State of The State: Cuts, Cuts, Cuts.

During the Governor’s State of the State address, we heard familiar themes; tax cuts, deregulation, and shifting responsibilities away from government services. While economic growth is important, growth must benefit working families, not just corporations and high-income earners.

As we now review the proposed budget, I will be closely examining whether funding priorities reflect real needs: fully funding public education, protecting Medicaid expansion approved by voters, investing in infrastructure, and ensuring public safety without cutting vital services. Budget decisions reveal values. I will continue pushing for a budget that reflects Missouri families, not political ideology.

State of the Judiciary: Fails to Happen Due to Republican Pressure

The State of the Judiciary address underscored the importance of judicial independence and access to justice. At a time when legislative efforts increasingly challenge court authority, it is vital that we preserve the separation of powers.

 Missourians deserve courts that are independent, efficient, and accessible, not subject to political pressure when rulings are inconvenient. Protecting judicial oversight is essential to maintaining constitutional balance.

Financial Institutions Committee Update

In 2026 I have been named Ranking Minority Member for the Financial Institutions Committee. This month we reviewed legislation impacting consumer protections and banking oversight. You can find more details weekly here: https://martyjoemurray.com/financial-institutions/. While there is interest from some members in loosening regulatory standards, I remain focused on protecting small businesses, homeowners, and consumers from predatory practices.

We reviewed HB 2103 strengthening notary protections to combat document fraud, HB 2473 creating separate escrow account requirements for real estate brokers, and HB 2636 addressing mortgage modification priority rules. We also discussed HB 1870 updating garnishment exemptions to reflect modern economic realities and HB 2116 modifying tax treatment of Missouri 529 education savings contributions.

On the regulatory side, the committee considered HB 2423 adjusting Division of Finance fee structures, HB 2412 establishing citizen documentation requirements for foreign remittance transfers, and HB 3107 clarifying when financial institutions may rely on written regulatory guidance. We also heard HB 2586 lowering the credit union membership par value to $1 to expand financial inclusion.

Finally, we advanced HJR 159, a proposed constitutional amendment modernizing the State Treasurer’s investment authority to improve potential returns for Missouri taxpayers.

Together, these bills reflect the committee’s ongoing focus: protect consumers, support responsible lending, expand financial access, and ensure our financial laws keep pace with today’s economy

Republicans Refuse to Accept SB 22 Ruling:

The House Elections Committee heard House Bill 3146, which would change how challenged ballot language is reviewed. Under the proposal, the Secretary of State would have multiple chances to rewrite ballot language before a judge could step in and draft a new version.

 I believe we must be careful not to weaken judicial oversight or create delays that could limit voters’ ability to get fair and clear ballot language in a timely manner. Missouri voters deserve transparency, not procedural hurdles.

Republicans Push to gut key Medicaid Expansion Protection

The Missouri House of Representatives granted first-round approval on Feb. 11 to a proposed constitutional amendment to repeal a key portion of the Medicaid expansion measure Missouri voters ratified in 2020 and essentially grant the legislature the authority to make funding for the expanded population optional – something Republican lawmakers attempted in 2021 before being rebuffed by the state Supreme Court.

During debate on House Joint Resolution 154, its Republican sponsor mischaracterized it as merely codifying in the state constitution a new federal law championed by President Donald Trump to impose work requirements on able-bodied Medicaid recipients. Until pressed by Democrats, the sponsor did not mention that it would also repeal an existing constitutional protection prohibiting lawmakers from discriminating against the expanded population of Medicaid beneficiaries.

The federal Affordable Care Act enacted during President Barack Obama’s administration authorized states to expand Medicaid eligibility to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, with the federal government paying 90 percent of that cost. After nearly a decade of Missouri Republicans refusing to implement expansion, voters forced the issue in 2020 by ratifying an amendment constitutionally mandating it.

During the following legislative session, majority Republicans nonetheless tried to thwart expansion by refusing to appropriate the mostly federal funds needed to provide benefits for the expanded population. The GOP obstruction quickly collapsed after the Supreme Court ruled the newly amended state constitution prohibited them from doing so.

HJR 154 would remove that constitutional impediment, allowing future lawmakers to effectively eliminate Medicaid expansion by defunding it. If approved by both legislative chambers, HJR 154 automatically go on the Nov. 3 statewide ballot for voter approval.

House Approves Clarifying that Pregnant Women Can Divorce

The Missouri House of Representatives voted 147-0 on Feb. 12 to make it clear in state law that judges cannot deny granting a divorce or legal separation merely because one spouse is pregnant. The bill now advances to the Senate, where a similar House bill died last year for lack of action.

