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Read. Follow. Verify.Missouri House Bill 2437 grants sovereign immunity to Department of Transportation private contractors
Last action · May 15, 2026: Referred: Emerging Issues(H)Sponsor: Dean Van Schoiack
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What This Bill Would Do
Private contractors and subcontractors performing work under a contract with the Missouri Department of Transportation are granted , including liability award limits, when acting within the scope of approved plans and specifications. This immunity begins upon official and continues after the department formally accepts the completed project, subject to existing statutory exceptions.
Changes the legal liability of private entities performing state transportation construction and maintenance work, extending government-level tort protections to private companies and limiting legal recovery options for individuals injured by contractor negligence.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
private contractors
Private contractors and subcontractors gain sovereign or governmental tort immunity when performing work under a Missouri Department of Transportation contract.
Missouri Department of Transportation
The department oversees contracts where private entities receive extended sovereign immunity protections in accordance with approved plans and specifications.
Key Facts
- Private contractors and subcontractors working under a contract with the Missouri Department of Transportation receive sovereign or governmental tort immunity when acting in accordance with approved plans and specifications.
- The extended immunity includes any limitations on awards for liability provided under section 537.610.
- Immunity begins upon the official notice to proceed for the project.
- Immunity continues to apply even after the Missouri Department of Transportation formally accepts the completed project.
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- The provided immunity remains subject to the existing exceptions set forth in section 537.600.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who receives tort immunity under House Bill 2437?
When does the contractor's immunity start and end?
What else do you want to know?
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
4 actions- May 15, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred: Emerging Issues(H)
- Jan 8, 2026HouseFloorRead Second Time (H)
- Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroducedRead First Time (H)
- Dec 16, 2025HouseIntroducedPrefiled (H)
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
house.mo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy50Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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