Capitol report 2.6.2026

The Missouri House concluded a productive week at the Capitol, advancing legislation focused on protecting vulnerable life, defending Missouri businesses from abusive legal practices, and continuing committee work on elections, emerging technologies, taxation, education, and state governance.

House Passes Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act

This week, the Missouri House passed HBs 1667 and 2294, establishing the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. The legislation requires that any child born alive during or after an abortion or attempted abortion be afforded the same rights, privileges, and standard of medical care as any other child born alive at the same gestational age.

The bill mandates that healthcare providers exercise the same degree of professional skill, care, and diligence to preserve the life and health of the child as would be provided to any other newborn. It further requires that the child be transported to and admitted to a hospital, establishes mandatory reporting requirements for violations, and creates criminal penalties for failure to report. Under the legislation, intentionally causing the death of a child born alive constitutes first-degree murder under Missouri law.

Supporters emphasized that this legislation is not about abortion procedures themselves, but about ensuring that infants who are born alive outside of the womb are afforded clear legal protections. There is no medical or legal dispute that a child born alive is a human being entitled to the same protections as any other newborn.

Medical literature and public health data demonstrate that failed abortion attempts resulting in live birth do occur, particularly in late-term procedures, and gaps in reporting have historically left these cases without transparency or accountability. This legislation provides clarity for medical professionals while establishing a legal framework that prioritizes the protection of life.

The bill passed the House by a vote of 103–40 and now heads to the Missouri Senate for consideration.

House Unanimously Advances Legislation to Stop Abusive ADA Website Lawsuits

The House also unanimously passed a package of bills creating the Act Against Abusive Website Access Litigation, aimed at curbing predatory “sue-and-settle” lawsuits that target Missouri businesses for alleged website noncompliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

While the ADA prohibits discrimination in places of public accommodation, federal courts remain divided on whether and how the law applies to websites. Some law firms have exploited this uncertainty by filing thousands of nearly identical lawsuits based on alleged violations of nonbinding web accessibility guidelines developed by private entities. In many cases, businesses receive no notice or opportunity to correct alleged deficiencies before litigation begins.

The legislation establishes a 90-day notice and cure period, allowing businesses a good-faith opportunity to address accessibility concerns before a lawsuit may proceed. Courts are authorized to determine whether claims are abusive and may award attorney’s fees, costs, and punitive damages when abuse is found. The Attorney General is also empowered to intervene and issue guidance clarifying when website access litigation constitutes abusive conduct.

Supporters stressed that the bill protects legitimate accessibility rights while preventing bad-faith litigation tactics that harm Missouri employers without improving access for individuals with disabilities. National data indicates that tens of thousands of ADA website lawsuits have been filed by a very small number of law firms, turning civil rights enforcement into a profit-driven practice.

The House passed the measure 149–0, reflecting strong bipartisan agreement. The bill now moves to the Missouri Senate.

Committee Activity: Legislation Moving Forward

House committees continued to review a broad range of legislation this week.

Elections and Voting:

Bills were heard modifying voting eligibility for individuals on probation or parole, while maintaining prohibitions for offenses directly tied to election misconduct. Additional proposals would reinstate Missouri’s presidential preference primary and standardize absentee voting timelines.

Artificial Intelligence and Digital Safety:

Committees considered legislation clarifying that artificial intelligence systems are non-sentient and may not be granted legal personhood, while establishing liability standards for harm caused by AI. Other proposals expand criminal statutes to include artificially generated depictions of minors, closing gaps that could allow exploitation through synthetic imagery.

Taxation and Property Taxes:

Lawmakers reviewed proposed constitutional amendments strengthening taxpayer protections by requiring voter approval for new taxes, tax increases, or long-term government debt. Additional legislation seeks to standardize real property assessment definitions to improve clarity and transparency.

Education Policy:

Bills were advanced updating school bullying and violence response policies, emphasizing victim protections, due process, and staff training. Other proposals limit excessive technology use in elementary classrooms in favor of foundational learning skills.

