Dane Diehl State Rep. District 125

Diehl’s Perspective

As promised, the Missouri House of Representatives is honoring our commitment to prioritize families and children, passing several key pieces of legislation aimed at improving childcare access, expanding healthcare coverage and strengthening support for working parents.

As the Legislative Spring Break is upon the Missouri House of Representatives, I would like to reflect on the numerous accomplishments Members have achieved in support of our constituents at home.

The Missouri House passed HB 544, a bill I sponsored concerning pesticide regulations and labeling requirements. This bill simply aligns state requirements with federal standards. The bill does not shield pesticide manufacturers from liability if their products are proven harmful.

Additional House Bills passed prior to Spring Break:

HCS#2 HB 495, is a comprehensive public safety bill addressing crime, policing, and penalties for various offenses across the state. This week, the Missouri General Assembly truly agreed and finally passed this important piece of legislation.  The bill includes new laws targeting criminal activities. The legislation strengthens child welfare protections by classifying first-degree child endangerment as a “dangerous felony,” particularly when fentanyl or similar drugs are involved. It also expands the definition of rioting and raises its penalties, eliminates the need to prove conspiracy, and allows for stricter sentencing.  This bill takes necessary steps to improve public safety by addressing serious crime, strengthening law enforcement oversight, and ensuring consistency in policing policies.

SB 4, a significant piece of utility legislation in Missouri that introduces numerous policy changes affecting electricity, natural gas, water, sewage, and telecommunications has also been truly agreed to and finally passed in the Missouri General Assembly. The bill primarily focuses on altering how new power plants are financed and how utility rates are determined. The most contentious aspect of SB 4 is the repeal of a 1976 ban on Construction Work in Progress (CWIP), which would allow utilities to charge customers for new power plants before they are completed and generating electricity.

Under the current system, utilities must complete power plants before requesting rate increases from Missouri’s utility regulator. SB 4 eliminates this restriction, permitting companies to bill customers for new natural gas power plants before they are operational. The bill does include requirements that have to be met to move forward with a CWIP, in addition to proving the plant construction is in the public interest:

• The timeframe to receive a CWIP would be limited by the schedule of the project.

• The available dollar amount to receive CWIP will be limited by the initial budget of the project.

• If the project fails to go into service within a designated reasonable amount of time, the customers get their money back with interest.

The bill includes provisions aimed at protecting consumers, such as refunding customers (with interest) if a plant is never completed. It includes provisions to create more oversight on the retirement of plants to ensure the stability and reliability of our electrical system, while ensuring that grid and generation investments will not result in any unfair costs. Additionally, SB 4 allows utilities to set rates based on projected future costs rather than past actual expenses, a method known as “future test year” rate setting. Another major provision requires electric utilities to submit 16-year demand projections and plans to meet those needs, including potential natural gas and nuclear plants that could qualify for CWIP charges.

Beyond power generation, SB 4 extends consumer protections against utility shut-offs during extreme temperatures, increasing the forecast window from 24 to 72 hours to prevent shut-offs during dangerously hot or cold weather. It also increases additional funding for the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Office of Public Counsel (OPC), which represents consumer interests, to hire and train additional expertise in these matters.

HB 269, is a comprehensive bill aimed at addressing the state’s childcare crisis by incentivizing private contributions and employer-supported childcare solutions. The legislation establishes three key tax credit programs: the Child Care Contribution Tax Credit Act, the Employer Provided Child Care Assistance Tax Credit Act, and the Child Care Providers Tax Credit Act.

HBs 850, 53 & 482, expands access to childcare while maintaining safety and oversight. The legislation allows the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to grant temporary childcare licenses to providers who seek to expand an existing site or open a new location.

HB 247, makes vehicle registration more convenient for Missourians. Starting January 1, 2026, vehicle owners with cars less than six years old will have the option to register their vehicles for five years instead of the current one- or two-year renewal periods.

HB 999, introduces crucial reforms to Missouri’s property tax assessment process by ensuring counties adhere to fair and lawful assessment practices.  This bill is necessary because improperly inflated property assessments have placed thousands of Missouri families at risk of losing their homes due to unsustainable tax burdens. By creating financial consequences for counties that fail to fairly assess property values, the bill provides a strong deterrent against overreach and ensures property owners are not unfairly taxed.

HB 711, allowing students to transfer to public schools outside their district, with districts opting in annually. The bill aims to give parents greater choice, particularly for students facing bullying or academic struggles.   

One of the most important assets we can provide our children is a great public education in Missouri.  Coming from a long line of educators, and a mother who still teaches, I completely understand the many challenges they face in our society today.  There continues to be pressures that many parents, teachers, administrators, and all employees face that complicate that process.  I believe that all students deserve the best possible opportunity within the public school systems.  This is the main reason I supported this piece of legislation, HB 711.  The bill sponsor, a former teacher and superintendent, carefully crafted this bill to have the correct guard rails to maintain that it is used for the right reasons.  A few of the main points as to why I voted for HB 711 follows:

• It allows students/parents (the most important) opportunities if needed within the public school system

• It keeps public dollars in public schools

• Schools do not have to participate in taking students, but can’t keep them from leaving, the maximum amount that can leave is 3% of total enrollment

• Local funding stays at the existing school district, state and federal funds follows the student

• Transportation is associated with the receiving school district, students on free and reduced lunches will have transportation provided by the accepting school district within 35 miles

HB 563, removes the requirement for landowners to register their property in order to receive hunting permits. The bill allows landowners with at least five acres of property to obtain hunting permits and provides free hunting permits for nonresident immediate family members once per year.

HB 1259, addresses a tax disparity affecting Missouri resident estates and trusts, which are taxed on out-of-state income while nonresident estates are not. Starting in 2026, Missouri estates and trusts will be allowed to deduct income not taxed if they were nonresidents, creating a more equitable environment for estate and trust planning. The bill also requires a title search before placing real property into a trust, adopts the Missouri Electronic Wills and Estate Planning Documents, provides for additional judges, eliminates the notarization requirement for mental health holds, and repeals the Missouri Incarceration Reimbursement Act. This change encourages individuals to keep their financial planning within Missouri, benefiting both families and the state’s financial ecosystem.

Lawmakers will now return to the Missouri State Capitol on March 24 to begin the final weeks of the legislative session. When we return, House members will focus our efforts on approving the Fiscal Year 2026 state operating budget. The state spending plan must be approved by both the House and Senate by Friday, May 9, 2025. The House and Senate will work to pass several other legislative priorities before the session concludes on Friday, May 16, 2025.

District 125 is fortunate to have excellent educators in each and every school.  It is my hope that the residents of our area will reach out and nominate an outstanding educator for Missouri Teacher of the Year.

Nominations are now open for Regional Teacher of the Year—the first step toward becoming Missouri Teacher of the Year! Anyone can nominate an exceptional educator. The deadline to submit is April 14, 2025. Each year, over 30 outstanding teachers are selected across the state’s nine Regional Professional Development Centers, plus the Southwest Center for Educational Excellence.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will announce regional winners this summer, with the 2025 Missouri Teacher of the Year revealed in September.

Submit a nomination today through the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website Teacher of the Year nomination form .

Respectfully submitted,

State Representative Dane Diehl

Missouri’s 125th District