House Rules Committee approves 26 bills, including personhood amendment and alcohol advertising

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri House Committee on Rules-Legislative Oversight voted on a large number of bills in the first meeting following the legislative spring break. Committee members returned on Monday afternoon, taking just 31 minutes to pass 26 pieces of legislation out of committee.

The first bill to receive approval from the committee was HB 114, filed by Rep. Joe Don McGaugh, which would make any person who spreads false info about perishable foods not being safe would be liable to the producer.

But the more than a few of bills might prove the most controversial going forward.

One of the most contentious items this session has been the ongoing fight to protect law enforcement officers. HB 607 carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years for anyone who intentionally targets law enforcement.

Rep. Shamed Dogan urged his fellow committee members to vote against the measure, saying that mandatory minimums do not work, and have failed at a national level. Despite his protest, the measure passed with a vote of 7-4.

The committee also approved HB 433, a bill that has also spurred some attention from both sides of the aisle. The legislation seeks to address the question as to whether alcohol pricing information should be restricted by the government from being advertised to potential customers. Currently, bars in Missouri can advertise in advance to promote events like happy hour, but they can’t place any ads mentioning specific discounts like dollar shots or penny pitchers.

That legislation passed with a vote of 9-2.

One of the most hotly-debated topics every year is the issue of abortion, and the committee also addressed a topic concerning the right to life. HJR 18, filed by Rep. Mike Moon, would ask Missouri voters to amend the state’s Constitution to define life as beginning at the moment of conception. The committee passed that particular legislation with a 7-4 vote.

The committee also approved HB 260, which allows kinship placements for foster children, with a 10-2 vote and HB 301, which would basically allow for videoconferencing at parole hearings, which passed 8-3.

HB 268, filed by Rep. Rick Brattin, would require all inmates receiving an on-site non-emergency medical examination or treatment from correctional center personnel to be charged 50 cents per visit. That bill passed 8-4.

Other bills voted on:

HCS HB 380 – Plocher
MUNICIPAL COURTS
Modifies provisions relating to municipal courts
Passed: 8-3

HCS HB 384 – Anderson
CONFISCATION OF ANIMALS
Changes the laws regarding the confiscation of animals
Passed: 8-3

HCS HB 436 – Hill
CORPORATE SECURITY ADVISORS
Amends laws relating to corporate security advisors
Passed: Unanimous

HB 768 – Lant
JUVENILE COURTS
Modifies provisions relating to juvenile courts
Passed: 9-2

SB 45 – Romine
ARBITRATION AGREEMENTS
Passed: 8-3

 

HCS HB 144 – McGaugh
HEALTH CARE DECISION MAKER ACT
Establishes the “Designated Health Care Decision-Maker Act”
Passed: Unanimous

HCS HB 291 – Crawford
MISSOURI FAMILY TRUST COMPANY ACT
Establishes the Missouri Family Trust Company Act, which allows family trust companies to form and operate in Missouri
Passed: Unanimous

HCS HB 293 – Higdon
FAIR FARE PASSENGER SAFETY ACT
Establishes the Fair Fare Passenger Safety Act that prohibits any person operating a motor vehicle for compensation from using a hand-held wireless device
Passed: Unanimous

HB 294 – Lynch
IMMUNITY FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
Provides certain immunities for persons who seek medical assistance for a drug overdose
Passed: Unanimous

HB 322 – Neely
NURSING FACILITY INSPECTIONS
Establishes a pilot program to transfer the authority to inspect nursing homes from the Department of Health and Senior Services to local health departments
Passed: Unanimous

HCS HB 351 – McGaugh
CRIMINAL OFFENDERS
Modifies provisions relating to the detention and shackling of juvenile offenders and detention and shackling of pregnant offenders
Passed: Unanimous

HCS HB 379 – Plocher
MISSOURI FIDUCIARY ACCESS
Establishes the Missouri Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act, which allows fiduciaries to access electronic records of the account holder
Passed: Unanimous

HCS HB 611 – Carpenter
LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE RATES
Requires long-term care insurers to file their premium rates with the Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration and annual rate increases over 10% to be approved by director
Passed: Unanimous

HCS HB 654 – Rowland (155) OZARK EXPLORATION COMMISSION
Establishes the Schoolcraft Ozark Exploration Bicentennial Commission
Passed: Unanimous

HB 674 – Dohrman
OFFICIAL STATE DOG DESIGNATIONS
Designates “Old Drum” as the state historical dog and “Jim the Wonder Dog” as Missouri’s Wonder Dog
Passed: Unanimous

HB 794 – Walker (003)
MISSOURI VETERANS’ COMMISSION
Changes the law regarding the Missouri veterans’ commission
Passed: Unanimous

HCS HB 875 – McGaugh
IGNITION INTERLOCK DEVICES
Provides that an employment exemption variance for persons required to have an ignition interlock device shall not be granted to a person who controls an entity that owns an employer-owned vehicle
Passed: Unanimous

HCS HB 878 – Dogan
SHERIFFS FOR THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS
Modifies provisions relating to sheriffs in the City of St. Louis
Passed: Unanimous

HB 880 – Davis
DISABLED VETERAN CONTRACT PREFERENCE
Changes the law regarding preference given to disabled veterans with state and political subdivision contracts
Passed: Unanimous