# Missouri SB43: Modifies provisions relating to protection of vulnerable persons Missouri SB43, Modifies provisions relating to protection of vulnerable persons, is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Travis Fitzwater (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-07-09 (Delivered to Secretary of State (G)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MO-SB43-2025 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Missouri SB43 - State: Missouri - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Modifies provisions relating to protection of vulnerable persons - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-03-06 - Last action: 2025-07-09, Delivered to Secretary of State (G) - Sponsor: Travis Fitzwater (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 3 (25 yes, 1 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 18 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - New residential care for high-need youth: benefit, high. Social Services must establish services, education, and residential care for youth under 21 with severe behavioral challenges. Youth must be in Children's Division custody, and a department team must find that existing state programs cannot meet their needs. The department can contract with qualifi… - Bigger tax credits for child-service donors: benefit, high. For tax years beginning January 1, 2025, Champion for Children credits rise from up to 50% to 70% of verified gifts. Gifts must go to qualified child-serving agencies, and annual credits are capped at $50,000 per taxpayer. The statewide cap rises to $2.5 million for fiscal years beginning July 1, 2… - Diaper-bank donors keep expanded tax credits: benefit, high. The diaper-bank credit continues through December 31, 2031, and now includes qualifying national diaper banks based in Missouri. Those nonprofits must manage supplies, distribute through at least two qualifying groups, and meet certification and 50-state network requirements. Gifts of at least $100… - Higher tax credits for youth-program donors: benefit, high. Donors to approved Youth Opportunities and Violence Prevention programs get a 70% credit for money gifts, up from 50%. Property gifts receive a 30% credit. Total credits remain capped at $200,000 per taxpayer each tax year. Unused credits can carry forward for five years. - State-paid lawyers for teens in court: benefit, medium. Beginning January 1, 2028, judges must appoint lawyers for children ages 14–17 in covered cases, subject to necessary funding. The requirement covers specified abuse, neglect, and juvenile proceedings, with listed statutory exclusions. Judges can start earlier through a pilot project. Lawyers repre… - Children's lawyers gain stronger case access: benefit, low. Children's appointed lawyers get case information and notice of family support meetings involving alleged abuse or neglect, including later meetings. They can attend, must complete permanency-planning training, and generally receive preference for appointment in later proceedings unless the judge e… - More review of child-abuse hotline reports: benefit, low. Reporters can request referral of an unsubstantiated abuse or neglect report to the Office of Child Advocate. The Children's Division must make that referral when asked. Three or more hotline calls about the same child within 72 hours trigger a review of whether report criteria are met. The Divisio… - Parents receive child-welfare visit rights notices: benefit, low. During abuse or neglect investigations, responders must first check child safety through direct observation and communication. When a parent or alleged offender is present, responders must identify themselves and explain their role. They must provide written rights information, including the right… - State contracts cannot waive negligence claims: benefit, low. Service-provider contracts cannot waive claims for harm caused wholly or partly by Missouri's negligence. Such terms are void and cannot be enforced. Covered harm includes personal injury, emotional harm, property damage, and financial or other losses. - Detained youth get county service coordination: benefit, low. County jail staff handle transportation and contracted services for youth facing adult prosecution who remain in secure juvenile detention. They handle these duties as in other adult criminal cases involving someone in custody. Staff must also name a liaison for each pretrial-certified juvenile in… - New support for family legal representation: benefit, low. A new nine-member judicial commission coordinates better legal representation for children and families. The chief justice appoints members, including three attorneys with at least five years representing children and a former Missouri foster youth. Membership also includes a child-advocacy residen… - Missouri ends marriage licenses for minors: cost, medium. Missouri recorders cannot issue a marriage license authorizing anyone under 18 to marry. Parent or guardian consent no longer provides an exception. - More juvenile cases face adult prosecution: cost, low. A motion to change an existing juvenile case can now trigger a hearing on adult prosecution. For ages 14–17, the motion can allege conduct that would be an adult felony. For ages 12–17, hearings are required for dangerous felonies, weapon-involved felonies, or at least two prior unrelated adult-lev… - Trafficking offenders fund local victim services: mixed, high. Guilty pleas or findings for listed offenses require restitution to the Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation Fund, in addition to fines. Specified trafficking offenses