HB 2978 limits technology use in Missouri elementary schools (K-5) by capping digital instruction at 45 minutes daily, requiring 70% of assignments to use paper/pencil, and mandating daily access to printed books. The bill prohibits replacing handwriting, cursive instruction (starting in grade 2), or physical manipulatives in core subjects with digital tools, and bans required technology homework or student device carry. Schools must adopt written policies on screen time, report annual compliance, and publish cursive instruction plans, with requirements effective for the 2027-28 school year. It directly affects K-5 students, teachers, and school districts.
HB 2020 is Missouri's fiscal year 2027 appropriations bill, allocating $26.3 million from the Budget Stabilization Fund and $15.5 million from the Coronavirus Recovery Fund for specific state programs. It funds higher education grants requiring 50% local matching, technology upgrades for job centers, port authority grants (with local match requirements), streetcar planning, and infrastructure projects like state building HVAC repairs and a new warehouse. The bill also supports broadband expansion in underserved areas, a sports facility for athletes with special needs, and early childhood education programs, all subject to local matching funds where specified. This bill directly affects Missouri state agencies, local governments, and qualifying organizations receiving these allocations for designated projects.
HB 2735 requires health digital services (like apps tracking reproductive or sexual health) to obtain explicit user consent before sharing, selling, or using sensitive health data - including pregnancy status, birth control usage, or gender transition care details. It prohibits government entities from demanding this data for most investigations, except limited criminal cases unrelated to abortion, pregnancy outcomes, or gender transition care. The bill directly affects health apps, their users, and state/local law enforcement agencies. Key provisions mandate affirmative consent for each data use instance and restrict government access to protect privacy around reproductive and sexual health information.
HB 2871 requires manufacturers to provide independent repair shops and product owners with equal access to diagnostic tools, repair information, and service parts at fair prices, similar to what they offer their own authorized repair providers. It directly affects independent repair businesses (not affiliated with manufacturers) and consumers who own products like electronics or appliances (excluding motor vehicles). Key provisions mandate that manufacturers share firmware updates, safety/security patches, and diagnostic software in standardized formats, while protecting trade secrets and not requiring parts no longer available to the manufacturer. The bill aims to make repairs more accessible and affordable by breaking down information barriers imposed by manufacturers.
This Missouri House resolution (HR 3877) urges businesses to add accessibility features - such as screen readers, tactile keypads, or voice navigation - to self-service kiosks and devices (like restaurant payment terminals, airport check-in machines, or pharmacy systems). It directly affects businesses operating these public-facing technologies by calling for their use of specific tools that enable blind or low-vision customers to independently complete tasks like payments or check-ins. The resolution emphasizes that adopting these features aligns with the Americans with Disabilities Act and promotes independence, without creating new legal requirements. It is a non-binding request, not a law, focused on encouraging voluntary adoption of existing accessible technologies.
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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.
HB 2919 updates Missouri's regulations for excursion gambling boats by defining the Missouri Gaming Commission's authority to license operators, set standards, and enforce rules. It requires 80% minimum payout rates on gambling devices, mandates cashless wagering systems (using tokens/chips), and gives patrons the option to opt out of marketing data collection. The bill also establishes a $2 admission fee (split between the Gaming Commission and the local city/county), requires affirmative action plans for minority employment at license renewals, and prohibits limits on wager amounts or losses. These changes directly affect boat operators, licensees, and patrons using Missouri's riverboat gambling facilities.
This bill exempts small, portable solar devices (under 1,200 watts that plug into standard outlets) from most public utility regulations. It requires electricity providers to offer net metering for these devices, allowing homeowners to receive credits for excess energy sent back to the grid, with credits applied to future bills and expiring after 12 months. The law specifically targets moveable units certified by safety labs like UL, not fixed rooftop systems. It does not change existing rules for larger solar installations or utility-scale projects.
HB 2529 updates state laws to explicitly include artificially generated visual depictions of minors in the definition of child pornography. The bill expands existing prohibitions to cover digital images or computer-generated content that are indistinguishable from real minors, morphed from real images, or created without actual minor involvement. This directly affects individuals or entities creating, distributing, or promoting such AI-generated content that mimics real children in sexually explicit contexts. The law aims to close a loophole by treating these digital fakes as equivalent to actual child sexual abuse material under current statutes.
SB 1361, the Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act, prohibits financial institutions from requiring firearms retailers in Missouri to use a specific merchant category code (5723) for firearm sales or refusing payment card transactions based solely on that code. It also bans financial institutions from disclosing payment records related to firearm purchases unless required by law, protecting customers' transaction privacy. The law applies to firearms retailers physically located in Missouri and their customers using payment cards. Enforcement is handled by the Attorney General, who can order violations to cease within 30 days and impose civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation for continued noncompliance after the deadline.
