On Tuesday, the House Committee on Children and Families heard public testimony on a tax credit bill for parents who adopt children with special needs. HB 714, sponsored by Rep. Hannah Kelly (R – Mountain Grove), would allow a tax refund of up to $10,000 to help cover the one-time costs parents make during the process of adopting special needs children. Currently, the amount adopting parents can receive is limited to the total amount of income tax they paid that year; however, should the bill pass, parents adopting special needs children will be eligible to receive up to $10,000 regardless of whether the income tax they paid that year is under that amount. Speaking before the committee, Kelly said the bill would incentivize domestic adoption in the state of Missouri in a time when it is unfortunately often more affordable to adopt from a country outside the United States.
Additionally, the House Corrections and Public Institutions Committee heard House bills 372 and 382 on Wednesday night. The bills, sponsored by Rep. Rasheen Aldridge (D – St. Louis) and Rep. Kimberly-Ann Collins (D – St. Louis), each had provisions allowing incarcerated individuals the opportunity to apply for parole 60 days earlier after completing certain state-sponsored job training, education programs, non-mandatory drug treatment programs, or 1,000 hours of service during the term of their prison sentence. In a joint presentation of the bills, representatives Collins and Aldridge stated that although early parole hearings do not necessarily mean that parole will be granted earlier, it offers a strong incentive for good behavior among incarcerated individuals.
The MCC testified in support of each of these proposals. These bills must now be voted out of committee before being considered by the entire Missouri House.