2023 Legislative Scorecard

HB 2, HB 4, HB 5, HB 6, HB 7, HB 8, HB 9, HB 10, HB 11, and HB 12 - Opposed All Bills

•  Missouri Budget – Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

• Missouri Budget – Department of Revenue and Department of Transportation

• Missouri Budget – Office of Administration

• Missouri Budget - Departments of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Conservation

• Missouri Budget – Departments of Economic Development, Commerce and Insurance, and Labor and Industrial Relations

• Missouri Budget - Departments of Public Safety, and National Guard

• Missouri Budget – Department of Corrections

• Missouri Budget – Department of Mental Health, Health, and Senior Services

• Missouri Budget – Department of Social Services

• Missouri Budget – Executive Branch

 Republican Party Platform:

• The Missouri Republican Party Platform states on Freedom, “Missouri families can be trusted to know how to spend their money more wisely than government.”

The Freedom Principle MO is opposed to all the department appropriations bills due to the continued out-of-control government spending. The $50 billion budget is a $4.2 billion increase from FY 2022 and represents the largest budget in Missouri’s history.

This lack of fiscal discipline demonstrates an unwillingness to reign over government spending, ignoring the platform and creating greater dependency on government instead of individual freedom.

The Freedom Principle MO is also opposed to these budget appropriations bills is Big Government Republicans in the Senate restoring DIE funding in the state budget. Many of these types of programs result from direct funding from the federal government and thus require Missouri to promote these divisive programs.

SB 189 - Supported

Under current law, law enforcement officers and public safety employees of St. Louis City hired after August 31, 2023, will be subject to a residency requirement. This act repeals those provisions.

Republican Party Platform Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice:

• Missouri Republican Party supports the men and women who serve in law enforcement

• Strict enforcement and prosecution of laws on illegal drugs

The Freedom Principle MO supported this bill mainly because of the provision removing the residency requirements for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and St. Louis City employees. Additionally, SB 189 addresses the growing Fentanyl crisis by creating a Class C felony for any person who delivers a controlled substance causing serious physical injury and a Class A felony for any person who delivers a controlled substance causing death.

HB 702 - Supported

On August 28, 2023, the Board shall assume control of the municipal police department of St. Louis and, no later than September 28, 2023, the Governor must appoint four commissioners to the Board who shall serve together with the mayor. The municipal police department will transfer title and ownership of all indebtedness and assets and accept liability as successor-in-interest for contractual obligations of the police department. Starting August 28, 2024, and every year thereafter, the State Auditor must develop

and report an annual research report indicating the decrease in criminal activity that resulted from the board assuming control of the police department. The report must be submitted to the General Assembly by December 31st of each year.

Republican Party Platform: Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice:

• Supporting the men and women who serve in law enforcement

The Freedom Principle MO supported this bill because it would have returned control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department to the State Board of Police Commissioners and would have required a minimum level of police officers at 1,313.

SB 398 - Supported

This act provides that following the development of the Department of Revenue's modernized system for vehicle titling and registration, driver licensing, and liens, licensed motor vehicle dealers shall collect and remit to the Department the sales tax due on all motor vehicles the dealer sells.

Republican Party Platform: Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice:

• Protection of individual liberties guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution and the Missouri Constitution

The Freedom Principle MO supported this bill because it requires all new and used car dealers to collect sales taxes from car sales and automatically remit these taxes to the Department of Revenue. This provision will help eliminate motorists from driving with expired temporary plates.

HB 301 - Supported

This bill allows the Governor to appoint a special prosecutor for a period of up to five years if the rate of homicides in any circuit or prosecuting attorney's jurisdiction exceeds 35 cases per every 100,000 people and, after a review of certain crime statistics, the Governor determines there is a threat to public safety and health. The special prosecutor will have exclusive jurisdiction to initiate and prosecute certain offenses as specified in the bill. Funds for the special prosecutor will be provided by the state from the General Revenue Fund. The special prosecutor will have a budget and be authorized to hire up to 15 assistant special prosecuting attorneys and up to 15 staff members.

Republican Party Platform Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice:

• Protection of individual liberties guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution and the Missouri Constitution

• Appointment of federal and state judges who believe in the rule of law, uphold the Constitution and understand the role of a judge is to interpret our laws, not make them.

The Freedom Principle MO understands the platform refers to the appointment of federal and state judges, but we also believe this should pertain to the election of Soros-funded Prosecuting Attorneys. For more than seven years, St. Louis City Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner proved to be too incompetent and corrupt to carry out the duties of the Circuit Attorney.

