Voting Rights

Bill #: SB 896

LWVMO OPPOSES this bill 

Short Description: Creates provisions relating to elections (foreign involvement).

Status of the Bill: Scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Local Government, Elections and Pension Committee on Monday, February 2 at 2:00 PM.

Talking points:  

• Is vague in defining election officers

• Sets up new reporting requirements

• Allows any voter to bring charges against election officers

• Could be used to harass or intimidate election workers

Link to the summary of the bill: SB896

Call to action: Email committee members and tell them you OPPOSE this bill. Members of the Senate Local government, Elections and Pension Committee are found  HERE. Click on the Senator’s picture and you will be taken to their information page for their contact information.

LWV Position: Support measures aimed at protecting and retaining election workers and officials. (LWVMO Guide to State Action 2025-2027, p. 9)

Bill #: HB 2480

LWVMO SUPPORTS this bill 

Short Description: Reinstates the presidential preference primary.

Status of the Bill: Scheduled for hearing in the House Elections Committee on Tuesday, February 3 at 8:00 AM.

Talking points:  

• Voting happens anonymously through a secret ballot 

• Primaries are run by — and paid for by — state and local governments

• Primaries use state-controlled election procedures

• Primary process is a familiar one of official ballots and secure submission of votes

• Primaries are local and more accessible than caucuses for working people, people needing child care, etc 

• Early voting is a feature of primaries, supporting their accessibility 

Link to the summary of the bill: HB2480

Call to action: Submit testimony to SUPPORT HB 2480 HERE. Make sure to mark “In Support of” under reason in the testimony form.

LWV Position: Support open primaries in all primary elections. (LWVMO Guide to State Action 2025-2027, p. 17)

Bill #: HB 2125

LWVMO FOR INFORMATION ONLY

Short Description: This bill requires the Secretary of State (SOS) and the Director of the Department of Revenue to enter into an agreement to match information pertaining to the citizenship status of individuals in the voter registration database with information in the motor vehicle system; reinstates SOS's investigation and subpoena power.

Status of the Bill: Scheduled for an Executive Session in the House Elections Committee on Wednesday, February 3 at 8:00 AM.

Link to the summary of the bill: HB2125

LWV Position: The State of Missouri should provide uniform, transparent and non discriminatory data reporting tools and resources to help local election authorities to accurately maintain their voter registration rolls.

Data from 3rd party organizations used in voter registration list maintenance should use strict criteria (strong matches) and be tested for accuracy prior to use, with an objective of minimizing disenfranchising eligible voters. (LWVMO Guide to State Action 2025-2027, p. 18) 

Reproductive Rights

Bill #: HB 2688

LWVMO OPPOSES this bill 

Short Description: An unborn child, at any stage of development, is subject to the protections of the 5th and 14th Amendments of the United States Constitution.

Status of the Bill: Scheduled for Executive Session in the House on Wednesday, February 3 at 8:00 AM in the Children and Families Committee.

Talking points:  

• U.S. Constitution law has consistently rejected the idea that embryos or fetuses are “persons” under the 14th Amendment 

• Conception based personhood would create un-administrable legal obligations, including criminal liability for miscarriage or natural embryonic loss 

• Pluralistic society avoids enforcing one moral or religious belief through law; it contradicts science, medicine, and constitutional rights 

• An unborn child being identified as a "person" is not consistent with all religious beliefs of US citizens. Judaism and Islam, among others, do not recognize personhood at conception. This can cause concerns for religious freedom provisions and the First Amendment

Link to the summary of the bill: HB2688

Call to action: Email committee members and tell them you OPPOSE this bill. Members of the Children and Families committee are found HERE. Click on the representative’s picture and you will be taken to their information page for their contact information.

LWV Position: The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that public policy in a pluralistic society must affirm the constitutional right of privacy of the individual to make reproductive choices. At the 2024 Convention, delegates passed a resolution reaffirming the League's commitment to fight for reproductive rights and justice, including bodily autonomy, privacy, reproductive health, and access to contraception and abortion. (LWVUS Impact on Issues 2024-2026, p. 64-68)

Firearms

Bill #: SB 908

LWVMO OPPOSES this bill 

Short Description: Removes ability of municipalities to enact any type of firearms ordinances.

Status of the Bill: Scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee on Monday, February 2 at 2:00 PM.

Talking points:  

• Forces a one-size fits all policy that ignores local conditions and local voters 

• Silences local problem solving entirely 

• Takes away limited, practical local laws and replaces them with threats of lawsuits and a 50,000 dollar fine every time a city tries to keep people safe

Link to the summary of the bill: SB908

Call to action: Email committee members and tell them you OPPOSE this bill. Members of the Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety committee are found HERE. Click on the Senator’s picture and you will be taken to their contact information.

Links to further reading: 

Some Kansas Citians look for gun control after the Super Bowl parade, but state law limits get in the way 

Missouri lawmaker pre-files bill that would penalize minors with firearms

LWV Position: The League supports strong federal measures to limit the accessibility and regulate the ownership of these weapons by private citizens. The League supports regulating firearms for consumer safety. (LWVUS Impact on Issues 2024-2026, p. 179)

Social Justice

Bill #: HB 2592, HB 2834, HB 2787

LWVMO SUPPORTS these bills

Short Description: Eliminates requirement to complete probation/parole prior to regaining voting rights.

Status of the Bill: Scheduled for a hearing in the House on Monday, February 2 at 12:00 PM in the Corrections and Public Institutions Committee.

Talking points: 

• This bill eliminates the requirement to complete all probation/parole before regaining voting right

• Incarcerated people can vote, once registered, upon release except if convicted of a voting-related crime

Link to the summary of the bill: HB2592

Call to action: Submit testimony to SUPPORT HB 2592, HB 2834, and HB 2787 HERE. Make sure to mark “In Support of” under reason in the testimony form.

LWV Position: Support the fundamental right of every citizen to vote and not be limited by the exercise of other constitutional rights, including the First and Second Amendments. (LWVMO Guide to State Action, p. 7)