Dec. 9, 2024

Breakdown of Bills

Hello from your favorite senator, Angela Mosley! This is a very busy time of year. At the beginning of December, I had the chance to pre-file legislation I want to discuss and pass this upcoming session. Each of the bills addresses a need in our community. I wanted to share all that I will be working on with you so you can understand the work I am doing here in the Capitol.

If you feel you have personal insight or relevant information that would help with the debate and passage of one of these bills, or would like to be a witness for a bill in a committee hearing, please contact my office.

• Senate Bill 40 – Creates the Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls Task Force to help investigate and provide solutions to help stop violence against African American women.
• Senate Bill 41 – Establishes the Christian Taylor Ferguson (CTF) Medical Alert System to help find children who are missing and in danger because of a medical condition.
• Senate Bill 42 – Requires schools to conduct annual safety assessments to help identify vulnerabilities to a potential shooter or intruder situation and create solutions.
• Senate Bill 130 – Allows for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds to be used at partnered restaurants under a Restaurant Meals Program to provide hot meals for the elderly, disabled and homeless.
• Senate Bill 131 – Changes funding so any student qualifying for reduced price lunch by the National School Lunch Program will instead be given free lunch under the Missouri School Meals Act.
• Senate Bill 132 – Designates the first week in February as Black History Week and creates a commission to promote black history being taught and appreciated in public schools.
• Senate Bill 208 – Moves the election of street light maintenance district board members from November to April to be in line with other similar positions.
• Senate Bill 209 – Changes current law so that history curriculum in middle school and high school specifically include specific Native American and African American history.
• Senate Bill 210 – Raises the minimum wage specifically for support care positions at Missouri Veterans’ Homes to $15 an hour.
• Senate Bill 261 – Requires medical records to include questions asked by patients and the doctors responses to those questions.
• Senate Bill 262 – Changes child custody laws so that when custody is to be removed from both parents the child’s relatives and others who have cared for them will be notified so they may seek custody. In the case of relocation of the child, it also will keep families informed and the child protected.
• Senate Bill 263 – Creates a Cancer Patients’ Bill of Rights to ensure they are properly informed and aware of treatment options.
• Senate Bill 306 – Modifies how administrative boards for unaccredited schools are formed and implements requirements of unaccredited schools to become accredited within certain timelines.
• Senate Bill 307 – Allows the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission to create contracts with internet providers to develop the Department of Transportation’s fiber network. It would also require that a quarter of the workforce used to perform these services belong a racial minority.
• Senate Bill 308 – Prevents health benefit plans from charging additional money beyond the deductible for the treatment of advanced stage cancer.
• Senate Bill 345 – Stipulates insurance providers will provide coverage for hair prosthesis due to hair loss from cancer treatment.
• Senate Bill 346 – Implements various gun control laws, preventing the additional sale of assault weapons or large capacity magazines. It would also prevent those committed to a mental institute from purchasing a gun and require background checks for anyone under the age of 21.
• Senate Bill 347 – Allows the courts to implement an “extreme risk order of protection” to temporarily remove guns from those who may pose an immediate risk to others or themselves.
• Senate Bill 378 – Creates the Office of State Ombudsman for Inmates in the Custody of the Department of Corrections to help inmates and their families understand their rights, monitor their living conditions to ensure they aren’t being abused and other responsibilities focused on the inmate’s rehabilitation.
• Senate Bill 379 – Establishes police protection districts to help make our communities safer, specifically in areas that may lack a police department.
• Senate Bill 380 – Modifies the workings of court proceedings which rely on a General Assembly member while the General Assembly is in session. If the court relies on them as a witness, juror, attorney or other role in the case an automatic stay will be implemented. It also allows the stay to be lifted if the courts determine they no longer need them as a witness.
• Senate Bill 406 – Requires insurance to cover genetic testing for those with a high cancer risk. It would also prohibit these companies from using these results to calculate premiums, deductibles or to determine coverage.
• Senate Bill 407 – Requires the Board of Election Commissions to establish a ward for each district director of a fire protection district.
• Senate Bill 408 – Protects elections by rejecting absentee ballots with one of the following: no signature, a fake signature, an unverified oath, if it has been illegally filed or if the voter is otherwise disqualified to vote.
• Senate Bill 425 – Restricts anyone who has stolen campaign funds or caucus funds, spent campaign funds illegally or used such funds for their personal use will be restricted from running for public office or working for state or local government and will be removed from those positions if found guilty.
• Senate Joint Resolution 14 – If approved by voters, expands a real property tax exemption for prisoners of war to include even those without a total service-connected disability and to other veterans with a severe disability.
• Senate Joint Resolution 15 – If approved by voters, it would require a defendant receive approval by both the government and court to waive a trial by jury rather than just the court.
• Senate Joint Resolution 16 – If approved by voters, restructures various laws in relation to the General Assembly including changes to district boundaries so all House districts will fall within a Senate district, establishing a single commission to redistrict both the House and Senate, increasing the number of House Representatives members, modifying term limits for General Assembly members and extends the annual legislative session to last all year long.
• Senate Joint Resolution 39 – Extends the term limits of General Assembly members from eight to twelve years.

Please contact my office if you are interested in being a witness for one of these bills in a committee hearing, or if you have any concerns I can address. My office is committed to responding to all inquiries within 24 hours. Have a wonderful holiday!

For more information on Sen. Angela Walton Mosley’s legislative actions, visit her official Senate website at senate.mo.gov/Mosley. If you, or a loved one, are struggling with thoughts of suicide or self-harm please call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.