HB 2259 Missouri House · 2026 Regular Session

Modifies provisions relating to trial procedures for murder in the first degree

This bill changes Missouri's trial process for first-degree murder cases when the death penalty is not waived. It requires a two-stage trial: first, a determination of guilt (without punishment), followed by a separate stage to decide sentencing. A life sentence without parole becomes mandatory if the jury finds intellectual disability, no aggravating factors exist, or mitigating factors outweigh aggravating ones. The law applies to cases filed after 2001 and mandates resentencing for some prior death-sentence cases before August 2026.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Dec 8, 2025 Last action May 15, 2026
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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
4
Key actions
0
Committee
1
May 15, 2026
Committee
Referred: Emerging Issues(H)
lower
Dec 8, 2025
Introduced
Prefiled (H)
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Jo Doll
Jo Doll
DDemocratic
MO
91