Press release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The House Special Committee on Government Oversight is scheduled hold a hearing today on a bill that is nearly identical to legislation House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, filed earlier in session to require the Missouri Department of Revenue to waive penalties for certain taxpayers who enter into a payment plan with the agency.
Quade began working on this issue last year in response to changes in federal tax law championed by the Trump administration that eliminated many popular tax exemptions and are resulting in surprise tax bills for countless Missourians. Quade filed House Bill 378, her first effort to address the problem, on Dec. 20.
After numerous meetings with the revenue department and various elected officials, Quade refined her proposal and filed House Bill 963 on Feb. 19. The bill the committee will hear, House Bill 1094, was filed by a Republican lawmaker on Feb 27 and, aside from a couple minor differences, is a cut-and-paste copy of Quade’s HB 963.
“If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then outright theft is a high honor indeed,” Quade said. “I’m glad Republicans are taking our advice to offer a small bit of relief to Missourians who’ve been hit with unexpected tax bills they can’t afford due to the Trump tax law. Regardless of who the sponsor is, we must get this bill on the governor’s desk as soon as possible.”
