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The Week of May 15, 2023

On the Floor

It is hard to believe, but we have reached the end of the legislative session. This session marked the beginning of my second term in the Missouri Senate, and I am grateful for the opportunity to represent the great people of St. Louis and serve as their voice in state government.

These last few weeks of session have been a flurry of floor action as legislators amend their bills onto other pieces of legislation in the hopes of getting priorities to the finish line. Once a bill has been passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, it is considered truly agreed to and finally passed and is sent to the governor’s desk for his consideration. A full list of the bills that were truly agreed to and finally passed can be found on the Senate website.

The Senate passed these bills last week:

• House Bill 268 establishes the Regulatory Sandbox Act and the Regulatory Relief Office in the Missouri Department of Economic Development. This office will identify state laws or regulations that could potentially be waived or suspended for participating businesses during a two-year period in which the participating business demonstrates an innovative product offering to consumers.
• House Bill 802 authorizes the conveyance of certain state property.
• House Bill 202 repeals provisions related to the regulation of industrial hemp.
• Senate Bill 186 modifies provisions related to public safety.
• Senate Bill 20 modifies provisions relating to retirement.
• Senate Bill 101 enacts provisions relating to property and casualty insurance.
• Senate Bill 75 modifies provisions relating to retirement systems.
• Senate Bill 28 modifies provisions relating to fees for requests to access public records of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
• Senate Bill 127 designates memorial bridges and highways.
• Senate Bill 139 establishes the “Stars and Stripes Historic Region of Missouri,” among other state designations.
• Senate Bill 222 prohibits any county, municipality or political subdivision from enforcing a moratorium on eviction proceedings, as well as other provisions related to political subdivisions.
• Senate Bill 70 adopts the Counseling Interstate Compact for professional counselors and includes other provisions related to professional licensing.
• Senate Bill 189 creates “Max’s Law” to increase the penalty for the offense of assault on a law enforcement animal to a class A misdemeanor, and includes other provisions relating to criminal laws.
• Senate Bill 157 modifies several provisions relating to professions requiring licensure.
• Senate Bill 111 allows for payment of state employment salaries every two weeks.
• Senate Bill 40 modifies provisions relating to background checks.
• Senate Concurrent Resolution 7 creates the America 250 Missouri Commission to plan, promote and implement celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.
• Senate Bill 109 modifies provisions relating to mining.
• Senate Bill 398 modifies the Motor Vehicle Franchise Practices Act.
• Senate Bill 138 requires the Missouri Department of Economic Development to promote Missouri hardwood forest products and modifies provisions relating to foreign ownership of agricultural land.

I would also like to take a moment to thank my staff for a successful session: Chief of Staff, Dr. Jason Groce; Legislative Assistant, Jackson Winters; and interns, Aubrey Atkins and Kelsea Myers. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication and organization to make an office run smoothly, and each one of these incredibly hardworking people played a key role in our success. It was a delight to have Aubrey and Kelsea in our office for session and I wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors.

From L to R: Dr. Jason Groce, Kelsea Myers, Senator Karla May, Aubrey Atkins and Jackson Winters.

Other News

Lawmakers agree to expand coverage for post-partum care

On May 8, the Senate voted 26-1 to grant final passage to legislation expanding coverage for postpartum care under Medicaid from 60 days following a pregnancy to one year. The previous week the House of Representatives had approved the bill, which includes several other provisions related to general health care and women’s health in particular.

Supporters have pushed for expanded post-partum coverage for years in an effort to combat Missouri’s rising maternal mortality rate. Opponents took up the cause this session after the U.S. Supreme Court eliminated the constitutional right to abortion last summer, allowing a Missouri law to take effect that bans the procedure in nearly all circumstances.

Senate Bill 106 also prohibits health care providers from performing prostate, anal or pelvic examinations on an anesthetized or unconscious patient without the patient’s advance permission. In addition, the bill bars insurers from imposing cost-sharing requirements for diagnostic breast examinations, supplemental breast examinations or mammography screenings.

Another important provision, added by the House to the wide-ranging bill, ends the “cliff effect” that strips participants in the welfare, food stamp or child care subsidy programs of their benefits if they start earning too much money from their job to qualify. The bill creates transitional benefits to allow working recipients to continue receiving some assistance until they earn enough to be self-sufficient.

Bills concerning transgender children win final passage

On May 10, the House of Representatives sent a pair of bills to the governor making it illegal to provide gender transition care to minors and prohibiting transgender athletes from competing on a sports team that doesn’t correspond with their birth gender.

Senate Bill 49 would ban gender transition surgery for minors and outlaw the use of puberty-blocking drugs and hormone therapy for minors. Those who have already started transitioning when the bill is slated to take effect on Aug. 28 would be exempt from the latter restriction. The House voted 108-50 in favor of the bill.

Senate Bill 39 would prohibit public and private schools from allowing transgender athletes to compete on sports teams that corresponds with their gender identity at any level, from kindergarten through college. The House passed it on a vote of 110-49.

As part of a compromise brokered when the Senate originally approved the bills in March, the restrictions on athletic participation and the limits on puberty-blocking drugs and hormone therapy are set to expire in 2027 unless lawmakers later renew them. The governor is expected to sign both measures into law.

House votes to exempt Social Security benefits from taxation

On May 8, the House of Representatives voted 154-2 to grant final passage to legislation fully exempting Social Security benefits from state income taxes. The bill also authorizes counties to provide a homestead property tax credit to senior citizens.

Existing state law already exempts Social Security benefits from taxation for most Missourians, those who earn less than $85,000 for an individual, or $100,000 for a married couple filing jointly. Senate Bill 190 would extend the exemption to higher-income recipients.

Another provision of the bill would authorize individual counties to establish a tax credit that eligible senior citizens could claim on property taxes owed on a home that they both own and live in as their primary residence. Counties could establish the credit either by enacting an ordinance or putting the matter on the local ballot for voter approval.

The Senate approved the SB 190 in April on a vote of 33-1. Since the House made no changes to it, the bill goes to the governor for his consideration.

Lawmakers approve ban on texting, phone use while driving

Texting while driving would be illegal for motorists of all ages under legislation sent to the governor on May 10. In addition to imposing a broader prohibition on texting while driving, Senate Bill 398 would bar drivers from talking on a cell phone when behind the wheel unless using hands-free technology or making a call to report an emergency situation.

Police would be prohibited from stopping motorists solely for using an electronic device but could issue a citation if the stop is for another offense or an accident is involved. Until Jan. 1, 2025, officers could only issue warnings. After that, a violation would be an infraction punishable by a maximum fine of $150 for a first offense, $250 for a second offense within a two-year period and $500 for a third or subsequent offense in a two-year period.

Senate Bill 398 would also require car dealers to collect sales taxes on motor vehicle purchases at the point of sale. Under existing law, the sales tax is paid when the owner licenses the vehicle with the state. To avoid paying the tax, however, some vehicle owners will continue driving on the temporary tags they receive from the dealer long after the tags have expired.

Coming soon: Senator May’s End of Session Report that will highlight her accomplishments this legislative session.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Thank you for your interest in the legislative process. I look forward to hearing from you on the issues that are important to you this legislative session. If there is anything my office can do for you, please do not hesitate to contact my office at (573) 751-3599.