MSHSAA Oversight Bill Passes Legislature

By Brandon Lorenz, Missouri News Network

The House on Thursday passed and sent to the governor a bill that creates an oversight commission for appeals by high school athletes governed by the Missouri State High School Activities Association.

SB 863, sponsored by Sen. Jason Bean, R-Holcomb, would “establish the ‘Interscholastic Athletic Oversight Commission,’ a board of directors appointed by the governor to hear appeals of certain decisions made by statewide activities associations.”

“MSHSAA is pleased with the outcome of Senate Bill 863,” the organization said in a news release. “This bill is a workable solution and a far cry from the extremely damaging bill that sat on the Senate floor in February and March.”

As originally introduced, the bill would have allowed the board to have broader oversight of the association, including appeals for all eligibility, all contests and contest producers or any rule changes.

The final version only addresses decisions to be made on appeals of athletic related decisions within football, baseball and other sports. When signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe, the governmental body will have the final say on all athletic rulings.

“The voices of our member schools, coaches and directors associations, education partners, and many other Missourians were clearly heard, and that collective input helped shape a more favorable result,” MSHSAA said in its statement.

The board will be made up of five members, all appointed by the governor, with advice and consent of the Senate.

The bill got initial hearings in the Senate in February and was passed April 13. While in the House, bills need a “handler,” a representative that will help guide the bill through the House. Rep. Bennie Cook, R-Houston, was tasked with that responsibility for this bill.

“I hope this achieves where parents and students have another board, and that’s what it’s going to be. Another board where they can appeal their issues to, if they feel that they’ve been wronged by the MSHSAA board,” Cook said. “This is another option for them, that won’t cost them an arm or a leg. Right now, the other option is the court system.”

A similar bill was introduced in the House by Rep. Mark Meirath, R-Excelsior Springs, and was tied into this bill string in March. Meirath’s bill would have created a “transfer board” that would have three members appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, three members appointed by the president pro tem of the Senate and one member appointed by the governor.

“If (parents or athletes) are going to appeal, then they’re going to have to go all the way through what’s currently on the MSHSAA bylaws,” Meirath said. “Then it comes, if they choose, to the oversight committee. It has nothing to do with the organization within MSHSAA. It has everything to do with making sure there’s true oversight.”

Some confusion brewed on the House floor as Rep. Kathy Steinhoff, D-Columbia, and Cook discussed the bill. In one part of the final version of the bill, there is a line that does not include the word “athletics.”

“When I read (this part) I do not see it specifically aimed at athletics,” Steinhoff said, “so it could apply to scholar bowl, it could apply to the music side of MSHSAA, it could apply to all of the things MSHSAA does.”

“I get the feeling that was not the intent of the bill because the name of the commission is ‘the athletics commission,’ so I’m wondering if we are intentionally allowing appeals to all the other parts of MSHSAA?” Steinhoff asked.

Cook did not directly answer the question, responding that the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education was going to be involved in the future of this bill and some of the decision making.

Once signed by Kehoe, this law will go into effect Aug. 28.

Bills in the Missouri Legislature for March 4th, 2026

House

Bentley’s Law — A bill being considered in the Missouri Legislature would require people convicted of DWI to pay child support if their drunk driving killed the parent or parents of a child. On April 13th, 2021, David Thurby (26) was involved in a fiery crash in Jefferson County that resulted in the deaths of Cordell Williams (30), Lacey Newton (25), and Cordell Williams II (4 months). Mr. Thurby was convicted of three counts of Involuntary Manslaughter in 2023. Six other states have passed similar laws. As a result, two children are orphaned and are being raised by their grandmother.

HB 1643, 1717 — Legalizes psilocybin for mental health treatment purposes and allows it to be prescribed by licensed physicians. (Rep. Matthew Overcast, Rep. Richard West)

HB 1792 — Establishes a two-year pilot program through the Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education to teach media literacy and critical thinking. DESE would select 5-7 school districts to integrate media literacy skills into classroom instruction and report back to lawmakers. Students would learn to analyze news content, recognize bias, understand digital citizenship, and identify misinformation.

