2025 Missouri Legislative Session Final Report  

Despite tensions between both chambers in the final week, and the Senate adjourning two days early, it was a productive session for MOCADSV’s legislative priorities. A full review of all bills signed into law from this legislative session will be provided this summer.  

 

Appropriations  

The budget process was successful with General Revenue appropriations for core domestic and sexual violence services funding and stable Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding. The following budget line items will be included in the FY2025 budget, pending final signature from the Governor. 

HB 8: Department of Public Safety  

  • State Services to Victims (SSVF) Program – $2M  
  • Violence Against Women Program (STOP VAWA) (spending authority for federal money) – $3.2M  
  • Crime Victims’ Compensation Program (including reimbursement for SAFE-care providers) – $13.7M  

HB 10: Department of Health and Senior Services  

  • Statewide telehealth network for victim forensic exams – $2.2M  
  • Cora Faith Walker Doula Training Program – $500,000 
  • Sexual Violence Victims Services, Awareness, and Education Program (spending authority for federal money) – $1.2M  

HB 11: Department of Social Services  

  • Domestic Violence Support Services (DVSS)- $5M  
  • Sexual Violence Support Services (SVSS) – $4.2M  
  • Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) – $74M (includes one-time general revenue of $25M and spending authority for $49M federal money)  

 

Legislation  

MISSING AND MURDERED AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN AND GIRLS TASK FORCE (HB 495, Establishes Section 595.325) 

This bill establishes the “Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls Task Force”. The Task Force will submit a report regarding policies and measures to address violence against African American women and girls to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before December 31st of each year. The task force shall expire on December 31, 2027, unless extended until December 31, 2029, as determined necessary by the Department of Public Safety. 

This bill was signed into law by Governor Mike Kehoe on March 26, 2025. Read the full bill text by clicking here. 

 

AMBER ALERT SYSTEM (CCS/SS/HCS/HBs 737 & 486, amends Section 210.1012 RSMo) 

The current law states that a statewide program called the “Amber Alert System” was established in order to aid in the identification and location of an abducted child. This bill will amend the current law to include abducted or missing African American youth in the system, as well as youth who may be victims of sex trafficking.  

This provision is similar to SB 61 (2025) and SB 612 (2025). 

 

AGE OF MARRIAGE (CCS/SS/HCS/HBs 737 & 486, amends Sections 451.040, 451.080, and 451.090 RSMo) 

This bill will repeal establishes that no marriage license will be issued in Missouri for individuals under 18 years of age. Additionally, no marriage license will be issued if any party to the marriage is under 18 years of age without parental consent. 

Current law states that no marriage license will be issued in Missouri for individuals under 16 years of age or issued when one party to the marriage is under 18 years of age and the other party over 21 years of age.  

These provisions are identical to the perfected SS/SB 66 (2025) and provisions in the perfected SS/SB 43 (2025) and substantially similar to SB 631 (2025) and SCS/SBs 767 & 1342 (2024). 

 

CIVIL ACTIONS FOR CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE (CCS/SS/HCS/HBs 737 & 486, amends Section 537.046 RSMo) 

This bill will modify the offenses included in the definition of “childhood sexual abuse” for civil actions to recover damages from injury or illness caused by childhood sexual abuse. The bill will apply to any action arising on or after August 28, 2025. 

This bill also provides that a nondisclosure agreement by any party to a childhood sexual abuse action will not be judicially enforceable in a dispute involving childhood sexual abuse allegations or claims and will be void. 

This provision is substantially similar to provisions in the perfected SS/SB 43 (2025) and SB 590 (2025) and similar to a provision in SB 1063 (2024) and SB 1092 (2024). 

 

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS (SS#2 SB 79, amends Section 191.648 RSMo) 

Currently, a physician can use expedited partner therapy, meaning the practice of treating the sex partners of persons with chlamydia or gonorrhea without an intervening medical evaluation or professional prevention counseling, to prescribe and dispense medications for the treatment of chlamydia or gonorrhea even without an established physician/patient relationship. 

Under this bill, physicians and certain health care professionals will be able to use expedited partner therapy, and such therapy can be used for designated sexually transmitted infections. The bill designates that sexually transmitted infections include now includes trichomoniasis in addition to chlamydia and gonorrhea. This will also add the option to add other sexually transmitted diseases as determined by DHSS and/or the CDC to the list of designated sexually transmitted diseases. This bill will repeal the requirement that antibiotic medications prescribed and dispensed through expedited partner therapy for the treatment be in pill form. 

These provisions are identical to provisions in SCS/SB 178 (2025), and substantially similar to a provision in SCS/SB 317 (2025), HCS/HB 943 (2025), the perfected HCS/HB 2413 (2024), SB 1445 (2024) and HB 1879 (2024). 

