2024 Missouri End-of-Legislative Session Report

 

The 2024 Missouri legislative session was the least productive session in 30 years, passing only 28 pieces of legislation through the General Assembly. The previous lowest year was 2020, with 31 bills passed, when the legislative session was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the low number of bills passed during this legislative session, many pieces of priority legislation were not passed.

Appropriations

This budget process was successful with multiple General Revenue appropriations and balanced Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding. The following budget line items will be included in the FY2025 budget, pending final signatures from the Governor.

HB 2008- Department of Public Safety

This bill includes multiple awards for crime victims’ programs for victims of sexual and domestic violence. This includes $1.4 million to the Department of Public Safety to procure a commercial, real-time automated victim notification system, and $3.5 million to procure a commercial off-the-shelf automated, modernized crime victim notification software that interfaces with current systems and software used for crime and crime victims’ records. The Crime Victims’ Compensation Program will receive $13.7, which includes reimbursement for Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners (SAFE)- Care Providers for performing forensic medical exams on children suspected of having been physically abused.

Other awards include $2 million to the State Services to Victims Program, and $3.3 million in authorized spending for the Violence Against Women Program.

HB 2010- Department of Health and Senior Services

This bill designates multiple appropriations to women’s health and wellness programs and services.

• $2.2 million from General Revenue for a statewide telehealth network for forensic examinations of victims of sexual offenses
• $1 million from General Revenue to develop maternal quality control protocols to standardize practices at all birth facilities across the state
• $1.5 million from General Revenue to establish a perinatal health access collaborative to allow general practitioners in underserved areas to consult with medical specialists elsewhere in the state
• $500,000 from General Revenue for the standardization of maternal care provider trainings, including screening and treating cardiovascular disorders associated with pregnancy, and the treatment of mental health conditions or substance use disorders during and after pregnancy
• $1 million from General Revenue for the development and implementation of best practices for postpartum plans of care
• $500,000 for the Cora Faith Walker Doula Training Program for pregnancy and postpartum doulas
• $100,000 from the Budget Stabilization Fund for the implementation of a pregnancy and postpartum doula registration process, including the construction and maintenance of a statewide registry of pregnancy and postpartum doulas approved for health insurance reimbursement
• $225,000 from General Revenue for a not-for-profit to provide pregnancy and postpartum doula services
• $250,000 for free health clinics that can provide prenatal care; the requirements of the bill state the clinics must be in a city with more than 400,000 residents and located in more than one county
• $1.2 million from the Department of Health and Senior Services Federal Fund for contracts for sexual violence victims’ services, awareness, and education programs
• $1 million from the General Revenue Fund for family planning and family planning-related services, pregnancy testing, sexually transmitted disease testing and treatment

HB 2011- Department of Social Services

This bill includes multiple appropriations to domestic and sexual violence agencies and crime victim service providers. This bill awards domestic violence agencies a total of $15.2 million, including $5 million from the General Revenue Fund. Within the funding for domestic violence agencies, $562,137 was awarded for emergency shelter services to assist victims of domestic violence.

Not-for-profit organizations that provide services or assistance to victims of sexual assault will receive $3.8 million, which includes $1.75 million from General Revenue.

The Department of Social Services Family Support Division will receive $73.8 million for the VOCA unit for grants to not-for-profit organizations to provide services and to assist victims of crime.

House Bill 2020- American Rescue

This bill designates money towards the VOCA Grant Program and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The Department of Social Services will receive $6.4 million for grants to organizations for services and programs to assist victims of crime. The Missouri State Highway Patrol will receive $1 million for forensic equipment at the Highway Patrol’s Crime Labs.

Priority Legislation

Modifies provisions relating to public safety

Senate Bill 754

This bill establishes the “Stop Cyberstalking and Harassment Task Force.” The Task Force members will be comprised of two members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House, and two members of the Senate, appointed by the President Pro Tem of the Senate. The Task Force must elect a chairperson and hold an initial meeting before October 1, 2024.

The Task Force will collect feedback from stakeholders, which may include victims, law enforcement, victim advocates, and digital evidence and forensic experts. The Task Force must make recommendations on what resources and tools are needed to stop cyberstalking and harassment based on the information they collect. The Task Force is required to submit a report with their findings and recommendations to the governor and General Assembly on or before December 31 of each year. The Task Force expires on December 31, 2026, unless the Department of Public Safety determines that the Task Force should be extended until December 31, 2028.

Modifies provisions relating to public funding of abortion facilities and affiliates and provisions relating to MO HealthNet providers

House Bill 2634

This bill specifies that public funds shall not be available to any abortion facility, or affiliate of an abortion facility, including for MO HealthNet reimbursement. The Attorney General, and any taxpayer, has the right to bring a cause of action in any court or administrative agency of competent jurisdiction to enforce these provisions, as described in the bill.

House Bill 2634 also modifies existing statute permitting any Missouri participant to obtain MO HealthNet services from any provider of such services in a MO HealthNet provider agreement with the state by requiring the provider to not be disqualified or excluded from serving as a MO HealthNet provider. Additionally, this bill prohibits reimbursements to abortion facilities, or affiliates of abortion facilities, under the “uninsured Women’s Health Program.”

The Department of Social Services is required under this bill to suspend, revoke, or cancel any contract or provider agreement, or refuse to enter into a new contract or provider agreement with any provider when it has been determined that the provider is not qualified to perform the required services because the provider has committed certain offenses specified in the bill, has been found guilty of a pattern of intentional discrimination in the delivery or non-delivery of health care services, or if the provider is an abortion facility, or affiliate thereof.