Text of MO HB 744 (2025)

FIRST REGULAR SESSION HOUSE BILL NO. 744 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE BAKER. 1719H.01I DANA RADEMAN MILLER, Chief Clerk AN ACT To repeal sections 37.850 and 170.231, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof four new sections relating to duties and responsibilities of public entities. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows: Section A. Sections 37.850 and 170.231, RSMo, are repealed and four new sections 2 enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 37.850, 161.841, 170.231, and 170.355, to 3 read as follows: 37.850. 1. The commissioner of administration shall maintain the Missouri 2 accountability portal established in executive order 07-24 as a free, internet-based tool 3 allowing citizens to demand fiscal discipline and responsibility. 4 2. The Missouri accountability portal shall consist of an easy-to-search database of 5 financial transactions related to: 6 (1) The purchase of goods and services and the distribution of funds for state 7 programs; 8 (2) All bonds issued by any public institution of higher education, public school 9 district, or political subdivision of this state or its designated authority after August 28, 2013; 10 (3) All obligations issued or incurred pursuant to section 99.820 by any political 11 subdivision of this state or its designated authority; [and] 12 (4) The revenue stream pledged to repay such bonds or obligations; 13 (5) All forms of compensation and benefits paid to or on behalf of public 14 employees including, but not limited to, employees of political subdivisions, public 15 institutions of higher education, public school districts, and public charter schools; and 16 (6) All debt incurred by any public charter school. EXPLANATION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is intended to be omitted from the law. Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language. 17 3. The Missouri accountability portal shall be updated each state business day and 18 maintained as the primary source of information about the activity of Missouri's government. 19 4. Upon the conducting of a withholding or a release of funds, the governor shall 20 submit a report stating all amounts withheld from the state's operating budget for the current 21 fiscal year, as authorized by Article IV, Section 27 of the Missouri Constitution which shall 22 be: 23 (1) Conspicuously posted on the accountability portal website; 24 (2) Searchable by the amounts withheld or released from each individual fund; and 25 (3) Searchable by the total amount withheld or released from the operating budget. 26 5. Every political subdivision of the state, including public institutions of higher 27 education [but excluding], public school districts, and public charter schools, shall supply 28 all information described in subsection 2 of this section to the office of administration within 29 [seven days of issuing or incurring such corresponding bond or obligation. For all such bonds 30 or obligations issued or incurred prior to August 28, 2013, every such political subdivision 31 and public institution of higher education shall have ninety days to supply such information 32 to] the number of days and in a manner to be determined by the office of administration. 33 6. Every school district and public charter school shall supply all information 34 described in subdivisions (2), (4), (5), and (6) of subsection 2 of this section to the 35 department of elementary and secondary education [within seven days of issuing such bond, 36 or incurring such debt]. The department of elementary and secondary education shall have 37 forty-eight hours to deliver such information to the office of administration. [For all such 38 bonds issued or debt incurred prior to August 28, 2013, every school district and public 39 charter school shall have ninety days to supply such information to the department of 40 elementary and secondary education. The department of elementary and secondary education 41 shall have forty-eight hours to deliver such information to the office of administration.] 161.841. 1. This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Parents' Bill of 2 Rights Act". 3 2. As used in this section, the term "parent" means a child's parent, guardian, or 4 other person having control or custody of the child. 5 3. This section shall be construed to empower parents with the right to enroll 6 their minor child in a public school or, as an alternative to public education, a private 7 school, including a religious school; a home education program; or other available 8 option, as authorized by law, and to empower parents to exercise the following rights 9 against school districts and public schools in which their children are enrolled that 10 receive any federal or state moneys: 11 (1) The right to know what their minor child is being taught in school including, 12 but not limited to, curricula adopted under section 160.514; HB 744 2 13 (2) The right to receive information, upon request, about who is teaching their 14 minor child including, but not limited to, guest lecturers and outside presenters; 15 (3) The right to receive information, upon request, about individuals and 16 organizations receiving school contracts and funding in the school in which their minor 17 child is enrolled, except that no personally identifiable information about any student 18 shall be released; 19 (4) The right to visit the school and check in on their minor child during school 20 hours; 21 (5) The right to view and, upon request, receive all school records, medical or 22 otherwise, concerning their minor child; 23 (6) The right to receive information about the collection and transmission of 24 their minor child's data; 25 (7) The right to have sufficient and effective accountability and transparency 26 regarding school boards; and 27 (8) The right to know about situations affecting their minor child's safety in 28 school. 29 4. (1) Each school district and charter school shall develop policies and 30 procedures for such school district and charter school to follow to accommodate and 31 assist parents in the exercise of the parental rights to know and receive information as 32 described in subsection 3 of this section. Such policies and procedures shall describe the 33 methods such school district and charter school shall use to allow parents to exercise 34 such parental rights to the fullest extent. 