The 2023 Regular Session has Ended- Now We’re in Full Campaign Mode!

• ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSES (HB 115/HB 402/SB 157 (https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB115&year=2023&code=R) ): Expands the scope of practice for advanced practice registered nurses.
• PHYSICAL THERAPISTS (HB 115/SB 51/SB 157 (https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB115&year=2023&code=R) ): Eliminates an existing prohibition on physical therapists treating a patient unless the patient has been referred by a physician.
• LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT (HB 447 (https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB447&year=2023&code=R) ): Requires the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to establish language developmental milestones for children under age five who are diagnosed as deaf or hard of hearing.
• ADOPTION TAX CREDIT (SB 24 (https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?Sessiontype=R&BillPrefix=SB&BillSuffix=24) ): Expands state tax credits for nonrecurring expenses relating to adoption.
• EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (SB 24 (https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?Sessiontype=R&BillPrefix=SB&BillSuffix=24) ): Authorizes the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to provide grants to expand the availability of preschool services.
• POST-PARTUM CARE (SB 45/SB 106 (https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?Sessiontype=R&BillPrefix=SB&BillSuffix=45) ): Expands coverage for post-partum care under Medicaid from 60 days to one year.
• PATIENT EXAMINATIONS (SB 45/SB 106 (https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?Sessiontype=R&BillPrefix=SB&BillSuffix=45) ): Prohibits medical providers from conducting a prostate, anal or pelvic examination on an anesthetized or unconscious person without their prior consent.
• CLIFF EFFECT (SB 45 (https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?Sessiontype=R&BillPrefix=SB&BillSuffix=45) ): Establishes a transitional benefits program for recipients of social safety net programs or child care subsidies to end the “cliff effect” that results in participants losing all of the benefits due to a small increase in their income.
• ENTERTAINMENT TAX CREDITS (SB 94 (https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?Sessiontype=R&BillPrefix=SB&BillSuffix=94) ): Establishes tax breaks to encourage film and television productions to shoot in Missouri and the creation of other entertainment industry jobs.
• BREAST EXAMINATION (SB 106 (https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?Sessiontype=R&BillPrefix=SB&BillSuffix=106) ): Prohibits insurers from requiring patient cost-sharing for diagnostic breast examinations, supplemental breast examination or low-dose mammography screenings.
• TIME SERVED (SB 186/SB 189 (https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?Sessiontype=R&BillPrefix=SB&BillSuffix=186) ): Clarifies that inmates receive full credit toward any prison sentence for time served in jail while awaiting trial.
• POLICE TRAINING (SB 186 (https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?Sessiontype=R&BillPrefix=SB&BillSuffix=186) ): Increases minimum state training requirements for law enforcement officers.
• POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY (SB 186 (https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?Sessiontype=R&BillPrefix=SB&BillSuffix=186) ): Expands the grounds for which the Missouri Department of Public Safety director may discipline law enforcement officers.
• TAXES ON SENIOR CITIZENS (SB 190 (https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?Sessiontype=R&BillPrefix=SB&BillSuffix=190) ): Fully exempts Social Security benefits from state taxation and provides a property tax credit to eligible senior citizens for a home they both own and reside in.
• BLAIR’S LAW (SB 189 (https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?Sessiontype=R&BillPrefix=SB&BillSuffix=189) ): Increases criminal penalties for negligently engaging in celebratory gunfire within a municipality.
• MOTOR VEHICLE SALES TAXES (SB 398 (https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?Sessiontype=R&BillPrefix=SB&BillSuffix=398) ): Requires sales taxes on motor vehicles to be collected by the dealer at the point of sale instead of at the time the vehicle is licensed with the state.
• ELECTRONIC DEVICES (SB 398 (https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?Sessiontype=R&BillPrefix=SB&BillSuffix=398) ): Prohibits texting or using a cell phone while driving, unless the driver is using a hands-free device or making a call to report an emergency situation.

And here’s some legislation that DIDN’T pass thanks to Democratic opposition and Republican dysfunction:

• CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS (HJR 43): Sought to increase the threshold for ratifying an amendment to the constitution from a simple majority to a 57 percent supermajority.
• CONSTRUCTION WORK IN PROGRESS (HB 225): Sought to allow investor-owned electric utilities to charge customers for the costs of planning and building a nuclear power plant, repealing voter-enacted restrictions that bars such costs from being passed on to customers until a plant is operational.
• OPEN ENROLLMENT (HB 253): Sought to allow students to attend public schools in districts other than the one in which they reside.
• GUNS ON BUSES (HB 282): Sought to allow firearms to be carried on mass transit.
• GUNS IN CHURCHES (HB 282): Sought to allow firearms to be carried in churches without the permission of the pastor.
• ST. LOUIS PROSECUTOR TAKEOVER (HB 301): Sought to allow the governor to appoint a special prosecutor who would takeover jurisdiction over the prosecution of certain violent crimes and supplant St. Louis city’s elected circuit attorney.
• LICENSE FEE HIKES (HB 424): Sought a 50-percent increase in the fees charged by the privately operated vehicle and driver’s license offices.
• ST. LOUIS POLICE TAKEOVER (HB 702): Sought to restore state control over the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, which ended after 152 years when Missouri voters approved a statewide ballot measure in 2012 restoring local control.
• INITIATIVE LIMITS (HB 703): Sought to impose a variety of procedural hurdles and restrictions intended to make it harder to place measures on the statewide ballot using the initiative petition process.
• CORPORATE INCOME TAX (HB 816): Sought to completely eliminate Missouri’s 4 percent income tax, costing the state at least $711 million a year in lost revenue.
• PSC EXPANSION (HB1044): Sought to expand the Missouri Public Service Commission, the regulatory authority for investor-owned utilities, from five to 11 members and reserve three of those positions for agricultural industry representatives.
• DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION PROHIBITION (HB 1196): Sought to prohibit colleges and universities from promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.
• ROAD FUND TAKEOVER (HJR 37): Sought to strip the Missouri State Highways and Transportation Commission of its constitutional authority over the allocation of road and bridge funding and give that authority to state lawmakers.
• CENSORING HISTORY (SB 4): Sought to prohibit teaching about teaching about racism in American history and its impact on modern day and require the Missouri Department of Elementary of Secondary Education to develop a training program for teachers that emphasizes teaching patriotism.

Here’s the anti-trans legislation heading to Gov. Parson’s desk that will cause families with trans children to flee the state for their own safety and welfare. Also, Healthcare Providers in Missouri don’t perform trans-related gender-affirming care in the state of Missouri.

SB 49- Sen. Mike Moon (https://www.senate.mo.gov/23info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=44407) – This act establishes the “Missouri Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act”. Under this act, no health care provider shall perform gender transition surgeries on any minor. Until August 28, 2027, no health care provider shall prescribe or administer cross-sex hormones or puberty-blocking drugs to a minor for a gender transition, unless such minor was receiving such treatment prior to August 28, 2023.