PUBLIC POLICY

PUBLIC POLICY

2025 Missouri Legislative Session Summary As of June 16, 2025

The Missouri 2025 legislative session opened in January with 2,676 bills filed, 234 passed through committees and made it to at least one of the floors for a vote.  At the close of session, May 15, the 59 bills were sent to the governor’s office for signature or veto.  Your Public Policy Committee was quite busy keeping members abreast of the bills that reflected the mission of AAUW.  Here is a summary of the session outcome as of June 16, 2025 with associated links: 

  • Proposition A: This Citizen’s Initiative Petition was passed in the November 2024 election raising the minimum wage and providing guarantee paid sick leave. HB567 changed the amount/timing of raising the minimum wage and removed the guaranteed paid sick leave requirement. This bill has been signed by the governor and is effective August 28, 2025. https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/bts_web/bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=9171446
  • Amendment 3:  The Citizen’s Initiative Petition providing the Right to Reproductive Freedom was passed in the November 2024 election.  HJR73/SJR33 addressing reproductive and transgender care passed the MO Senate and was sent to the Secretary of State and governor.  The bill will be on the November 2026 general election ballot or at a special election called by the governor. A recent ruling by the MO Supreme Court overturning a lower court decision on TRAP laws related to reproductive care and has in essence reinstituted the ban on abortions in MO. https://house.mo.gov/bill.aspx?bill=hjr73&year=2025&code=r   https://www.senate.mo.gov/25info/bts_web/bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=13399177

Highlights include:

    • SB1: Provides funding for emergency relief, construction of Radioisotope Science Center at the University of Missouri Research Reactor, non-General Revenue funding for construction projects across the state.
    • SB3:  Authorizes the state to partner with professional sports teams to finance stadium construction, tax credits for Homestead Damage, tax credits for sporting events and property tax credits.
    • SB4: Streamlines the delivery of disaster housing relief.
    • Dollars associated include $1.5 million for professional sports stadiums and $125 million for disaster relief including tax credits.
  • Bills passed (pertinent):
    • SB 63 – Home schooled students allowed to participate in activities sanctioned by statewide activities
    • HB 147/ 977 – Impacted retirement systems in MO from investments to proxy voting.
    • HB 594/508 – Eliminate state taxes on capital gains
    • HB 199 – No person can be a candidate for school board if they have been convicted of or pled guilty to assault in first or second degree or harassment in the first or second degree if occurred on school grounds
    • HB 495 – Guidelines for school safety
    • SB 68 – Reporting of safety incidents and student cell phone restrictions
    • Go to above provided links to House and Senate for details.
  • Bills that did not pass:
    • Expanded tax credit voucher or similar program to fund private education with public funds.
    • Bills pertaining to charter schools.
    • Bills pertaining to state personal income tax.
    • SB 594 –  This bill requiring schools, public and charter, to display Ten Commandments did not pass. 
    • HB 1146 – This bill requiring public library and school boards to have a policy governing the restriction of materials did not pass.
    • Bills regarding school board elections did not pass.

For further information, contact Marian Bauer or Angie Janik, Co-directors Public Policy

The following websites are reliable resources to obtain information on bills passing through the legislative process and their status:

  • Permanent Disability
    • Apply any time.
    • You will then automatically receive an absentee ballot application for each election.

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Remembering those who went before

AAUW national provides members with tools to send messages to their representatives in Congress and their state legislators about pressing issues aligned with AAUW’s mission.  

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Once you sign up to become a Two-Minute Activist, you will receive an email from AAUW national when your voice is needed most.  You then simply click the box in the email AAUW created, and your legislator’s information is populated; the email is ready for you to send.

Contact any member of the Public Policy Committee if you need assistance.