A Productive Legislative Session 2025 Session in Review

Diehl’s Perspective

As the 2025 legislative session comes to a close, members of the Missouri General Assembly had a productive and consequential term in Jefferson City. This year, lawmakers passed a total of 66 bills, marking a session defined by bipartisan cooperation and a shared commitment to advancing Missouri’s future.

The Missouri General Assembly made significant progress across multiple policy areas this session. In education, new laws expanded opportunities in both K–12 and higher education, including allowing schools to employ or accept volunteer chaplains and updating standards for colleges and universities. Public safety remained a key focus, with reforms aimed at enhancing law enforcement effectiveness, improving support for first responders, and strengthening child protection measures.

Workforce development and economic growth received attention through initiatives that promote job training, create tax incentives to encourage investment, and modernize regulations in real estate and professional services. Health-related legislation improved care for veterans, particularly those with traumatic brain injuries, and expanded services for new families. Infrastructure and utility oversight were also enhanced, alongside efforts to boost Missouri’s tourism industry by promoting cultural and recreational development.

Additional actions included reforms to how ballot summaries are presented to voters and proposals to amend the state constitution regarding county assessor elections and reproductive health care. The legislature also demonstrated strong fiscal responsibility by passing the full state operating budget on time, ensuring the continued delivery of essential public services.

The 2025 session underscored Missouri’s focus on pragmatic governance, with significant progress made on issues impacting everyday citizens—from classrooms and courtrooms to clinics and county roads. The reforms enacted this year reflect a forward-looking vision rooted in responsible leadership and responsive policymaking.

Below is a list of bills that were truly agreed and finally passed in the First Session of the 103rd General Assembly:

House Bills

• HB 2–HB 14, HB 17–HB 20 (Deaton) – State budget bills

• HB 105 (Vernetti) – Authorizes conveyance of certain state property.

• HB 121 (Murphy) – Expands protections for vulnerable persons.

• HB 145 (Falkner) – Updates the Judicial Privacy Act and Missouri Sunshine Law.

• HB 147 (Hovis) – Modifies retirement provisions.

• HB 169 (Brown) – Adjusts regulations relating to cotton trailers.

• HB 199 (Falkner) – Revises laws affecting political subdivisions.

• HB 225 (Myers) – Updates provisions impacting first responders.

• HB 262 (Brown) – Establishes the “Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment and Recovery Act.”

• HB 296 (Kalberloh) – Modifies school bus endorsement requirements.

• HB 419 (Mayhew) – Revises various education statutes.

• HB 495 (Christ) – Modifies public safety provisions.

• HB 516 (Matthiesen) – Revises the Radioactive Waste Investigation Fund.

• HB 567 (Gallick) – Updates employee compensation statutes.

• HB 594 (Perkins) – Authorizes a capital gains income tax deduction.

• HB 595 (Brown) – Modifies regulations on real estate transactions.

• HB 596 (Brown) – Revises timing of service agreements between designated real estate brokers and clients.

• HB 737 (Schmidt) – Strengthens child protection laws.

• HB 754 (Oehlerking) – Revises provisions for banks and trust companies.

• HB 810 (Baker) – Designates “Davy & Natalie Lloyd Memorial Highway” in Newton County.

• HB 974 (Murphy) – Establishes insurance requirements for certain motor vehicle uses.

• HB 1041 (Diehl) – Updates laws regarding alcoholic beverages.

• HJR 23 (Caton) – Requires county assessors in charter counties to be elected.

• HJR 73 (Lewis) – Establishes constitutional provisions related to reproductive health care.

Senate Bills

• SB 1 (Crawford) – Modifies provisions relating to county officials.

• SB 2 (Crawford) – Updates requirements for financial statements of certain local governments.

• SB 3 (Crawford) – Revises provisions regarding Department of Revenue fee offices.

• SB 4 (Cierpiot) – Modifies and creates new provisions related to utilities.

• SB 22 (Brattin) – Updates summary statement requirements for statewide ballot measures.

• SB 28 (Bean) – Makes changes to transportation-related statutes.

• SB 43 (Fitzwater) – Strengthens protections for vulnerable persons.

• SB 47 (Trent) – Amends Supreme Court Rule 52.08 concerning class actions.

• SB 49 (Black) – Authorizes school districts and charter schools to employ volunteer chaplains.

• SB 63 (Brown, Dist. 26) – Modifies provisions for student participation in nontraditional education settings.

• SB 68 (Henderson) – Revises various laws concerning elementary and secondary education.

• SB 71 (Gregory, Dist. 15) – Establishes and modifies public safety provisions.

• SB 79 (Gregory, Dist. 21) – Modifies and establishes provisions to health care-related laws.

• SB 81 (Gregory, Dist. 21) – Further modifies public safety statutes.

• SB 82 (Burger) – Establishes provisions for water preservation in Missouri.

• SB 98 (Crawford) – Creates the offense of financial institution account fraud.

• SB 105 (Bernskoetter) – Modifies provisions relating to invasive plants.

• SB 133 (Fitzwater) – Updates regulations on underground facilities.

• SB 145 (Coleman) – Revises business tax provisions.

• SB 150 (Carter) – Creates, repeals, and modifies provisions related to workforce development.

• SB 152 (Brown, Dist. 26) – Enacts new regulations on foreign spending in state ballot measure elections.

• SB 160 (Hudson) – Establishes new rules related to educational institutions.

• SB 218 (Black) – Modifies laws regarding court operations.

• SB 221 (Schroer) – Changes the standard of review for agency interpretation of laws/regulations.

• SB 271 (Black) – Updates fire protection ordinance statutes.

• SB 348 (Fitzwater) – Modifies tourism-related statutes.

• SB 396 (Brown, Dist. 26) – Allows library district boards to adjust fiscal year start and end dates.

• SCR 3 (Carter) – Modifies the statewide mission of Missouri Southern State University.

Respectfully Submitted,

State Representative Dane Diehl

Missouri’s 125th District

Phone: 573-751-4065

Email: Dane.Diehl@house.mo.gov