Another chapter of the Missouri Legislature has closed. State lawmakers have completed the second session of the 103rd General Assembly in Jefferson City.
Besides a burnt hot pocket reportedly triggering a fire alarm the last week of session, there were seemingly fewer fires to put out, so to speak. There were some minor Republican hiccups along the way that slowed work in the state Senate, including the final week.
But for the most part, what citizens were able to see was mostly tame. That’s compared to what some people frequenting the Missouri Capitol are accustomed to experiencing, especially during a major election year.
Lawmakers packed up and went back to their districts after passing 100 bills this year. According to Missouri House Communications, the legislature passed 42 House bills, 41 Senate bills, and 17 budget bills this time around.
Here’s a list of some of the key bills passed:
•$50.7 billion state budget proposal
•Wide-ranging healthcare package that aims to expand access to healthcare services, especially for chronic illnesses and pregnancy-related cases. It would loosen some restrictions on virtual healthcare services and expand insurance coverage requirements for pregnancy-related care. It would also expand access to EpiPens in schools, childcare, and emergency response situations.
•A bill that aims to protect small businesses from attorneys who claim their business websites are not compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). These attorneys have threatened to sue dozens of Missouri businesses, despite federal law not specifying ADA requirements for websites. The legislation aims to put a stop to these attempts to settle and make a profit.
•Greater focus on combatting sex trafficking and increasing the penalties for sex offenses involving minors. The bill would also modify the penalties for sharing or threatening to share a photo of a sex act that has been created or altered using digital manipulation.
•Juvenile crime package that adds increased penalties for sexual criminal offenses, streamlines processes and adds transparency in parole eligibility calculations. It allows record sharing to enhance the ability of law enforcement and prosecutors to track cases. Under the plan, Missouri counties can enact a 1% sales tax to fund new juvenile detention centers, among other things.
•Incentives to boost economic development in downtown St. Louis. The bill would allow cities to create innovation zones and offer incentives for new projects and redevelopment.
•Restrictions on hemp products that create a similar “high” as marijuana. Sales of the products will be limited to state-licensed cannabis shops. They’ll be required to meet the same testing, labeling, and packaging rules for marijuana in Missouri. Gov. Mike Kehoe has already signed this bill into law, which takes effect November 12.
•A bill that will allow women to finalize their divorce while pregnant. It clarifies that pregnancy status shall not be used to prevent courts from granting divorce or legal separation.
•Giving the same rights to a child born alive during or after an abortion or attempted abortion as anyone else. Creates criminal penalties for violations.
•Requiring porn sites to check each user’s age before granting access
•Creating a Purple Alert System to help locate missing people with developmental disabilities
•Wide-ranging elections bill to alleviate administrative burdens for county clerks
•Allowing businesses to round the total amount of a sale to the nearest five cents on cash transactions only
•Limiting drone use around stadiums and other open-air venues
•Increasing the speed limit to 75 miles per hour on rural interstates and freeways
•Requiring convicted drunk drivers who kill a parent or guardian to pay child support to the victim’s child. The bill, known as “Bentley and Mason’s Law,” means drunk drivers could be required to pay child support until the child turns 21.
•Incentives package to boost the country’s critical minerals and pharmaceuticals supplies. The plan would expand a sales tax exemption to include these products and offer tax credits to companies that invest at least $5 million in related projects. The tax credits can cover as much as 25% of project costs so the U.S. can reduce its reliance of these products from other countries.
•Creates a governor-appointed commission to review certain MSHSAA disputes, like transfer eligibility and contest-related decisions. The commission would consider appeals after the current Missouri State High School Activities Association appeals process is exhausted.
Perhaps the biggest disappointment for many lawmakers – and some Missourians – is attempts to give property tax relief, which fell through at the very end of the session. It was the leading Republican priority heading into the start of the year. It was also the focus of a special House committee during the second half of 2025.
What happened? It depends who you ask. Gov. Mike Kehoe’s wish to gradually eliminate the state’s individual income tax appeared to shift some of the focus. Lawmakers passed Kehoe’s income tax plan and Missouri voters will get to decide this year whether they want to replace the state income tax by expanding sales and use taxes.
Kehoe held a news conference Thursday to say the Republican-controlled legislature had a productive session with “monumental wins.” He also touted his priority to phase out the state income tax.
“It’s about growth. It’s really about competitiveness. And it’s about sending a message across the country that Missouri will compete and Missouri will win,” Kehoe said.
On Friday, the chair of the Missouri House property tax relief committee said negotiations died between the House and Senate. State Rep. Tim Taylor, R-Bunceton, made the announcement on the last day of session – with frustration in his voice.
“And until we’re strong enough, both sides of this building, to understand that it’s time to get off the back of the taxpayer, fix the holes in the cloak that’s protecting him before we climb back on, then we shall not get anything done on property tax,” said Taylor.
His bipartisan committee spent half of last year putting together a property tax relief plan.
“It’s unfortunate,” he said. “I hope that the next year, the year after, perhaps a change in things on the other side of this building will have an effect on that. Perhaps new bedfellows might be just what we need.”
Besides property tax relief dying, other key bills fading off into the sunset include:
•Tax credits to boost access to affordable, quality childcare
•Regulations for gas station slot machines
•Restoring the Presidential Preference Primary Election
•Creating an A-F grading system to measure school performance
•Regulations on artificial intelligence
•Expanding screenings to identify gifted students
•Giving the Secretary of State more power on ballot wording
•Extending the time childhood sexual abuse survivors can file lawsuits against their abusers
The governor has a large stack of bills to review and decide if he will sign on the dotted line or reject any of them.
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