ST. LOUIS—Dozens of new state laws are scheduled to take effect in Missouri today, with some of them already the subject of litigation, and the expectation that others could follow. Many times, a bill’s effective date does not mean the measures prescribed in them are ready to be enforced.
Gender transition issues
A judge ruled Friday that Senate Bill 49, which bans a minor’s access to puberty blockers, hormone therapy or gender transition surgery for four years, can take effect on Monday.
Minors who begin treatments prior to Aug. 28 will continue them. The ban on gender transition care also affects some adults. Medicaid won’t cover any gender-transition care in the state, and surgery will no longer be available to prisoners and inmates.
Senate BIll 39, which bans transgender athletes from the K-12 level through the college level for four years, also takes effect Monday. Schools will risk state funding if they allow athletes in competitions not designated by their gender at birth. A spokesperson for Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said the Attorney General’s office will “enforce the law as it views necessary,” in the absence of rules which haven’t been developed by the appropriate state agencies yet.
Last spring, the Maplewood-Richmond Heights School District passed a resolution that supported student participation in athletic and other extracurricular activities, according to their gender identity, without requiring legal or medical documentation. The district said it was not an official policy change, which would have put it in conflict with the new law. A district statement Monday signaled a willingness to challenge the law down the road.
"Currently, MRH does not have any transgender students who wish to participate in sports. However, when and if a student does decide to participate, MRH will work with the student and their parents/guardians to consider any and all options – legal and otherwise – necessary to support that student’s desire to participate in sports and any other activities available to MRH students."
Property tax freeze
St. Charles County had hoped for a special session to address lingering questions with Senate Bill 190, which goes into effect Monday and allows counties to pass a freeze on property taxes for seniors. Questions remain over eligibility, and if a county government could freeze all property taxes involved or only what it charges. Parson’s office said this week that any state legislative fix would wait until the next session in January. The St. Charles County Council could take up the local authorizing language as early as Monday.
Another component of the bill eliminates the tax on social security benefits starting Jan. 1.
On the road
Senate Bill 398 included The “Siddens Bening Hands Free law” that prohibits all drivers from manually typing, scrolling, or holding their cellphone while driving. Missouri becomes the 28th state to require hands-free use for drivers of all ages, and according to AAA, the second to last to ban manual texting and driving. Similar to the enforcement of the state’s seat belt law, drivers would have to be stopped for some other violation before police could issue a citation. First-time violators will be fined up to $150, but penalties won’t start until Jan. 1, 2025.
The same bill also includes a measure that hopes to reduce the number of expired temporary license plate tags on Missouri vehicles. Auto dealers will be required to collect sales tax at the time of sale or build it into a financing agreement. The law goes into effect Aug. 28, but state revenue department haven’t been set up yet for the change.
On the job
Senate Bill 186, a public safety bill, includes a provision that removes the residency requirement for employees of the city of St. Louis. Public safety employees will still need a primary residence that is within an hour’s response time for their “regularly assigned place of work.”
House bill 417 includes a component lobbied for by Greater St. Louis, Inc., the "Intern and Apprentice Recruitment Act". Starting on Jan. 1, 2024, taxpayers will be eligible for a $1,500 tax credit for each new intern or apprentice hired who is at least paid a minimum wage
House Bill 417 will most likely be known for its provisions tied to Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) issues facing collegiate sports. The bill allows high school students in Missouri who commit to an in-state institution, to earn NIL compensation while they’re in high school once they’ve signed paperwork committing to that school or agreeing to a financial aid package. In theory, a high school football player, for example, could sign a non-binding financial aid agreement as early as Sept. 1 and begin earning NIL compensation without jeopardizing high school eligibility.
Official designations
If the opening day of the baseball season in St. Louis is already an unofficial holiday, why not add an official day to recognize a Cardinals legend? Senate Bill 139 designates January 16 as “Albert Pujols Day,” in honor of the slugger’s birthday.
The same bill also designates the city of Piedmont and Wayne County, Missouri as “UFO Capitals of Missouri” roughly 50 years after a series of UFO sightings in Southeast Missouri prompted attention from around the world.