Veterans

HCR 34 is a Missouri legislative resolution urging Congress to support the Major Richard Star Act. It directly affects medically retired service members with less than 20 years of service and a disability rating below 50%, who currently lose $1 in retirement pay for every $1 in disability benefits they receive. The resolution seeks to eliminate this offset, allowing these veterans to receive full retirement pay and VA disability benefits simultaneously. This change would impact an estimated 50,000 veterans, as noted in the resolution's findings. The bill is procedural and does not create new law, but formally requests federal action.

HCR 27 is a Missouri legislative resolution urging Congress to recognize U.S. military personnel who served in Honduras from 1981 to 1992. It specifically requests Congress award an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal or similar honor to veterans who experienced hostile conditions, including combat support, hostile fire, and casualties (such as Purple Heart recipients and those who died). The resolution does not create new law but formally asks federal leaders to extend this recognition to qualifying service members. Missouri's legislature passed this resolution to acknowledge the veterans' service during a period when U.S. troops provided training and support in Honduras.

SB 1535 establishes a property tax credit for Missouri disabled veterans who own and occupy their primary residence. The bill directly affects qualifying disabled veterans by reducing their annual property tax liability. Key provisions create a specific tax credit amount (to be determined by the bill's final text) that lowers the total property tax owed on a veteran's homestead. This policy change provides direct financial relief for disabled veterans through the state property tax system.

HB 3047 prevents landlords from evicting veteran tenants unless illegal activity occurs on the property. It defines a "veteran" as someone with an honorable military discharge after six months of active duty (or six years in reserves/National Guard), or who served in a campaign with a medal. Landlords cannot evict these tenants for standard lease violations like nonpayment of rent. The law would require eviction cases to prove illegal conduct as the sole justification, changing current eviction rules for this group.

HB 2861 designates July 16th each year as "Atomic Veterans Day" in Missouri. The bill specifically honors veterans who were exposed to ionizing radiation during nuclear testing, served in military occupation forces near Hiroshima or Nagasaki before 1946, or were prisoners of war in those areas. It encourages Missouri citizens to participate in events recognizing these veterans' unique contributions. This is a commemorative designation with no new funding or policy changes.

This bill regulates fees for professionals assisting veterans with benefits claims. It prohibits charging referral fees, setting upfront fees, or guaranteeing specific benefits. It requires written agreements that limit compensation to five times any monthly benefit increase (paid only if benefits improve) and mandates clear disclosure that the service isn't affiliated with the VA or Missouri Veterans' Commission. The bill also bans using medical professionals with employment ties for exams and restricts handling veterans' personal data through international call centers.

HB 3078 would allow Missouri counties to provide a property tax credit for disabled veterans with a 100% VA disability rating. It applies to primary residences valued at $500,000 or less, covering all local property taxes (except state blind pension fund levies). Counties must opt in via vote, and the credit passes to surviving spouses who remain in the home and don’t remarry. The credit is non-refundable, does not replace other tax relief, and is not an exemption from property taxes.

SB 1048 - This act creates the "Missouri Disabled Veterans' Dependents Tuition Waiver" to provide college tuition waivers for the children, stepchildren, and spouses of certain veterans. The act defines an "institution" as including any state college or university or public community college that receives appropriations from the General Assembly for operating expenses and satisfies certain other conditions established in current law. A dependent of a veteran shall be eligible to receive a waiver of tuition and fees at an institution, up to a maximum that shall not exceed the amount of tuition charged a Missouri resident at the University of Missouri-Columbia for attendance, if the dependent has a parent, stepparent, or spouse who is or was a member of the Armed Forces of the United States who died on active duty, died of a service-connected disability, died after discharge from the military as a result of injury or illness, is rated as permanently and totally disabled by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, or is classified as missing in action or a prisoner of war. For a dependent who is the child or stepchild of such a veteran, the act specifies that the dependent shall be under 26 years old unless the dependent serves on active duty with the Armed Forces of the United States, in which case the eligibility period shall be extended a maximum of five years, up to the dependent's 31st birthday. The Missouri Veterans Commission shall work with the Coordinating Board for Higher Education to implement the provisions of the act. The Missouri Veterans Commission shall ensure that the application process is accessible, transparent, and efficiently administered. The Executive Director of the Missouri Veterans Commission shall establish application procedures, determine applicants' eligibility, certify approved applicants, establish procedures for fraud prevention, and oversee program compliance and reporting, as provided in the act. The Executive Director shall work with the Coordinating Board for Higher Education to facilitate communication with institutions, ensure proper implementation of the waivers, and maintain program efficiency. The Coordinating Board for Higher Education shall ensure consistent implementation of the act across all institutions, develop guidelines for institutions to process tuition waivers, and coordinate with the Missouri Veterans Commission to ensure seamless communication and prevent administrative delays for eligible applicants. A tuition waiver shall be valid for one degree, diploma, or certificate from a community college and one baccalaureate degree from a state college or university. Receipt of a degree, diploma, or certificate from a community college shall precede receipt of a baccalaureate degree. A recipient of a tuition waiver shall be ineligible for the Wartime Veteran's Survivors Grant Program, the Survivors of Vietnam Veterans Scholarship Program, and any other state-funded veteran-dependent tuition grant, waiver, or scholarship. A student who has previously received any such grant, waiver, or scholarship shall not be eligible to receive a tuition waiver, and a student shall not concurrently receive a tuition waiver and any other such grant, waiver, or scholarship. A recipient of a tuition waiver may transfer from one institution to another without losing entitlement to the tuition waiver. If a recipient is granted financial assistance under any other student aid program, whether public or private, the full amount of such financial assistance shall be reported to the Missouri Veterans Commission and the Coordinating Board for Higher Education. This act is identical to HB 2074 (2026) substantially similar to SB 716 (2025). OLIVIA SHANNON

HB 2202 provides free hunting and fishing permits, waives hunter education fees, and offers lifetime permits to specific groups in Missouri. It directly affects disabled veterans (with 100% service-connected VA disability), active military personnel, and their eligible dependents (spouses or minor children). The bill requires the conservation commission to issue free permits and waive all associated fees for these groups, including a combined lifetime permit for Purple Heart recipients. This policy change eliminates cost barriers for these individuals to access hunting and fishing opportunities under state law.

HJR 138 proposes a constitutional amendment to expand Missouri's property tax exemption for disabled veterans. It would exempt the homestead property (primary residence) of veterans certified by the VA to receive 100% disability compensation for a service-connected injury, plus their surviving spouses who continue living in that home. The amendment repeals the current constitutional provision and replaces it with specific definitions, ensuring the exemption applies to veterans meeting federal VA criteria and extends to surviving spouses under defined conditions. This change would directly affect qualifying disabled veterans and their surviving spouses in Missouri by providing property tax relief on their primary residence.