As a resident of Missouri, it’s important to stay up to date on state laws so you know what is happening around you. Laws ensure your safety, and by knowing what law changes will be happening in the coming year, you can ensure you stay safe and keep others safe as well by following those laws.
However, the legal system can get confusing. It can be hard to keep track of all the changes coming and whether or not they were passed. Thankfully, we take some of the work out for you and have compiled some of the most important law changes coming to Missouri in 2022.
It’s important to note that while some of these are definite changes, others are bills on the table that have not been passed yet, but they could be changes you need to know about that will eventually take effect in the coming year.
Table of Contents
Closing a Loophole
Currently, there is a loophole in the law that allows a person with a domestic violence offense to still purchase a gun. Legislation for the next session will be brought up to close this loophole. The loophole was created in 2016 when legislation to expand concealed carry laws erased language from the statute that keeps domestic violence offenders from purchasing firearms.
House Bill 473 works to close this potentially deadly loophole. It’s uncertain if it will be passed this year, but it is being pushed by its creator to be passed so victims of domestic violence can be safer from their abusers.
More specifically, HB 473 prevents offenders with domestic violence misdemeanors or people who have a full order of protection filed against them from purchasing a firearm. Their offenses would be reported to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, who would send an alert to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICBCS) following a conviction or upon receiving a full protection order.
From here, if the offender tried to purchase a gun legally, the NICBCS would alert that they are legally not allowed to make that purchase when their background check is run for purchase. This bill is a priority, as it is essential in protecting survivors of domestic abuse.
Discrimination Based on Hairstyles
Under the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), workers cannot be discriminated against based on sex, religion, and race, among many other factors of their person. SB 994 extends this prohibition of discrimination based on race as it applies to hair styles.
This legislature protects people with natural hairstyles from being viewed as unprofessional. Both employers and educational institutions cannot discriminate against an employee, student, or prospected employee or student for their hair texture of if it’s in a protective style, like braids, locks, twists, or an afro.
If passed, this legislation will go into effect August 28, 2022.
Truck Weight Provisions
Another bill that could be passed is HB 2084. This legislation prohibits large trucks of a certain weight from driving in the farthest left lane on the interstate. More specifically, the bill says that trucks with a gross weight of over 24,000 pounds cannot be driving in the far left lane of an interstate where there are three lanes proceeding in the same direction.
They also cannot be driven in this lane within three miles of where an interstate highway and a three-digit numbered Missouri route intersects with the interstate and has a high daily traffic volume. This volume is defined as having an average daily traffic count of at least 130,000 vehicles at one point. Trucks are only allowed to use this far left lane in an emergency.
This could be important information for truck drivers in our state, as it could lessen the amount of truck accidents seen on our interstates.
Thomas Law Offices Aims to Keep You Informed
When going into a new year, there’s a lot you need to consider to keep you and your family safe. One of those considerations should be how the law could be changing in your state and how those changes apply to you. While not every law will apply to you, it’s still important to know.
You can keep yourself informed by following Missouri legislature, or by keeping up to date with our blog. At Thomas Law Offices, our goal is to keep the people of Missouri, and nationwide, informed about the law changes that affect them.
Reach out to our office today if you have questions or need legal help.
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