State Representative Lisa Durnell Capitol Report

Dear Constituents,

 

The General Assembly returned to Jefferson City two weeks ago and went back to work for the people of Missouri. Committees are up and running and we are working hard to get good common-sense legislation to the house floor as soon as possible.

 

I have filed several bills for this legislative session that I will keep you updated on as they move through the legislative process. I am proud to say that most of my proposed legislation was brought to me by members of our community. From protecting our Second Amendment rights to improving the methods of selling raw milk (for producers and consumers) to tackling an ever-growing problem of unregulated kratom and 7-OH to expanding the no call list to include businesses, my hope is to ensure that we make life better for the people of our district every day. As we move forward with the legislative session and my bills make their way through the process, I will be sure to keep you updated.

 

This week, Governor Kehoe gave his State of the State speech and outlined his plan to ask the people of Missouri whether they would be in favor of eliminating the state income tax. HJR 165, carried by Speaker Jon Patterson, would ask Missouri voters whether they would be in favor of eliminating the state income tax. The Governor also outlined his plan for the state budget, which will be undergoing serious cutbacks. I look forward to taking a close look at the budget as we move forward.

 

More information on the Governor’s priorities outlined in the State of the State can be found below.

 

It is an honor to serve you, the citizens of district 154, in the Missouri House of Representatives. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can be of service to you.

 

Missouri State Capitol News

 

Governor Kehoe Outlines Budget Plans in Annual State of the State Address

 

Governor Mike Kehoe delivered his State of the State address this week, outlining his administration’s priorities for the coming year and emphasizing economic growth, workforce development, public safety, and continued investment in core state services. Speaking before a joint session of the General Assembly, the Governor highlighted a conservative, growth-oriented agenda and unveiling his FY 2027 budget, marking one year since taking office as Missouri’s 58th governor. Kehoe emphasized restoring long-term fiscal sustainability as state revenues normalize following years of elevated spending fueled by one-time federal funds.

 

The governor’s budget reduces more than $600 million from the core general revenue budget to begin addressing a projected $2 billion structural imbalance, while continuing to fund mandatory obligations and preserving core support for K-12 education and higher education. Kehoe described the proposal as a return to pre-pandemic budgeting focused on core government functions and fiscal discipline.

 

Public safety remains the administration’s top priority, with $2.3 billion allocated for law enforcement, disaster response, and veterans’ homes, including staffing, equipment, and facility upgrades. Economic development funding totals $2.1 billion, supporting job creation, workforce training, childcare, major capital investment, and preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Education funding reaches $10 billion, maintaining the foundation formula while expanding childcare, career training, accountability measures, and school choice initiatives. Healthcare spending totals $25.2 billion, largely driven by Medicaid and focused on rural healthcare access, mental health services, and substance use treatment.

 

During his State of the State address, Governor Kehoe specifically called on the General Assembly to advance several priority policy areas. Those include placing the elimination of the state income tax before voters through proposed constitutional amendments (HJR 165 and SJR 83), updating Missouri’s Renewable Energy Standard (HB 2807 and SB 383), and enhancing the Missouri Works program to better incentivize capital investments exceeding $50 million (SB 1443).

 

The Governor also urged action on reforms to the juvenile justice system (HB 2498 and SB 888), comprehensive sentencing reform (HB 2637, HB 2880, SB 882, SB 1294, SB 894, with another proposal forthcoming), and allowing pregnant women facing abuse to finalize divorce proceedings (HB 1908).

 

Additional priorities highlighted in the speech include increasing regulations on industrial solar developments (SB 849), establishing public school open enrollment (HB 2604 and SB 971), implementing A–F public school report cards (HB 2539 and SB 1194), and transferring oversight of the Missouri State High School Activities Association to the state (HB 2278 and SB 863). He concluded by positioning fiscal discipline, tax reform, and targeted investment as the foundation for Missouri’s next phase of growth.

 

House Hits the Ground Running with Early Committee Hearings

 

House members moved quickly into legislative business at the start of the 2026 session, holding committee hearings by the third day to begin reviewing newly filed legislation. More than 200 bills were referred to committees in the first week, with 23 committee meetings held, signaling House leadership’s intent to advance legislation efficiently while allowing members ample time for public input and debate.

By convening hearings so early, committees gained a head start on evaluating proposals, gathering stakeholder testimony, and identifying areas for refinement. Additional legislation will continue to be considered in the coming weeks as the House advances its policy priorities for the year.

 

Legislation Considered This Week

 

- HB 1759 & HB 1766: These bills make changes to personal property assessments effective January 1, 2027, aimed at limiting valuation growth. HB 1759 reduces the assessment rate from 33.3% to 30% of true value, while HB 1766 prohibits increases in aggregate property valuation from being counted as new construction or improvements.

 

- HB 2178: Revises property tax and appeals procedures for certain commercial and industrial properties. The bill shifts the burden of proof to assessors when valuations rely on computer models, require physical inspections for increases over 15%, strengthens taxpayer protections during appeals, and allows prevailing taxpayers to recover costs and attorney fees.

