Nearly one month has passed since the end of the 2023 legislative session, and of the 62 bills truly agreed and passed by the General Assembly, seven more have officially been signed into law.

Governor Mike Parson on June 7 gave his stamp of approval to the following pieces of legislation, which are set to take full effect on Aug. 28.

• SB 39, Promoting Fairness for Female Student Athletes, was passed as a means to promote fairness in competition and opportunity for our female student athletes. This new law will prohibit a private school, public school district, public charter school, or public or private institution of postsecondary education from allowing any student to compete in an athletics competition designated for the opposite sex, as determined by the student’s official birth certificate. The bill clarifies that biological sex is only correctly stated on birth certificates if it was entered at or near the time of birth or modified to correct scrivener’s error. The bill also makes it clear a female student may be allowed to compete in an athletics competition designated for male students if there is no such athletics competition for female students offered.

• SB 49 is the Saving Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act designed with the intent of protecting Missouri’s children from unnecessary and harmful sex change drugs and surgeries. The SAFE Act would prohibit health care providers from performing gender transition surgery on young people under the age of 18. Until Aug. 28, 2027, it would also prohibit a health care provider from prescribing or administering cross-sex hormones or puberty-blocking drugs to a minor for a gender transition, unless the minor was receiving such treatment prior to Aug. 28, 2023. A violation of the provisions would be considered unprofessional conduct and would result in the revocation of the health care provider’s professional license.

• HB 131 & SB 111 allows the salaries of state employees to be paid in biweekly installments.

• SB 25 exempts from a taxpayer’s Missouri adjusted gross income 100% of any federal grant money received by the taxpayer for the purpose of providing or expanding access to broadband internet to areas of the state deemed to be lacking such access.

• SB 167 specifies that medical examiner’s certificates for commercial driver’s licenses or instruction permits may be provided to the state by mail, fax, or E-mail.

• SB 13 makes several changes relating to the regulation of certain financial institutions.

Revenue from marijuana sales reaches $100 million mark

Since the state began collecting revenue from taxes and fees on Missouri’s marijuana sales, the state has collected nearly $100 million in revenue. As of April 30, there was $22.7 million in the state’s medical marijuana fund and $10.9 million in the recreational marijuana fund, according to the state treasurer’s records and DHSS. 

After the costs for expenses for the program are subtracted, the revenue generated can go toward a variety of programs, including veterans, drug addiction treatment programs, and increased funds for the state’s Public Defender system. To date, $27 million has gone toward supporting veterans.

Missouri facing drought,
plans in place

Missouri’s agricultural producers are again facing one of the great challenges: drought.

Parson signed Executive Order 23-05, declaring a Drought Alert for the state in accordance with the Missouri Drought Mitigation and Response Plan, and the plans are in motion to help address these concerns and issues.

“With the summer months fast approaching, we want to be proactive to help mitigate the impacts of drought conditions we are experiencing,” Parson said. “Missouri farmers and ranchers often bear the brunt of the consequences of drought, and we are already starting to see early effects on crops and livestock. While we cannot control the weather, we are committed to doing everything we can to alleviate the strain drought causes for our agricultural families and protect our food supply chains.”

The first step is the direction from the governor, asking state agencies to work together to provide assistance and resources.

As part of the Drought Alert, the director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Dru Buntin, has been directed to activate Missouri’s Drought Assessment Committee.

The Committee’s first meeting was held on June 7. Agencies participating on the Drought Assessment Committee include the Department of Conservation, Department of Agriculture, Department of Transportation, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Economic Development, Department of Health and Senior Services, and Department of Public Safety.

The committee will work to continue assessing these drought conditions as the summer continues, but their preliminary recommendations were sent to the governor on June 9.

The actions they could suggest would include similar solutions the state has relied on in the past, including a hay lottery program, opening public waters for livestock, and easing hay hauling restrictions.

Currently, the U.S. Drought Monitor indicates that all or portions of 60 Missouri counties are experiencing moderate, severe, or extreme drought conditions. The Executive Order declares a Drought Alert in these Missouri counties and any other county that begins experiencing drought conditions.

Much of this report is provided by the House staff. If it peaks your interest and you need to know more, we’ll do our best to help.

Send me an email at Bruce.Sassmann@house.mo.gov or call Jill at 573-751-6668