Under the Dome; February 23-27

ABORTION & SANCTITY OF LIFE

HOUSE Tuesday HCS HB 46 & 434 Sponsored by Representative Pratt (HB 434) and Davis (HB 46), changes the laws regarding the consent requirements for obtaining an abortion and creates the crime of coercing an abortion. Voted do pass out of the House Rules Committee. Wednesday HB 226 Sponsored by Representative Emery, specifies that no pharmacy can be required to perform, assist, recommend, refer to, or participate in any act or service resulting in an abortion and it will be immune from liability for refusing to do so. Public hearing held in the House Health Care Policy Committee. HB 248 Sponsored by Representative Funderburk, authorizes an income tax dependency exemption for a stillborn child for the taxable year in which the child was born. Voted out of the House Tax Reform Committee, and referred to the Rules Committee. SENATE Monday SB 264 Introduced by Senator Mayer, enacts provisions regarding the coercion of abortions. Public hearing held in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Tuesday SCR 11 Introduced by Senator Bartle, expresses the General Assembly's opposition to the federal Freedom of Choice Act. Voted do pass, and reported out of the Senate Rules Committee. Wednesday SJR 17 Introduced by Senator Lembke, relating to prohibited use of public funds as to certain life sciences. First read in the Senate. SB 108 Introduced by Senator Justus, expresses the General Assembly's recognition that equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged on account of the sex of any person. (Creates a state statutory version of the ERA.) Public hearing held in the Senate Progress and Development Committee. CRIME HOUSE Monday HB 438 Sponsored by Representative Roorda, creates the crime of motorcycle stunt driving. Public hearing held in the Special Standing Committee on Urban Issues. Tuesday HB 33 Sponsored by Representative Sater, requires the State Highway Patrol to create, maintain, and make available for public inquiry on the Internet a registry of persons convicted of certain drug offenses. Public hearing held in the House Public Safety Committee. HB 53 Sponsored by Representative Wildberger, requires purchasers of six or more disposable cell phones at one time to provide photo identification which will be reported and kept in a database by the State Highway Patrol. Public hearing held in the House Real ID and Personal Privacy Committee. Wednesday HB 615 Sponsored by Representative Tracy, changes the controlled substance classification of all methamphetamine precursor drugs from Schedule IV and Schedule V to Schedule III, requiring a physician's prescription. Public hearing held in the House Crime Prevention Committee. Thursday HB 362 Sponsored by Representative Guest, allows any local governing agency to establish a work for restitution program and requires certain nonviolent offenders to participate in and complete the program. Public hearing held in the House Corrections and Public Institutions Committee. SENATE Monday SB 46 Introduced by Senator Schaefer, requires any person who pleads guilty to or is found guilty of a felony on or after August 28, 2009, to serve a minimum prison term of eighty-five percent of his or her sentence. Hearing held in the Senate Judiciary Committee. SB 200 Introduced by Senator Cunningham, modifies the law regarding stealing-related offenses. Public hearing held in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Wednesday SB 417 Introduced by Senator Goodman, allows law enforcement agencies to hold a suspect arrested without a warrant for up to 48 hours, rather than 24 hours, before charging the person with a crime. Second read in the Senate. Thursday SB 459 Introduced by Senator Lager, allows criminal prosecution of mother for harm to unborn child due to intentional and unlawful use of controlled substances. Second read and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. SB 529 Introduced by Senator Goodman, criminalizes prenatal drug or alcohol use. First read in the Senate. DRUGS & ALCOHOL Monday SB 26 Sponsored by Senator Ridgeway, prohibits the use or possession of alcoholic beverage vaporizers. Second read in the House. Tuesday HB 330 Sponsored by Representative Bruns, allows courts to impose continuous alcohol monitoring or verifiable breath alcohol testing for certain offenders of alcohol-related offenses. Public hearing held in the House Public Safety Committee. SENATE Monday SB 219 Introduced by Senator Ridgeway, allows the court, as a condition of probation or parole, to require certain persons convicted of intoxication-related traffic offenses to submit to alcohol monitoring in certain circumstances. Hearing held in the Senate Judiciary Committee. SB 426 Introduced by Senator Griesheimer, repeals the current provisions regulating nonintoxicating beer and requires such beer to be regulated in the same manner as other intoxicating liquors. First read in the Senate. EDUCATION HOUSE Thursday HB 873 Sponsored by Representative Schaaf, Provides that homeschooled students shall be treated the same as non-homeschooled students for financial aid purposes. Second read in the House. SENATE Wednesday SB 79 Introduced by Senator Wilson, modifies the definition of "bullying" as used in school district antibullying policies to include cyberbullying and electronic communications. Third read and passed as a consent bill. SB 232 Introduced by Senator Jane Cunningham, prohibits certain public agencies and political subdivisions from discrimination based on an individual's elementary and secondary education program, guaranteeing private and home education graduates the same treatment as public school graduates by all government agencies.  Voted do pass by the Senate Progress and Development Committee as a consent bill. SB 291 Introduced by Senator Shields, allows school districts to offer courses in a virtual setting and receive state funding for virtual courses. Public hearing held in the Senate Education Committee. SB 502 Introduced by Senator Cunningham, establishes procedures for the evaluation of student credits when a student transfers to a public school from another educational setting. First read in the Senate. SB 499 Introduced by Senator Cunningham, requires public higher education institutions to annually report on steps taken to ensure intellectual diversity. First read in the Senate. Thursday SB 558 Introduced by Senator Mayer, establishes the Missouri Promise Program to provide scholarship to students attending certain public and private higher education institutions. First read in the Senate. ELECTIONS HOUSE Monday HJR 31 Sponsored by Representative Mike Cunningham, proposes a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to vote by secret ballot. First read in the House. Tuesday HB 681 Sponsored by Representative Jason Smith, requires special elections to fill vacancies in the offices of Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Auditor, and State Treasurer. Public hearing held in the House Elections Committee. HJR 9 Sponsored by Representative Cox, proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing the General Assembly to require a person to provide a photo identification in order to vote in elections. Public hearing held in the House Elections Committee. SENATE Thursday SB 532 Introduced by Senator Bray, requires that electronic voting machines used in elections produce a paper ballot. First read in the Senate.

