Missouri Senate advances package of bills including water-export permitting, judicial-review changes and protections for students and children

The Missouri Senate on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, approved a series of bills including a water-export permitting law, a measure changing judicial review of agency decisions, and statutes addressing student associations, the minimum marriage age, hair-discrimination in K–12 schools, treatment courts and child-protection penalties.

The most contested measures received recorded roll-call votes; several passed by comfortable margins. Sponsors offered brief floor explanations before the roll calls. The measures are now sent to the next step required by legislative process.

Senate Bill 82 — water preservation Senator from Scott, sponsor of Senate Bill 82, described it as a measure “to help protect one of Missouri’s most precious resources, our water.” He said the bill would require entities seeking to export water from Missouri to obtain a permit, report annual water usage, make those reports public and allow the attorney general to investigate complaints. The sponsor said the bill includes a 30-mile limit for end users outside the state, a three-year permit subject to review, and metering and shutoff provisions to prevent unauthorized exports. Vote: 31 ayes, 1 no. Outcome: passed.

Senate Bill 221 — judicial review of agency determinations The sponsor (Senator from the second) described Senate Bill 221 as a judicial non-deference measure tied to…