2023 Missouri Legislative Outlook: Human Services & Public Safety

By: Dr. Sarah Anderson

Women’s Health

Missouri has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the United States. Increasing access to prenatal and postpartum care has bipartisan support. For example, several bills seek to extend Medicaid benefits for mothers from 60 days postpartum to one year postpartum (SB90| SB45| HB254| HB91| HB286| HB328| HB354).

Another topic that impacts women and mothers particularly is the luxury tax on feminine hygiene products and diapers. The following bills will decrease the tax rate so that it equals the reduced state sales tax rate imposed on the retail sale of food (HB114| HB126| HB145| HB381| HB351| SB73| SB184).

Related Science Notes: Menstrual Hygiene Products, Diaper Accessibility, Maternal Mortality and Health Disparities, Infant Mortality, Postpartum Medical Coverage

Children & Seniors

Childcare access and licensure are issues that we expect to see again this year with a tax credit for employers to assist employees with childcare (HB120), a property tax exemption for property used for childcare (SB151| SJR26), and allowing public officials to use campaign funds for childcare (HB123).

Related Science Notes: Child Care Access, Childcare Facilities and License Exemptions

A couple of bills focus on reducing costs for senior citizens. The bills would reduce property tax assessments on senior citizens and disabled persons (HJR5), freeze property tax assessments (HJR17| HJR27| SJR21), and increases the income cap on the income tax credit for senior citizens from $27,500 to $35,000 (SB15).

Human Services

Two bills that made it through at least one chamber last year include the “Restaurant Meals Program,” which would allow specific households to redeem SNAP benefits at restaurants that contract with the Department of Social Services (SB313), and the CROWN Act. Already law in Kansas City and St. Louis, MO, the CROWN Act prohibits discrimination based on hair texture and protective hairstyles (HB361).

Related Science Notes: Racial Discrimination Based on Hair Texture/ Style

Firearms

Democrats have filed bills that generally restrict firearm access or increase penalties for misuse of firearms (HB32| HB33| HB109| HB208| HB218| HB230| HJR3| SB59| SB142| SB217| SB305| SB33). In contrast, Republicans have filed bills that increase protections for firearm owners and make it easier to own a firearm (HB38| HB55| HB299| SB10| SB131| SB200| SB224| SB225| HB282). Specific bills that made it through at least one chamber last year are:

• HB282 which would allow a firearm owner who has a concealed carry permit to have a concealed firearm on their person while on a publicly funded transportation system,
• HB109 “Blair’s Law” which bans celebratory gunfire within a municipality, and
• SB131 which exempts the sale of firearms and ammunition from a sales tax.

Public Safety

Lastly, several bills regarding public safety that made it through one chamber last year have been filed again this year. HB302 modifies the qualifications of what a false report is and the consequences. HB195 requires people who cause the death of a guardian while drunk driving to pay child maintenance to the child of that person. SB250 would make organized retail theft a felony and require online marketplaces to obtain and verify information about high-volume third-party sellers. HB355 changes the age of missing children from 17 to 18 and includes any person in foster care regardless of age.

Additionally, in the 2022 session, the omnibus bill “Establishes the Earning Safe Reentry Through Work Act of 2021” made it through the House of Representatives and the Senate committee but didn’t make it to the Senate floor (HB2088). Several bills that were part of HB2088 have been refiled for the 2023 session, covering a range of topics, including:

• adding telecommunicator first responders to the definition of first responders (SB46),
• repealing the Missouri Postconviction Drug Program (HB119, SB276),
• making failing to charge or tampering with electronic monitoring equipment a class E felony or a class A misdemeanor (HB86), and
• increasing required training hours and discipline standards for peace officers (SB38).

Related Science Notes: Police Accountability Measures, Mental Health & Reincarceration, Mental Health Parity, Behavioral Healthcare Deficits & Interventions, COVID-19, Mental Health & Substance Abuse

Questions? Contact Dr. Sarah Anderson, Human Services & Public Safety Policy Fellow, sarah@mostpolicyinitiative.org.