2026 Mid-Session Report
Post Date: March 20, 2026
We have reached the midpoint of the 103rd General Assembly’s 2nd regular session. It has been a busy and productive first half of the session, highlighted by Capitol Advocacy Days in February and tremendous engagement from our member agencies through communication with their legislators, Capitol visits, and written and in-person testimony on bills that directly impact survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
State Funding for Domestic & Sexual Violence Services
A top priority for MOCADSV during each legislative session is to advocate for sustained funding for domestic and sexual violence service providers. This includes advocating for general revenue support for three core funding streams: Domestic Violence Support Services (DVSS), Sexual Violence Support Services (SVSS), and Victims of Crime Act (VOCA).
The Governor’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget recommendation included a $1 million cut in General Revenue under the Department of Social Services’ Domestic Violence line item. Thanks to an amendment by Rep. Raychel Proudie, the $1 million that was removed from the Governor’s budget recommendation has been restored in the House Budget Committee’s Department of Social Services budget bill. While we celebrate clearing this “first hurdle,” our focus now turns to ensuring this is maintained as the budget proceeds through the House and Senate and on to the Governor’s Desk. We express our sincere thanks to all who responded to our Action Alerts on this effort by contacting their legislators, alerting local media, and sharing with their local communities. Watch future editions of our monthly Legislative Update and social media for progress updates and/or action alerts as the appropriations process moves through the General Assembly.
For the past several years, the General Assembly has included a supplemental appropriation to bridge the gap in federal VOCA funding in the amount of $25 million. The Governor did not include this amount in his budget recommendation, and the House Budget Committee did not restore it in their markup of the DSS budget bill. Advocacy continues as we work to secure these funds in the extremely tight budget year that the state is facing.
Progress on MOCADSV Priority Bills
MOCADSV is pleased to share two early successes in the progress of priority bills.
HB 1908, sponsored by Rep. Cecelie Williams (with companion bills sponsored by Rep. Raychel Proudie and Rep. Ashley Aune and a Senate version sponsored by Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern), which allows the court to enter a judgement of dissolution of marriage or legal separation if a person is pregnant, passed both the House (Y-147, N-0) and Senate (Y-29, N-0) and is headed to the Governor’s Desk for signature. The bill passed out of both House and Senate committees and in both chambers with unanimous votes, showing tremendous support for ending the prohibition on finalizing divorce while pregnant in Missouri. This was the first non-appropriations bill passed this session.
HB 2273, an omnibus bill sponsored by Rep. Ed Lewis and handled in the Senate by Sen. Jill Carter, is also headed to the Governor’s Desk after passing the House (Y-148, N-2) and the Senate (Y-32, N-0). This bill includes various provisions for the protection of children and vulnerable persons and includes the language that establishes the Crime Victims Fund. This fund will create a permanent line item within the Department of Social Services budget to allow for future appropriations to bolster the VOCA grant program. MOCADSV expresses our gratitude to Rep. Cathy Jo Loy and Sen. Jill Carter for introducing and supporting bills to establish the Crime Victims Fund.
After several years of advocacy, bills to extend the statute of limitations for personal injury claims and child sexual abuse and to provide that retrospective laws may be enacted for civil childhood sexual abuse claims are making progress in the legislature. HB 1664, sponsored by Rep. Brian Seitz, has passed the House (Y-95, N-12) and will now move to the Senate. HJR 130, also sponsored by Rep. Seitz, has passed the House Judiciary Committee. SB 1140 and SJR 93, both sponsored by Sen. Brad Hudson, have passed the Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee.
HB 1694 and SB 907, sponsored by Rep. Mazzie Christensen and Sen. Brad Hudson, respectively, would protect businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies from harmful litigation regarding website access. The House version of this bill has passed the House (Y-149, N-0) and is now before the Senate General Laws Committee.