GAMBLING

HOUSE Monday HB 816 Sponsored by Representative Meadows, makes it legal for a licensee to exchange tokens, chips, or other forms of credit to be used on gambling games for anything of value. Second read in the House. Tuesday HCS HB 566 Sponsored by Representative Salva, allows fraternal organizations licensed to conduct bingo games to have one electronic class II gaming device for each 40 members (slot machines). Voted do pass out of the House Veterans Committee. HOMOSEXUALITY SENATE Wednesday SB 109 Introduced by Senator Justus, prohibits discrimination based upon a person's sexual orientation. Public hearing held in the Senate Progress and Development Committee. PORNOGRAPHY & SEX CRIMES HOUSE Monday SCS SBs 36 & 112 Introduced by Senator Goodman, makes the penalty for forcible rape or sodomy of a child under the age of twelve life imprisonment without eligibility for probation and parole at any time. Second read in the House. SENATE Tuesday SB 450 Introduced by Senator Cunningham, requires public libraries to adopt policies on the placement of books and other materials that are obscene or pornographic for minors. First read in the Senate. Thursday SB 450 Introduced by Senator Cunningham, requires public libraries to adopt policies on the placement of books and other materials that are obscene or pornographic for minors. Second read and referred to the Senate General Laws Committee. TAXES HOUSE Thursday HB 872 Sponsored by Representative Ervin, exempts business personal property from property taxation. Second read in the House. SENATE Thursday SB 174 Introduced by Senator Griesheimer, modifies provisions of law relating to property taxation. Reported out of Committee to the Senate floor.

VETERANS

HOUSE Tuesday HCS HB 82 Sponsored by Representative Kraus, authorizes an individual income tax credit for military retirement benefits. Reported do pass out of the House Rules Committee. Thursday HB 906 Sponsored by Representative Fallert, creates the "Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal" specialized license plate. First read in the House. OTHER HOUSE Tuesday HCS HCR 16 Sponsored by Representative Tracy, strongly urges Congress to reject any asylum, containment, transport, imprisonment, or state medical care of any suspected terrorists released from United States operated foreign prisons. Reported do pass out of the House Rules Committee. Wednesday HB 42 Sponsored by Representative Sater, modifies the requirements for eligibility and receipt of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefits. Public hearing held in the Special Standing Committee on Children and Families Committee. HB 425 Sponsored by Representative Cooper, changes the laws regarding the practice of applying permanent cosmetics, tattooing, body piercing, and branding. Public hearing held in the Special Standing Committee on Professional Registration and Licensing. HB 875 Sponsored by Representative Largent, prohibits political subdivisions from restricting the open carrying of firearms and requires them to incorporate the justifiable use of force defenses into local ordinances regarding weapon offenses. First read in the House on Wednesday, and second read on Thursday. HJR 16 Sponsored by Representative Davis, proposes a constitutional amendment guaranteeing a parent or legal guardian the right to care, educate, and raise his or her children without governmental hindrance unless there is a compelling interest. Public hearing held in the Special Standing Committee on Children and Families. Thursday HB 880 Sponsored by Representative Jason Brown, exempts motor vehicles newer than six years old from the motor vehicle safety inspection requirements when renewing or reregistering a license. Second read in the House. SENATE Monday SB 413 Introduced by Senator Dempsey, provides for a one-time grant by the Department of Social Services for use by free health care clinics. First read in the Senate. SB 425 Introduced by Senator Justus, requires health insurance policies to cover dental care services for pregnant women. First read in the Senate. Tuesday SCS SB 104 Introduced by Senator Justus, provides information and the opportunity to be immunized for the human papilloma virus. Perfected and referred to the Senate Governmental Accountability and Fiscal Oversight Committee. SB 120 Introduced by Senator Bray, allows small employers to obtain medical coverage through the Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan. Public hearing held in the Senate Health Committee.