 

FORENSIC EXAMINATIONS OF VICTIMS OF SEXUAL OFFENSES (SS#2 SB 79, establishes Section 192.2521 RSMo) 

 

Under this bill, a specialty hospital, meaning a hospital other than a general acute care hospital, or a hospital that provides short term active treatment, will not be required to comply with certain statutory provisions relating to forensic examinations of victims of sexual assault if such hospital has in place a policy for the transfer of such victims to an appropriate hospital with an emergency department. 

 

These provisions are identical to provisions in SCS/SB 178 (2025) and provisions in the perfected HCS/HB 2413 (2024), and substantially similar to SB 1326 (2024). 

 

 

INSURANCE COVERAGE OF SELF-ADMINISTERED HORMONAL CONTRACEPTIVES (SS#2 SB 79, establishes Section 376.1240 RSMo) 

 

This bill will require health benefit plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, that provide coverage for self-administered hormonal contraceptives, as defined in the bill, to cover a supply of the contraceptives which is intended to last up to 90 days, or up to 180 days, for a generic self-administered hormonal contraceptive. 

 

These provisions are similar to provisions in SCS/SB 178 (2025), provisions in the perfected HCS/HB 2413 (2024), SB 821 (2024), SB 1321 (2024), SB 512 (2023), HB 287 (2023), SB 641 (2022), SB 472 (2021), HB 1373 (2021), and SB 346 (2019). 

 

INTERPRETER SERVICES IN COURT PROCEEDINGS (HCS SS SB 218, amends Section 476.806 RSMo) 

Current law states that an interpreter’s or translator’s fees and expenses in a criminal proceeding are payable by the State from funds appropriated for that purpose.  

This bill will allow the fees and expenses in any civil, juvenile, or criminal proceeding to be paid by the State from the appropriated funds. 

This provision is identical to HB 182 (2025) and a provision in HCS/SS/SB 221 (2025). 

 

BASIC CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES FUND (HCS SS SB 218, amends Section 477.650 RSMo) 

Under the current law, the Basic Civil Legal Services Fund is set to expire on December 31, 2025. The money in the Fund is used to provide legal representation to eligible low-income persons in civil matters. This bill will repeal that expiration date. 

This provision is identical to a provision in SS#2/SCS/SB 10 (2025), in HCS/HB 83 (2025), in SCS/HCS/HB 87 (2025), HB 124 (2025), in SCS/HCS/HB 176 (2025), in HCS/HB 179 (2025), HB 181 (2025), in HCS/SS/SB 221 (2025), SCS/SBs 391 & 355 (2025), in SCS/HCS/HB 615 (2025), in SCS/HCS/HB 1259 (2025), HB 1838 (2024), and in SCS/HCS/HB 2064 & HCS#2/HB 1886 (2024) and is substantially similar to SB 946 (2024) and a provision in SCS/HB 2719 (2024). 

 

HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS WEEK (SB348, creates Section 9.389 RSMo) 

This bill will establish the designation of the week in which the second Tuesday of April falls each year as “Human Trafficking Awareness Week.” As part of the establishment of the awareness week, Missourians will be encouraged to participate in appropriate events and activities to promote awareness of human trafficking, victim remedies and services, trafficking prevention, and the history of slavery in our state.  

The Missouri legislative session began January 8, 2025. MOCADSV spent the majority of December and January reviewing bills proposed by the legislature, narrowing down policy priorities, and meeting with House and Senate leadership.

Governor Mike Kehoe delivers his first State of the State address:

Missouri’s newly elected governor, Governor Mike Kehoe, delivers his first State of the State address to the Missouri General Assembly on January 28, 2025. Read the full press release by clicking here.

Bills we’re following:  

A top priority for MOCADSV during every 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). 

Some legislative priorities this year include raising the age of marriage to 18 without exceptions and allowing a court to finalize a divorce while a woman is pregnant. 

Senate Bill 66, sponsored by Senator Tracy McCreery, would raise the age of marriage from 16 or 17 (with parental consent) to 18 without exception. This bill was voted out of the Senate Y-32, N-1. Its companion bill, House Bill 1200, sponsored by Representative Renee Reuter, has been voted out of committees. 

House Bill 243, sponsored by Representative Cecelie Williams, would prohibit pregnancy status from preventing a court from entering a judgment for a dissolution of marriage. This bill was voted out of the House, Y-155, N-0. This bill is being handled in the Senate by Senator Maggie Nurrenbern, who sponsored a companion bill, Senate Bill 93. 

Prior to the legislative spring break, which is considered the mid-point in the legislative session, MOCADSV issued an action alert on House Bill 567. This bill would reverse the new paid sick leave law created with Proposition A, a ballot initiative passed by voters in the 2024 November General Election. MOCADSV is opposed to HB 567 on the grounds that sick leave has a greater impact on survivors of domestic and sexual violence because they have a higher need to take time off of work to participate in the criminal justice system, and care for medical needs related to trauma they and/or their children have experienced. MOCADSV issued a similar action alert and published a Whitepaper when the bill was voted out of the House and sent to the Senate for debate.