JEFFERSON CITY — The first, full month of the interim (the time between regular legislative sessions) sees many of the bills that were Truly Agreed to and Finally Passed by the Missouri General Assembly go on to be signed into law by the governor. The executive branch has until July 14, 2015, to sign, veto or let legislation become law without a signature. Most new laws will take effect on Aug. 28, 2015.

Senate Bills Signed Into Law

On June 30, several measures were signed into law, including Senate Bill 87 — sponsored by Sen. Ed Emery, R-Lamar — requiring that a petitioner for a state audit of a political subdivision reside or own real property within that subdivision. Senator Dan Brown, R-Rolla, sponsored Senate Bill 539, which grants authority for a county commission or a designated county officer of its choosing, to provide passport services when the circuit clerk declines to do so. House Bill 125 and Senate Bill 68, sponsored by Sen. Gary Romine, R-Farmington, allows board members of municipal industrial development corporations in St. Francois County to live outside the city limits of the municipality, as long as they are taxpayers and voters in the county.

June 25, Senate Bill 116 was signed. Sponsored by Sen. Will Kraus, R-Lee’s Summit, this new law will create an exemption from the proof of residency and domicile for school registration for students whose parents are stationed out of state.

Also on June 25, three measures relating to transportation received the governor’s signature. Sponsored by Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, Senate Bill 156 designates certain highways and bridges in the state. Senate Bill 318 designates the “Billy Yates Highway” in Ripley County. This measure was sponsored by Sen. Mike Cunningham, R-Rogersville. Senate Bill 474, sponsored by Sen. Wayne Wallingford, R-Cape Girardeau, expands the “Heroes Way Interchange Designation Program.”

On June 24, Senate Bill 141 was signed into law. Sponsored by Sen. Mike Parson, R-Bolivar, this new law raises the amount the Crime Victims' Compensation Fund can pay to eligible victims and provides that the Missouri Department of Public Safety can negotiate costs on behalf of victims.

Senate Bill 231 was also signed on June 24. This measure modifies provisions relating to watercraft, and is sponsored by Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City.

Three Senate measures were signed on June 22. Senate Bill 194, sponsored by Senate Majority Floor Leader Ron Richard, R-Joplin, extends the date that a business must commence operations to qualify for a business facility tax credit. Sponsored by Sen. Kraus, Senate Bill 336 modifies provisions relating to income tax withholdings on employee's tips. Provisions relating to contractual fees charged by certain financial institutions will be changed, once Senate Bill 524 becomes law. It was sponsored by Sen. Cunningham.

June 19 saw Senate Bill 145 receive the governor’s signature. The measure requires health benefit plans cover diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders. Senator David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, sponsored the proposal, which requires health benefit plans, for coverage of mental health disorders, to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders, and requires that the provided coverage include a broad array of specialist services as proscribed as necessary by the patient's treatment team. Coverage under this new law is limited to medically necessary treatment and the treatment plan must include all elements necessary for a health benefit plan to pay claims.

Also June 19, House Bill 343 received executive branch approval. The new law establishes a committee to assess the continuation of the Money Follows the Person Demonstration Program, in order to help disabled or aging individuals transition from nursing facilities to community settings. The measure was handled in the upper chamber by Sen. Paul Wieland, R-Imperial.

On June 12, two Missouri Senate proposals were given the “thumbs up” by the executive branch. Senate Bill 244, sponsored by Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale, will create the Senior Savings Protection Act. This new law permits certain individuals to report the occurrence or suspected occurrence of financial exploitation of qualified adults; defines qualified adult as a person who is either 60 years of age or older, or has a disability — as defined under current law — and is between the ages of 18 and 59; and permits certain individuals to notify an immediate family member, legal guardian, conservator, co-trustee, successor trustee or agent under power of attorney of the qualified adult if they are of the belief that the qualified adult is — or may become — a victim of financial exploitation.

Click here to listen to This Week in the Missouri Senate, from June 19, to hear more about Senate Bill 244.

Under Senate Bill 272, laws regarding motor vehicle height and weight limits in certain city commercial zones would change. This measure was sponsored by Sen. Jeanie Riddle, R-Callaway County. This new law adds Boone County to the municipal commercial zone previously defined for the city of Columbia.

Also on June 12, House Bill 650 was signed into law. The new law will allow a motorcycle to be equipped with — and an operator of a motorcycle to use — auxiliary lighting that is amber and white, standard bulb running lights or light-emitting diode pods and strips while operating a motorcycle. The lighting must be non-flashing, non-blinking, non-oscillating and directed toward the engine and drive train of the motorcycle to prevent interference with the motorcyclist's operation of the motorcycle. This measure was handled by Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, in the upper chamber.