35 (2) Each school board and charter school's governing board shall affirm the 36 board's commitment to ensuring sufficient and effective accountability and 37 transparency to parents in the school district by adopting policies that: 38 (a) Recognize and affirm the protected right of parents to seek effective means of 39 outreach to supervise and guide the education of their minor child; 40 (b) Assist parents in the exercise of parental rights to the fullest extent; 41 (c) Encourage communication between parents and board members relating to 42 parental rights and parental concerns about their minor child's education and 43 educational experience; 44 (d) Collaborate with parents to identify ways in which parents can exercise 45 parental rights and communicate such ways to parents in a clear, consistent manner that 46 can be easily understood by all parents; and 47 (e) Conduct board meetings in compliance with section 162.058, subject to the 48 authorized closure of any portion of such meeting under section 610.021 when such 49 meeting pertains to curricula or general safety. HB 744 3 50 (3) Each school board and charter school's governing board shall adopt such 51 policies and procedures for the 2026-27 school year and all subsequent school years. 52 5. Each school district and public school shall develop policies and procedures 53 for such school district or public school to follow to notify parents in a timely manner of 54 all reported incidents pertaining to student safety including, but not limited to, any 55 instance of a teacher or other school employee being detained or arrested for or charged 56 with any felony or misdemeanor and any act or instance reportable under subsection 1, 57 2, or 3 of section 167.117, except that no personally identifiable information about any 58 individual involved shall be released. 59 6. (1) Each school district and public school shall adopt reasonable procedures 60 for parents to follow when exercising the parental right to visit the school and their 61 minor child during school hours. 62 (2) Each school district and public school shall adopt reasonable procedures for 63 parents to follow: 64 (a) During an emergency in which the safety of the students requires: 65 a. A lockdown to limit exposure of building occupants to an imminent hazard or 66 threat; or 67 b. A lockout to prevent an outside hazard or threat from entering the building; 68 or 69 (b) When such school district or public school is required to prohibit an 70 individual from having any interaction with a minor child that violates any order 71 entered under any provision of state or federal law restricting or prohibiting such 72 individual from interacting with such minor child. 73 7. No school district or public school shall require nondisclosure agreements or 74 similar forms for a parent's review of curricula. Each public school or school district 75 shall allow parents to make a copy of curriculum documents or receive such curriculum 76 documents in an electronic format, provided that no request would cause an 77 infringement of copyright protections provided under the federal Copyright Act of 78 1976 (17 U.S.C. Section 101 et seq.), as amended. 79 8. No school district or public school shall require nondisclosure agreements or 80 similar forms for a parent's review of individualized education program meetings, 81 mediations, due process hearings, or other dispute resolution options as outlined in 82 accordance with 34 CFR 300.320 to 300.324 and under 20 U.S.C. Section 1401, as 83 amended. 84 9. No school district or public school shall allow student involvement in school 85 assemblies, except for assemblies organized solely for the support of student athletics or HB 744 4 86 co-curricular events, or field trips unless the child's parents provide written 87 authorization for such student involvement. 88 10. No school district or public school shall collect any biometric data or other 89 sensitive personal information about a minor child without obtaining written parental 90 consent before collecting such data or information. 91 11. No school district or public school shall provide any school records as 92 described in subdivision (5) of subsection 3 of this section in violation of any relevant 93 state or federal privacy law or policy protecting or limiting access to such minor child's 94 school records. 95 12. (1) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, no 96 employee of any public school or school district shall encourage, coerce, or attempt to 97 coerce a minor child to withhold information from such minor child's parents. 98 (2) Any such employee required to report suspected abuse or neglect under 99 sections 210.109 to 210.183 may encourage a minor child to withhold information where 100 disclosure could reasonably result in abuse or neglect. 101 13. (1) The attorney general of this state or any parent of a minor child enrolled 102 in a school district or a public school may bring a civil action for injunctive relief against 103 the school district or public school in which their child is enrolled if such school district 104 or public school violates this section. Such action shall be brought in the county where 105 the violation occurred. 106 (2) (a) If a court finds that the school district or public school has knowingly 107 engaged in multiple or repeated violations of this section, the department of elementary 108 and secondary education shall withhold all moneys provided by monthly distribution of 109 state formula funding to such school district or public school until such school district or 110 public school is in compliance with this section. 111 (b) If a court finds that the facts alleged in a petition filed under this section are 112 unfounded and that the petition was filed frivolously and in bad faith, the petitioner 113 shall be responsible for the school district's or public school's reasonable attorney's fees 114 attributable to the defense of the petition. 115 (3) After the school district or public school provides evidence that such school 116 district or public school is in compliance with this section, the department shall restore 117 the distribution of the funding to its original amount before the distribution was 118 withheld. 119 (4) Any moneys that were withheld under this subsection shall be released to 120 such school district or public school only if such school district or public school 121 establishes compliance with this section within one year of the court finding that the 122 school district or public school violated this section. HB 744 5 123 14. This section shall not be construed to limit the inalienable rights of a parent 124 or taxpayer, regardless of whether such rights are enumerated in the provisions of this 125 section. 170.231. 1. The school board of each school district and the governing board of 2 each charter school shall provide that all public school instructional material intended for 3 use in connection with any public school classroom instruction, or any public school research 4 or experimentation program or project, shall be available for inspection by any person. For 5 the purpose of this section, "classroom instruction" shall mean any public school instruction 6 involving teachers and students or peers and students; "research or experimentation program 7 or project" shall mean any public school research or experimentation program or project 8 designed to explore or develop new and unproven teaching methods and techniques. 