Conrad’s Law legislation moves forward: HB 1819 Referred to Committee in the Missouri

 A bill aimed at improving safety policies in child care facilities took another step forward March 3 during a public hearing before the Missouri House Children and Families Committee.

House Bill 1819, known as “Conrad’s Law,” is named in tribute to 3-year-old Conrad Ashcraft, who died in May 2025 at a Park Hills child care facility. The legislation advanced following the hearing.

Rep. Becky Laubinger, R–District 117, said she learned about the child’s death last year and was among several legislators approached about sponsoring the bill. After researching the issue and meeting with experts and Conrad’s family, she decided to champion the legislation.

She said, “We want our kids to be safe. I have really appreciated our community coming around this family and just showing care. We have to, in all different ways, show the value of children, and I fight for that in many different areas.”

Laubinger, a first-term lawmaker, worked with legislative staff and advocates while preparing the bill. Supporters said the proposal was intentionally written to address a single issue and avoid broader policy debates that can slow legislation. The bill intended to establish clear limits on the use of weighted blankets and emphasize that children must remain unrestrained while resting or sleeping in childcare facilities.

It was prefiled on Dec. 1, 2025, ahead of the 2026 legislative session. The first reading was conducted on Jan. 7, and the second reading on Jan. 8. It was referred on Jan. 29 to the Children and Families Committee, which is composed of 17 representatives and chaired by Rep. Holly Jones.

In House Hearing Room 6, Laubinger presented the bill to the committee and explained its purpose and details.

During her opening remarks, Laubinger said, “House Bill 1819 was born out of a horrific death of a 3-year-old in our community. This has been a hard year for our community. You can still drive around town and see cars with Conrad’s name written on them, on their vehicles. We see signs in yards remembering him, balloons flying still. He passed away on May 16th of 2025. And while I can’t comment much about his passing because the trial has not yet taken place, I can say that in looking at our state statutes surrounding childcare facilities and naptime safety, we have some gaps. We have some opportunities to provide additional training and safeguards for our older kids. Our state implemented safe sleep for infants years ago. And that made a huge difference in the safety of our youngest children to prevent SIDS.

“But we don’t have many guidelines for children older than that or children who have special needs. And I was shocked as I talked to other daycare providers around the state about naptime, which is when Conrad passed away, during naptime at a daycare. I was surprised at the number of children whose faces are covered during their naps, who are placed face down, so that they can roll most of them once they get over one. But sometimes children with special needs don’t always have that mobility. And I just see an opportunity for us, as a state, to provide better guidance to those licensed daycare facilities. We can provide training and basic safety.”

She said the bill would be known as Conrad’s law and would require training on rules for non-restraint safe sleep policies for children one year of age or older.

“It does not include one year of age or younger because we already have those policies in place. It also provides guidelines for the safe use of weighted blankets, which are often used with children who have autism. But there needs to be more guidelines along with that. A weighted blanket should not exceed five pounds. It needs to be a safe weight limit for a child,” she said.

“A care plan needs to be in place for children with special needs. That care plan needs to be agreed upon by the facility director, the staff care provider, the medical provider, and the child’s parent. Everyone needs to be on the same page regarding the care of children with special needs so that everyone knows and signs off on it. It’s not a form that goes in a drawer, but everyone is on the same page, has read and agreed to the care plan for those children with special needs. And this bill provides that DESE work on those guidelines and get those out to our licensed daycare facilities because they are already over some of the training. And they monitor the training hours that we require for our licensed centers,” Laubinger said.

In her closing remarks, she said the training requirement for caring for children with special needs and safe naptime practices would not add to the current annual training requirement for child care workers. Instead, the training would count toward the existing 12 hours of annual training already required.

Several witnesses appeared in person to address the committee and provide their testimonies in support of the bill: registered lobbyist Arnie Dienhoff, a state public advocate from O’Fallon; Emily Stoinski; and registered lobbyist Robyn Schelp, representing Kids Win Missouri from Columbia.

Compelling and notable testimony came from Heather Noll, who had been identified by Laubinger as “Conrad’s grandma” and acted as spokesperson.

Noll addressed the committee, thanked them for allowing her to speak, and introduced herself.

