JEFF CITY – Missouri starts the week with a wide-ranging slate of new laws taking effect. They range from health care to sports to education.
Perhaps the most notable is that people will now be required to show a photo ID when voting. Previously, registered voters could show one of several documents with their name and address on them. Now, people must present a driver's license or U.S. or state-issued ID with a photo and address. This same new law will ban screen-voting machines in 2024.
As the new school year starts, educators who give K-12 students books with sexually explicit images will face up to a year in prison. The only prohibits books with sexually explicit drawings, photos or other visual depictions. Written descriptions that might be considered sexually explicit do not fall under the ban. And there are exceptions for anatomy, biology, art or other images that are educational.
Meanwhile, the state has changed the definition of a school bus. Any vehicle that can carry more than 10 passengers qualifies. This is designed to help districts with busing difficulties to use vehicles other than traditional buses. The same law includes an unrelated provision to offer new incentives to substitute teachers starting in 2023.
There's a provision taking effect that would allow the state's health director to issue a standing order regarding drug addiction medication. This is particularly designed to combat the state's opioid crisis. The Department of Corrections will also be able to get state funding for the treatment of opioid addiction.
Yet another new measure designates the third week of September as "Historically Black College and University Week."
Also, with Kansas City being chosen as one of the host cities for the 2026 World Cup, there's new law regarding those ticket sales. The sales tax will be eliminated for tickets to matches played in Jackson County during the event.