Community Engagement and Service

In addition to legislative work, the past week included several meaningful opportunities to remain connected to the people and communities we serve.

This week, Phelps and Maries County Day at the Capitol, hosted by Representative Tara Peters and Representative Benny Cook, brought residents from both counties to Jefferson City. I appreciated the opportunity to visit with constituents, hear their concerns, and discuss the issues most important to them. It was also especially good to see many familiar faces from my former district and reconnect with people I have had the privilege of representing.

Last week, we also had the honor of recognizing another Vietnam veteran, personally traveling to present a commemorative pin in appreciation for his service to our nation. As time passes, it becomes increasingly important to meet these veterans where they are and ensure they receive the recognition they may not have received when they returned home.

Finally, the House recognized Dori Lawson for her exceptional work honoring both Rosie the Riveters and Vietnam veterans across Mid-Missouri. Dori was instrumental in helping locate three Rosie the Riveters in Miller County, all of whom resided within the Eldon city limits, and collaborated closely with our office to help identify and recognize nearly 100 Vietnam veterans.

In recognition of her efforts, Dori Lawson was honored on the House floor with a resolution sponsored by Representative Mayhew, Willard Haley, Rudy Veit, Jeff Vernetti, and Dave Griffith.

These moments serve as a reminder that public service extends beyond legislation and into honoring the people whose lives and sacrifices have shaped our communities and our state.

Until next time!

Don Mayhew District 124

Capitol Report 1.9.2026

Missouri Legislature Convenes for 2026 Session

This week we convened the start of the 2026 Regular Session, beginning the second regular session of the 103rd General Assembly. We will be in session through mid-May.

Opening day was largely procedural, and a lot like the carnival atmosphere that surrounds opening day at Busch Stadium. There is a lot of optimism about the coming session and great expectations. There is a lot of talk about bi-partisanship and cooperation. There are a lot of promises of goodwill, good faith and good legislative intent. That typically wears off shortly after session starts and we will settle into the more normal routine of posturing, gamesmanship and deal-making by the third week or so.

So far there have been over 1200 bills filed in the House, of which perhaps 100 will make it to the Governor’s desk. Of the myriad number of topics involved in all those bills, there are a handful that fit within the legislative priorities that we outlined for this session, and fewer still that align with the Governor’s priorities for this session.

The Budget process alone takes up 13 to 15 bills. The budget this session will be the most challenging of all the activities we do. Three and one-half years ago we could brag about a 6.5-billion-dollar reserve, unfortunately, with some extremely poor spending decisions, we reduced that to a projected 1.5 billion dollars left on the bottom line. As it turns out, at the end of the fiscal year, that number had shrunk to approximately one-half billion dollars and the Governor was forced to do withholds on certain budget items. The most important thing we do, and, by the way, our only constitutional duty, is to pass a budget. After what I have witnessed over the last 7 years that I have been in the House, we here in Missouri are so fortunate that the voters passed the balanced budget amendment to our constitution. The first budget that I voted on was 27.5 billion dollars. Last year’s budget 53 billion dollars. Our state budget has nearly doubled in 7 years. It is abundantly clear that we don’t have a revenue problem in Missouri, we have a spending problem. If you would like more detail on my perspective on the Budget, please visit my website (mayhewformissouri.com). I will also be posting some items on my Facebook page related to the Budget.

Among the remaining other priorities will be daycare, income tax, and property taxes. We have a lot of work to do on all of these and as you can see, they mostly involve things around economic and affordability issues. I will spend a little more time on each one of these as they come up on my website (mayhewformissouri.com). As usual, public safety, health care (especially mental health), infrastructure, and education will be worked on as the session moves forward.

Handicapping this session, I predict that income tax policy legislation will consume a significant amount of our time with health care a close second. While education always generates significant filed bills, I don’t think it takes center stage unless we attempt foundation formula changes or improvements.

Cordially,

Don Mayhew