WAY TOO EARLY 2026 Missouri Legislative Preview
This is your way too early 2026 Missouri legislative preview.
We’ve got over a month until pre-filing of bills opens for the, but that won’t stop us from looking ahead to some big opportunities for Conservatives.
SETTING THE STAGE
Conservatives came into the 2025 legislative session unsure of what to expect. For too long, the Missouri legislature was sleepwalking, even with Conservative supermajorities and trifecta control.
That changed as soon as Governor Mike Kehoe delivered his State of the State address.
The Governor laid out a comprehensive vision for the state and called on the legislature to take action on public safety, education, and economic development.
With the tone set, Conservatives showed up and started stacking wins.
On public safety, they passed HB 495, returning the St. Louis Metropolitan Police department to citizen board control, increasing penalties for fentanyl trafficking, and ensuring cooperation with federal immigration enforcement authorities.
This was a huge win that built the momentum.
Liberals could see the writing on the wall. The Conservative movement was no longer messing around.
On Education, Governor Kehoe and the legislature delivered $50 million in general revenue funding for Missouri’s school choice program.
Conservatives like House Budget Chair Dirk Deaton, who have been fighting for education freedom for years, recognized this investment as historic moment for our state.
On Economic development, Missouri took a huge step forward by becoming the first state to eliminate its tax on capital gains for individuals.
Investors, small business owners, and farmers who sell property or equity now keep 100% of their gains, encouraging reinvestment inside the state rather than capital flight to no-tax states.
Missouri is now able to compete with states like Florida and Texas when it comes to attracting talent and retirees, but with a lower cost of living.
THE 2025 SPECIAL SESSION
Doesn’t the most recent 2025 special session change the outlook?
Hardly.
The 2025 second extraordinary session were packed with Conservative victories. The Governor and the legislature delivered on the Missouri First Map and stand ready to prohibit foreign funding of ballot measure campaigns into the state constitution.
The message to Liberals and any other obstructionists in Jefferson City should be clear: Conservatives are united and unafraid.
If they want to get something done, they need to work with Conservatives instead of against them.
2026 PRIORITIES
So where does that leave us as we approach the 2026 session?
Conservatives have all the momentum. It’s their responsibility to keep delivering for the people of Missouri.
INCOME TAX ELIMINATION
Eliminating the state income was a hot topic on the campaign trail. Last year, income tax elimination bills made it further than they ever had before.
Today, our team met for another discussion on a sustainable and comprehensive plan to eliminate Missouri’s individual income tax. Our administration is committed to this goal.
— Governor Mike Kehoe (@GovMikeKehoe) February 24, 2025
While we work on developing a responsible plan, I hope the legislature will pass additional SB 509… pic.twitter.com/8VNm2REAsO
The Capital Gains Tax elimination was a huge first step. Now it’s time for Missouri to join the ranks of zero percent income tax states.
Missouri's income tax is holding it back. #MOLeg #MOGov pic.twitter.com/H8Gsr9eYBs
— Liberty Alliance (@LibertyAllUSA) September 29, 2025
There’s a tax revolution happening in this country and Missouri’s income tax is holding it back.
FIGHTING ESG
Like DEI, ESG is another name for the Leftist ideology that is infecting our institutions.
Specifically, ESG refers to “environmental, social, and governance” standards that banks and other financial institutions use to force their politics onto businesses and communities.
In Missouri, we’ve fallen behind other similarly governed states in our protections against ESG.
Missouri lags behind other Conservative trifecta states in its protections against ESG. #MOLeg #MOGov pic.twitter.com/SaVtLinzVr
— Liberty Alliance (@LibertyAllUSA) August 21, 2025
If your investment firm is making decisions based on Left-wing politics instead of making you money for retirement, you should know.
Banks shouldn’t be able to set emissions standards for Missouri Farmers.
Missouri state investments should never be held with firms that boycott American industry.
These are common-sense propositions, but because of woke ESG investors, Missouri now has to take action.
ELECTION INTEGRITY
Perhaps no policy area has seen a bigger revolution over the past few years than election integrity.
Missouri led the way out of the corrupt ERIC voter information sharing agreement. We have one of the best photo-ID laws in the nation. Grassroots advocates led the charge to ban ranked-choice and non-citizen voting schemes.
The next step for Missouri is to require documentary proof of citizenship for voting.
Right now, anyone can go onto the Secretary of State’s website and register to vote.
The only thing stopping a non-citizen from registering to vote is a checkbox.
That’s not right.
We know non-citizens are voting.
Missouri should require proof of citizenship when registering.
BOTTOM LINE
It may be way too early, but Conservatives will have an opportunity to build on the successes of 2025 and deliver even more victories for the people of Missouri in 2026.
It’s an exciting time to be a Missourian.
We are the center of the country and the center of the Conservative movement.
Andy Bakker
Executive Director
Liberty Alliance USA