Mazzie Boyd – Capitol Report May 18, 2023

To the Great Constituents of District 2,

“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.”

-Harry S. Truman

Continuing from last week, here are more bills that were sent to Governor Parson for his approval:

Establishes the “Stars and Stripes Historic Region of Missouri” –SB 139

This was one of the naming bills, which I was able to add my bill on to, to make the Hawken Rifle the Official State Rifle! Some of the other amendments that got added on to SB 139 :

• Stem week: This act requires the Governor to annually issue a proclamation setting apart the first week of March as “Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Week” rather than “Math, Engineering, Technology, and Science (METS) Week”.
• State Legislator Remembrance Month: This act designates January of each year as “State Legislator Remembrance Month” in memory of all state legislators who died while in office.
• Women Veterans Appreciation Day: This act designates June 12 of each year as “Women Veterans Appreciation Day”.
• Breast Cancer Awareness Day: This act designates the first Saturday of October of each year as “Breast Cancer Awareness Day”.
• Stars and Stripes Historic Region of Missouri: This act establishes the “Stars and Stripes Historic Region of Missouri”. The Department of Transportation may place suitable markings and informational signs within the region, with the costs to be paid by private donation.

Helping People off of State Assistance – SB 106 and SBs 45 & 90 authorize a transitional program meant to help people get off of state assistance gradually as their income increases. Supporters say the state’s assistance programs for low-income Missourians trap people in poverty because if they accept a raise that puts them above a program’s limits, they could lose more in state benefits than they gain from a raise. Also, this would extend post-partum coverage under MO HealthNet or Show-Me Healthy Babies from 60 days to a year. MO HealthNet coverage for low-income women in the program will include full Medicaid benefits for the duration of the pregnancy and for one year following the end of the pregnancy. These two separate bills were in depth and had a lot of different bills attached to them. Due to not having pro-life language and having “elected abortions” in the bills, I was unable to support SB 106 and SB 45 & 90.

Missouri First Responder Mental Health Initiative Act”- SB 24 was another Christmas tree bill. Some of the amendments included were expanding Missouri’s adoption tax credit, which offers a nonrefundable tax credit for one-time adoption-related expenses such as attorney fees, up to $10,000 per child. That credit is capped at $6 million a year. SB 24 would remove that cap, that makes the tax credit refundable, and would have the per-child limit adjust with inflation.

Supporters say more than 2,200 Missouri children are awaiting adoption and the bill will help remove financial barriers to allow more families to afford the cost of adoption.

Another amendment was to modify the term “hospital” for purposes of licensure to include facilities designated as rural emergency hospitals by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. One of the other many amendments added was so qualified first responders may obtain and administer naloxone to a person suffering from an apparent narcotic or opiate-related overdose. This act allows first responders to obtain and administer any drug or device approved by the FDA to block the effects of an opioid overdose. Licensed drug distributors or pharmacies may sell such drugs or devices to first responders for this purpose. Under current law, state or local law enforcement agency staff members are required to act under the directives and protocols of a medical director of a local licensed ground ambulance service in order to administer naloxone or similar drugs or devices to a person suffering from an apparent narcotic or opiate-related overdose. Under this act, state or local law enforcement agency staff members would not need to act under such directives and protocols to administer naloxone or similar drugs or devices.

Also, another amendment added onto this bill was an act that establishes post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders, Fifth Edition, (DSM-5) as a compensable occupational disease under workers’ compensation when diagnosed in first responders, as defined by law. A first responder shall not require a physical injury in order to be eligible for benefits, but preexisting PTSD is not compensable. The time for notice of injury or death in cases of compensable PTSD is measured from exposure to one of the qualifying stressors listed in the DSM-5 criteria, or the diagnosis of the disorder, whichever is later.

Improving Protections Against Cyberstalking – SB 189 This bill would also create the Cyber Crimes Task Force with the intent of strengthening state law to better protect Missourians who are targeted and stalked online. The task force would be made up of law enforcement, victim advocates, victims of stalking, and forensics experts. The group will work to develop best practices regarding the treatment of victims of cyberstalking or harassment and actions to stop cyberstalking and harassment when it occurs.

As the Governor will hopefully approve and sign some of the bills the legislature has sent to him, I will continue to update you.

It’s a pleasure to serve and as always if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to my office at (573) 751-4285 or email me at [email protected].

All my Best,

Mazzie Boyd, State Representative for District 2