Missouri governor signs eight bills into law

JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Today, Governor Mike Kehoe signed eight pieces of legislation into law: Senate Bills (SB) 907, 914, 982, and 1142, and House Bills (HB) 1786, 1866, 1870, and 2180 

"We are proud to sign these bills into law today that protect businesses, improve public safety, and promote efficiency and good governance," said Governor Kehoe. "I appreciate the efforts of the members of the General Assembly in sending many pieces of responsible legislation to my desk this session. Our office looks forward to reviewing and signing additional bills in the coming weeks."

The eight bills Governor Kehoe signed into law are as follows:

Here’s a concise summary of the bills:

* SB 907 — Establishes the “Act Against Abusive Website Access Litigation,” allowing businesses and others sued over alleged website accessibility violations to challenge lawsuits they consider abusive or primarily aimed at extracting settlements. The bill creates potential penalties and fee-shifting against plaintiffs or attorneys found to have filed abusive litigation. Critics argue it could discourage legitimate disability-access claims under the ADA.

* SB 914 — Updates Missouri sewage regulations by shifting septic-system standards from traditional percolation testing toward soil-property evaluations. The bill also authorizes certified soil morphology evaluators to conduct inspections and removes provisions allowing contractors to perform percolation tests. Supporters say the changes modernize septic oversight and improve environmental standards.

* SB 982 — Revises Missouri’s sex offender registry system by adopting a tier-based classification structure for offenders. Individuals convicted of Tier I, II, or III offenses in Missouri or other jurisdictions would be required to register according to the new framework. The bill standardizes registration categories and broadens applicability across jurisdictions.

* SB 1142 — Modifies rules governing series limited liability companies (LLCs). The legislation allows the Secretary of State to issue certificates of good standing for individual LLC series and requires each series to be separately searchable in the state business database beginning in 2027. Business groups say the bill improves transparency and administrative clarity for complex LLC structures.

* HB 1786 — Raises the threshold requiring special legislative approval for Missouri Highway Patrol vehicle and equipment purchases from $100,000 to $500,000. The change applies to motor vehicles, watercraft, motors, and trailers and is intended to streamline procurement operations.

* HB 1866 — Revises peace officer training and licensing provisions. The bill allows the Department of Public Safety to deny licensure to applicants whose law enforcement certifications were previously revoked or surrendered. Amendments also expand school protection officer provisions to charter schools and require additional active-shooter and firearms training.

* HB 1870 — Makes broad changes to Missouri garnishment and debt-collection law. The legislation increases exemptions protecting personal property, vehicles, household goods, and homesteads from attachment or execution, while also updating procedures governing financial-institution garnishments and debtor examinations. Supporters say the bill modernizes outdated exemption limits to reflect inflation and current economic conditions.

* HB 2180 — Allows Missouri agencies, particularly the Department of Revenue, to use first-class mail or electronic delivery instead of certified or registered mail for many official notices. The bill is designed to reduce mailing costs and improve administrative efficiency while maintaining requirements for certified mail in certain adverse-action cases.

For more information on the legislation signed into law, visit senate.mo.gov and house.mo.gov.