HB 3196 requires employers with 10+ employees to provide each worker with two hours of paid leave monthly specifically for school-related activities involving their child. This covers meetings, conferences, or academic support sessions initiated by schools or childcare providers, including for foster, adopted, or children the employee cares for like a parent. Employers must pay at the employee’s regular rate (not deducted from other leave), allow 30-minute increments, and cannot retaliate against workers using this time. The state labor department enforces the law, imposing $500 penalties for willful violations, while existing benefits under contracts or other laws remain unaffected.
HB 2772 establishes the "Youth Workforce Development Program" to provide job training, certifications, and life skills to at-risk youth aged 12-21 in counties with over 1 million residents or cities outside counties. The program, administered by the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development, offers vocational training, high school diplomas, internships with local businesses, and mental health support - specifically requiring juvenile detention facilities to provide these services to youth held there. A dedicated state fund finances the program, covering costs like transportation, childcare, mental health services, and internship stipends, with annual reports tracking participant employment rates and recidivism. The program targets youth involved in juvenile justice, those with school suspensions, homelessness, or other risk factors, aiming to improve workforce readiness and reduce future system involvement.
HB 2826 requires private employers that already offer paid family or medical leave to provide equivalent leave for adoption and fostering. It mandates that this leave cover the child's birth, placement, and bonding period, under the same terms and conditions as existing leave for maternity, paternity, or other family leave. The bill applies directly to private employers with paid leave policies, extending their current coverage to include adoption and foster care without creating new leave requirements.
HB 2691 requires Missouri state agencies and local governments to obtain a sworn certification from electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers before purchasing EVs or components. This certification must confirm no forced labor or oppressive child labor was used in any stage of production, including material sourcing. The bill imposes penalties: manufacturers face $10,000 per false statement or half the contract value, while government entities and employees violating the requirement pay similar fines. It directly affects all Missouri public entities buying EVs and the manufacturers supplying them, mandating ethical supply chain verification as a condition of state contracts.
HB 2982 establishes new safety standards for non-religious summer camps operating in the state for children aged five and older (May-September). It requires camps to implement written emergency plans covering medical, aquatic, and other crises; ensure 50% of counselors and directors are trained in CPR/AED; conduct annual inspections of aquatic equipment; maintain public licensing records; and conduct comprehensive criminal background checks for all counselors. The bill directly affects summer camp operators, staff, and parents (who must receive licensure disclosures), replacing prior informal practices with mandatory compliance. Violations after May 1, 2028, face escalating fines, while pre-2028 offenses receive written warnings.
HB 2554 raises the annual sales threshold for small businesses to qualify for minimum wage exemptions from $500,000 to $11.1 million, effective 2028. It requires this threshold to be adjusted annually based on inflation using the Consumer Price Index, with updates published each October. This directly affects small retail or service businesses that would otherwise be required to pay minimum wage to their employees. The change modifies existing exemptions but does not alter other categories of exempt workers listed in the bill.
SB 1325 establishes a minimum wage of $6.50 per hour for most workers (or the federal minimum wage, whichever is higher), with annual inflation adjustments until 2024. For minors under 18, it sets a higher minimum wage of $12.30 per hour (or the federal minimum wage, whichever is higher), directly affecting employers who hire young workers. The standard minimum wage will increase to $13.75 per hour in 2025 and $15.00 per hour in 2026, with public employers subject to these rates starting in 2025. This policy requires employers to pay minors at least $12.30 hourly, which is initially higher than the standard rate but may align with future standard increases.
