Education (School Safety)

HB 3309 prohibits protests or demonstrations on public school property during scheduled instructional time if they materially disrupt school operations. It directly affects students (who may be marked absent for leaving class), teachers (who could face licensure revocation for facilitating walkouts), and school districts (which risk losing attendance funding for allowing protests). The bill allows discipline only if protests disrupt school work, infringe on others' rights, or violate neutral time/place/manner policies, while preserving students' First Amendment rights for peaceful expression outside class hours. It explicitly prohibits viewpoint-based suppression and protects lawful activities under state/federal law. This proposed bill (introduced February 2026) aims to maintain school order during instruction but retains core free speech protections.

SB 966 - This act requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to ensure that every public school and public charter school located in St. Louis City or St. Louis County conducts an annual safety assessment of such public school or public charter school. The Department of Public Safety (DPS), local law enforcement, and local emergency services shall provide reasonable assistance to public schools and public charter schools in order to implement the provisions of the act. The safety assessments shall include a consideration of each school's vulnerabilities to school shootings and intruders, with specific reference to the implementation of various safety procedures, policies, and tools specified in the act. Each public school and public charter school that conducts an annual safety assessment pursuant to the provisions of the act shall provide a report of the findings of the safety assessment to DESE. Based upon the findings of the safety assessments, DESE, in conjunction with DPS, shall provide to each public school and public charter school an annual report that summarizes such school's safety vulnerabilities, along with recommendations for mitigating such vulnerabilities. Such report shall also be provided to the General Assembly. A report created pursuant to the provisions of this act shall not be considered a public record under the Sunshine Law and shall not be available for public inspection. This act shall become effective July 1, 2028. This act is identical to SB 42 (2025) and similar to SCS/SB 1153 (2024) and HB 2398 (2024). OLIVIA SHANNON

HB 2909 requires public schools to include specific human sexuality and development instruction for students, directly affecting K-12 students in the state. The bill mandates medically accurate lessons covering abstinence, sexually transmitted diseases, contraception effectiveness, emotional consequences of teen sex, conflict management, and online safety. Crucially, it requires schools to show two specific videos during instruction: a fetal development ultrasound and the "Meet Baby Olivia" video depicting human gestation. Parents must be notified of the curriculum content and can opt their child out of any portion of the instruction. The bill also prohibits school personnel from providing abortion-related materials or services.

HB 2014 is a fiscal appropriations bill that allocates state funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It directs $20 million to the Special Education Program, $35.1 million to Early Childhood Special Education, $10.4 million for school safety and career readiness initiatives, and $7.1 million for highway maintenance under the Department of Transportation. The bill specifies exact funding sources (like General Revenue Fund and Federal Funds) for each program but does not create new policies or change existing laws.

HB 2913 provides legal immunity to teachers who intervene in school violence to protect themselves or students. Teachers gain immunity if they follow school procedures or act in good faith with a reasonable belief their actions are justified under self-defense law. Schools also receive immunity for teachers' actions when following this law, but immunity does not cover willful misconduct or gross negligence. The bill prohibits school districts from creating policies that prevent teachers from intervening in violent incidents.

HB 3135 requires all public school boards to annually inspect and test specific fire safety doors in school buildings (including panic hardware, exit enclosures, and electronically controlled doors) using standards from the NFPA 101 Life Safety Code. School boards must verify compliance based on when doors were installed (2015 or newer must meet current NFPA 101; older doors follow standards in effect at installation) and fix any non-compliant doors within specified timeframes. Starting January 1, 2028, authorities will review school inspection records and issue citations for persistent non-compliance, with schools required to post citations publicly until resolved. The bill directly affects public school facilities and boards, focusing on concrete door safety requirements rather than broader policy changes.

HB 2827 bans corporal punishment in all public school districts by requiring written discipline policies that prohibit physical punishment and spanking. It mandates annual staff training on these policies, requires schools to report serious violent or drug-related offenses (including specific crimes like assault, kidnapping, or drug distribution) to law enforcement, and adds a new rule: students suspended for such offenses must stay at least 1,000 feet from school property during their suspension unless under specific adult supervision or enrolled in an alternative school nearby. The bill directly affects all public school students, staff, and districts in the state, replacing previous policies that allowed limited corporal punishment with a total prohibition.

HB 3024 requires public and charter schools to implement suicide prevention measures for students and staff. Starting in 2023-24, all teachers and licensed educators must complete at least two hours of annual suicide prevention training, including Columbia Protocol risk assessment tools by 2027. Schools serving grades 7-12 must print the 988 suicide lifeline number on student ID cards starting July 2025, and all high schools must provide mental health awareness instruction to students during their four years of high school. The bill directly affects school districts, educators, and students by mandating training, policy updates, and visible crisis resources.

HB 2017 is a 2026-2027 fiscal year appropriations bill that allocates specific state funds for education-related projects. It authorizes $1.59 million for facility upgrades at Special Acres School for the Severely Disabled, $2.02 million for Autumn Hill State School renovations, $4.27 million for career-technical equipment in specific school districts, and additional funds for school safety training, vocational grants, and other education programs. The bill directs these funds through designated state revenue accounts to support existing projects previously authorized under prior bills. As a procedural appropriations measure, it does not create new policy but provides funding for designated educational facilities and programs during the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

HB 3077 requires all public school districts to develop and implement a mandatory curriculum on responsible social media use for students, beginning in the 2027-28 school year. The curriculum must cover specific topics including social/emotional effects on teens, mental health impacts, disinformation risks, online safety, cyberbullying identification, and reporting procedures. School districts may use third-party approved materials instead of creating their own, and must also provide families with resources on parental controls, screen time limits, and digital well-being. The bill directly affects K-12 students and school districts across the state by mandating structured education on navigating social media safely.