SS/SCS/SB 974 - This act modifies provisions relating to military affairs. GRANTS FROM THE MISSOURI MILITARY FAMILY RELIEF FUND (SECTION 41.216) This act modifies the composition of the panel that recommends to the Adjutant General to make grants or provide other financial assistance or services from the Missouri Military Family Relief Fund. Instead of a sergeant major of the Missouri National Guard, the panel shall include a senior enlisted leader of the Missouri National Guard. This act also provides that the Adjutant General, rather than the panel, shall have the power to establish criteria for the grants. Furthermore, the grants may be made to members of the Missouri National Guard in addition to families of members and other reserve members of the Armed Forces of the United States. This provision is identical to a provision in SS/SCS/SB 1003 (2026) and in HB 2593 (2026). SUPPORTING MISSOURI SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN ACT - INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL GUARD (SECTION 41.430) This act establishes the Supporting Missouri Servicemen and Women Act. Currently, members of the Missouri National Guard serving under state active duty orders receive the same pay, longevity, and allowances as members of like grade and branch of the Armed Forces of the United States, provided that such members at least receive the daily paygrade rate of an E5 with maximum longevity and dependents. This act additionally provides that members of the Missouri National Guard who are on state active duty orders for more than 30 days shall receive an allowance for any premiums for TRICARE or other government-sponsored insurance programs for coverage of the member during the period of active duty. This provision is identical to SCS/SB 925 (2026). MISSOURI NATIONAL GUARD RIBBONS (SECTION 41.475, 41.598 & 41.599) This act establishes a Missouri National Guard Counterdrug Program Ribbon, which the Adjutant General is authorized to present to any member of the Missouri National Guard who has participated in the Counterdrug Program after January 1, 1989. This act also establishes the Missouri National Guard Homeland Response Force Program Ribbon, which the Adjutant General is authorized to present to any member of the Missouri National Guard who has participated in the Homeland Response Force Program after January 1, 2012. This act establishes a Missouri National Guard Engineer Explosive Ordnance Clearance Agent Ribbon, which the Adjutant General is authorized to present to any member of the Missouri National Guard who has participated in an engineer explosive ordnance clearance agent course after January 1, 2012. These provisions are identical to provisions in SS/SCS/SB 1003 (2026) and in HB 2593 (2026). FEDERAL ASSET FORFEITURE PROGRAM PARTICIPATION BY THE NATIONAL GUARD (SECTION 41.477) This act creates the Missouri National Guard Counterdrug Revolving Fund, which shall consist of all monies received by the Missouri National Guard through federal asset forfeiture programs for purposes authorized by such programs. Participation in federal asset forfeiture programs shall be at the discretion of the Adjutant General. Upon electing to participate, the Missouri National Guard shall comply with the terms of an equitable sharing agreement and certificate of the federal asset forfeiture program. This provision is identical to a provision in SS/SCS/SB 1003 (2026). CYBERSECURITY MISSION ACT (SECTIONS 41.1015 TO 41.1018) This act establishes the Cybersecurity Mission Act, which provides that upon the request of the Director of the Department of Public Safety, the Missouri National Guard may enter into agreements for aid related to cybersecurity, cyber-attack prevention, cyber-attack response, and cyber-attack support activities for this state and for political subdivisions, governing bodies, public colleges and universities, law enforcement agencies, utility companies, and critical infrastructure facilities of this state. The Adjutant General may activate members on state order to carry out such activities. The Missouri National Guard Cyber-Security Revolving Fund is created and shall consist of monies appropriated by the General Assembly and monies received as a charge and monies received as reimbursement for expenses incurred by the Missouri National Guard related to rendering aid under this act. These provisions are identical to provisions in SS/SCS/SB 1003 (2026) and are substantially similar to provisions in HB 2593 (2026). MOGIVES - LIVING DONOR MEDICAL ORDERS FOR NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS (SECTION 41.1030) This act establishes the Missouri Guaranteed Inclusive Voluntary Exceptional Service (MO GIVES) Program under the Department of the National Guard (Department). The MO GIVES Program allows members of the Missouri National Guard who choose to become living organ donors to receive living donor medical orders for purposes of remaining on paid status during the living donation period. The Department shall approve a member's participation if sufficient funds are available and the member: (1) Is under Troop Program Unit status or Individual Ready Reserve status; (2) Is in good standing with the Department; (3) Either is not eligible for living donor paid leave from the member's employer or elects not to use any such employer-based benefit available to the member; (4) Specifies the type of donation; and (5) Agrees to undergo the procurement operation at a health care facility approved as a provider of continuing education points for transplant certification by the American Board for Transplant Certification. Upon approval of a member's application, the Department shall issue a living donor medical order, which shall: (1) Guarantee paid leave for the member for the living donation period, which shall not exceed 45 days unless an extension of time is deemed medically necessary by the primary surgical and medical recovery team; (2) Exempt the member from any requirement to use accrued annual or medical leave for the guaranteed paid living donation period; and (3) Provide a per diem allowance and a basic allowance for housing