While only ten bills related to agriculture, energy, the environment, and infrastructure were Truly Agreed and Finally Passed (TAFP) in 2026, the legislature considered and held debate on many more. These bills covered a range of topics, including several that the Assembly is likely to revisit in 2027.
The legislature passed SB 1033, which removed emission regulations on farming equipment. The bill removed motor vehicle emission inspection requirements for farm vehicles over ten years old and also removed a requirement for cotton gin owners and operators to submit modeling for the gin’s emission patterns.
HB 2769 would have banned the sale of cultivated meat, grown in a lab from animal cells, for human consumption. Dr. Chinenye Izuegbunam previously wrote a Science Note on Cultivated Meat, covering how it is made, how its nutritional content compares to conventional meat, and federal and state regulations on it. Dr. Lakhanpal complemented this with a Science Note on Plant-Based Meat, made from proteins extracted from plants such as soybeans, peas, and wheat.
Dr. Lakhanpal also wrote about the effects of recent tariffs on farmers and Tariff Relief measures implemented by states and the federal government.
The General Assembly TAFP SB 1553, which focuses on materials the U.S. Geological Survey has designated as important to energy and defense technologies. The full list currently includes 60 critical minerals, including copper, lithium, uranium, and zinc. SB 1553 includes a variety of tax exemptions, tax credits, and grants related to mining and processing critical minerals.
The energy and infrastructure demands of AI and data centers were front of mind for the legislature this session. The House Conservation and Natural Resources Committee heard HB 3362 and 3364, which would have implemented additional requirements on facilities that used large amounts of water and electricity, such as data centers. Municipally owned electric utilities and electric co-ops would have been required to develop rates specifically for customers with a peak demand over 50 megawatts. SB 4 in 2025 had previously established this requirement for investor-owned electric utility companies. The bills also would have required non-agricultural customers that use over 2 million gallons of water per day to apply for a permit from the Department of Natural Resources. The Committee did not vote on the bills following their public hearing. This year, Dr. Vikram Lakhanpal wrote about Data Center Water Use and how states are Addressing AI Energy Demands to supplement previous Science Notes from Dr. Hoyos Ensuncho on Data Centers and their Power Requirements. The House Utilities Committee also held an informational hearing on data centers, suggesting this issue will continue to be a major focus for the next legislature.
Several bills focused on solar farms and increasing regulations on solar projects. This was a stated priority for outgoing President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin. Two Senate bills were heard in committee but did not receive a vote on the Senate floor:
On the House side, HB 2478, would have added county permitting requirements to new solar projects. It was heard in the House Special Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs but did not advance to the House Floor.
MOST has written several Science Notes on solar energy, ranging from Solar Panels' Environmental Effects to Photovoltaic Systems Integrity, and the Solar Panel Decommissioning and Recycling process.
Following Governor Kehoe’s announcement to prioritize growing Missouri’s nuclear energy generation, multiple bills moved through the Assembly, though none made it to the Governor’s desk. The House passed HB 2122, which would have allowed electricity companies to charge customers for ongoing costs of building new nuclear plants, known as Construction Work in Progress. The Senate considered SB 1116 would have created an Advanced Nuclear Energy Office to manage and distribute grants for nuclear energy development. The Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy, and the Environment held a public hearing on the bill but did not vote on it. Dr. Granzier-Nakajima and Dr. Jenny Bratburd produced a primer on Nuclear Energy, which Dr. Granzier-Nakajima expanded into more detailed information on State and Federal Nuclear Energy Policies. This year, Dr. Lakhanpal wrote about Nuclear Reactor Projects currently in progress across the world.
HB 2998 would have required the Department of Transportation to conduct a feasibility study to evaluate adding hydropower capabilities to existing locks and dams on the Mississippi River. Dr. Lakhanpal wrote about Hydropower from Locks and Dams, and testified on the subject to the House Agriculture Committee. The bill passed the committee but did not make it to a floor vote. Dr. Lakhanpal wrote two additional Science Notes on hydropower alternatives to building new dams, including an overview of Small Scale Hydropower and a focus on In-Stream Generation.
The House passed HB 2384, which places restrictions on local governments’ energy efficiency building codes. The bill did not come to a full vote in the Senate. Dr. Jenny Bratburd previously wrote about Energy Assistance Programs in Missouri designed to improve energy efficiency for low-income households.
The Senate also considered but ultimately did not vote on SB 1411, which would have allowed customers to choose between different utility companies for their electricity service. A similar bill was introduced in 2025, when Dr. Hoyos Ensuncho wrote and testified for Science Notes on Electricity Restructuring and Electricity Retail. These detail which states have changed their regulations on electricity customer choice and the effects on electricity prices. Dr. Lakhanpal also wrote about as well as the causes and impacts of recent Energy Price Increases.
Several introduced bills focused on holding manufacturers responsible for the end-of-life disposal of their products. These bills targeted different product classes, including
Dr. Lakhanpal wrote about these types of laws, also known as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), looking at which states had enacted EPR laws and for what kinds of products.