HB 1905, 2097 — Authorizes the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to make an agriculture education pilot project into a statewide program. Participation by schools would be voluntary and not required. Schools would implement it at their own expense or from existing streams of funding. (Rep. John Martin, Rep. Adrian Plank)

HB 2034 — Requires the Mo HealthNet program, health carriers, and other health benefit plans to cover at least three devices for multiple uses. (Rep. Carolyn Caton)

HB 2167 — Allows Attorney General appointed investigators to make arrests and collaborate with other law enforcement agencies. Also extends the power to House and Senate security guards. Such officers would have to go through the same training any other Peace Officers go through. (Rep. Dolan David)

HB 2202 — Makes hunting and fishing permits free for military personnel and disabled veterans. Dependents would get the same benefit. (Rep. Don Mayhew)

HB 2874 — Prevents air ambulance companies from selling memberships to recipients of Medicaid. Life flights are already covered by Mo HealthNet. (Rep. Bill Allen)

HB 3362, 3364 — Requires permits for certain levels of utility use and subjects large-load customers like data centers to different payment rules. Requires large water customers which use over 2 million gallons of freshwater or 80% or more of the available water capacity of a given locality to get a permit from the DNR. Customers above the large loan threshold would be required to pay an increased rate. If permit holders far exceed the minimum use for a permit, they would be required to cover the costs to build additional infrastructure. (Rep. Collin Wellenkamp, Rep. Mike Costlow)

Senate

SB 854, 1494 — Automates record expungement for eligible nonviolent offenders. Currently, eligible defendants must petition the court. The new bill would automatically expunge certain low-level offenses after a period of one to three years. (Sen. Brian Williams, Sen. Nick Schroer)

SB 859 — Declares that AI systems are not considered people. All harm caused by an AI would be considered the responsibility of the owner or user of that system. (Sen. Mike Moon)

SB 889 — Investigators who handle cases of child abuse, elder abuse, or domestic abuse will receive training to identify signs of animal abuse under this bill. Animal control officers and others who investigate animal cruelty would be trained to recognize warning signs of abuse against people. If an investigator uncovers evidence of a different type of abuse while responding to a case, they would be required to report it. (Sen. Tracy McCreery)

SB 928 — Expands the definition of Stalking to allow police to act based on victims’ fears rather than wait until a violent or dangerous act occurs. (Sen. Patty Lewis)

SB 1012 — Requires a disclaimer for any use of AI in political advertisements. Makes it a Class A Misdemeanor if such a disclaimer is missing. (Sen. Joe Nicola)

SB 1043, 1150 — Establishes the offense of Masked Intimidation. A person can be charged if they use their face covering to conceal their identity while harassing, threatening, or intimidating another person or group. A person cannot be charged if the covering in question is used for religious, medical, celebratory, occupational, or weather-related reasons. The law cannot be construed to diminish or infringe on First Amendment rights. According to FBI statistics, 44.2% of hate crimes in Missouri in 2021 were classified as intimidation. (Sen. Barbara Washington)

SB 1094 — Modifies legal notices for all elections. County clerks would have the option of mailing a legal notice to each registered voter in the jurisdiction. If they do that, they only have to public election notices once. Currently, counties publish ballots in local papers twice. In the case of any bond election, if the election is not contested within 30 days after the official announcement of the election results, then all conditions of the state election law will be deemed to be satisfied. (Sen. Cindy Crawford)

SB 1617 — Prohibits state funds from going to “low-earning” degrees. It would apply to fields where graduates from a college do not earn more than someone with only a high school diploma in the same field. (Sen. Rick Brattin)

Federal

Homes for American Families Act. Prohibits large institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes, townhouses, and condominiums. Empowers the Justice Department with enforcement authority for civil violations and prioritized antitrust review for purchases of residential real estate by large institutional investors. (Sen. Josh Hawley, Sen. Jeff Merkley)

 

Bills in the Missouri Legislature for February 25th, 2026

House

HB 1682 — Requires equal protection and justice under the law “from the beginning of biological development” for unborn fetuses. Also SB 951.

HB 1817 — Requires public assistance programs to report data, including the total number of households enrolled, the total number of people served, the average benefit in dollars received, and the number of households that became ineligible to receive benefits. Applies to cities, villages, towns, and counties with more than 1,000 residents.

HB 2170 — Requires children under 3 years of age to be secured in a rear-facing child restraint. Violation would result in a fine of not more than $50 plus costs.

HB 2189 — Allows car owners to register their vehicles for up to five years. Only cars six years old or newer would be eligible. Owners must still have a paid personal property tax receipt or a certificate that no taxes are due, proof of insurance, and proof of inspection. There would be no discount for a five-year registration. (Rep. Bob Bromley)

HB 2206 — Requires scrap and auto dealers to keep more records of catalytic converter purchases, including the make, model, year, and vehicle identification number of the source. Expands Missouri’s existing salvage dealer license requirements to those trading detached catalytic converters, placing them under the supervision of the Missouri Department of Revenue. Requires photographic documentation of sales, including pictures of sellers, products, and source vehicles. If passed, it will be a Class E Felony to possess with intent to sell a catalytic converter known to be stolen.