HB 301 would have allowed the Governor to appoint a special prosecutor’s office to prosecute felony crimes if the rate of homicide in any prosecuting attorney’s jurisdiction exceeds 35 cases per every 100,000 people and, after a review of certain crime statistics, the Governor determines there is a threat to public safety and health.

SB 190 - Supported

This act authorizes a county to grant a property tax credit to eligible taxpayers residing in such county, provided such county has adopted an ordinance authorizing such credit, or a petition in support of such credit is delivered to the governing body of the county and is subsequently submitted to and approved by the voters, as described in the act. Current law allows taxpayers with a certain filing status and adjusted gross income below certain thresholds to deduct 100% of certain retirement and Social Security benefits from the taxpayer's Missouri adjusted gross income, with a reduced deduction as the taxpayer's adjusted gross income increases. For all tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2024, this act allows the maximum deduction to all taxpayers regardless of filing status or adjusted gross income.

Republican Party Platform Job Creation:

• Reducing the overall combined tax burden

The Freedom Principle MO supported this bill because will provide a property tax credit for seniors and eliminates state income taxes on social security benefits.

SB 100 - Supported

The act declares that the state of Missouri shall accept gold and silver as legal tender, at spot price plus market premium, for payment of any debt, tax, fee, or obligation owed. Costs incurred in the course of verification of the weight and purity of any gold or silver during any such transaction shall be borne by the receiving entity. No person or entity shall be required to use gold or silver issued by the federal government in the payment of any debt. Nothing in this act shall prohibit the use of federal reserve notes in the payment of any debt. The act also prohibits the state of Missouri from requiring payment in the form of any digital currency, as defined in the act.

Republican Party Platform:

• Performance of government functions at the level of government closest to the people who can most efficiently perform the task

The Freedom Principle MO supported this bill because it gives Missouri citizens the ability to conduct transactions using gold and silver as legal tender. Additionally, SB 100 prohibits Missouri from requiring payment in the form of any digital currency.

HB 268 - Support

This bill establishes the "Regulatory Sandbox Act", which creates the "Regulatory Relief Office" within the Department of Economic Development. The Regulatory Relief Office shall administer the provisions of the bill with the purpose of identifying state laws or regulations that could potentially be waived or suspended for participating businesses during a 24-month period in which the participating business demonstrates an innovative product offering to consumers.

Republican Party Platform Job Creation:

• Reducing government regulations and restrictions that prevent the creation of jobs and the growth of Missouri businesses

• Opening new markets for Missouri products

• Revitalizing Missouri’s urban communities through policies that encourage the creation of jobs and economic opportunities in those areas

The Freedom Principle MO supported this bill because it would have identified state laws or regulations that could potentially be waived or suspended for participating businesses during a 24-month period in which the participating business demonstrates an innovative product offering to consumers.

HB 903 - Support

Currently, foreign ownership of agricultural land in the state of Missouri may not exceed 1% of the total agricultural land in the state. This bill reduces the percentage to 0.5% and requires any sale or transfer of such land by an alien or foreign business to be reported, as defined in the bill, to the Attorney General and

Secretary of State 30 days prior to when the sale or transfer is finalized. The Attorney General must review and approve any sale or transfer as provided by in the bill or else the sale or transfer is considered to meet the necessary requirements.

Republican Party Platform Property Rights and Agriculture:

• Policies and programs enhancing agriculture production

• A long-term agricultural policy enhancing Missouri family farms and their ability to compete

The Freedom Principle MO supports preventing any foreign ownership of Missouri farmland. HB 903 would have reduced the percentage of farmland owned by foreign entities from 1% to less than 0.5%. 

HJR 33/45 - Support

Upon voter approval, beginning January 1, 2025, this proposed Constitutional amendment provides that for all residential real property, the true value of such property will be deemed to be the same value determined at the most recent previous assessment of the property, or if the property has been sold since its most recent assessment, the true value of such property will be deemed to be the total fair market value of the compensation received by the seller for the sale of such property. A new assessment or reassessment of residential real property, the assessed valuation of such property may be increased from the assessed valuation of such property determined at its most recent previous assessment but only to the extent that such an increase: (1) Incorporates the change in the Consumer Price Index since the most recent previous assessment or up to a 2% annual increase in the assessed valuation of the property, whichever is less; or (2) Reflects the value added to the property as a result of new construction or improvements made to the property.

