SB 391 Missouri Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Repeals the expiration date for the Basic Civil Legal Services Fund

SB 391 removes the expiration date for the Basic Civil Legal Services Fund, making its funding permanent. This directly affects low-income residents who rely on the fund for free legal help with civil matters like housing disputes, family law, or public benefits. The key provision simply extends the fund's authorization indefinitely, ensuring ongoing support for civil legal aid programs without a set end date. The bill is currently pending in committee review.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Dec 2024

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Dec 1, 2024 Last action Mar 26, 2025

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What changed between versions

Introduced → Senate Committee Substitute - Committee Version · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was revised from a single bill to a combined Senate Committee Substitute for SB 391 and SB 355. The substantive policy content of the Basic Civil Legal Services Fund remains largely unchanged, though the bill title now reflects the combined legislation. The only substantive change is the removal of an expiration date provision that would have ended the program on December 31, 2025, meaning the funding mechanism now continues without a specified end date.

Scope change

The bill scope expanded by combining two related bills (SB 391 and SB 355) into one legislative package, while the core legal provisions regarding the civil legal services fund remain substantively the same.

TIMELINE

Removed an expiration clause that would have terminated the Basic Civil Legal Services Fund provisions on December 31, 2025, allowing the program to continue indefinitely.

TECHNICAL

Changed the bill number designation from SB 391 alone to a combined Senate Committee Substitute for SB 391 and SB 355, reflecting legislative consolidation.

Adjusted bill header information to reflect the committee substitute status and combined bill numbers, with minor formatting changes to page numbering and section headers.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

SCS Voted Do Pass (w/SCS SBs 391 & 355) Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee (1318S.02C)

upper

Mar 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Hearing Conducted S Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee

upper

Dec 1, 2024

Introduced

Prefiled

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors