Governor Parson Concludes 2021 Bill Signings

(JEFFERSON CITY, MO) – By the end of today, Governor Mike Parson will have signed 13 remaining pieces of legislation into law, concluding bill singings for the 2021 legislative session.

SB 26 - Public Safety

Modifies several provisions related to public safety, including providing taxpayers with the ability to obtain injunctive relief if a local government decreases its police department’s budget by a prescribed amount and creating additional protections for law enforcement officers.

Additionally, this bill modifies provisions related to jail time credit for criminals prior to conviction and allows a defendant's behavior during that same period to be considered in sentencing proceedings.

SB 49 - Public Safety

Modifies several provisions related to public safety, including establishing new watercraft and waterway regulations and eliminating safety inspections for new vehicles.

SB 53 - Public Safety

Modifies several provisions related to public safety, including clarifying the Raise the Age statute, increasing the penalty for doxing a first responder or law enforcement officer, modifying the residency requirement for Kansas City law enforcement officers to assist with recruitment efforts, and creating a judicial procedure that provides a pathway for a prosecuting attorney to correct a miscarriage of justice resulting from a wrongful conviction.

The bill also allows prosecutors to use a witness or victim statement when a defendant engaged in wrongful conduct that prevented the witness or victim from being available to testify in a criminal proceeding.

HB 69 - Certain Metals

Modifies record keeping requirements for purchasers of gold, silver, or platinum to reduce theft.

HB 72 - Awareness and Monument Designations

Establishes Law Enforcement Appreciation Day as the first Friday in May, creates Pioneering Black Women's Day on March 26th, and establishes The Gateway Arch as Missouri's official state monument.

SB 120 - Military Affairs

Ensures National Guard service members are granted interviews for state government positions, promotes awareness of the state's resources that are available for veterans, and creates the Purple Star Campus for K-12 schools.

HB 297 - Higher Education

Expands the available uses of 529 education savings plans, requires Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to create a state plan for Career and Technical Education, and allows college student-athletes to earn compensation for their name, image, or likeness.

HB 349 - Empowerment Scholarship Accounts

Creates Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) that will offer scholarships to qualifying students to attend a K-12 school that is outside of their current school district.

SB 86 - Public Funds

Prohibits the contribution or expenditure of public funds for a variety of political causes and updates provisions related to ESAs.

HB 369 - Land Management

Provides additional liability protections for Missouri landowners.

HB 432 - Relating to the Protection of Vulnerable Persons

Makes statutory changes to implement the Office of Childhood, clarifies wage requirements for sheltered workshops, and establishes a right to unpaid leave for victims of domestic or sexual violence and their caregivers.

SB 520 - Memorial Highways

Establishes numerous memorial highways throughout the state.

HB 557 - Relating to the Protection of Children

Establishes minimum reporting requirements for license-exempt residential care facilities in an effort to ensure the safety and well-being of children and requires background checks for all facility and agency workers who have contact with children.