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SB 985

Missouri SenateIn Senate Committee

Summary

SB 985, which modifies provisions relative to the Secretary of State, was introduced in the Senate on Dec 1, 2025 by Sen. Jill Carter (R). It was referred to Local Government, Elections and Pensions, and last saw action on Feb 23, 2026: Hearing Conducted S Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee.


Record

Text

SB 985 has no co-sponsors and has not gone to a roll call.

sb985/introduced.txt
SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 985
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR CARTER.
4160S.02I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
AN ACT
To repeal sections 115.157, 115.283, 115.507, 347.740, 351.127, 355.023, 356.233, 359.653,
400.9-528, and 417.018, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof eleven new sections
relating to the secretary of state.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Sections 115.157, 115.283, 115.507, 347.740,
351.127, 355.023, 356.233, 359.653, 400.9-528, and 417.018,
RSMo, are repealed and eleven new sections enacted in lieu
thereof, to be known as sections 115.008, 115.157, 115.283,
115.507, 347.740, 351.127, 355.023, 356.233, 359.653, 400.9-
528, and 417.018, to read as follows:
115.008. The secretary of state shall establish a
unique identification coding system for all precincts in the
state resulting in unique identification codes for each
precinct in the state. Such system shall be based upon the
Federal Information Processing Standards codes issued by the
National Institute of Standards and Technology. Election
authorities shall be responsible for implementing the
unique identification coding system for all precincts within
its jurisdiction in compliance with the format set out by
the secretary of state. The secretary of state shall
promulgate rules for the implementation of this section.
Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in
section 536.010, that is created under the authority
EXPLANATION-Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in this bill is not enacted
and is intended to be omitted in the law.
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delegated in this section shall become effective only if it
complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of
chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028. This
section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the
powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter
536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove
and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional,
then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed
or adopted after August 28, 2026, shall be invalid and void.
115.157. 1. The election authority may place all
information on any registration cards in computerized form
in accordance with section 115.158. No election authority
or secretary of state shall furnish to any member of the
public electronic media or printout showing any registration
information, except as provided in this section. Except as
provided in subsection 2 of this section, the election
authority or secretary of state shall make available
electronic media or printouts showing only unique voter
identification numbers, voters' names, year of birth,
addresses, townships or wards, and precincts. Electronic
data shall be maintained in at least the following separate
fields:
(1) Voter identification number;
(2) First name;
(3) Middle initial;
(4) Last name;
(5) Suffix;
(6) Street number;
(7) Street direction;
(8) Street name;
(9) Street suffix;
(10) Apartment number;
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(11) City;
(12) State;
(13) Zip code;
(14) Township;
(15) Ward;
(16) Precinct;
(17) Senatorial district;
(18) Representative district;
(19) Congressional district; and
(20) Political party affiliation.
2. All election authorities shall enter voter history
in their computerized registration systems and shall, not
more than three months after the election, forward such data
to the Missouri voter registration system established in
section 115.158. In addition, election authorities shall
forward registration and other data in a manner prescribed
by the secretary of state to comply with the Help America
Vote Act of 2002.
3. Except as provided in subsection 6 of this section,
the election authority shall furnish, for a fee, electronic
media or a printout showing only the names, year of birth,
addresses, and political party affiliations of voters, or
any part thereof, within the jurisdiction of the election
authority who voted in any specific election, including
primary elections, by township, ward or precinct, provided
that nothing in this chapter shall require such voter
information to be released to the public over the internet
and shall not be used for commercial purposes.
4. Except as provided in subsection 6 of this section,
upon a request by a candidate, a duly authorized
representative of a campaign committee, or a political party
committee, the secretary of state shall furnish, for a fee
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determined by the secretary of state and in compliance with
section 610.026, media in an electronic format or, if so
requested, in a printed format, showing the names,
addresses, and voter identification numbers of voters within
the jurisdiction of a specific election authority who
applied for an absentee ballot under section 115.279 for any
specific election involving a ballot measure or an office
for which the declaration of candidacy is required to be
filed with the secretary of state pursuant to section
115.353, including primary elections, by township, ward, or
precinct. Nothing in this section shall require such voter
information to be released to the public over the internet.
For purposes of this section, the terms "candidate",
"campaign committee", and "political party committee" shall
have the same meaning given to such terms in section 130.011.
5. The amount of fees charged for information provided
in this section shall be established pursuant to chapter
610. All revenues collected by the secretary of state
pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the state
treasury and credited to the secretary of state's technology
trust fund account established pursuant to section 28.160.
In even-numbered years, each election authority shall, upon
request, supply the voter registration list for its
jurisdiction to all candidates and party committees for a
