Parson signs eight bills into law

(From Gov. Mike Parson)

Governor Mike Parson has signed five pieces of legislation into law, including SB 672 that extends the sunset on the Fast Track workforce incentive program.

"We are proud that our Fast Track program has been extended to continue providing adults with opportunities to learn new skills and develop their career potential," Governor Parson said. 

"This program is heavily used by women, first-generation college students, and individuals seeking health care related careers, and we are grateful to the General Assembly for recognizing the importance of maintaining this program."

 

SB 672 – Modifies provisions related to workforce development: Extends the sunset on the Fast Track program;

 
Creates the Joint Committee on Rural Economic Development; and

 
Creates Targeted Industrial Manufacturing Enhancement Zones to help incentivize economic development in landlocked communities.

HB 2400 – Modifies provisions related to business entities:

Allows taxpayers to remove state and local taxes they have paid from the calculation of their federal tax liability, aligning Missouri tax law with the changes that were made in the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act;

Makes changes to the Missouri One Start Program to help further attract and retain businesses in Missouri;

Expands opportunities for retirement and benefit plan options through registered professional employer organizations; and

Reauthorizes and revises a tax credit program to incentivize research and development by Missouri businesses.

SB 775 – Makes changes to judicial proceedings:

Protects the identity of victims of sexual assault and domestic violence in court proceedings and records;
Modifies the Sexual Assault Survivor's Bill of Rights; and
Strengthens protections against sexual exploitation of minors.

SB 683 – Modifies provisions relating to child care:Exempts certain day camps and summer camps for school age children from child care licensing requirements;
Expands child care licensing capacity for licensed family child care homes; and
Creates a new prison nursery program that will allow eligible pr egnant offenders to keep their baby with them for up to 18 months while in custody.

SB 681 – Modifies provisions relating to education:Allows schools to apply a waiver of certain statutory requirements for the purpose of improving student post-secondary readiness, increasing teacher pay, or improving teacher recruitment and professional development;
Modifies the Career Ladder program by increasing state funding and enabling newer teachers to qualify in an effort to help with teacher retention efforts;
Expands opportunities for substitute teacher certification;
Creates a reading intervention program to ensure students do not fall behind on reading skills in elementary school;
Requires schools to post suicide lifeline information on student ID cards for students in grades seven through twelve; and
Creates the Imaginary Library Program, which provides families with books to children up to age five.

During signing ceremonies at the State Capitol, Governor Parson also signed HB 2485, HB 1738, and HB 2627.