9 2. (1) The school board of each school district and the governing board of each 10 charter school shall prominently post on the home page of the school board's or charter 11 school's website, in such a manner that the information is available to the public, 12 curricula adopted under section 160.514 that is intended for use by such school district 13 or charter school in connection with school instruction in math, social studies, science, 14 English, foreign language, fine arts, health, physical education, and vocational 15 education. If such school board or governing board adopts a change of any 16 curriculum used by such school district or charter school, such school board's or 17 charter school's website shall be updated within thirty days after such change is 18 adopted. 19 (2) The school board of each school district and the governing board of each 20 charter school shall notify parents and guardians that the curriculum list on the website 21 has been updated by posting a notice on such school board's or charter school's website 22 and providing notice in a newsletter or other written communication that is regularly 23 distributed to parents and guardians. 24 (3) Where the curricular materials being made available to parents for review 25 are subject to copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property protection, the 26 review process shall include technical and procedural safeguards to ensure that the 27 materials are not able to be widely disseminated to the general public in violation of the 28 intellectual property rights of the publisher and content validity is not undermined. 29 (4) (a) The school board of each school district and the governing board of each 30 charter school shall prominently post on the home page of the school district or charter 31 school's website, in such a manner that the information is available to the public, a link 32 that will provide access to the title, author, and bibliographic information for all books 33 available for students to read or access through the district or charter school's library 34 management system. HB 744 6 35 (b) Each school district and charter school shall provide a system by which a 36 parent or legal guardian may be notified, upon request, of books accessed by such 37 parent or legal guardian's student. 38 (5) (a) The attorney general of this state or any parent of a minor child enrolled 39 in a school district or a public school may bring a civil action for injunctive relief against 40 the school district or public school in which their child is enrolled if such school district 41 or public school violates this subsection. Such action shall be brought in the county 42 where the violation occurred. 43 (b) a. If a court finds that the school district or public school has knowingly 44 engaged in multiple or repeated violations of this subsection, the department of 45 elementary and secondary education shall withhold all moneys provided by monthly 46 distribution of state formula funding to such school district or public school until such 47 school district or public school is in compliance with this subsection. 48 b. If a court finds that the facts alleged in a petition filed under this section are 49 unfounded and that the petition was filed frivolously and in bad faith, the petitioner 50 shall be responsible for the school district's or public school's reasonable attorney's fees 51 attributable to the defense of the petition. 52 (c) After the school district or public school provides evidence that such school 53 district or public school is in compliance with this subsection, the department shall 54 restore the distribution of the funding to its original amount before the distribution was 55 withheld. 56 (d) Any moneys that were withheld under this subsection shall be released to 57 such school district or public school only if such school district or public school 58 establishes compliance with this subsection within one year of the court finding that the 59 school district or public school violated this subsection. 60 (6) This subsection shall apply in the 2026-27 school year and all subsequent 61 school years. 170.355. 1. As used in this section, the following terms mean: 2 (1) "Parent", a student's parent, guardian, or other person having control or 3 custody of the student; 4 (2) "School", a public school or school district as such terms are defined in 5 section 160.011. 6 2. No school or school employee shall compel a teacher or student to personally 7 adopt, affirm, adhere to, or profess ideas in violation of Title IV or Title VI of the federal 8 Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, including the following: 9 (1) That individuals of any race, ethnicity, color, or national origin are inherently 10 superior or inferior; HB 744 7 11 (2) That individuals should be adversely or advantageously treated on the basis 12 of individual race, ethnicity, color, or national origin; or 13 (3) That individuals, by virtue of their race, ethnicity, color, or national origin, 14 bear collective guilt and are inherently responsible for actions committed in the past by 15 other members of the same race, ethnicity, color, or national origin. 16 3. No course of instruction or unit of study offered by any school shall direct or 17 otherwise compel students to personally affirm, adopt, or adhere to any of the ideas 18 listed in subsection 2 of this section. 19 4. No course of instruction, unit of study, professional development, or training 20 program shall direct or otherwise compel teachers to personally affirm, adopt, or 21 adhere to any of the ideas listed in subsection 2 of this section. 22 5. (1) No school employee, when acting in the course of such employee's official 23 duties, shall organize, participate in, or carry out any act or communication that would 24 violate subsection 2 of this section. 25 (2) This subsection shall not be construed to prohibit a school employee from 26 discussing the ideas and history of the ideas listed in subsection 2 of this section. 27 6. This section shall not be construed to prohibit teachers or students from 28 discussing public policy issues or ideas that individuals may find unwelcome, 29 disagreeable, or offensive. 30 7. Students, parents, or teachers may file a complaint with the department of 31 elementary and secondary education or with the state attorney general's office 32 regarding any violation of this section. ✔ HB 744 8