
This week, the Senate began discussion on Senate Bill 740, which modifies several provisions relating to utilities, as well as Senate Bill 936, which creates provisions relating to a post-consumer paint recycling program.
Additionally, the Senate gave first round approval to the following bills:
· Senate Bill 1388 authorizes a sales tax exemption for certain nuclear facilities.
· Senate Bill 890 creates the “Missing and Murdered African American Women Task Force,” which will submit a report to the governor and General Assembly each year regarding policies and measures to address violence against African American women and girls. I fully support this measure and am hopeful it will reach the governor’s desk this session.
· Senate Bill 1296 authorizes the conveyance of certain state property across the state.
· Senate Bill 751 enacts provisions relating to insurance coverage of pharmacy services.
Bills and Committees
Senator May’s Legislation:
The Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee passed my Senate Bill 1412 this week. This legislation creates the Ebony Alert System to aid in the identification and location of abducted or missing Black youth who are reasonable believed to be the victim of a kidnapping or trafficking offense. I believe this alert system will be a valuable resource for law enforcement and address any disparities when it comes to finding missing Black Missourians. Often, missing person cases for Black youth are brushed aside as runaway situations, when in reality they could be in serious danger. I hope this alert system sheds more light on this issue and gives our state departments and law enforcement officers the tools they need to ensure members of this vulnerable population return home safe and sound. With a few weeks of session remaining, there is a bit of a time crunch, but I will do what I can to get this important legislation passed and to the governor’s desk.
Additionally, I have several bills that have been amended onto other pieces of legislation that are moving through the legislative process:
· Senate Bill 857 establishes the “Elementary Literacy Fund” to provide grants to school districts and charter schools for home reading programs for children in kindergarten to 5th grade.
· Senate Bill 761 allows a child to be excused from school for mental or behavioral health concerns.
· Senate Bill 762 requires that, in addition to suicide prevention information mandated in current law, student ID cards must list the phone number for the Crisis Text Line, as well as the phone number for campus security for college students and the local non-emergency police department phone number for students in grades 7-12.
· Senate Bill 1411 extends the sunset date of the Uniform Small Wireless Facility Deployment Act from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2029.
· Senate Bill 760 adds firefighters as eligible first responder personnel to receive services from the Critical Incident Stress Management Program in the Missouri Department of Public Safety.
· Senate Bill 943 requires practitioners, before an initial opioid prescription and the third in a course of treatment, to consult with the patient as to the risks of taking opioids and alternatives to opioids.

Support Karla May for U.S. Senate. PAID FOR BY KARLA MAY FOR U.S. SENATE. MICHELLE CLAY, TREASURER
Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee:
Unfortunately, the committee also passed House Bill 1481, which would cede control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department back to the state. Previously, a state-run Board of Police Commissioners had governed the St. Louis department for more than 150 years, but the state’s authority ended when 63.9% of Missouri voters approved Proposition A, a statewide ballot measure in 2012, restoring local control. Under HB 1481, the governor would appoint four commissioners to the board. I vehemently opposed this bill when it was filed last year, and I will continue to fight against the passage of this legislation when it comes to the Senate floor for debate. Local control of the department is the best option for our community.
Judiciary Committee:
Senate Bill 897 provides that no county, municipality or political subdivision shall impose or otherwise enforce a moratorium on eviction proceedings unless specifically authorized by law, among other provisions related to judicial proceedings.
House Bill 1692 creates “Valentine’s Law,” which establishes the offense of aggravated fleeing a stop or detention of a motor vehicle and also amends the penalty for the offense of resisting or interfering with arrest.
Senate Bill 1400 modifies the offense of unlawful posting of certain information if the person knowingly posts certain information to cause great bodily harm or death, or threatening to cause harm or death. The law would now include if the person knowingly posts certain information to intimidate or harass such person and to obtain financial gain from them.
Commerce Committee:
The committee heard Senate Bill 1483, which would allow funds left in the Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Natural Resources Protection Fund to remain there, instead of reverting to the state’s general revenue fund as it is in current law.
Appropriations Committee:
The committee completed the mark-up process for the Fiscal Year 2025 state operating budget during this week’s hearings. It is an honor to serve on this committee and be a part of our state’s budget making process, and I committed to ensuring our community receives the funding it needs to continue to flourish.
Gubernatorial Appointments Committee:
It was my honor to present Andrew Schwartz to the Senate Gubernatorial Appointments Committee for appointment to the St. Louis City Board of Election Commissioners. I am confident that his skills and prior experience will make him an excellent addition to the board, and I wish him the best as he begins his time as an election commissioner.