Rep. Marty Murray

Maddy summaryHB 487 requires health insurance plans covering 25+ employees to include infertility diagnosis and treatment (like IVF, embryo transfer, artificial insemination, and egg freezing before cancer treatment) starting August 2025. It mandates coverage only after less expensive infertility treatments fail, limits IVF to four oocyte retrievals (with exceptions for live births), and excludes religious institutions that oppose the procedures based on faith. The bill directly affects employers offering group health plans and employees seeking fertility care, ensuring broader access while respecting religious exemptions. Coverage is not required for plans sponsored by religious organizations that object to the treatments.

Maddy summaryHB 694 allows voters to submit electronic signatures instead of handwritten ones on initiative and referendum petitions. Voters must provide their registered name, address, county, date of birth, and a unique state-issued ID via a dedicated state website. The secretary of state and local election offices must accept valid electronic signatures that match voter records, eliminating the need for notarization or circulator signatures. The bill requires audit trails tracking submission details (like IP addresses and timestamps) to verify signatures and prevent fraud.

Maddy summaryHB 1187 prohibits employers from firing, refusing to hire, or otherwise disadvantaging employees based solely on their credit history or credit score. The bill specifically targets employment decisions like pay, promotions, or hiring unless an employer can prove the credit information is directly, materially, and substantially related to the job duties or business operations. This law directly affects employees whose credit history might have been used against them in employment decisions and applies to all employers covered under the state's anti-discrimination laws. Employers must now justify using credit information as essential to the specific role, not as a routine screening tool.

Maddy summaryHB 843 abolishes the death penalty for first-degree murder convictions in Missouri, requiring courts to sentence offenders to life imprisonment without parole instead. It directly affects individuals convicted of first-degree murder under Missouri law (RSMo § 565.004), replacing the death penalty option with a mandatory life sentence. The bill repeals existing statutes allowing the death penalty and mandates that any current death sentences be automatically converted to life imprisonment without parole. This change applies to all future convictions and existing cases where a death sentence was imposed but not executed.

Maddy summaryHB 692 caps total interest and fees for short-term consumer loans at 65% of the initial loan amount, directly affecting borrowers taking out payday-style loans and the lenders who offer them. The bill sets a minimum 14-day and maximum 31-day loan term, prohibits rolling over loans (requiring full repayment before a new loan), and limits total outstanding loans per borrower to $500. It also bans lenders from charging excessive fees, including for cashing checks, and prevents "workarounds" like sales leases to bypass these rules. The law applies to unsecured loans and transactions deemed disguised loans by Missouri's Division of Finance.

Maddy summaryHB 926 modifies Missouri's Clean Indoor Air Act by establishing new definitions to clarify where smoking and vaping are prohibited. It specifically defines terms like "cigar-tobacco bar" (requiring over 50% revenue from tobacco sales to qualify for exemptions), "electronic smoking device" (excluding medical inhalers), and "enclosed area" to determine coverage. The bill directly affects businesses (bars, restaurants, health facilities), public buildings, and workplaces by defining where smoke-free rules apply. Key provisions include exemptions for certain tobacco-focused venues based on revenue verification and clear boundaries for "entryways" and "indoor areas." This bill refines enforcement language rather than introducing new prohibitions.

Maddy summaryHB 1529 requires public schools serving grades 7-12 to implement suicide prevention measures. It mandates annual suicide prevention training for all teachers (starting 2023-24), school district policies for identifying at-risk students, and printing the 988 suicide hotline number on student ID cards by 2025. Starting in 2026, training must include the Columbia Protocol for suicide risk assessment and a virtual mental health tool for educators. The bill also requires mental health awareness education in high school curricula beginning 2022-23.

Maddy summaryHCR 3 is a symbolic resolution designating September as "Sickle Cell Awareness Month" in Missouri. It does not create new laws or funding but formally recognizes an existing national observance to highlight sickle cell disease and trait. The resolution encourages Missourians to participate in awareness events and learn about screenings, particularly noting Missouri's long-standing newborn screening program for the condition. This procedural resolution has no direct policy impact beyond raising public visibility.

Maddy summaryHB 279 creates a tax credit for Missouri taxpayers who donate to shelters for domestic violence victims or rape crisis centers. The credit covers 50% of donations made before July 1, 2022, and 70% for donations after that date, up to the taxpayer's state tax liability. It caps annual credits at $50,000 per taxpayer, with unused portions carryable to the next tax year. Donations must total at least $100 in a tax year to qualify, and the Department of Social Services will verify eligible facilities.

Maddy summaryHB 1219 creates a dedicated "Economic Distress Zone Fund" managed by the state treasurer to provide grants to nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3) status) serving communities meeting specific criteria: high crime rates (at least seven times the national homicide average), poverty exceeding 20%, and school districts with 80%+ students qualifying for free/reduced lunch. The fund uses state appropriations (excluding gifts/grants) to support crime prevention and infrastructure services in these designated areas, with unused funds over $3 million reverting to general revenue. The bill expires on August 28, 2028, and requires the Department of Public Safety to establish rules for administering the program. It directly affects nonprofits operating in high-need communities and state budget allocation processes.