Bayer urged Missouri lawmakers in January 2025 to pass HB 544, a pesticide-labeling bill that critics said could block some Roundup cancer-warning lawsuits. The Missouri House passed it 91–57, according to the Associated Press. That vote alone does not establish that the bill became law, and the sources cited here do not establish its final 2025 disposition.
What HB 544 proposed
As described by the Associated Press, HB 544 would have said that federally approved pesticide labeling “shall be sufficient to satisfy any requirement for a warning label regarding cancer.” The legal dispute centered on what that provision would mean for people alleging that Roundup exposure caused cancer.
AP characterized the language as effectively thwarting future failure-to-warn allegations. That was a reported interpretation of the bill’s potential effect, not a court ruling on how every claim would be decided.
Bayer’s argument for the bill
Bayer representatives told lawmakers the measure would clarify pesticide-labeling requirements and prevent a patchwork of obligations. The company framed the proposal as support for farmers and science. After the House vote, Bayer said, “We are grateful that members of the Missouri House have supported farmers and science over the litigation industry,” according to AP.
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Why critics opposed it
Environmental groups and attorneys representing Roundup users argued that the bill could shield Bayer from accountability and restrict lawsuits by people who say they became ill. The official Missouri House HB 544 testimony packet identifies the bill and includes witness materials, including written opposition raising concerns about curtailing failure-to-warn claims. Those submissions document witnesses’ positions; they are not independent findings about the bill’s legal effect.
The debate also played out in the House. AP identified Rep. Mike Haffner, chair of the House Agriculture Policy Committee, as saying, “This bill isn’t about cancer, it’s really about the process of what’s taken place within the courts.” Rep. LaDonna Appelbaum, whom AP described as undergoing cancer treatment, opposed it, saying, “If you vote for this bill, you are voting for cancer — and it will hurt my feelings, and I will not smile at you on the elevator.”
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Did Missouri pass the bill into law?
AP reported that the Missouri House passed HB 544 by a 91–57 vote, with some Republicans joining Democrats in opposition. A House vote is not, by itself, proof of enactment. The available official Missouri Senate bill-status reports explain how status reports work for the 2026 session; they do not establish HB 544’s final disposition in 2025. On the sources cited here, it would be inaccurate to say either that HB 544 became law or that it definitively failed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How later developments differ from the Missouri bill
The Supreme Court’s Durnell decision
On June 25, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Durnell on federal preemption of a state failure-to-warn claim. Bayer’s account of the decision says the Court held that the claim was expressly preempted under FIFRA because the requested cancer warning would be “in addition to” and “different from” the warning required by the EPA. Bayer quotes the majority opinion: “Durnell’s state law failure-to-warn claim would require a cancer warning on Roundup’s label — a requirement ‘in addition to’ and ‘different from’ the label required by EPA under FIFRA. FIFRA therefore expressly preempts Durnell’s claim.” The account and quotation appear on Bayer’s page about the Supreme Court decision.
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That decision concerns the federal preemption issue in Durnell; it is distinct from HB 544’s legislative history. Bayer has also predicted broader consequences for Roundup litigation, but those predictions should not be confused with the Court’s specific holding.
Bayer’s proposed class settlement
In February 2026, Bayer and class counsel announced a proposed nationwide settlement for current and future Roundup exposure claims involving non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Bayer described a maximum funding amount of $7.25 billion over as many as 21 years, subject to court approval. Under the company’s announcement, proposed eligibility would cover people alleging exposure before February 17, 2026, who had an NHL diagnosis or received one within 16 years after final approval. Bayer said the proposal included no admission of liability or wrongdoing. These are terms described by Bayer, not an independent court determination; the announcement is available at Bayer’s settlement page.
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- It is rainproof in as fast as 30 minutes and produces visible results in hours
- Allows for planting 1 to 30 days after application (see booklet for details)
- Use in or around flower beds and perennial landscape plants, around trees and shrubs, on patios, walkways, and driveways, gravel, or mulch beds, along fences and foundations, and edging around foundations and retaining walls
- The easy-to-use Comfort Wand with one-touch continuous spray gives your hands a break
In an August 27, 2026 statement, Bayer said the Eighth Circuit dismissed objectors’ attempt to move the settlement matter to federal court, leaving a remand to Missouri state court in place. Bayer said a hearing for final approval was expected on September 14. Its statement about the appeal does not establish what the court decided at or after that hearing, so it does not confirm final approval or final settlement terms.
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