New year sees new Missouri laws go into effect

by John Murphy, KOMU 8 Anchor

COLUMBIA — Covering things from how much Missourians get paid at work to things to watch out for on the roads on the way into work, many new Missouri laws went into effect on the first day of 2025.

The Missouri minimum wage now stands at $13.75 per hour. It’s an increase from $12.30 per hour after Missouri voters passed Proposition A in November. It involves an additional increase to $15 per hour beginning Jan. 1, 2026. Missouri now has the 16th highest minimum wage in the country, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Missouri law enforcement officers can now ticket drivers for using their phones on the road. The Missouri General Assembly passed the Siddens Bening Hands Free Law in 2023, making Missouri the 49th state to place a ban on distracted driving for use of a cellphone. Law enforcement officers may not pull over drivers for the sole purpose of being on their phones but may issue an additional citation if a driver was on their phone while being pulled over for another reason.

Missouri teacher base pay increases to $40,000 per year as part of a broad education bill passed by legislators. It also allows the establishment of charter schools in Boone County, which are privately operated schools paid for with public funds. Public school districts in Boone County strongly opposed this portion of the bill.

Blair’s Law also went into effect Wednesday. It raises the penalty for recklessly discharging a firearm up to a Class D felony, which can include a prison sentence of up to seven years. It’s named after Blair Shanahanlane, who was shot and killed by celebratory gunfire on the Fourth of July in Kansas City in 2011.

The new legislative session begins Wednesday, Jan. 8 with a plethora of new lawmakers in Jefferson City after an election year.