Republican Party Platform Preamble:

• We believe that the strength of America is in the hearts and homes of its citizens

• We believe in the right of Missourians to be secure in their persons, their homes, and their communities

The Freedom Principle MO supported HJR 33/45 because it would have helped protect senior citizens remain in their homes by freezing their assessments and would have capped non-senior citizens’ assessments at 2%.

SB 4 - Oppose

This act creates the "Parents' Bill of Rights Act of 2023", which shall be construed to empower parents to enforce rights, as delineated in the act, to access records maintained by schools in which their children are enrolled in a timely manner or as specified in the act.

No school shall collect any biometric data of a minor child without obtaining parental consent, except for biometric data necessary to create and issue appropriate school identification cards. A school that collects such data shall ensure that all copies of such data are destroyed within one year of a student's withdrawal of participation in all school activities.

Finally, each school shall notify parents of certain safety incidents and criminal charges filed against teachers, employees, and any guests or visitors to a school, as outlined in the act.

Republican Party Platform Educating Our Children:

The fundamental right of parents to raise their children according to the conviction of their family and faith, to be the primary authority to determine and direct the nurturing, health care, education, guidance, discipline, and moral upbringing of their children to faith-based schools free of burdensome government regulation

• Encouraging parents to have an active and important role in their children’s education

• Policies that stress the importance of parents in the education system and allow and encourage parents to play an active role in their local education system

• The right of parental refusal to student data collection, and full disclosure to parents about the collection, storage, and use of their children’s data for those parents who permit it

• Fully informing parents before giving consent for the collection of student data and the offering of treatment for students regarding their health and other needs

• The purpose of schools is to educate and not socially engineer our students. Parents should be able to opt their children on social engineering rather than education

The Freedom Principle MO supports establishing a Parents’ Bill of Rights, but SB 4 was a weak bill as perfected by the Senate, and it only became worse after the House of Representatives removed the transparency portal portion of the bill. The bill also protected the education establishment by doing the following:

• Requires school districts to choose an “approved” curriculum

• Removing the creation of a transparency portal

• Restricting access to copyrighted material from parents

• Expanded DESE’s authority

• While the bill prohibited the collection of biometric data of children without parental consent, the bill had a backdoor option by allowing the school to collect biometric data for issuing student ID cards.

• Instead of banning all types of race-based and critical race theory curricula from being taught in schools, it made it voluntary

While this bill promoted teaching patriotic and civics education in schools, it still allowed publications like “The 1619 Project” and other so-called racist publications to be used as a credible resource

HB 253 - Support

This bill establishes transfer procedures to nonresident districts for students in public schools.

Republican Party Platform Educating Our Children:

The fundamental right of parents to raise their children according to the conviction of their family and faith, to be the primary authority to determine and direct the nurturing, health care, education, guidance, discipline, and moral upbringing of their children to faith-based schools free of burdensome government regulations

• Quick action to address the urban education crisis that has already undermined the progress of generations of young people

Republican Party Resolution 2:

• The Missouri Republican Party supports the God-given right for parents to choose how to educate their children, whether home education, private, charter, or public.

 The Freedom Principle MO supported this bill, but only because it would have voluntarily given children in inner-city schools an opportunity to attend another public school of their choice. This would have given these children an opportunity to break the cycle of poverty.

House Amendment 11 – HB 2/House Amendment 3 – HB 4/Senate HB 2 Anti-DEIB Amendment - Support

"Section 2.520. To the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and or Department of Transportation In reference to all sections in Part 1 of this act: No funds shall be expended for staffing, vendors, consultants, or programs associated with “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion,” or “Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging,” or any other initiative which similarly promotes:

1. the preferential treatment of any individual or group of individuals based on race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, national origin, or ancestry;

2. the concept that disparities are necessarily tied to oppression;

3. collective guilt ideologies;

4. intersectional or divisive identity activism; or,

5. the limiting of freedom of conscience, thought, or speech. This does not prohibit the department from following federal and state employment and anti-discrimination laws."

Republican Party Platform:

• We believe all people are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is our fundamental belief that our morals, our values, and our culture are derived from Almighty God.

The Freedom Principle MO supports all amendments to remove taxpayers’ dollars from funding racist, sexist, and divisive program.

