule. This change directly affects counties operating under the new county municipal court framework established by Section 66.010, RSMo. The bill focuses on procedural court operations rather than substantive policy changes.

Maddy summaryHB 1933 prohibits Missouri employers from firing, refusing to hire, or disadvantaging employees based on their credit history or credit score, unless the credit information is directly related to the job duties or business operations. The law directly affects employees who might face employment decisions based on credit checks and employers who currently use credit history for hiring or termination. It creates a clear exception allowing credit checks only when they are materially relevant to the position (e.g., financial roles). This bill amends Missouri’s employment law to ban non-job-related credit discrimination.

Maddy summaryHB 1932 requires Missouri employers to provide employees with a 30-minute meal break during each 8-hour work shift, or within 5.5 hours of starting work. It directly affects most Missouri employers, with exemptions for businesses covered by collective bargaining agreements, small businesses (fewer than five employees on a shift), roles critical to public safety, or positions requiring constant availability. Employers who violate the law face fines starting at $300 per violation, increasing for repeat offenses. The bill does not require employers to pay employees during meal breaks, and the Department of Labor will enforce these rules.

Maddy summaryHB 1934 establishes a 15-member "College Admission and Financial Aid Letter Consistency Task Force" to create standardized forms for public colleges and universities in Missouri. The task force, appointed by specified groups including students, parents, college administrators, and counselors, must develop standard admission and financial aid letters by January 1, 2027. The standardized financial aid letter must clearly list estimated costs (tuition, fees, books, etc.), all aid types with repayment explanations, graduation rates, and a glossary of terms. This bill directly affects public Missouri colleges/universities, requiring them to adopt these standardized letters for student communications.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes insurance coverage provisions for orthotic, prosthetic, and assistive devices for individuals enrolled in Missouri's MO HealthNet program, which provides health care to low-income residents. The legislation outlines specific payment rules and coverage limits for various health services, including hospital care, physician services, prescription drugs, and home health care, while explicitly excluding certain providers like abortion facilities from receiving funds. Key provisions include setting payment amounts at no more than 80% of reasonable costs for outpatient services, limiting chiropractic visits to 20 per year, and restricting nursing home coverage for those with significant home equity. The bill also defines eligibility criteria and payment methodologies for different types of care, ensuring services are medically necessary and aligned with federal regulations.