require $10,000 per identified victim; section 567.030 requires $2,500 per victim plus $2,500 per offense county. The supplied… - Youth providers gain limits on lawsuits: mixed, medium. Qualified youth-service providers, employees, and contractors are shielded from damages for covered work done in good faith without gross negligence. This can limit families' ability to recover damages. The shield does not cover child abuse or neglect. It ends if the state creates a fund or entity… - Victim fund gains money and safeguards: mixed, low. People who plead guilty to or are found guilty of a class E felony must pay $46 to the Crime Victims' Compensation Fund. This extends the charge already applied to class C and D felonies. The fund keeps its investment interest instead of sending it to general revenue. Gifts and contributions go int… - Adult-jail rules change for juvenile cases: mixed, low. On a juvenile officer's motion, courts can place people 18 or older in adult detention until their juvenile case ends. This includes people who turn 18 while detained. A juvenile under 18 facing adult prosecution must return to adult jail after a release violation if previously transferred there by… - Hazing penalties rise with rescue protections: mixed, low. Hazing that creates a substantial risk to a student's or prospective, current, or former member's life is a class D felony. Other hazing remains a class A misdemeanor. A person present has a hazing defense if first to call 911 or campus security when immediate medical help appears necessary. The ca… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Travis Fitzwater (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-05-07 | House | Reported Do Pass | pass | 7 | 0 | | | 2025-05-06 | House | Reported Do Pass | pass | 8 | 0 | | | 2025-05-01 | House | HCS Reported Do Pass | pass | 10 | 1 | | ## Actions (26) - 2025-07-09: Delivered to Secretary of State (G) - 2025-07-09: Approved by Governor (G) - 2025-05-30: Delivered to Governor - 2025-05-29: Signed by House Speaker (House) - 2025-05-09: Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed - 2025-05-09: Taken Up - 2025-05-08: Reported to the Senate with... - HCS as amended (House) - 2025-05-08: Third Read and Passed with Amendments - With HA 1, HA 2. (House) - 2025-05-08: HCS Adopted (House) - 2025-05-08: Title of Bill - Agreed To - 2025-05-08: Taken Up for Third Reading (House) - 2025-05-07: Reported Do Pass - AYES: 7 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0 (House) - 2025-05-07: Voted Do Pass (House) - 2025-05-07: Executive Session Completed (House) - 2025-05-06: Referred: Fiscal Review (House) - 2025-05-06: Reported Do Pass - AYES: 8 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0 (House) - 2025-05-06: Voted Do Pass (House) - 2025-05-06: Executive Session Completed (House) - 2025-05-01: Referred: Rules - Legislative (House) - 2025-05-01: HCS Reported Do Pass - AYES: 10 NOES: 1 PRESENT: 0 (House) - 2025-04-30: HCS Voted Do Pass (House) - 2025-04-30: Executive Session Completed (House) - 2025-04-02: Public Hearing Completed (House) - 2025-03-11: Referred: Judiciary (House) - 2025-03-10: Read Second Time (House) - 2025-03-06: Reported to the House and First Read (House) ## Bill text - Truly Agreed, 2025-05-09: [PDF](https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills251/hlrbillspdf/1205H.06T.pdf) - Committee Substitute: [PDF](https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills251/hlrbillspdf/1205H.06C.pdf) ## Related bills - HB3: Appropriates money for the expenses, grants, refunds, and distributions of the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (signed) - HB8: Appropriates money for the expenses, grants, refunds, and distributions of the Department of Public Safety and the Department of National Guard (signed) - HB11: Appropriates money for the expenses, grants, refunds, and distributions of the Department of Social Services (signed) - HB10: Appropriates money for the expenses, grants, refunds, and distributions of the Department of Mental Health, the Department of Health and Senior Services, and t… (signed) - SB79: Modifies provisions relating to health care (signed) - SB271: Modifies provisions relating to emergency services (signed) ## Sources - [Truly Agreed (PDF)](https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills251/hlrbillspdf/1205H.06T.pdf) - [Committee Substitute (PDF)](https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills251/hlrbillspdf/1205H.06C.pdf) ## Related - [HB3: Appropriates money for the expenses, grants, refunds, and distributions of the…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MO-HB3-2025) - [HB8: Appropriates money for the expenses, grants, refunds, and distributions of the…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MO-HB8-2025) - [HB11: Appropriates money for the expenses, grants, refunds, and distributions of the…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MO-HB11-2025) - [HB10: Appropriates money for the expenses, grants, refunds, and distributions of the…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MO-HB10-2025) - [SB79: Modifies provisions relating to health care](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MO-SB79-2025) - [SB271: Modifies provisions relating to emergency services](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MO-SB271-2025) - [Missouri bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/missouri/bills) - [Missouri state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/missouri) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MO-SB43-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).