“I am here to discuss Conrad’s Law. The legislation was inspired by the tragic loss of my grandson, whose death revealed gaps in safe sleep practices and training within licensed childcare facilities. Conrad’s Law exists so that no other family has to endure a preventable loss. This bill establishes clear and reasonable safeguards in licensed childcare settings. First, it requires the training and rules for non-restrained safe sleep policies for children one year of age or older and for children with special needs. Second, it establishes specific safety procedures for weighted blankets. No blanket should exceed five pounds, and no weighted blanket may be used for a child under one year of age. Third, it ensures that non-napping children are provided safe, supervised, non-restrained, quiet rest alternatives.

“Fourth, it requires a documented care plan for any child with special needs. This plan must be reviewed, agreed upon, signed, and annually reviewed by the parents or guardians, facility director, child’s primary care provider, and staff directly responsible for the child’s care. Finally, it requires that staff caring for children with special needs receive specific training monitored through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education,” Noll said.

She closed her remarks by saying that the legislation would not create unnecessary burdens but would create clarity.

“It creates accountability. It creates protection. We cannot change what happened to Conrad, but we can ensure that it does not happen again,” she said. “Conrad’s life mattered, and his legacy will protect Missouri’s children.”

In addition to in-person testimony, lawmakers received roughly a dozen written submissions from the public. Most expressed support for the legislation, while one individual submitted testimony opposing the use of weighted blankets in any circumstance. That testimony did not argue against the bill itself but suggested a stricter approach that would prohibit weighted blankets entirely.

“It’s very straightforward and specific,”Noll said following the hearing. “They tried to cover everything so there wouldn’t be unanswered questions.”

After the committee hearing concluded, Laubinger escorted Conrad Ashcraft’s family to the floor of the Missouri House of Representatives, where lawmakers formally introduced them to the chamber.

Members of the House then observed a moment of silence in Conrad’s memory, an acknowledgment Noll described as deeply meaningful.

She said the gesture and the reception from lawmakers were emotional but encouraging as they continue advocating for policy changes.

“There were lots of hugs and lots of support,” Noll said. “I felt really good coming out of there. I feel like this is going to do something.”

She said the bill is intended not only to change childcare safety standards but also to create a lasting legacy in Conrad’s name.

The hearing marked one of the first major legislative steps for the proposal. Many bills introduced during the legislative session never receive a public hearing, and advocates noted the measure moved forward relatively quickly after being filed.

If approved by the committee in a future executive session, the bill would advance to the full Missouri House for debate and a vote, then potentially move to the Senate, with a final destination at Gov. Kehoe for consideration. If the bill is greenlit at each step, it could be signed into law as early as Aug. 8, 2026.

The committee has not yet announced when it will vote on whether to send the legislation to the full House for consideration.

Advocates and supporters say they plan to continue informing the public about Conrad’s story and the bill’s progress while being careful not to discuss details related to ongoing legal proceedings connected to the case.

“Our focus is keeping Conrad’s name out there and making sure something good comes from this,” a supporter said.

Conrad’s Law bill summary

HB 1819 — CHILD CARE FACILITIES

SPONSOR: Laubinger

This bill requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to establish the following for any licensed child care facility:

(1) Training and rules for non-restrained safe sleep policies for children one year of age or older and children with special needs. These policies must include safety procedures for the use of weighted blankets, and prohibit such use on any child under one year of age. Additionally, no weighted blanket used in a child care facility can exceed five pounds.

(2) Safe rest options for non-napping children, which must include an option for non-restrained quiet play activities or other supervised activities; and

(3) A care plan for children with special needs. This care plan must be reviewed, agreed upon, signed, and annually re-evaluated by the child’s parents or legal guardians, the child care facility owner or director, the child’s primary care provider, and any staff member directly responsible for the care of the child.

The bill provides that any child care facility caring for a child with special needs must train every staff member who is directly responsible for the care of that child on caring for a child with that specific special need. This training can count toward the required annual training hours as part of the licensed child care provider hours of training.

The provisions of this bill do not apply to children under one year of age, as existing statute governs provisions relating to safe sleep policies for children under one year of age.

Lisa Brotherton-Barnes is the editor for the Daily Journal and the Farmington Press. She can be reached at lbarnes@dailyjournalonline.com.