charge established pursuant to chapter 610. Except as
provided in subsection 6 of this section, all election
authorities shall make the information described in this
section available pursuant to chapter 610. Any election
authority who fails to comply with the requirements of this
section shall be subject to the provisions of chapter 610.
6. Any person working as an undercover officer of a
local, state or federal law enforcement agency, persons in
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witness protection programs, and victims of domestic
violence and abuse who have received orders of protection
pursuant to chapter 455 shall be entitled to apply to the
circuit court having jurisdiction in his or her county of
residence to have the residential address on his or her
voter registration records closed to the public if the
release of such information could endanger the safety of the
person. Any person working as an undercover agent or in a
witness protection program shall also submit a statement
from the chief executive officer of the agency under whose
direction he or she is serving. The petition to close the
residential address shall be incorporated into any petition
for protective order provided by circuit clerks pursuant to
chapter 455. If satisfied that the person filing the
petition meets the qualifications of this subsection, the
circuit court shall issue an order to the election authority
to keep the residential address of the voter a closed record
and the address may be used only for the purposes of
administering elections pursuant to this chapter. The
election authority may require the voter who has a closed
residential address record to verify that his or her
residential address has not changed or to file a change of
address and to affirm that the reasons contained in the
original petition are still accurate prior to receiving a
ballot. A change of address within an election authority's
jurisdiction shall not require that the voter file a new
petition. Any voter who no longer qualifies pursuant to
this subsection to have his or her residential address as a
closed record shall notify the circuit court. Upon such
notification, the circuit court shall void the order closing
the residential address and so notify the election authority.
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7. Not later than the third Wednesday prior to each
election, the secretary of state shall publish a voter
registration list on the secretary's website containing only
the following information for each person registered to vote
as of the fourth Wednesday prior to the election: unique
voter identification number, voter's name, year of birth,
address, township or ward, and precinct.
115.283. 1. Each ballot envelope shall bear a
statement [on which the voter shall state] containing the
following: the precinct code, as identified pursuant to
section 115.008, that corresponds to the voter's voting
address; the voter's name[,]; the voter's voting address[,];
the voter's mailing address; and the voter's reason for
voting an absentee ballot. If the reason for the voter
voting absentee is due to the reasons established under
subdivision (6) of subsection 3 of section 115.277, the
voter shall state the voter's identification information
provided by the address confidentiality program in lieu of
the applicant's name, voting address, and mailing address.
On the form, the voter shall also state under penalties of
perjury that the voter is qualified to vote in the election,
that the voter has not previously voted and will not vote
again in the election, that the voter has personally marked
the voter's ballot in secret or supervised the marking of
the voter's ballot if the voter is unable to mark it, that
the ballot has been placed in the ballot envelope and sealed
by the voter or under the voter's supervision if the voter
is unable to seal it, and that all information contained in
the statement is true. In addition, any person providing
assistance to the absentee voter shall include a statement
on the envelope identifying the person providing assistance
under penalties of perjury. Persons authorized to vote only
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for federal and statewide officers shall also state their
former Missouri residence.
2. The statement for persons voting absentee ballots
who are registered voters shall be in substantially the
following form:
State of Missouri
County (City) of _______________
I, ______ (print name), a registered voter of
______ County (City of St. Louis, Kansas
City), declare under the penalties of perjury
that I am voting in person at a location
designated by the local election authority or
I expect to be prevented from going to the
polls on election day due to (check one):
______ absence on election day from the
jurisdiction of the election authority
in which I am registered;
______ incapacity or confinement due to illness
or physical disability on election day,
including caring for a person who is
incapacitated or confined due to illness
or disability and resides at the same
address;
______ religious belief or practice;
______ employment as an election authority, by
an election authority at a location
other than my polling place, as a first
responder, as a health care worker, or
as a member of law enforcement;
______ incarceration, although I have retained
all the necessary qualifications for
voting;
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______ certified participation in the address
confidentiality program established
under sections 589.660 to 589.681
because of safety concerns.
I hereby state under penalties of perjury that
I am qualified to vote at this election; I
have not voted and will not vote other than by
this ballot at this election. I further state
that I marked the enclosed ballot in secret or
that I am blind, unable to read or write
English, or physically incapable of marking
the ballot, and the person of my choosing
indicated below marked the ballot at my
direction; all of the information on this
statement is, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, true.
__________________ __________________
Signature of Voter Signature of Person
Assisting Voter
(if applicable)
Signed ______ Subscribed and sworn
Signed ______ to before me this
Address of Voter ______day of ______,
______
__________________ __________________
__________________ __________________
Mailing Addresses Signature of notary or
(if different) other officer
authorized to
