Senate perfects bill to expand limited driving privileges and add administrative authority

The Missouri Senate perfected Senate Bill 10-87 on Feb. 9 after sponsors clarified limited driving‑privilege language, added a delayed effective date and gave the director of the Department of Revenue parity with courts on authority to grant limited driving permits.

The sponsor told the chamber the bill "updates limited driving privileges in the commonsense ways," allowing limited privileges for travel to places of worship and essential businesses while preserving court oversight. The substitute also created a delayed suspension timeline and required failure to appear on two return dates before triggering certain suspension processes.

Floor amendments changed wording from "may" to "shall" in places to tighten obligations and added the Department of Revenue director as an alternative authority to grant limited driving privileges — a change the sponsor accepted after colleagues argued most hardship or limited‑driving determinations are processed administratively by the Department rather than through court hearings. An amendment offered by the senator from the first substituted mandatory language where floor participants identified potential loopholes.

Senators debated fiscal estimates and practical implementation with municipal court representatives and Department of Revenue processes cited in floor discussion. The sub also included a delayed effective date of Jan. 1, 2027 to give courts and agencies time to prepare. The Senate adopted the amendments and declared the substitute perfected and ordered printed.

Next steps include agency implementation planning and any necessary administrative-rule coordination ahead of the delayed effective date.