Although state law doesn’t require delaying divorce proceedings due to pregnancy, some judges do so anyway because of the implications a pregnancy has on child support and custody issues. However, those seeking to end such delays note it can keep a pregnant woman legally tethered to a physically abusive spouse, potentially putting her life and safety at risk.

House Bill 1908 & 2337 is sponsored by state Rep. Raychel Proudie, D-Ferguson. It states that “pregnancy status shall not prevent the court from entering a judgment of dissolution of marriage or legal separation.”

 Hearing Notice: HJR 149 – Missouri General Assembly Term Limits:

Tuesday, 8:00am the House will hold a public hearing on my House Joint Resolution 149, the constitutional amendment I filed relating to legislative term limits. HJR 149 would set a total limit of sixteen years of service in the Missouri General Assembly across both the House and Senate. It also limits how long a member may serve as Speaker of the House or President Pro Tem of the Senate. If approved by the legislature, the proposal would go before Missouri voters in 2026 for a final decision.

Missouri has had term limits since the early 1990s. I believe structural changes to our government should be decided by voters, not politicians alone. This resolution simply asks Missourians to weigh in on how term limits should function moving forward, with the goal of balancing experience, accountability, and effective leadership. You can submit online testimony here:https://witness.house.mo.gov/Default.aspx?noticeid=11194

Budget Committee Plans to Cut Critical Lifelines:

The House debated additional work requirements for SNAP recipients. While workforce participation is important, proposals that add bureaucratic hurdles often harm families who are already working or face barriers such as childcare shortages, transportation challenges, or unstable employment.

We must be cautious not to create administrative obstacles that push vulnerable Missourians deeper into food insecurity. Addressing root causes; wages, access to jobs, and affordable childcare.

The Budget Committee continues reviewing department funding requests for the upcoming fiscal year. With ongoing discussions about reducing revenue through tax cuts, we must carefully consider long-term fiscal sustainability.

Cutting revenue while maintaining essential services is not sustainable budgeting. Investments in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and public safety require stable funding streams. I will continue advocating for a responsible budget that protects services Missourians depend on and avoids shifting costs onto local communities.

Infertility Awareness Advocacy Day 2026

This month at the Capitol we were proud to host Infertility Awareness Advocacy Day, bringing families, advocates, providers, and lawmakers together to confront a reality too many Missourians face in silence. Infertility affects roughly 1 in 6 couples and carries not only a medical burden, but emotional and financial strain as well.
The goal of the day was simple; replace stigma with understanding and move policy from sympathy to solutions.

This session I’ve filed a package of legislation to do exactly that. HB 2236: the Missouri Family Building and Fertility Access Act creates an Infertility Access Program to help patients reach care through travel assistance, telehealth support, outreach, and transparency in insurance coverage. HB 2635: the Families First Fertility Access Act allows MO HealthNet to cover infertility diagnosis and treatment, including IVF, ensuring working families are not priced out of parenthood. And my resolution designating Infertility Awareness Week recognizes the need to educate the public and expand access to care statewide.

What has been most encouraging is the bipartisan support this effort has received. Family building is not a Democratic issue or a Republican issue; it is a human issue. Members on both sides of the aisle have engaged thoughtfully, shared personal stories, and worked collaboratively toward practical solutions so that the ability to start a family in Missouri is not determined by zip code, income, or insurance status.

No More Jail Deaths ACT – RIP Dametria McDile

The death of Dametria McDile at the St. Louis City Justice Center is heartbreaking, and my deepest condolences go out to her children, family, and loved ones. No family should have to learn about a loved one’s final moments through uncertainty and unanswered questions. Reports indicate Ms. McDile was found unresponsive in her cell after complaining of chest pain earlier that day, and despite medical response efforts, she later died at the hospital.

When someone is in government custody, the state assumes responsibility for their safety and wellbeing. The fact that families continue to ask what happened, and why, reflects a failure not just of communication, but of trust.

We must be clear: incarceration is not a death sentence. Continued deaths inside detention facilities demand accountability, transparency, and oversight. This is why I am working to pass HB 1923: the No More Jail Deaths Act. The bill expands the same visitation and inspection access currently allowed in state prisons to also apply to local jails and detention centers, allowing elected officials and authorized representatives to enter facilities and observe conditions. It also requires every jail to adopt formal operating rules and submit them to the Department of Public Safety so they can be reviewed for consistency with statewide standards.

In short, the legislation opens the doors to oversight so problems can be identified before they become tragedies.

Ms. McDile’s death cannot simply become another statistic. Her family deserves answers, and our community deserves a system where custody means care, not danger. Passing HB 1923 is one step toward restoring accountability, rebuilding trust, and ensuring Missouri never treats preventable in-custody deaths as routine.