This week at the Missouri Capitol, we continued making progress on legislation focused on public safety, protecting families, and strengthening our communities.

Governor Mike Kehoe signed three additional bills into law, bringing the total to four bills signed so far this session.

Senate Bill 888 includes part of my legislation from HB 3155 focused on transparency in sentencing and truth in sentencing. This law improves communication between law enforcement and prosecutors, strengthens penalties for serious crimes, and ensures greater transparency for victims and families when it comes to parole decisions. This is about making sure sentences mean what they say and putting public safety first.

The Governor also signed House Bill 1908, ensuring that pregnancy cannot be used as a barrier to obtaining a divorce. In addition, House Bill 2273 strengthens protections for children and vulnerable individuals by increasing penalties for crimes involving minors.

The House also gave final approval to legislation addressing antisemitism and discrimination in public education, ensuring protections while maintaining constitutional free speech rights.

We also passed legislation to strengthen accountability in public assistance programs like SNAP and MO HealthNet by improving eligibility verification and promoting responsible use of taxpayer dollars.

House Sends More Legislation to Senate

The House also passed several important pieces of legislation this week:

HB 2292 – Expands reporting requirements so agencies can better identify abuse involving both people and animals, helping intervene earlier and protect vulnerable individuals.

HB 2913 & 3228 – Provides legal protections for teachers who take action to stop violent situations, ensuring they can protect students when acting in good faith.

HB 1772 – Helps adoptive families by covering certain legal costs, reducing financial barriers and supporting children in finding permanent homes.

Other Legislation to Senate and Other Updates

HB 1869 – Creates a fund to repair and maintain veterans’ grave markers, ensuring those who served our country are properly honored and remembered.

HB 1730 – Revises state law related to firearm suppressors, reinforcing Missouri’s position on protecting Second Amendment rights.

HBs 2387 & 2480 – Restores Missouri’s presidential preference primary and outlines how the election will be conducted.

These commonsense bills strengthen public safety, support families, protect individual rights, and now move to the Senate for further consideration.

We also saw major developments regarding illegal gaming machines in Missouri, as enforcement actions may finally bring clarity to an issue the legislature has worked on for years.

Closing

As your State Representative, I will continue to stand for public safety, protect our families, and fight for common-sense conservative policies that put our communities first. There is still work to be done, and I will keep pushing forward to deliver results for the people of our district.

If you ever have questions, concerns, or ideas, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

(573) 751-2264 or Bennie.Cook@house.mo.gov