 

- HB 2302: Requires the Department of Corrections to assist certain inmates in preparing for employment upon release, including verifying and obtaining state-issued identification and other employment-related documents up to nine months in advance.

 

- HB 2375: Updates Missouri’s workers’ compensation law, clarifying that an accident or occupational disease must be the prevailing factor in causing injuries or conditions for them to be compensable. The bill revises definitions, adjusts compensation calculations, grants judges clearer authority over disputed medical payments, allows employers to seek dismissal of certain claims within 180 days, and repeals a penalty related to doubled awards.

 

- HJR 154: Proposes a constitutional amendment requiring work requirements for certain MO HealthNet participants. Individuals would need to comply for three consecutive months to apply and remain enrolled, with exemptions limited to those authorized by state law. The resolution also restricts the Department of Social Services from adopting additional federal exemptions or relying on managed care organizations for exemption determinations.

 

- HB 1946 & HB 2273: Strengthen Missouri’s anti-trafficking laws by expanding training requirements, updating statutory language, and enhancing enforcement and victim protections. The bills create a temporary Committee on Sex and Human Trafficking Training, establish a statewide council within the Attorney General’s Office, expand civil remedies and criminal penalties, and require trafficking-related training for multiple professions.

 

- HB 1625: Revises drug trafficking statutes by lowering quantity thresholds for fentanyl and carfentanil offenses, increasing penalties at lower thresholds, and creating new felony classifications for extremely small amounts of carfentanil due to its potency.

 

- HB 2069 & HB 2208: Create a framework for autonomous vehicles, allowing fully autonomous vehicles on public roads, treating the automated system as the legal driver, requiring safety, reporting, and insurance compliance, and allowing on-demand autonomous networks while prohibiting local bans or special taxes.

 

Missouri Receives $814 Million Investment to Expand Broadband Access Across the State

 

Governor Mike Kehoe announced this week that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration has approved Missouri’s plan to invest more than $814 million to expand high-speed broadband access statewide.

 

The funding, administered through the Department of Economic Development’s Office of Broadband Development, will bring reliable internet service to more than 200,000 unserved and underserved locations, many in rural and hard to-reach areas. Approval of Missouri’s final proposal under the federal Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program allows the state to move forward with agreements with internet service providers, which will have up to four years to complete network buildouts. State officials emphasized that broadband access is now essential infrastructure, supporting economic growth, education, healthcare, and workforce development. The approved plan relies primarily on end-to-end fiber service, supplemented by satellite and fixed wireless technologies, and preserves significant remaining funds from Missouri’s total BEAD allocation for competitive future economic investments.

 

Missouri Submits Documentation to Release Delayed Federal Child Care Payments

 

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Childhood submitted required documentation this week to the federal government in an effort to release delayed childcare payments to providers across the state. Federal officials requested additional justification for pending Child Care and Development Fund payments, temporarily preventing Missouri from drawing down funds. As of Friday, more than 1,700 childcare providers—representing just over half of all providers statewide—were impacted by the delay. State education officials said they are working closely with federal partners to resolve the issue as quickly as possible and emphasized the importance of maintaining access to safe, reliable childcare for Missouri families. Providers have been encouraged to continue submitting invoices to avoid further delays once federal funds are released.

 

Missouri Education Shows Strong Gains as DESE Outlines 2026 Priorities

 

State education officials highlighted significant progress in Missouri public education in 2025, pointing to improvements in school performance, student outcomes, and major investments heading into 2026. According to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, more than 91 percent of Missouri public schools now meet or exceed statewide standards, with over 310 schools improving their Annual Performance Report scores year over year. Attendance, graduation rates, and statewide assessment scores also continued to trend upward, and more than 92 percent of students attend fully accredited schools.

 

DESE also received federal approval to pilot an innovative statewide assessment model that moves away from traditional end-of-year testing in favor of modular assessments throughout the school year, providing more timely feedback for students and educators. On the funding side, Governor Mike Kehoe signed a Fiscal Year 2026 budget that fully funds the foundation formula and student transportation, while making historic investments in teacher salaries and small school grants. Work is also ongoing through the Governor-appointed School Funding Modernization Task Force to develop long-term recommendations for updating Missouri’s K–12 funding structure.

 

Additional accomplishments cited include the launch of the nation’s first statewide educator job board, improvements to education data infrastructure, the release of Missouri’s first Teacher Recruitment and Retention Playbook, and progress in reducing childcare regulatory burdens. DESE also delivered executive recommendations on career and technical education to the Governor’s Office and reported strong national performance rankings for Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation programs. Looking ahead, department priorities for 2026 include improving literacy and academic achievement, strengthening support for low-performing schools, expanding access to childcare and early learning, enhancing data quality, and continuing investments in educators and classroom innovation.

 

As always, it is a pleasure to serve you in the Missouri House of Representatives. Please don't hesitate to contact me if I can be of service to you.