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administer oaths
3. The statement for persons voting absentee ballots
pursuant to the provisions of subsection 4, 5, or 6 of
section 115.277 without being registered shall be in
substantially the following form:
State of Missouri
County (City) of ______
I, ______ (print name), declare under the
penalties of perjury that I am a citizen of the
United States and eighteen years of age or older.
I am not adjudged incapacitated by any court of
law, and if I have been convicted of a felony or
of a misdemeanor connected with the right of
suffrage, I have had the voting disabilities
resulting from such conviction removed pursuant
to law. I hereby state under penalties of perjury
that I am qualified to vote at this election.
I am an interstate former resident of Missouri
and authorized to vote for presidential and vice
presidential electors.
I further state under penalties of perjury that I
have not voted and will not vote other than by
this ballot at this election; I marked the
enclosed ballot in secret or am blind, unable to
read or write English, or physically incapable of
marking the ballot, and the person of my choosing
indicated below marked the ballot at my
direction; all of the information on this
statement is, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, true.
__________________ Subscribed to and
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Signature of Voter sworn before me this
______ day of
______, ______
__________________
__________________ __________________
Address of Voter Signature of notary or
other officer
authorized to
administer oaths
__________________ __________________
Mailing Address (if __________________
different)
__________________
__________________ __________________
Signature of Person Address of Last
Assisting Voter Missouri Residence
(if applicable)
4. The statement for persons voting absentee ballots
who are entitled to vote at the election pursuant to the
provisions of subsection 2 of section 115.137 shall be in
substantially the following form:
State of Missouri
County (City) of ______
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I, ______ (print name), declare under the
penalties of perjury that I expect to be prevented
from going to the polls on election day due to
(check one):
______ absence on election day from the
jurisdiction of the election authority in
which I am directed to vote;
______ incapacity or confinement due to illness
or physical disability on election day,
including caring for a person who is
incapacitated or confined due to illness
or disability and resides at the same
address;
______ religious belief or practice;
______ employment as an election authority, by an
election authority at a location other
than my polling place, as a first
responder, as a health care worker, or as
a member of law enforcement;
______ incarceration, although I have retained
all the necessary qualifications of
voting;
______ certified participation in the address
confidentiality program established under
sections 589.660 to 589.681 because of
safety concerns.
I hereby state under penalties of perjury that I
own property in the ______ district and am
qualified to vote at this election; I have not
voted and will not vote other than by this ballot
at this election. I further state that I marked
the enclosed ballot in secret or that I am blind,
unable to read and write English, or physically
incapable of marking the ballot, and the person of
my choosing indicated below marked the ballot at
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my direction; all of the information on this
statement is, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, true.
__________________ Subscribed and sworn
Signature of Voter to before me this
______ day of
______, ______
__________________
__________________ __________________
Address Signature of notary or
other officer
authorized to
administer oaths
__________________
Signature of Person
Assisting Voter
(if applicable)
5. The statement for persons providing assistance to
absentee voters shall be in substantially the following form:
The voter needed assistance in marking the ballot
and signing above, because of blindness, other
physical disability, or inability to read or to
read English. I marked the ballot enclosed in this
envelope at the voter's direction, when I was
alone with the voter, and I had no other
communication with the voter as to how he or she
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was to vote. The voter swore or affirmed the voter
affidavit above and I then signed the voter's name
and completed the other voter information above.
Signed under the penalties of perjury.
Reason why voter needed assistance: ______
ASSISTING PERSON SIGN HERE
1. ______ (signature of assisting person)
2. ______ (assisting person's name printed)
3. ______ (assisting person's residence)
4. ______ (assisting person's home city or town).
6. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
section, any covered voter as defined in section 115.902 or
persons who have declared themselves to be permanently
disabled pursuant to section 115.284, otherwise entitled to
vote, shall not be required to obtain a notary seal or
signature on his or her absentee ballot.
7. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section
or section 115.291 to the contrary, the subscription,
signature and seal of a notary or other officer authorized
to administer oaths shall not be required on any ballot,
ballot envelope, or statement required by this section if
the reason for the voter voting absentee is due to the
reasons established pursuant to subdivision (2) of
subsection 3 of section 115.277.
8. No notary shall charge or collect a fee for
notarizing the signature on any absentee ballot or absentee
voter registration.
9. A notary public who charges more than the maximum
fee specified or who charges or collects a fee for
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notarizing the signature on any absentee ballot or absentee
voter registration is guilty of official misconduct.
115.507. 1. Not later than the second Tuesday after
the election, the verification board shall issue a statement
announcing the results of each election held within its
jurisdiction and shall certify the returns to each political
subdivision and special district submitting a candidate or
question at the election. The statement shall include a
categorization of the number of regular and absentee votes
cast in the election, and how those votes were cast;
