General Assembly Returns for Extraordinary Legislative Session Saying there was still much work to be done, the governor called Missouri lawmakers back to the Capitol this week for an extraordinary legislative session, during which the Senate passed and sent three bills to the Missouri House of Representatives: Senate Bills 1, 3 and 4. Senate Bill 1 provides funding for several education, health care and law enforcement projects across the state, including the Missouri University Research Reactor (MURR) which is used to research cancer treatments and the construction of a 200-bed mental health hospital in Kansas City. Funding for many of these same projects was tabled and uncertain at the end of the regular legislative session when the House decided not to bring the construction spending bill, House Bill 19, to a final vote. Senate Bill 1 also provides emergency funding for natural disaster recovery. Initially, SB 1 included just $25 million to help with statewide disaster relief efforts. Because federal recovery funds through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are not guaranteed, this is a drop in the bucket of what Missourians may need. Thankfully, after extensive negotiations, an additional $100 million in recovery funding for St. Louis City was secured and will hopefully be approved by the House. Senate Bill 3 includes the Show-Me Sports Investment Act, a professional sports stadium funding bill. The Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals are not mentioned in the bill summary, but the main goal of SB 3 is to keep these much-loved teams in Missouri. Senate Bill 3 helps qualifying professional sports teams fund new or improved stadiums by allowing up to 50% of stadium construction bond costs to be paid back with tax money generated at the stadiums. Senate Bill 3 also includes some additional natural disaster relief provisions. Missouri taxpayers whose homesteads were damaged by the recent storms will be able to claim a $5,000 credit on their income taxes next year to help cover insurance deductibles. Senate Bill 4 authorizes the quick distribution of funds from the Missouri Housing Trust Fund for emergency aid. If and when Missouri receives recovery funds from FEMA, more families could be eligible for assistance because SB 4 raises the income cap to qualify. I supported the funding of critical infrastructure, including money for MURR, emergency aid to the Missouri Housing Development Commission to support storm impacted counties and the Department of Mental Health’s construction of a new mental health hospital in Kansas City. While I supported a tax credit for homestead damage, I opposed SB 3 because I believe professional sports teams need to pay their own way in our state when natural disasters have claimed multiple lives, destroyed homes and left many communities in crisis. We’re also facing some potentially detrimental budget impacts. Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds will soon no longer be available, and I believe we need to be saving money to meet the critical needs of Missourians in the future. Fraud Resources from the Missouri Attorney General’s Office In the aftermath of these devastating storms, if you or people you know encounter price gouging, contractor fraud or other deceptive practices, please do not hesitate to report it. Call the Missouri Attorney General’s Office at 800-392-8222 or visit ago.mo.gov. Construction, Roofing, Siding and Contractor Fraud: - Get all agreements in writing detailing work to be done, costs and completion dates.
- Research contractors before signing contracts. Verify credentials and check for complaints with the Attorney General’s Office and Better Business Bureau.
- Do not prepay for work and never pay in cash. A reasonable down payment may be required, but do not pay anything without a written contract.
- Beware of contractors who solicit door-to-door or offer steep discounts using “leftover materials.”
Price Gouging: - Missouri law prohibits businesses from significantly raising prices on essential goods and services during an emergency.
- Essential goods include food, water, gasoline, hotel rooms, generators and other necessities.
Charity Fraud: - Beware of charities with names similar to legitimate organizations.
- Do not donate over the phone unless you have verified the charity’s legitimacy.
- Avoid cash donations. Make checks payable to the organization, not an individual.
- Contact the charity directly to confirm the legitimacy of fundraising efforts in their name.
Government and Utility Scams: - Scammers may impersonate government agencies or utility companies, demanding payment or personal information.
- Always verify with the official agency before providing any sensitive information.
- FEMA does not charge application fees, so anyone requesting payment to assist with FEMA aid is likely a scammer.
To file a consumer complaint, visit ago.mo.gov/get-help/programs-services-from-a-z/consumer-complaints/. Congratulations! Congratulations to Rowan Herr, a junior at Kirkwood High School who won 3rd place in the C-SPAN 2025 StudentCam competition with his Invasive Carp documentary. You can read more about this competition at studentcam.org. Contact Us If there is anything I or my amazing staff, Hannah Dolan and Emily O’ Laughlin, can do to assist you, please call 573-751-9762 or email tracy.mccreery@senate.mo.gov. | 