Date of Legislative Update:  April 12, 2026

Voting Rights

Bill #: HCS HJRs 122, 104 & 149

LWVMO SUPPORTS these bills

Short Description: This amendment would remove the rule that a serving member of the General Assembly can serve no more than eight years in one house. It would also prohibit any member from serving as Speaker of the House of Representatives for more than three terms and as President Pro Tem of the Senate for more than two terms.

Status of the Bill: Placed on House Formal Perfection Calendar for Monday, April 13.

Talking points:

• Elections serve as a very effective form of term limits and rigid laws prevent constituents from retaining effective representatives

• By relaxing limits, lawmakers can build the institutional knowledge necessary to resist outside influence from unelected lobbyists and bureaucrats

Link to the summary of the bill: HCS HJRs 122, 104 & 149

Call to action: Contact your individual legislator to tell them to SUPPORT this bill.   Find your representative HERE

LMV Position: In 1991, the League announced its opposition to term limits for members of the US Congress on the grounds that such limits would adversely affect the accountability, representativeness, and effective performance of Congress and, by decreasing the power of Congress, upset the balance of power between Congress and an already powerful presidency. The 1992 Convention reaffirmed opposition to term limits and authorized state and local Leagues to use national positions to take action on term limits for state and local offices. (LWVUS Impact on Issues 2024-2026, p. 73)

Bill #: HCR48

LWVMO OPPOSES this bill 

Short Description: This resolution commends the United States House of Representatives for passing the SAVE Act and urges the United States Senate to follow suit.

Status of the Bill: Has been taken up for third read in the House on Monday, April 13.

Talking points:  

• The Brennan Center for Justice estimates that the SAVE Act will disenfranchise as many as 21 million Americans who do not have the necessary documents available to meet proof of citizen requirements

• It will primarily affect marginalized citizens in particular students, people who move frequently, the elderly and married women who have changed their names. The expense of getting the required documentation is similar to a poll tax

Link to the summary of the bill: HCR48

Call to action: Contact your individual legislator to tell them to OPPOSE this bill.   Find your representative HERE

LWV Position: In 2006, the League launched its highly successful Public Advocacy for Voter Protection (PAVP) project and by the early 2010s, the PAVP project had expanded to more than 20 states as the League engaged in targeted state-based advocacy. LWVUS collaborates with state Leagues to enhance their public education and advocacy campaigns to fight barriers to voter participation and ensure election laws and processes are applied in a uniform and nondiscriminatory manner. Since its inception, the PAVP project has helped to remove or mitigate barriers to voting by underserved populations and to advance the capacity of state Leagues to become even more effective advocates in five focus areas identified by the League as essential to protecting the votes of all citizens and improving election administration overall: (1) oppose photo ID and documentary proof of citizenship requirements; (2) improve administration of statewide database systems; (3) guard against undue restrictions on voter registration; (4) improve polling place management; and (5) improve poll worker training.  (LWVUS Impact on Issues 2024-2026, p. 21)

Bill #: HB2125 (House bill now in the Senate)

LWVMO OPPOSES this bill 

Short Description: Requires data matching between Secretary of State (SOS) and Department of Revenue (DOR) to include information pertaining to the citizenship status of individuals in DOR database; reinstates the Secretary of State's ability to conduct investigations and exercise subpoena power with respect to suspected election offenses, which expired Aug 28, 2025.

Status of the Bill: Taken up for 3rd read in the Senate.

Talking points:  

• While the State of Missouri should provide uniform, transparent and non discriminatory data reporting tools and resources to help local election authorities to accurately maintain their voter registration rolls, an important objective should be to minimize disenfranchising eligible voters

• In the current political climate, we can be sure that the Missouri Secretary of State’s intent is to suppress eligible votes

• Voters are already required to show identification in order to vote

Link to the summary of the bill: HB2125

Call to action:Contact your Senator to tell them to OPPOSE this bill. Find your Senator HERE

Links to further reading: Lawsuit Challenges Recent Voter Roll Purges in Virginia

LWV Position: The State of Missouri should provide uniform, transparent and non discriminatory data reporting tools and resources to help local election authorities to accurately maintain their voter registration rolls. 

Data from 3rd party organizations used in voter registration list maintenance should use strict criteria (strong matches) and be tested for accuracy prior to use, with an objective of minimizing disenfranchising eligible voters. (LWVMO Guide to State Action 2025-2027, p. 18)

Bill #: SB 896

LWVMO OPPOSES this bill 

Short Description: Creates new provisions relating to elections.

Status of the Bill: Placed on the Senate Formal Perfection Calendar for Monday, April 13.

Talking points:  

• Burdensome to enforce and potential for unnecessary litigation

• Threatens the ability to obtain and keep election workers

• Imposes penalties for vague and uncertain infractions

• Restricting membership models and in-kind donations reduce resources to run and modernize elections

Link to the information page where you can find the summary page under “Quick Links” SB 896

Call to action: Contact your Senator to tell them to OPPOSE this bill. Find your Senator HERE.

LWV Position: Election Security. Support measures aimed at protecting and retaining election workers and officials (LWVMO Guide to State action 2025-2027, p. 19)

Education

Bill #: HCS HB 2748 (House bill now in the Senate)

LWVMO neither opposes or supports this bill FOR INFORMATION ONLY

Short Description: Currently, school districts must ensure that elementary school students participate in an average of 30 minutes of physical activity a day; this bill requires that schools ensure that all students in grades K-12 participate in moderate physical activity for a minimum of 60 minutes daily.

Status of the Bill: Scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday, April 14 at 8:00 AM.

