All Courts Legislation - Missouri

SB 1285 - Effective January 1, 2009, for all charter counties and the City of St. Louis, assessors are required to provide the city or county clerks with assessment books on or before March first of each year. The city or county clerks must make abstracts of the assessment books showing the aggregate amounts of different types of property and the valuations of each type for each political subdivision levying taxes on property. The governing bodies of political subdivisions must use the information provided in the abstracts to informally project non-binding tax rate levies and provide such projected levies to the clerk no later than April 15th of each year. Utilizing the projected tax levies, the county collector must then calculate the projected tax liability for each property for which the assessor intends to provide a notice of increased assessed value by April thirtieth. Failure by a political subdivision to provide projected tax levies by April 15th will result in a twenty percent reduction [...]

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SB 1249 - This act provides that in any case involving child custody or support, the court may appoint a parenting coordinator as a neutral third party to assist the parents in resolving disputes concerning parental responsibilities and the implementation of a court-ordered parenting plan. The court order appointing such parenting coordinator shall specify the matters which the coordinator has authority to determine, however, appointment of a coordinator shall not divest the court of its exclusive jurisdiction and control of the case. The parenting coordinator shall possess the same qualifications as a mediator under Supreme Court Rule 88.05. A parenting coordinator may be appointed despite party objection if the court makes findings that the case is high-conflict, and that appointment of a coordinator is in the best interest of the child or children. The court shall consider the effect of any evidence of domestic violence on the parties' ability to engage in parent coordination [...]

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SB 1242 - This act modifies various provisions relating to foster care and adoption. The act: Provides that any employee of the Children's Division of the Department of Social Services may choose to become qualified or licensed as an emergency placement provider, a respite care provider, or a licensed foster home. Any employee who becomes qualified or licensed shall not provide care for any child in his or her caseload, but may, upon supervisory approval, choose to transfer the case to another employee in order to be able to provide such care. Sections 210.482, 210.486.7, and 210.545. Requires the Children's Division to establish procedures and promulgate rules to provide applications to become a licensed foster or preadoptive home, and approximately one half of all training, education, or other coursework to become licensed shall be available and able to be completed on an Internet website created and maintained by the division. Section 210.486.8. Requires the guardian ad [...]

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SB 1227 - This act extends expiration dates for law enforcement and public safety related exceptions to the Open Meetings and Records Law, commonly known as the Sunshine Law, from December 31, 2008 to December 31, 2012. This act allows records and documents regarding internal investigations by a law enforcement agency on the fitness and conduct of an officer employed by the agency, which are used solely for employment matters, to remain closed unless the records and documents are used in a criminal investigation. The Social Security number, date of birth, address, or any other personal identifier of a law enforcement officer shall be removed from any criminal case record in which the officer is not the defendant before the record is made available to the public unless the court determines that disclosure will not harm the officer or the officer's family. If an unauthorized disclosure results in physical or financial harm to an officer or his or her family, the person disclosing [...]

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SB 1165 - This act provides that certain individuals and entities that disseminate information to the public by print, broadcast, cable, satellite, mechanical, photographic, electronic, or other means shall not be required to disclose, in any state or federal proceeding, the source of such information. Such persons and entities also shall not be required to disclose any unpublished or non-broadcast information obtained or prepared in the gathering, receiving, or processing of information for any medium of public communication as described in this act. The person or entity seeking the information may move the circuit court in the county where the proceeding is located for an order to require a person claiming the privilege to disclose the information sought. The motion shall include the name of the person claiming the privilege, the entity with which he or she was connected at the time he or she obtained the information, the specific information sought and its relevancy to the proceeding,[...]

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SB 1147 - This act provides that a petitioner may at any time file a petition to challenge entry of a judgment of paternity and child support upon filing an affidavit stating that evidence exists which was not considered before entry of judgment. Such petition shall also include either an allegation that genetic testing was conducted within the past 90 days using DNA methodology, was performed by an expert, and that the test results indicate a 99% or greater probability that the petitioner is not the child's father or a request to the court for an order of genetic paternity testing using DNA methodology. The court, after a hearing where all interested parties have been given an opportunity to present evidence and be heard and upon a finding of probable cause to believe the testing may result in a determination of non-paternity, may order the relevant parties to submit to genetic paternity testing. The petitioner shall pay for the costs of testing. The court shall grant relief and [...]

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SB 1143 - This act provides that no television advertisement for legal services shall contain a false or misleading statement about the lawyer, law firm, or the legal services. False or misleading advertisements shall include, but are not limited to, the conditions listed in this act. Television advertisements for legal services shall contain a disclaimer stating, in writing and orally, that the Missouri Supreme Court cautions that the choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. If any advertiser of legal services routinely refers cases acquired by television advertising to lawyer not employed by the lawyer, law firm, or entity whose name appears on the advertisement, then it shall contain a warning stating, in writing and orally, that the case may be referred to lawyers or law firms that are not employed by the advertising law firm. Television advertisements that include amounts of past verdicts or settlements shall include [...]

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SB 1050 - This act shall be known as the "Asbestos and Silica Claims Priorities Act". The act requires that any claimant in an action alleging an asbestos or silica claim must file together with the complaint or other initial pleading a narrative medical report and diagnosis signed by a qualifying physician, accompanied by supporting test results, constituting prima facie evidence of the claimant's asbestos-related or silica-related injury. If the court finds that the claimant has failed to make the required prima facie showing, the claim shall be dismissed without prejudice. Claimants are also required to file a sworn information form containing all of the information listed in this act. No asbestos or silica claims shall be filed on behalf of a class or group, other than claims relating to the exposed person and members of his or her family. However, the court may consolidate asbestos or silica claims with the consent of all parties, or may consolidate cases for pretrial or discovery [...]

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SB 956 - The act changes the expiration dates of the staggered terms for the first appointed members of a public water supply district board by changing the ending month from June to April. Under current law, a circuit court must follow certain public notice requirements when holding a hearing regarding the detachment of property that is part of a public water supply district. This act increases the timeframe from 5 to 7 for the maximum number of days before the hearing date in which the last public hearing notice must be published in the county newspaper. In the event the court approves a detachment of property from a public water supply district, the court shall include in its decree a description of the district after the detachment as well as make any appropriate changes to the subdistrict boundary lines. Any changes in subdistrict boundaries shall not become effective until the next annual board of directors election. Certified copies of any court order regarding a detachment [...]

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SB 914 - This act creates the Healthy Pet Act. Pet dealers are required to have their dogs and cats examined by a licensed veterinarian no greater than 30 days prior to sale. The act requires that pet dealers provide a written statement to the purchaser of any dog or cat containing certain facts about the animal's birth, breeding, physical traits, and medical history. The written statement shall also include a statement signed by both the pet dealer and the purchaser that the animal has no known disease, illness, or adverse health condition or the statement shall alternatively disclose any known disease, illness or adverse health condition. The act requires pet dealers to maintain certain records for up to 12 months following the date of sale of any dog or cat. Pet dealers are prohibited from selling any dog or cat with any obvious clinical sign of an infectious, contagious, parasitic, or communicable disease or with any condition for which hospitalization or nonelective surgery [...]

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