Technology (Artificial Intelligence)

SB 1395 - Unless duly licensed in this state to practice law or law business, it is the unauthorized practice of law for any person, association, partnership, limited liability company, or corporation to provide papers, pleadings, or documents to be used in connection with pending or prospective court or administrative proceedings that are produced or generated through the use of artificial intelligence. KATIE O'BRIEN

HB 3369 temporarily halts the issuance of permits for new data center construction in St. Louis for one year, until August 28, 2027. It directly affects developers and businesses seeking to build or expand facilities that process, store, or distribute data - including AI training, crypto mining, cloud computing, and server farms - within St. Louis city limits (not county areas). The bill pauses permit approvals for new applications but allows existing submissions made before August 28, 2026, to proceed under current rules. This is a procedural pause, not a permanent ban, and applies only to city-level permit decisions. The bill is pending in the legislature after introduction in February 2026.

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.

HB 1689 updates child pornography laws to explicitly include "artificially generated visual depictions" that are obscene, indistinguishable from real minors, morphed from real minor images, or created without actual minor involvement. It defines such images as illegal child pornography under the same legal framework as real images, covering digital or computer-generated content that appears to show minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. This bill directly affects individuals creating, distributing, or possessing these AI-generated images, treating them as equivalent to traditional child sexual abuse material. The key provision expands the legal definition of "child pornography" to address emerging technologies without requiring proof of the minor's actual identity. The bill is currently in early legislative stages (prefiled, first reading).

HB 2032 requires companies operating "AI companion" chatbots in Missouri to implement strict age verification before users can access them. These chatbots are defined as AI systems designed to simulate emotional interactions like friendship or therapy, not limited-purpose tools. Covered entities must: (1) require user accounts, (2) verify ages using government IDs or reliable third-party methods (not just birth dates), and (3) periodically re-verify users. The bill prohibits designing chatbots that risk encouraging minors to engage in sexual content or self-harm, with fines up to $100,000 per violation. It applies to all such chatbots operating within Missouri, effective August 2026 for existing accounts.

HB 1944 regulates how Missouri health insurers pay for anesthesia services and handle claim adjustments. It prohibits insurers from setting time limits on anesthesia payments or excluding all anesthesia time from calculations. The bill bans automated systems (including AI) for reducing payments on claims, requiring human physician reviews instead, and mandates clear documentation of downcoding decisions with 180-day appeal timelines. This directly affects anesthesia providers, insurers, and state health programs like MO HealthNet.

HB 2350 updates child pornography laws to explicitly include "artificially generated visual depictions" of minors. The bill defines these as images that are obscene, indistinguishable from real minors, morphed from real minor images, or created without any actual minor involvement. This change makes it illegal to create, distribute, or possess such AI-generated images that depict minors in sexually explicit conduct. The law directly affects anyone producing or sharing synthetic media that mimics real minors, aligning definitions with emerging technology risks.