Link to the summary of the bill: HCS HB 2748

Health Care

Bill #: HCS HBs 1826, 2560, 2349 & 2194 (House bills now in the Senate)

LWVMO SUPPORTS this bill 

Short Description: Modifies provisions relating to epinephrine delivery systems in schools.

Status of the Bill: Scheduled for a hearing Senate Families, Seniors and Health Committee on Wednesday, April 15 at 8:30 AM.

Talking points:  

• Nasal spray epinephrine offers significant advantages over injections

• Schools keeping epinephrine saves lives in anaphylactic shock

• All public and private K-12 schools in the U.S. will be eligible to receive two cartons of nasal spray epinephrine for free

Link to the summary of the bill: HCS HBs 1826, 2560, 2349 & 2194

Call to action: Only in person testimony is allowed at Senate hearings. Please contact committee members and let them know you SUPPORT this bill. Members of the Senate Families, Seniors and Health Committee are found HERE.Click on the Senator’s picture and you will be taken to their information page for their contact information.

LWV Position: The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that a basic level of quality health care at an affordable cost should be available to all US residents. Other US health care policy goals should include the equitable distribution of services, efficient and economical delivery of care, advancement of medical research and technology, and a reasonable total national expenditure level for health care. (LWVUS Impact on Issues 2024-2026, p. 156)

Taxes

Bill #: SCS HCS HJRs 173 & 174 (House bills now in the Senate)

LWVMO OPPOSES this bill 

Short Description:Upon voter approval, if under current law, income tax rate falls below 1.4%, state income tax will be eliminated by 2031, and sales tax may be increased/expanded to make up for the income deficit.

Status of the Bill: Scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Fiscal Oversight committee on Monday, April 13 at 3:30 PM.

Talking points:  

• Opens the door to a 9% sales tax on everything – all of the products and services Missourians use every day - from gas to car repairs and home maintenance  (9% is average state and local rate)

• Rigs the system for the wealthy, while hurting working people, families, and communities

• Raises taxes for most Missourians – all to give big tax breaks to the wealthiest 

• Cuts the state income taxes that fund the services on which family and children of Missouri rely

Link to the summary of the bill: SCS HCS HJRs 173 & 174

Call to action: Only in person testimony is allowed at Senate hearings. Please contact committee members and let them know you OPPOSE this bill. Members of the Fiscal Oversight Committee are found HERE.

Links to further reading: How states came to depend on income tax from Columbia Missourian    

Ill-Conceived Tax Proposals Would Increase Taxes for Most Missourians from Missouri Budget Project

LWV Position: Support of an adequate, balanced, and progressive tax system to finance necessary governmental services, which emphasizes equity and fair sharing of the tax burden. Support of continued reliance on three major tax sources: income, sales and property.  (LWVMO Guide to State Action 2025-2027, p. 29)

Climate and Environment

Bill #: SS/SCS/SB 838

LWVMO OPPOSES this bill

Short Description: Adds "nuclear" to renewable energy.

Status of the Bill: Taken up for 3rd read in the Senate.

Talking points:

• Nuclear power is not renewable energy

• The re-definition can mislead the public and policy makers about progress toward truly renewable, sustainable energy sources

• The bill reduces statewide renewable energy requirements from 15% to 7.5% renewables

Link to the information page where you can find the summary page under “Quick Links”: SS/SCS/SB 838

Call to action: Contact your Senator to tell them to OPPOSE this bill. Find your Senator HERE.

LWV Position: The League supports policies that limit reliance on nuclear fission and action by appropriate levels of government to encourage the use of renewable resources and energy conservation through funding for research and development, financial incentives, rate-setting policies and mandatory standards. (LWVUS Impact on Issues 2024-2026, p. 111)

Bill #: HCS HB 2384 (House bill now in the Senate)

LWVMO OPPOSES this bill 

Short Description: This is the 3rd year for this anti-energy bill which prohibit local control over green building standards by setting building codes statewide to the 2009 International Residential Code standards. 

Status of the Bill: Scheduled for a hearing in the Senate on Monday, April 13 in the Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee.

Talking points:  

• Given that the State of Missouri does not have a state wide building or energy code, this bill is an overreach by the state, overruling over 80 local jurisdictions that have already adopted energy codes that are beyond the 2009 code

• The most recent International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) set of codes was published in 2024; several states have adopted codes far more current than 2009. States including Nebraska, Louisiana, and Texas have adopted at least the 2015 IECC as a statewide standard 

• We cannot compete with other states by mandating codes that are over a decade behind the most current codes

• This bill will harm Missouri companies and their employees because companies that produce high quality energy efficient building materials will lose business, as could energy consultants, architects, engineers and heating & cooling companies 

• This would increase energy bills and create poor health impacts for Missourians by prohibiting modern codes that improve these factors

Link to the summary of the bill: HCS HB 2384

Call to action:  Only in person testimony is allowed at Senate hearing. Please contact committee members and let them know you OPPOSE this bill. Members of the Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee are found HERE.

LWV Position: The League supports environmentally sound policies that reduce energy growth rates, emphasize energy conservation, and encourage the use of renewable resources. Supports energy goals and policies that acknowledge the United States as a responsible member of the world community and actions by appropriate levels of government to encourage the uses of renewable resources and energy conservation. (LWVMO Guide to State Action 2025-2027, pg 48)

Mandatory energy conservation measures, including thermal standards for building efficiency, new appliance standards and standards for new automobiles with no relaxation of auto-emission control requirements. (LWVMO Guide to State Action 2025-2027, pg 45)