Representative Bennie Cook Capitol Report

What Happened This Week at the Capitol

 

This week at the Missouri State Capitol, the House of Representatives continued advancing legislation focused on government accountability, public safety, education transparency, and economic stability for Missouri families. Lawmakers debated and passed measures addressing property tax reform, school accountability, and support for Missouri's military and veterans. In addition, the legislature approved the state's supplemental budget to ensure continued funding for critical state operations through the end of the fiscal year.

 

Royalty Day at the Capitol is scheduled for April 14, 2026

 

Royalty from across Missouri will be recognized at the Capitol, celebrating Missouri's agricultural heritage, youth leadership, and community pride. RSVP is required by calling 573-751-2264 or emailing bennie.cook@house.mo.gov

 

Bills Sponsored by Rep. Cook Move Forward

 

Several pieces of legislation sponsored by State Representative Bennie Cook advanced in the Missouri House this week, addressing public safety, healthcare efficiency, and improvements to Missouri law.

HB 1977 was approved by the House and clarifies that notarization is not required for mental health detention applications or supporting documents when completed by qualified professionals such as peace officers, physicians, nurses, mental health professionals, or designated hospital employees. The change removes unnecessary administrative barriers during mental health emergencies and helps ensure individuals in crisis can receive timely evaluation and care.

 

The House also approved HB 1980, which expands peer review protections to emergency medical professionals, including EMTs and paramedics. By aligning emergency medical services with the same quality improvement protections used in other areas of healthcare, the bill allows first responders to review and improve patient care practices while maintaining strong standards for public safety.

Both measures now move to the Missouri Senate for further consideration.

 

House Advances Comprehensive Property Tax Reform

 

The Missouri House passed HCS HBs 2780 and 2668, a wide-ranging proposal that changes how property taxes are presented to voters, assessed, and adjusted.

 

The legislation requires clearer, standardized ballot language for property tax questions. Local governments will no longer be allowed to label proposals as "no tax increase" measures. Tax questions must show the dollar impact based on a property's assessed value, and most property tax questions must appear on the November general election ballot.

The bill also updates property assessment rules, including:

 

- Short-term rental single-family homes remaining classified as residential property.

 

- Requiring assessors to conduct a physical inspection before raising a property's assessed value by more than 15% since the last assessment.

 

- Defining "true value in money" as the replacement cost of the property and improvements.

 

The measure also changes how local governments calculate and adjust tax rates. Political subdivisions will now set rates for each subclass of real property individually and for personal property in the aggregate, removing outdated requirements to compare multiple levies to a single-rate baseline.

 

Levy increases must remain revenue neutral under the Missouri Constitution, and temporary levy increases will expire unless voters approve a permanent increase.

 

The legislation strengthens property tax credit protections, ensuring eligible seniors receiving the homestead credit no longer have to reapply each year and requiring counties to apply credits fairly and consistently.

 

Additional provisions allow township counties to offer installment payment options for property taxes and lower the operating levy floor for school districts to receive certain state aid beginning in the 2026–27 school year.

 

The bill passed the House by a vote of 133–13 and now moves to the Senate for further consideration.

 

Missouri Legislature Passes Supplemental Budget to Fund Current State Operations

 

This week, Missouri lawmakers approved HCS HB 2014, the state's supplemental budget bill, providing additional funding to state agencies and programs for the remainder of the current fiscal year. Supplemental budgets are used to cover costs that exceed original projections, including program expenses, grant obligations, and required fund transfers.

 

With approval from both chambers, HCS HB 2014 now heads to Governor Mike Kehoe for consideration, making it the first piece of legislation this year to reach his desk.

House Advances Annual School Accountability Report Card

 

Parents and the public would gain a clearer view of school performance under HCS HB 2710, which creates a structured statewide school accountability system and grading scale for Missouri public schools and districts.

 

The bill requires the State Board of Education to produce an annual accountability report card for each public school and district. These reports will meet federal reporting requirements and include detailed performance data on students, staff, and finances.

 

Schools will receive an embargoed copy by September 15, allowing time to appeal before final publication on October 31.

 

Under the bill, schools and districts would be scored on a 0–100 scale, converted into A–F letter grades.

 

Ratings will reflect:

- Academic achievement and growth in English, math, and science

- Results from the Missouri Assessment Program

- A value-added growth metric

- The Success Ready Graduate measure developed by DESE

 

Schools testing fewer than 95% of students must disclose their participation rate.

 

The bill also establishes the Show Me Success Program, which provides performance-based funding to schools demonstrating strong growth, sustained improvement, or success in closing achievement gaps. Funds must be used to support teacher recruitment and retention.

 

Special school districts and state-operated schools serving only students with disabilities are exempt from the report card requirement.

 

The bill passed the House by a vote of 96–53 and now moves to the Senate.

 

House Moves to Strengthen Oversight of Administrative Rules

 

Under HB 2559, rules with a projected financial impact exceeding $250,000 would require legislative review before taking effect.

 

The process involves the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules and requires the Governor's written approval, creating additional oversight of costly regulations and strengthening legislative accountability.

House Expands Benefits for Missouri National Guard and Veterans

 

The House passed HB 2593, a broad package supporting Missouri service members and veterans.

 

The legislation includes:

- Extending Servicemembers Civil Relief Act protections to Missouri National Guard members called to extended state duty

- Allowances for certain insurance premiums

- Authorization for cybersecurity operations conducted by the Missouri National Guard for state and local governments

- Creation of the MO GIVES program, supporting Guard members who serve as living organ donors

- Updates to military medals, service ribbons, and the Military Family Relief Fund

 

Senate Bill 888 Receives Third Read in the Senate, Moves to the House

 

This week, the Missouri Senate gave third read approval to Senate Bill 888, legislation that strengthens Missouri's juvenile justice system and improves coordination between law enforcement and prosecutors when dealing with serious criminal offenses involving juveniles. The bill now moves to the Missouri House of Representatives for further consideration.

 

SB 888 includes provisions that strengthen transparency and accountability in the criminal justice process. The legislation improves how juvenile cases involving serious offenses are reviewed and allows prosecutors greater ability to present evidence when determining whether a juvenile should be certified to stand trial as an adult for serious crimes such as violent felonies. It also improves information sharing by requiring juvenile detention assessment data and criminal history information to be shared with law enforcement systems, so agencies have better access to critical information when making detention and public safety decisions.

 

Importantly, the legislation also includes House Bill 3155, my transparency in sentencing legislation. This provision ensures greater openness in the sentencing process so victims, law enforcement, and the public have a clearer understanding of how sentencing decisions are made and carried out in Missouri courts.

 

Strengthening public safety, supporting victims, and increasing transparency in our justice system are priorities for many of us in the Missouri House, and I look forward to reviewing SB 888 as it moves through the House legislative process.