Missouri lawmakers preview 2025 legislative priorities

JOPLIN, Mo. — With topics ranging from domestic violence and guns to abortion, Missouri lawmakers are already setting their sights on potential laws for 2025.

With a month to go until the new session, Missouri lawmakers are starting to build the list of bills to consider in 2025.

"In the six years I've been there, the number of bills filed will range from, say, 1800 to maybe as much as 2500," said MO Rep. Lane Roberts, (R).

State Rep. Lane Roberts of Joplin has filed five bills.

That includes one targeting organized retail theft, and another with a DUI diversion option.

"Allows people who are charged with DUI, the court can divert them out of the criminal justice system. And if they, if they perform according to the agreement, then they have no criminal record, but they only do that once," said Roberts.

He's also looking at controls for vaping products.

"They're flavored or packaged to attract young people, and a significant portion, if not the majority of it, is a product smuggled in, primarily by China, who won't allow the same products to be sold in their country," said Roberts.

For State Rep. Ben Baker of Neosho, parental rights in education will be a focus, along with a TikTok ban for government devices. He has also expressed interest in election integrity.

"That's something that I'll probably be looking at again as well. It may not be just regulated to TikTok, probably more broad than that, but anything that's connected to the CCP and then collecting data on our citizens, and so those are several kind of in that space dealing with things, with concerns with the CCP and connections to them," said MO Rep. Ben Baker, (R).

He's also interested in measures dealing with election integrity.

Other locally sponsored bills range from expanding "A+" funding and teacher training to state pensions.

State Rep. Ann Kelley has expressed an interest in A+ funds for career and technical degrees and certificates, local oversight of teacher training requirements, and expanding city taxing options.

State Rep. Dirk Deaton has expressed interest in addressing state budget appropriation bills, and banning state pension funds from making political donations.