during the guaranteed paid living donation period based on the member's rank, region, and dependent status. This act also establishes the MO GIVES Fund, which consists of moneys used to fund the benefits provided under the MO GIVES Program. This provision is identical to SB 1539 (2026), SB 1555 (2026), and HB 2664 (2026). COMPENSATION FOR VETERANS BENEFITS MATTERS (SECTION 42.028) This act provides that no person shall receive compensation for referring an individual to another person to advise or assist the individual with any veterans benefits matter, which is described in the act. Additionally, no person shall receive compensation for any services rendered in connection with any claim filed within the one-year presumptive period of active-duty release. A person seeking to receive compensation for advising, assisting, or consulting with any veterans benefits matter shall state the specific terms in a written agreement signed by both parties. Such compensation shall be purely contingent upon an increase in benefits and shall not exceed five times the amount of the monthly increase in benefits. Any initial or non-refundable fees or charges are prohibited by this act. Additionally, persons seeking to receive such compensation shall not utilize a medical professional with whom they have an employment or business relationship for a secondary medical exam. This act further provides that no person shall guarantee a successful outcome or that any individual is certain to receive specific benefits or a specific level, percentage, or amount of benefits. Additionally, no person shall provide such services without including a written and oral disclosure, which is specified in the act. Such disclosure shall be retained for at least one year after the service relationship terminates. Persons engaging in the initial claim preparation shall not utilize international call or data centers for processing veterans' personal information nor gain direct access to any personal medical, financial, or governmental benefits log-in, username, or password information. A violation of this act shall constitute an unlawful practice under the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act. This provision is substantially similar to HB 2758 (2026) and SB 316 (2025) and is similar to SB 1405 (2024) and a provision in HCS/HB 1490 (2024). RECOGNITION MEDALS (SECTIONS 42.300 TO 42.316) The Missouri Veterans' Commission may use the Veterans Commission Capital Improvement Trust Fund for payment of expenses associated with providing medals, medallions, and certificates in recognition of service in the Armed Forces of the United States for any conflict, war, operation, and similar incident identified in law, rather than during World War II, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War. Furthermore, this act provides that spouses or eldest living survivors of a deceased veteran, who was entitled to but died prior to applying, may apply for, on behalf of the deceased veteran, the following medallions, medals, and certificates: • Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn; • Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Freedom's Sentinel, and Operation Allies Refuge Program; and • Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. The Missouri Veterans' Commission shall design the form for such medallions, medals, and certificates. The Adjutant General shall determine as expeditiously as possible those persons who are entitled to such medallions, medals, and certificates and shall notify the General Assembly when such supply totals less than 100. These provisions are identical to provisions in SS/SCS/SB 1003 (2026) and in HB 2593 (2026). STATE-SPONSORED LIFE INSURANCE PROGRAM (SECTION 105.265) This act provides that the Adjutant General shall be the official sponsor of the state-sponsored life insurance program, which is the life insurance program exclusively offered to all members of the Missouri National Guard through the Missouri National Guard Association in accordance with federal law. The Missouri National Guard Association shall select the insurer used to provide the program. Furthermore, the Adjutant General shall: (1) Allow, facilitate, and coordinate all efforts to make the program available to all Missouri National Guard members; (2) Provide an opportunity for Missouri National Guard members to purchase products of the program; (3) Allow, facilitate, and coordinate requested allotments with the appropriate United States Property and Fiscal Office; (4) Allow program representatives to provide Missouri National Guard members with program briefings during annual training and inactive duty training periods; and (5) Allow Missouri National Guard members to designate or change beneficiaries under the program. This provision is identical to a provision in SS/SCS/SB 1003 (2026). LEAVE FROM EMPLOYMENT FOR MILITARY SERVICE (SECTION 105.270) This act expands, from 120 to 160, the maximum number of hours in leave of absence per federal fiscal year that certain public employees are entitled to take to perform specified military duties without loss of time, pay, regular leave, impairment of efficiency rating, or of any other rights or benefits to which the employees are otherwise entitled. This provision is identical to a provision in SS/SCS/SB 1003 (2026). INCOME TAX DEDUCTION FOR VETERAN SURVIVOR BENEFITS (SECTION 143.121) Current law authorizes an income tax deduction for retirement benefits received by a taxpayer as a result of service in the Armed Forces of the United States. This act also allows for the deduction of any survivor benefits derived from such service. This provision is identical to SB 1063 (2026) and a provision in SS/SB 59 (2025). REPEAL OF THE MILITARY COUNSEL (REPEAL OF SECTION 41.220) Finally, this act repeals the Military Council, which duties included acting in an advisory capacity on matters provided by the Governor and the Adjutant General and making recommendations of appropriations for the needs of the militia and expending such appropriations. This provision is identical to a provision in SS/SCS/SB 1003 (2026) and in HB 2593 (2026). KATIE O'BRIEN