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SB 889

HCS/SS/SB 889 - The act repeals and reassigns duties for a number of administrative entities. The Division of Workforce Development within the Department of Economic Development is renamed and moved to the Office of Workforce Development within the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development. The Board for Certification of Interpreters is repealed and its duties assigned to the Missouri Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The Life Sciences Research Board is repealed and its duties assigned the Department of Economic Development. The act repeals the Missouri Quality Home Care Council as well as all duties of the Council. The act repeals the following entities: the AgriMissouri Advisory Commission for Marketing Missouri Agricultural Products; the Coordinating Board for Early Childhood; the Minority Environmental Literacy Advisory Committee; the Missouri Cybersecurity Commission; the Small Business Compliance Advisory Committee; and the Commission on the Special Health, Psychological and Social Needs of Minority Older Individuals the Joint Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Awareness; the Missouri Task Force on Fair, Nondiscriminatory Local Taxation Concerning Motor Vehicles, Trailers, Boats, and Outboard Motors; the Study Commission on State Tax Policy; the Electric Vehicle Task Force; the Career Readiness Course Task Force; the Infection Control Advisory Panel; the Missouri Arthritis Advisory Board and the Arthritis Program Review Committee; the Missouri Task Force on the Prevention of Infant Abuse and Neglect; the Trauma-Informed Care for Children and Families Task Force; the Sentencing and Corrections Oversight Commission; the Advisory Board of Vocational Enterprises Program; the Task Force on the Petroleum Storage Tank Insurance Fund; the Joint Task Force on Radiologic Technologist Licensure; the Missouri Electronic Prior Authorization Committee; the Task Force on Fair, Nondiscriminatory Local Taxation Concerning Solar Energy Systems; the Missouri Rights of Victims of Sexual Assault Task Force; and the Ozark Exploration Bicentennial Commission. Currently, the Joint Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect expired on January 15, 2023. This act extends the expiration to August 28, 2031, and requires the Committee to send copies of its reports to leadership in the General Assembly. The act additionally repeals the Missouri Economic Diversification and Afforestation Act of 1990. These provisions are identical to SB 790 (2025). Further, this act repeals a number of provisions of law concerning the acquisition of one insurance company by another, the payment of dividends by insurance companies, required deposits by life insurance companies; assessment plan life insurance and stipulated premium plan life insurance, mutual insurance companies other than for life and fire, and required cash reserves for reciprocal or interinsurance exchanges. The act repeals a provision of current law prohibiting the establishment of a state-based health benefit exchange under certain circumstances. This provision is identical to SB 848 (2026). This act also repeals a number of expired, terminated, sunset, and obsolete statutes and references to such statutes contained in other statutes. Many provisions of this act are identical to HRB 1 (2024), which is a bill prepared by the Joint Committee on Legislative Research as required by current law. These provisions are also contained in SS/SB 889 (2026). This act is substantially similar to HCS/SS/SCS/SB 890 (2026) and SB 729 (2025). JIM ERTLE

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Mary Elizabeth Coleman

SB 889 makes it illegal to intentionally distribute a student’s personal information or image without consent when it could harm the student, with penalties up to 1 year in jail or

Voted Do Pass H Fiscal Review
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 889

SB 889 — Criminal Law: Prohibition on Distribution of Students’ Personal Information

Status: Hearing scheduled 2/26 at 1:00 p.m.
Introduced: January 2025 (Maryland) — Sponsor: Senator Henson
Effective date (as drafted): October 1, 2025

Main purpose

SB 889 creates a new criminal prohibition on intentionally distributing a student’s personal identifying information or image without permission when the distributor intends, knows, or acts with reckless disregard that the information will be used to harm the student. The statute is aimed at reducing doxxing, online harassment, and other misuse of student data that can cause physical, emotional, or economic harm.

Key provisions

  • Prohibition: It is unlawful to intentionally distribute the personal identifying information or image of a student enrolled in a secondary (grades 6–12) or postsecondary institution:
    • Without the express permission of the student (or, if the student is under 18, the parent or guardian); and
    • With intent or knowledge, or with reckless disregard, that the information will be used to harm the student.
  • “Distribute” is defined broadly to include giving, selling, transferring, disseminating, publishing, uploading, circulating, broadcasting, making available, allowing access to, or any other form of transmission, electronic or otherwise.
  • “Harm” is defined as physical injury, severe emotional distress, or economic damages.
  • “Personal identifying information” enumerates many data elements, including name, address, telephone number, driver’s license number, Social Security number, employment identifiers, health insurance/medical ID numbers, mother’s maiden name, bank/financial account numbers, date of birth, personal identification numbers, biometric data (fingerprint, voiceprint, retina/iris image), digital signature, credit card/payment device numbers, school address, and images.
  • Penalty: Violation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year imprisonment and/or a fine up to $5,000.
  • Free speech carve-out: The bill provides that it may not be construed or applied in a way that violates U.S. Constitutional or Maryland Declaration of Rights free speech protections.

Who is affected

  • Students (K–12 and postsecondary) as potential victims whose identifying information or images are protected.
  • Individuals or entities that publish, post, or otherwise transmit students’ personal information (including third parties, social media users, and publishers).
  • Parents/guardians (consent role for minors).
  • Law enforcement, courts, and school authorities for enforcement and prosecutions.

Enforcement, fiscal, and procedural notes

  • Classified as a misdemeanor; fines and possible jail time create modest potential increases in court fine revenue and limited incarceration costs per the fiscal analysis.
  • The bill supplements existing identity fraud and electronic-communication statutes; it targets distribution specifically tied to foreseeable harm to students.
  • Drafted effective October 1, 2025.

Implementation considerations

  • Broad definition of “distribute” and enumerated data elements could capture a wide range of online sharing — enforcement may require case-by-case assessment of intent/reckless disregard and whether the sharing is protected speech.
  • Schools, parents, and platforms may need to consider policies and notice procedures to reduce unlawful sharing of students’ information.

If you want, I can prepare a one-page factsheet for parents and schools summarizing rights, prohibited conduct, and recommended mitigation steps.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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