provided however, that absentee votes shall not be reported
separately where such reporting would disclose how any
single voter cast his or her vote. When absentee votes are
not reported separately the statement shall include the
reason why such reporting did not occur. Nothing in this
section shall be construed to require the election authority
to tabulate absentee ballots by precinct on election night.
2. The verification board shall prepare the returns by
drawing an abstract of the votes cast for each candidate and
on each question submitted to a vote of people in its
jurisdiction by the state and by each political subdivision
and special district at the election. The abstract of votes
drawn by the verification board shall be the official
returns of the election.
3. Any home rule city with more than four hundred
thousand inhabitants and located in more than one county may
by ordinance designate one of the election authorities
situated partially or wholly within that home rule city to
be the verification board that shall certify the returns of
such city submitting a candidate or question at any election
and shall notify each verification board within the city of
that designation by providing each with a copy of such duly
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adopted ordinance. Not later than the second Tuesday after
any election in any city making such a designation, each
verification board within the city shall certify the returns
of such city submitting a candidate or question at the
election to the election authority so designated by the city
to be its verification board, and such election authority
shall announce the results of the election and certify the
cumulative returns to the city in conformance with
subsections 1 and 2 of this section not later than ten days
thereafter.
4. Not later than the second Tuesday after each
election at which the name of a candidate for nomination or
election to the office of president of the United States,
United States senator, representative in Congress, governor,
lieutenant governor, state senator, state representative,
judge of the circuit court, secretary of state, attorney
general, state treasurer, or state auditor, or at which an
initiative, referendum, constitutional amendment or question
of retaining a judge subject to the provisions of Article V,
Sections 25(a) to 25(g) of the State Constitution, appears
on the ballot in a jurisdiction, the election authority of
the jurisdiction shall mail or deliver to the secretary of
state the abstract of the votes, including both regular
votes and absentee votes aggregated together, given in its
jurisdiction, by [polling place or] precinct, for each such
office and on each such question. If mailed, the abstract
shall be enclosed in a strong, sealed envelope or
envelopes. On the outside of each envelope shall be
printed: "Returns of election held in the county of ______
(City of St. Louis, Kansas City) on the ______ day of
______, ______,", etc.
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347.740. The secretary of state may collect an
additional fee of five dollars on each and every fee
required in this chapter. All fees collected as provided in
this section shall be deposited in the state treasury and
credited to the secretary of state's technology trust fund
account. The provisions of this section shall expire on
December 31, [2026] 2030.
351.127. The secretary of state may collect an
additional fee of five dollars on each and every fee
required in this chapter, provided that the secretary of
state may collect an additional fee of ten dollars on each
corporate registration report fee filed under section
351.122. All fees collected as provided in this section
shall be deposited in the state treasury and credited to the
secretary of state's technology trust fund account. The
provisions of this section shall expire on December 31,
[2026] 2030.
355.023. The secretary of state may collect an
additional fee of five dollars on each and every fee
required in this chapter. All fees collected as provided in
this section shall be deposited in the state treasury and
credited to the secretary of state's technology trust fund
account. The provisions of this section shall expire on
December 31, [2026] 2030.
356.233. The secretary of state may collect an
additional fee of five dollars on each and every fee
required in this chapter. All fees collected as provided in
this section shall be deposited in the state treasury and
credited to the secretary of state's technology trust fund
account. The provisions of this section shall expire on
December 31, [2026] 2030.
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359.653. The secretary of state may collect an
additional fee of five dollars on each and every fee
required in this chapter. All fees collected as provided in
this section shall be deposited in the state treasury and
credited to the secretary of state's technology trust fund
account. The provisions of this section shall expire on
December 31, [2026] 2030.
400.9-528. The secretary of state may collect an
additional fee of five dollars on each and every fee paid to
the secretary of state as required in chapter 400.9. All
fees collected as provided in this section shall be
deposited in the state treasury and credited to the
secretary of state's technology trust fund account. The
provisions of this section shall expire on December 31,
[2026] 2030.
417.018. The secretary of state may collect an
additional fee of five dollars on each and every fee
required in this chapter. All fees collected as provided in
this section shall be deposited in the state treasury and
credited to the secretary of state's technology trust fund
account. The provisions of this section shall expire on
December 31, [2026] 2030.

Modifies provisions relative to the Secretary of State

Sponsors

Sen. Jill Carter (R) sponsors SB 985 alone.

Committees

SB 985 went before 1 committee: Local Government, Elections and Pensions.

Local Government, Elections and Pensions
Local Government, Elections and Pensions
Referred to · Jan 8, 2026 · 49 Bills

History

SB 985 has taken 4 actions since Dec 1, 2025, the latest on Feb 23, 2026.

ChamberAction
Feb 23, 2026
Senate
Hearing Conducted S Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee
Jan 8, 2026
Senate
Second Read and Referred S Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee
Jan 7, 2026
Senate
S First Read
Dec 1, 2025
Senate
Prefiled

Votes

SB 985 has not gone to a roll call.


Source: senate.mo.gov · legiscan.com