Supplemental Budget - The Senate dedicated floor time Wednesday afternoon to debate HB 3014 (Smith, R-Carthage). This is the FY2022 emergency supplemental funding bill and contains a 5.5% cost-of living pay raise to state workers, funding for Medicaid expansion, and $1.9 billion for the Department of Elementary & Secondary Education ESSER III dollars. During floor debate, Senator Dan Hegeman (R-Cosby) further amended the bill to provide language changes and reinstate the Governor’s recommendation regarding state employee wages to provide departments flexibility for higher wages. Senator Jill Schupp (D-St. Louis) then attempted to remove language that was included during the Senate Appropriations Committee process that restricted funding being provided to Planned Parenthood. After considerable debate, the amendment failed, and the Senate passed the bill by a 25-7 vote.

House Bills 2358 & 1485 (Evans, R-West Plains) requires an employer, unless clear and convincing evidence proves it would cause undue hardship to the employer, to make reasonable accommodations from a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for an employee if the employee requests one based on certain religious and sincerely held beliefs. On Feb. 22, the full House third read and passed HBs 2358 & 1485 by a vote of 105-46. The bill’s emergency clause, however, failed on a 105-48 vote (109 yes votes needed). Also included in the bill, when a COVID-19 vaccination is required or mandated by an employer as a condition of employment, any injury, disability, or death resulting from the vaccine is considered an occupational disease and is compensable if the vaccine was any factor in causing the injury, disability, or death. The bill also amends the definition of "misconduct" in Chapter 288, RSMo, related to employment security. The definition explicitly excludes failure to take any COVID-19 vaccine based on certain sincerely held beliefs. Termination or discharge from employment for such failure will not disqualify an employee from unemployment compensation. The bill specifies that a court shall not deny or limit visitation to a non-custodial parent because of the parent's COVID-19 vaccination status. The bill does allow a judge to use discretion to deny or limit visitation if the child has a medical condition that would put the child at a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. The bill was amended so no hospital, physician, procurement organization, or other person shall consider the COVID-19 vaccination status of a potential organ transplant recipient or potential organ donor in any part of the organ transplant process. 

House Bill 1657 (Hicks, R-Dardenne Prairie) and House Bill 1588 (Haden, R-Mexico) are identical bills specifying that the General Assembly occupies and preempts the entire field of legislation touching in any way the control or regulation of specific breeds of dogs. However, a village, town, city, or county can still prohibit dogs from running at large or to further control or regulate dogs within its boundaries so long as the ordinance, order, policy, or regulation is not breed specific. House Committee Substitute for HB 1657 & 1588, combining the bills, was voted “do pass” by the House Local Government Committee by a vote of 8-4 on Feb. 23.

House Bill 2126 (Francis, R-Perryville) This bill reauthorizes the Meat Processing Facility Investment Tax Credit Act until December 31, 2028. The bill also removes the shared $2 million cap with the Qualified Beef Tax Credit Act to allow for an individual cap of $2 million annually. After no discussion in the House Special Committee on Rural Community Development on February 24, the committee passed the bill by a 13-0 vote.

House Bill 2564 (Riggs, R-Hannibal) The bill establishes the Twenty-First Century Technology Innovation Task force to maximize and expand existing industries that spur technological innovation throughout the state. During an executive session of the House Workforce Development Committee on February 22, substitute language was adopted removing the authority of the Governor to form the committee to the Speaker of the House. Once modified, the committee passed the bill by an 11-0 vote.

House Bill 2583 (Riggs, R-Hannibal) The bill establishes the "Missouri State Technology Task Force" to evaluate Missouri’s current use of technology, research and discover future uses for technology, and report to the General Assembly. On February 22 the House Workforce Development Committee adopted substitute language to provide clean-up language by removing the word “joint’. Once modified, the committee passed the bill by an 11-0 vote.

House Joint Resolution 91 (J. Eggleston, R-Maysville) was perfected on the House floor by voice vote on Feb. 24. Another House vote is needed to send HJR 91 to the Senate. Upon voter approval, this proposed Constitutional amendment would require the sponsor(s) of initiative petitions proposing Constitutional amendments or laws to collect signatures in each of Missouri’s eight Congressional districts. A floor amendment to allow electronic signatures on initiative petitions failed by a vote of 42-96. After collecting signatures, hearings in the General Assembly would be held on the initiative petition proposal. Then, when placed on the statewide ballot, a two-thirds majority vote of the people is required for approval of a new amendment, or a majority vote is required to amend or to repeal Constitutional provisions enacted before Dec. 10, 2022. The bill specifies that the Constitutional phrase "legal voter" is defined as a person who is a U.S. citizen, a resident of Missouri, and who is properly registered to vote. The resolution has a delayed effective date of Jan. 1, 2023.