On June 5, three appropriations measures were signed into law, all of which were also handled in the Missouri Senate by Sen. Schaefer — who also chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee. House Bill 17 appropriates money for capital improvement and other purposes, as provided in Article IV, Section 28 of the Missouri Constitution; House Bill 18 appropriates money for capital improvement projects involving the maintenance, repair, replacement and improvement of state buildings and facilities; and House Bill 19 appropriates money for capital improvements. The bulk of the work associated with these proposals will occur at schools and other state buildings, as well as the Missouri Capitol — and will start with the new fiscal year, which will begin on July 1, 2015.

Click here to listen to This Week in the Missouri Senate, for June 26, to hear more about House Bills 17, 18 and 19.

Several measures were signed into law on June 3. House Bill 50 will change the requirements for disclosure of information regarding insurance holding companies. Some provisions contained within this won’t take effect until Jan. 1, 2016. The measure was handled by Sen. Parson in the upper chamber.

House Bill 385, handled in the Missouri Senate by Sen. Schaefer, defines "correspondence" with regard to real estate brokers. "Correspondence" is defined as any written or electronic communication, but must exclude any text message, instant message and any other information or communication that is not designed to be retained or create a permanent record for use in any transaction calculated or intended to result in the sale, exchange, leasing, or rental of real estate.

Handled by Sen. Parson, House Bill 391 changes the notice requirements for automobile insurance cancellations or refusals. This bill requires any insurer canceling, refusing to renew, or refusing to write a policy of automobile insurance to send written notice by United States Postal Service (USPS) certificate of mailing, first class mail using Intelligent Mail barcode or another mail tracking method used, approved or accepted by the USPS.

House Bill 1052 modifies provisions relating to land surveyors. This measure was handled in the upper chamber by Sen. Jay Wasson, R-Nixa. This bill removes from the description of the practice of a professional land surveyor work which involves the survey of easements. The survey and location of rights-of-way are not exclusive to professional land surveyors unless the survey affects real property rights as defined in current law.

Unless otherwise noted, all of these measures will take effect on Aug. 28, 2015.

Legislation That Has Been Vetoed

June also saw the most talked about bills of the First Regular Session of the 98th General Assembly receive vetoes. House Bill 116 & 569 was given the “thumbs down” by the executive branch on June 4. The goal of the legislation, also known as Right-to-Work, was to prohibit an employer from requiring a person to become a member of a labor organization as a condition or continuation of employment.

In his veto letter, the governor called House Bill 116 & 569 bad for our economy and claimed it would constitute unwarranted governmental interference into the operation of Missouri businesses and would expose businesses to criminal prosecution and unlimited civil liability.

House Bill 116 & 569 was ushered through and passed by the Missouri Senate during the last week of the regular session.

Click here to listen to This Week in the Missouri Senate, from June 12, to hear more about the veto of House Bill 116 & 569.

House Bill 42 was vetoed on June 26. Commonly referred to as the student transfer bill, this measure would have established a system of school accreditation by building, rather than by district, and established standards for student transfers.

The governor, in his veto letter, claims House Bill 42 mandated expensive experiments, neglected accountability and evaded the major, underlying difficulties in the transfer law. He goes on to say this measure would have introduced private vouchers for virtual schools, and calls that unacceptable.

Lawmakers will return to Jefferson City on Sept. 16, 2015, for the Missouri General Assembly’s annual veto session to consider bills struck down by the governor. A two-thirds majority vote is needed to override a veto in each chamber: 23 in the Senate and 109 in the House.

To follow these and other issues before the Missouri Senate, visit www.senate.mo.gov. Visitors can track legislation considered by the General Assembly during the 2015 session, learn more about their legislative district and listen to streaming audio of legislative debate as it happens on the Senate floor.

The Missouri Senate’s Capitol Briefing will be distributed and posted monthly, starting in June. 

For more legislative news, please visit the Senate newsroom at www.senate.mo.gov/newsroom, where you will find various audio and video programs and other informational services, such as:

This Week in the Missouri Senate – A weekly, audio program that wraps up the week’s news in the Missouri Senate. Programs are posted online every Friday in .mp3 format.
The Senate Minute– A condensed, one-minute audio report of current Senate news. Programs are posted in .mp3 format and are available through podcast.
This Date in Missouri Senate History – A feature that looks back at the impact made by the Missouri Legislature throughout the history of the Show-Me State. This feature is offered on a regular basis.

Daily Audio/Video Clips – Throughout the year, the Senate Newsroom posts broadcast-quality audio and video highlights from Senate committee hearings, floor debate, press conferences and other legislative events. Please note: Clips linked to this Capitol Briefing are only available for the legislative week referenced in the publication.