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Bill

HB 1967

Requires members of the general assembly to stay present in a hearing when a bill they sponsor is being heard

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Jeremy Dean

Requires bill sponsor to stay for entire public hearing; may leave up to 10 minutes for health/personal needs, must return, meals/meetings excluded.

Referred: Emerging Issues(H)
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Bill Summary · HB 1967

Purpose and intent

  • Establishes a requirement that the sponsor of a bill must remain present in the hearing room for the entirety of the public hearing on that bill.
  • Provides a narrow exception allowing the sponsor to leave briefly (up to ten minutes) to address health or personal needs, with a mandatory return to the hearing room within ten minutes.
  • Defines “health or personal needs” as essential activities necessary to maintain physical well-being and clarifies that this does not include meals or meetings.

Key provisions and changes

  • New section added to Chapter 21, RSMo, designated as Section 21.489.
  • Subsection 1: The bill sponsor must stay in the hearing room for the full duration of the public hearing on the sponsor’s bill.
  • Subsection 2: The sponsor may depart the hearing room for up to ten minutes to attend to health or personal needs and must return within ten minutes.
  • Subsection 3: Defines “health or personal needs” to cover essential activities for physical well-being; explicitly excludes meals and meetings as qualifying reasons for leaving.

Who or what would be affected

  • Members who sponsor a bill in the Missouri General Assembly.
  • Public hearings on sponsored bills in the chamber where the bill is being heard.
  • The procedural flow of hearings, particularly in ensuring sponsor presence throughout the hearing.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • First introduced in the 2026 session; referred to the Emerging Issues (H) committee on May 15, 2026.
  • Prior history indicates similar provisions were considered in HB 1392 during the 2025 session.
  • Bill text indicates a straightforward requirement with a short allowable exception; no specified penalty or enforcement mechanism is included in the drafted language.
  • Trademarked as part of the ongoing legislative process; the sponsor listed is Jeremy Dean (Co-sponsor) with primary sponsor Dean.

Additional context

  • The bill’s explanatory notes emphasize that the sponsor’s presence is required for the entire hearing, reinforcing accountability and visibility of sponsorship during testimony.
  • The text explicitly clarifies the scope of the exception (health/personal needs) and excludes meals or meetings, aiming to prevent routine interruptions.

If you’d like, I can compare this bill to HB 1392 (2025) or lay out potential implications for committee management and public testimony.

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

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