HB 2641 — Makes intoxicating Hemp products illegal. (Rep. Dave Hinman). Passed the Missouri House 109-34.

HB 2761 — Eliminates all solid waste districts in Missouri. Also Senate Bill 1586.

HB 2780 — Changes how property taxes are calculated and when property tax measures are voted on. Would have changed when voters approve property tax levies from April to November.

HB 2819 — Allows vendors to round down cash transactions ending in 1, 2, 6, or 7 and round up cash transactions ending in 2, 4, 8, or 9. (Rep. Brenda Shields). Also being considered under SB 1620.

HB 2989 — Legalizes and regulates gaming machines. Establishes a centralized regulatory, licensing, and taxing system for such machines. Passed the House 83-66 and moves to the Senator for further consideration. Gives local municipalities more control over the level of enforcement and allows them to ban the machines. A tax on the revenue from such machines would go to elementary, secondary, and higher education schools. Machines currently in operation would be allowed to operate through August 2027 if owners submit the machines’ full financial, installation, and maintenance records to the Lottery Commission and Attorney General for review.

HB 3146 — Increases the number of words a summary statement in a ballot measure can contain from 50 to 100. Grants the Secretary of State the ability to rewrite summary statements three times before a judge could rewrite the bill. Currently, if a court finds that a ballot summary does not accurately represent the measure, it is up to the judge to rewrite the language.

HB 3170 — Removes the restrictions on the purchase of hospitals in 25 rural counties. Would allow MU Health Care to purchase health care facilities in counties surrounding Columbia.

HJR 3 -- On Friday, a judge struck three bullet points from the ballot summary for this measure, which would make it more difficult for Missouri voters to approve changes to the Constitution. Currently, citizen-initiated constitutional amendments require a simply majority. If approved, constitutional amendments must pass in all eight congressional districts. The judge ruled that the bullet points constituted "eye candy," which distracted from the true purpose of the measure. Subject to voter approval. Governor Mike Kehoe has not set an election date for this measure.

HJR 104, 122, and 149 — Removes the eight-year term limit for each legislative chamber, but keeps the 16 year cap for both chambers. Prohibits representatives from serving as Speaker of the House for more than six years and senators from serving as President Pro Tem for more than eight. Would take effect in 2030. Subject to voter approval.

HJR 109 — The Fetal Personhood Amendment. If passed by the legislature and the Missouri voters, would clarify that personhood starts at conception. Overturns the voter-approved amendment legalizing abortion in Missouri. Also SJR 72.

HJR 154 — The Medicaid Work Reporting Requirements Bill. Passed the House 101-46. Subject to approval by the Senate and then voters.

Senate

SB 919 — Caps property tax assessment increases at 15% and limits growth of homeowners’ taxes.  Does not apply to new additions or expansions to property or voter-approved levies. (Sen. Joe Nicola)

SB 1070 — Allows “certified bounty hunters” to detain undocumented immigrants. If such an arrest were made, punishment could be life imprisonment or transfer to ICE custody.

SB 1238 — Public and charter school teachers would be required to provide instruction on the positive impacts of religion on American history. Provides a list of 19 events and figures that would become a part of required teaching in American History classes.

Governor Mike Kehoe

On Thursday, Governor Mike Kehoe will proclaim National FFA Week in Missouri.

Iowa

HF 2117 -- Would provide funding to retrofit up to 100 existing private wells with groundwater monitoring equipment.

HF 2447 -- Requires data centers to submit regular reports on their water and energy use and to not pass their water/energy usage costs onto other customers.

HF 2527 -- Would limit the ability to sue Big Ag for greenhouse gas emissions.

 

 

Judge Rules Gas Station Slot Machines are Illegal Gaming Devices

A judge ruled Friday that slot machines that have operated for years in bars, restaurants, and convenience stores in Missouri are illegal under state law, the Missouri Independent reported Monday. 

In October, a federal jury ordered Torch Electronics, a gaming operator, to pay $500,000 to a competitor which successfully sued, alleging Torch had driven business away by claiming Torch machines were not gambling devices and therefore lawful. 

Judge Ross wrote that based on that verdict, Torch machines meet the statutory definition of gambling devices and are illegal when played outside a licensed casino. 

Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has started to file lawsuits against retail shops alleging they were operating illegal gambling machines on their premises.

