Missouri Legislative Update: “Right to Work” Fails to Work, 10 Other Bills Enacted

September 2015

The Missouri General Assembly's veto session concluded on Wednesday. The General Assembly considered several bills that were vetoed by Governor Nixon earlier this year. Of the bills debated, all but one were overridden and will become law.

The bill known as "right to work" failed to garner the necessary two-thirds vote to override the Governor's veto. This bill would have prohibited employers from requiring a person to become a member of a labor organization as a condition or continuation of employment.

Legislation that was overridden and will become law includes a bill requiring Missouri students to be U.S. citizens or permanent residents in order to be eligible to receive reimbursements from the Missouri A+ Schools Program. Additional overrides include a 13 week limit for receiving unemployment benefits when Missouri's unemployment rate is below 6 percent, restrictions on municipalities from raising minimum wages above the ceiling set by the state, changes to disclosures of insurance premium refund programs, and modifications to financial requirements for out-of-state trust companies.

Also enacted into law were bills expanding the authority of certain corporate security personnel, tax exemptions for commercial laundries, new reporting requirements for the Department of Natural Resources, and increases for certain fees charged by banks for loans of 30 days or more.

See below for a complete listing of legislation including full bill text.

House Bill Number 150 – Limits unemployment benefits to 13 weeks when Missouri unemployment rate is below 6 percent. Missouri currently allows for 20 weeks of unemployment benefits. (Click here for full summary)

House Bill Number 618 – Expands the types of medical professionals who can attest to a cause of death, to include physicians' assistants, assistant physicians and advance practice registered nurses. (Click here for full summary)

House Bill Number 722 – Limits local governments from increasing minimum wages above the ceiling set by the state. (Click here for full summary)

House Bill Number 878 – Expands the arrest and property-seizure powers of private corporate security personnel. (Click here for full summary)

House Bill Number 1022 – Changes the state's restrictions for insurance refund or rebate program by allowing a casualty insurer to return or refund a portion of its expense savings to an insured if the insured makes no reportable claim under specified coverages within a prescribed period of time established by the insurer. (Click here for full summary)

House Bill Number 1098 – Changes the state's financial requirements for out-of-state trust companies. (Click here for full summary)

Senate Bill Number 20 – Exempts commercial laundries from paying sales or use taxes on materials and utilities. (Click here for full summary)

Senate Bill Number 142 – Requires the state Department of Natural Resources to give the General Assembly an "impact implementation report" for actions required by the EPA under the federal Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act. (Click here for full summary)

Senate Bill Number 224 – Requires Missouri students to be U.S. citizens or permanent residents in order to be eligible to receive reimbursements from the Missouri A+ Schools Program. (Click here for full summary)

Senate Bill Number 345 – Increases the fee that banks can charge consumers for loans of 30 days or more, to a maximum of $100. The limit now is $75. (Click here for full summary)