Category: Legislation

Click on the underscored bill number to see the text. Contact your legislator or the bill sponsor to register your opposition or support.

HB 136 (Brad Hudson [R]) Prohibits public institutions from discriminating against religious student organizations. [Such organizations often limit leadership to members of “their” religion, in contravention to the institutional rules about discrimination.] Senate General Laws Committee Hearing 4/26 was cancelled.

Josh Hurlbert (R) has a slew of bills to expand the Mo Empowerment Scholarship program, which provides vouchers to the parents of private school students. HB 242 and HB 572 (Sander (R) expand the program to any elementary or secondary student in the state, and requires that all students receive a grant equal to the state adequacy target. HB 243 expands the program to Boone, Cass, Franklin, Greene, Jasper, and Platte counties. (Same as HB 875) Second reading 1/5. HB 244 defines all enrolled students as “qualified” for scholarships. Second reading 1/5. HB 245 allows parents receiving the “scholarships” to forgo the grant for a year,  without having losing eligibility or having to requalify. These are Dead – reported “do not pass” by House Rules Committee, and not on calendar. Dead

HB 293 Alex Riley [R] Establishes the so-called Religious Freedom Protection Act. Hearing held 1/25. 6 testifying in support, 4 in opposition, including our Brian Kaylor. Dead. Reported “Do pass” by House Rules Committee, but no action in the Senate.

HB 398 (Keri Ingle [D]) Prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion in the placement of foster children. This is one we can support, but it went nowhere in this legislature. Dead – not assigned to a committee.

HB 484 (Ben Baker [R]) and SB 34 ) Enables public schools to offer elective courses in “the Hebrew Scriptures” and the New Testament. We testified against this two years ago, and it was introduced again last year, too. Sunday School an additional five days per week. The Senate version of this is SB 34. (Karla May [D] 4/18 . Was delivered for the Governor’s signature

HB 485 (Ben Baker [R]) Allows firearms in churches and other places of worship with a concealed carry permit. This actually prevents places of worship from excluding guns.  4/17 reported Do Pass (7-3) by Rules Committee – not on Calendar. Amended onto  HB 282 , which allows open carry almost everywhere. Was not sent to the Governor, despite having votes in House and Senate.

HB 632 (Dirk Deaton [R]) Establishment of the “Office of Faith-Based Initiatives and Religious Liberty Advocate” for the purpose of strengthening and expanding the role of faith-based organizations in providing social services, information about state grants and other state partnerships, and promoting the fundamental human right to religious liberty. Dead – not assigned to Committee

HB 768 (Herman Morse [R]) Private schools that meet “state requirements” (which ones?) for public school districts can receive public funding. Dead – not assigned to Committee.

Contacts for Missouri legislators can be found at Missouri.gov.

Under the headline “Constitutional Balancing Act Topples Under SJR 39”, Tony Messenger’s column for Sunday, April 24, 2016, describes a report by law professors from Washington University, St. Louis University, UMKC and UMC on the constitutionality of this controversial measure.  We are pleased to see that some of the best constitutional experts in the state have  come to the same conclusion that we reached weeks ago.  Read Messenger’s column, and also our remarks and those of our national office about this issue that were posted on March 10.