The Missouri House is considering legislation that would replace current Missouri Lottery games with a state-run video lottery system. Companies profiting from unregulated convenience store slot machines would have one year to pull their games off the market. The Missouri Lottery would have authority to license video games for installation in retail locations across the state. Such licensed machines would have to pay out at least 80% of the money wagered as prizes, and one third of the profits to state education programs. There would be a 3% tax to aid local governments. 

Bills Proposed in the Missouri Legislature

House

HB 1608, 1672, 1854, 2033 — Ends a sunset clause, which would make restrictions on prescribing sex change hormones or puberty-blocking drugs to individuals under 18 and participating in sporting events by transgendered women in women’s sporting events permanent. Such prescriptions given prior to August 28th, 2023 would no longer be considered valid. Three other House bills, 1607, 1663, and 1973 would allow female students to participate in athletic competitions designed for male students if no corresponding competition for female students is offered, such as baseball or football.

HB 1667, 2294 — Born Alive Abortion Survivors Act. Makes it illegal for a provider to harm a baby that survives a failed abortion. Sets such acts as First Degree Murder. (Rep. Brian Seitz)

HB 1908, 2337 — Allows pregnant women to file for divorce. (Rep. Ceceile Williams, Rep. Raychel Proudie)

HB 1940 — Increases the time a successor publication can form and claim legal status from a defunct newspaper from 30 days to 90 days. Reduces the time that a new newspaper can claim legal status from three years to one. Newspapers that already satisfy these conditions can purchase an existing paper or establish a new paper and immediately qualify. (Rep. Peggy McGaugh)

HB 2230 — Limits digital instruction for students from grades K through 5th grade to 45 minutes in schools. Requires cursive handwriting instruction in second grade. Technology cannot be the primary mode of instruction in reading, math, handwriting, science lessons, or social studies. At least 70% of assignments would be required to be completed using pen and paper. Schools could not rely exclusively on digital textbooks or reading platforms. This law would take effect at the start of the 2027-28 school year. (Rep. Tricia Byrns)

HB 2278 — Requires the Missouri State High School Activities Association to be overseen by a five-member board of directors appointed by the governor and approved by the Senate. It would also apply to any such high school activities association established in the state, such as the FFA.  A similar bill, SB 863 (Sen. Jason Bean) is also being considered in the Senate. (Rep. Bennie Cook)

HB 2686 — Would exempt sales of used tangible personal property at auction from sales and use tax, with specified exclusions for titled motor vehicles, trailers, boats, and outboard motors.

HB 2748 — Would expand physical activity requirements in public schools by requiring students in grades K-12 to participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity daily, expand recess requirements to all grade levels, and require at least one 20-minute recess period.

HB 2859 — Would exempt certain tangible personal property, including farm machinery and motor vehicles, from personal property taxation. This bill is subject to voter approval.

HJR 154 — Establishes work requirements for Missouri Medicaid. The original bill required recipients to prove their employment for three months preceding application or review; the substitute requires one month. This measure is subject to voter approval.

Senate

SB 893 — Establishes the crime of grooming a minor for sexual purposes. Applies to someone who is 18 or older and engages in a pattern of conduct with at least one overtly sexual act directed towards a person who is under 18. Also establishes the offense of nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images and making a threat of disseminating such images and removes the requirement that the victim be at least 18. (Sen. Jill Carter)

SB 969 — Keeps high-risk sex offenders away from schools and school events regardless of parental status even if their child is enrolled at the school or participating in the activity in question. (Sen. Travis Fitzwater)

SB 982 — Requires anyone who has committed a tier one, two, or three sexual offense since 1979 to register as a sex offender. (Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman)

SB 1004 — The Angel Investor Incentive Act. Allows investors to claim a tax credit worth 40% of their investment in a qualified business, or 50% if it is located in a rural county. No individual can get more than $75,000. Individual investors can give no more than $300,000. The total program is limited to $6 million for the first two years. The bill has a sunset clause in 2033. (Sen. Kurtis Gregory)

SB 1067 — Protects speakers at public meetings against meritless lawsuits, also known as Anti-SLAPP. Provides for dismissal of such cases if the person was communicating during an official proceeding, communicating on an issue under consideration or review, and exercising their 1st Amendment right to free speech. (Sen. Mike Henderson)

Iowa

The House passed a bill 64-28 that would block companies from using eminent domain to build carbon sequestration pipelines in Iowa. The measure proceeds to the Senate for further consideration. (Successful Farming)

Federal

House Ag Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig filed a bill she says would provide more than $17 billion in relief to farmers from the tariffs. This is in addition to the relief the Trump Administration already announced. It would provide $11.5 billion for one-time payments to row crop farmers, $5 billion in one-time payments to specialty crop farmers, $330 million for one-time payments to sugar beet producers, and $520 million to forest producers.

