I was delighted to visit with students from New Heights Christian Academy. These students were accompanied by Angela Spieker, teacher.
I have been very busy in committees; Tuesdays I have Children and Families and Budget. Wednesdays I have Budget, Utilities, Professional Registration and Elementary and Secondary Education. Thursdays, I have Budget again. We heard 2 bills (HB 1667 and HB 2294) in Children and Families that would establish the “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.” The bills would require that a child born alive during or following an abortion or attempted abortion be afforded the same legal rights and medical care as any other live-born child. This is one of the most important pieces of legislation we heard this week. I also heard bills about cursive writing in schools and a bill that allows sewer districts to use 1st Class Mail to notify customers of shut off notices rather than certified mail.
I anticipate that we will begin debating bills on the House Floor next week. It appears that as of this writing 46 bills have been reported out of committees. The next step for these bills is to be referred to a Rules Committee then on to the House Calendar.
Other Legislation considered this week includes:
HB 1663, HB 1973, and HB 1607 address student participation in school athletic competitions. These bills would remove the current expiration date on existing law that limits participation in athletics competitions based on a student’s biological sex as indicated on the student’s birth certificate, with limited exceptions.
HB 2859 would exempt certain tangible personal property, including farm machinery and motor vehicles, from personal property taxation contingent on voter approval of a constitutional amendment. The bill would also reduce assessment percentages for personal property over time, beginning in 2027 and reaching a lower permanent rate by 2041.
HB 2686 would exempt sales of used tangible personal property at auction from sales and use tax, with specified exclusions for titled motor vehicles, trailers, boats, and outboard motors.
HB 2748 would expand physical activity requirements in public schools by requiring students in grades K–12 to participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity daily, extend recess requirements to all grade levels, and require at least one 20-minute recess period. The bill includes an emergency clause.
HB 2682 would revise current law governing student expression in K–12 public schools by expanding protections to include political and ideological expression in addition to religious expression. The bill would prohibit discrimination against student clubs based on viewpoint and establish enforcement mechanisms, while preserving school authority to regulate speech or conduct that is not protected by the First Amendment or that materially disrupts school operations.
HB 2776 would allow the State Board of Education to issue temporary teaching certificates to individuals with an associate degree from a state-approved teacher preparation program. Applicants must pass the Missouri general education assessment and complete a background check. The temporary certificate would let them work up to two years in public schools as a substitute, paraprofessional, or teacher. The bill also sets requirements for full licensure, including mentorship, professional development, and passing either a subject-area assessment or the state-approved teacher evaluation.
HB 1871 would reinstate Missouri’s presidential preference primary election and establish administrative timelines and procedures for conducting the election, with costs to be paid by the State. The bill would expand in-person no-excuse absentee voting, adjust candidate filing periods, modify testing timelines for voting equipment, expand the use of provisional ballots, and update rules related to write-in candidates. Additional provisions include confidentiality requirements for certain absentee ballot applicant lists, changes affecting federal and absentee voters, increased distance requirements for electioneering near polling places, and updates to election-day procedures for local election authorities.
It’s a pleasure to serve.