HJR 66 - Support

Upon voter approval, this Constitutional amendment specifies that only citizens of the United States are considered legal voters, that all elections shall be by paper ballot or any mechanical method prescribed by law, and that voters are entitled to only one vote for each office or issue on a ballot, and that the candidate receiving the greatest number of votes in a primary election shall be the only candidate for that party in the following general election.

Republican Party Platform Protecting the Integrity of Our Elections:

• Efforts to ensure fair and honest elections, making sure all legally cast votes are not diluted but are counted so that all participants safeguard the integrity of the election

• Paper ballots to prevent voter fraud

The Freedom Principle MO supported HJR 66 because it would have eliminated rank choice and approval voting and protected the one-person-one-vote method. Additionally, it would have required only U.S. citizens can vote in Missouri elections, and it would have required paper ballots.

HJR 43 - Oppose

This bill requires the Secretary of State to provide voters in each Congressional district with a period in which to review and comment upon all initiative petitions proposing amendments to the Constitution. Currently, any Constitutional measure referred to the people, by initiative petition or by the General Assembly, must receive approval from a simple majority of the votes cast thereon in order to pass. Upon voter approval, this resolution would require any such measure to receive approval from 570% of the voters in order to pass.

Republican Party Platform Protecting the Integrity of Our Elections:

• The use of fair and non-biased ballot language for petition-driven initiatives

• Reforms to the initiative petition process including reducing out-of-state influence for this process and requiring more than a simple majority vote to change the Constitution

The right of the State Legislature to alter and revise, with respect to the intention of the voters, legislation passed through the ballot proposition to protect Missourians from a misleading campaign

The Freedom Principle MO opposed HJR 43 because it disregarded all three of these key platform principles. HJR 43 allowed the following:

• Establishing two separate processes for getting a ballot initiative on the ballot

• Establishing two approval processes for Constitutional Amendments and Statute changes causes ballot confusion

• Allowing dark-money groups to focus their efforts on progressive key population areas and ignore rural voters

• Prohibiting the State Legislature from changing any statute approved by the petition process for three years and would have required a 57% vote by both legislative bodies to approve Constitutional amendments through the legislative process

 SB 39 - Support

This act prohibits a private school, public school district, public charter school, or public or private institution of postsecondary education from allowing any student to compete in an athletic competition that is designated for the biological sex opposite to the student's biological sex as stated on the student's official birth certificate or other government records as described in the act. The act delineates what constitutes an acceptable official birth certificate. A private school, public school district, public charter school, or public or private institution of postsecondary education may allow a female student to compete in an athletic competition designated for male students if no corresponding competition for female students is offered or available. Any private school, public school district, public charter school, or public or private institution of postsecondary education that violates this act shall not receive any state aid or other revenues from the state. The parent or guardian of any student, or any student who is over eighteen years old, who is deprived of an athletic opportunity as a result of a violation of the act shall have a cause of action for injunctive or other equitable relief as described in the act.

 Republican Party Platform Educating Our Children:

• The authority of parents as the primary educators of their children in all matters, including morality, sexual orientation, sexuality and sexual health, and responsibility

• Protecting students’ and professors’ Constitutional rights at our state universities, including freedom of speech, campus carry, and balancing Title IX regulations with the people’s legal rights

 The Freedom Principle MO supports SB 39 because it protects provisions in Title IX by prohibiting any student to compete in an athletic competition that is designated for the biological sex opposite to the student’s biological sex as stated on the student’s official birth certificate or other government record.

SB 49 - Support

 This act establishes the "Missouri Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act". Under this act, no healthcare provider shall perform gender transition surgeries on any minor. Until August 28, 2027, no health care provider shall prescribe or administer cross-sex hormones or puberty-blocking drugs to a minor for a gender transition, unless such minor was receiving such treatment prior to August 28, 2023. A violation of these provisions shall be considered unprofessional conduct and shall result in the revocation of the health care provider's professional license. Additionally, the prescription or administration of cross-sex hormones or puberty-blocking drugs to a minor for a gender transition shall be grounds for a cause of action against the health care provider, as described in the act.

Republican Party Platform Educating Our Children and Law and the Administration of Justice:

• The authority of parents as the primary educators of their children in all matters, including morality, sexual orientation, sexuality and sexual health, and responsibility

• Expansion of state laws protecting our children against sexual predators

 The Freedom Principle MO supports SB 49 creating the Missouri Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act. We believe allowing the performance of gender transition surgeries on children or allowing any minor to receive any type of puberty blocker is barbaric and must be banned.