 

Bills Proposed in the Missouri Legislature for January 21st, 2026

House

HB 1674, 1694, 1755, 1780, 2056, 2312 — Creates the Act Against Abusive Website Access Litigation, which seeks to prevent lawsuits filed by people alleging a website is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and seeking to recover damages. (Rep. Brian Seitz, Mazzie Christensen, Carolyn Caton, John Voss, Jeff Vernetti, Mike Costlow)

HB 1690, 1697 — Suspends fees collected and remitted to the Missouri Beed Industry Council until Congress passes a National Country of Origin Labeling bill. (Rep. Scott Cupps, Rep. Mazzie Christensen)

HB 1705 — Changes laws regarding foreign ownership of land. (Rep. Mazzie Christensen)

HB 1871 — Seeks to reinstate the Presidential Primary in the first Tuesday of March and clarifies that candidates for President are not precluded from running for other public offices. (Rep. Peggy McGaugh)

HB 2036 — Would eliminate motor vehicle inspections. (Rep. Jeff Farnan)

HB 2409 — Creates three new childcare tax credits. One credit covers 75% of donations to eligible child care providers or intermediaries, subject to statewide limits. A second credit allows employers to claim 30% of qualifying childcare expenses tied to supporting employee childcare. A third credit would support providers by offsetting certain costs.

HB 2871 — (Right to Repair) Changes laws regarding consumer products so that certain individuals and businesses have access to product repair information from certain manufacturers. (Rep. Emily Weber)

HB 2944 — Removes requirement for annual reapplications in counties that have adopted the Senior Property Tax Relief measure, including Nodaway County. Once a qualifying senior completes the initial application and meets local requirements, the tax freeze will continue automatically each year until the homeowner relocates or passes away. (Rep. Hardy Billington)

House Concurrent Resolutions

HCR 29 — Urges Congress to restore Country of Origin Labeling. (Rep. Keith Elliott)

House Joint Resolutions

HJR 165 — Eliminates the Missouri State Income Tax. To replace the lost revenues, it would expand sales and use taxes, including services and taxes that were previously exempt. Subject to Missouri voter approval in the November 2026 election. (Sen. Jon Patterson)

Senate

SB 866, 885, 947, 1049 — Changes laws regarding foreign ownership of land. (Sen. Doug Beck, Travis Fitzwater, Rick Brattin, Rusty Black)

SB 971 — Creates statewide open enrollment. Students could enroll in a public school outside their home district. Families could transfer based on space availability with rules around timelines, capacity, and transportation.

SB 1194 — Would direct the State Board of Education to develop a standardized annual report card for every district, school building, and charter school. This would codify Governor Kehoe’s Executive Order 26-01 into law.

SB 1442 — Strengthens Missouri’s early literacy framework by tightening requirements around teacher preparation and reading instruction. It would limit practices such as three-cueing, or the practice of having students use cues to guess unfamiliar words. A similar bill, HB 2872, would explicitly ban the practice.

Senate Concurrent Resolutions

SCR 12 — Urges Congress to restore Country of Origin Labeling.. (Sen. Mike Moon)

Governor Mike Kehoe

Executive Order 26-01 — Ordered the Missouri State Board of Education to assign each public school district, public school, and charter school an overall rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on a 0-100 point scale, with schools having an “A” rating producing excellent student outcomes and schools with an “F” rating failing to produce adequate student outcomes. Any school that does not test at least 95% of its students on required state assessments shall have its grade lowered by one letter grade. Private schools can opt-in to the letter grading framework.

Schools shall be evaluated on student improvement on the Missouri Assessment Program performance, student academic achievement including proficiency in English language arts, literacy, math, and science, and graduation rates.

Iowa

Senate File 2008 — Requires private schools receiving public money through vouchers to adhere to the same data reporting, auditing, and other accountability and transparency requirements as public schools.

Federal

Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act — Passed unanimously out of committee Friday. Would require the HHS to develop a comprehensive rural hospital cybersecurity workforce development strategy, make available instructional materials for rural hospitals to train staff on fundamental cybersecurity measures, and report annually to Congress on updates. (Senators Josh Hawley, Maggie Hassan, Mark Kelly)

Special Inspector General for Program Fraud Act — This bill would create a Special Inspector General for Program Fraud. They would conduct audits, investigations, and oversight over federally funded child assistance programs in the US. They would make quarterly reports to Congress, make public findings of misuse of taxpayer resources, and refer any evidence of criminal acts to the US Department of Justice for further action and prosecution. (Senator Josh Hawley)