HB 2695 modifies Missouri's correctional credit system by creating two distinct types of credit for offenders: "good time" for behavioral compliance and "earned time" for participation in rehabilitation programs. Offenders serving sentences longer than one year (excluding death penalty or life without parole) can earn up to 54 days of good time credit annually for exemplary conduct and up to 10 days of earned time credit for every 30 days in approved programs like education, job training, or substance abuse treatment. The bill requires the Department of Corrections to publish policies on these credits, notify inmates about eligibility, and allows petitioning for earned time credit for programs completed after 2010 starting January 1, 2027. Offenders sentenced to death or life without parole are excluded from credit but their program participation is still documented.
SB 1608 would create a state tax credit for individuals or businesses that donate to specific youth-focused police programs. The bill directly affects taxpayers who contribute to qualifying initiatives, such as community policing outreach or youth engagement programs run by law enforcement. It does not describe specific qualifying programs, credit amounts, or eligibility rules in the provided abstract. As the bill is only at its first reading (2026-01-29), no further details about implementation or scope are available in the current context.
HB 2825 increases penalties for animal abuse by reclassifying the offense as a felony instead of a misdemeanor. It directly affects individuals who intentionally kill, injure, or fail to provide adequate care for animals, resulting in substantial harm. Key provisions upgrade the penalty to a class E felony for most cases, and to a class D felony if the abuse involves torture or mutilation or if the offender has prior convictions. This bill changes the legal classification of animal abuse offenses to impose stricter criminal penalties.
HB 2881 prohibits individuals convicted of specific sex crimes (like child exploitation, possession of child pornography, or promoting child sexual abuse material) from being within 500 feet of certain children's facilities in Missouri. It directly affects people with these convictions, barring them from state parks, playgrounds, public pools, youth-focused museums, and conservation education centers. Violating this rule is a class E felony for a first offense and a class D felony for repeat violations. The bill includes an exception allowing parents or guardians with a child in a program at a conservation center to be present with permission from the center manager.
HB 2676 ensures inmates receive credit for all time spent in custody after an offense occurred but before their sentence began, including retroactive credit for those held before August 28, 2023. It requires sheriffs and custodial officers to certify pre-sentence custody time, which must be applied toward the sentence regardless of when the offense happened. The bill also clarifies that time served under a vacated sentence counts toward a new sentence and that escapes interrupt both the sentence and credit calculation. This directly affects all individuals sentenced to imprisonment in the state, ensuring they receive full credit for pre-sentence detention. The law mandates that credit cannot exceed the actual time spent in custody prior to sentencing.
HB 3048 requires courts issuing domestic violence protection orders to prohibit respondents (abusers) from possessing firearms. Courts must inform respondents orally and in writing about this ban and automatically notify Missouri law enforcement to update the federal background check system (NICS). This applies directly to individuals subject to active protection orders in domestic violence cases, preventing them from legally owning or purchasing guns during the order's validity. The law aims to enhance safety for petitioners by removing firearm access for those found to pose domestic violence risks.
HB 2876 modifies Missouri's trial process for first-degree murder cases where the death penalty is sought but not waived. It requires a two-stage trial: first, the jury determines guilt only; second, if convicted, the jury decides sentencing based on specific aggravating circumstances and mitigating evidence. The bill mandates that juries must find aggravating circumstances beyond a reasonable doubt to impose the death penalty, or sentence to life without parole if they find intellectual disability, insufficient mitigating evidence, or choose not to impose death. This directly affects defendants charged with first-degree murder in Missouri and changes how capital sentencing is conducted. The law applies to offenses committed on or after August 28, 2001.
HB 3134 creates Missouri's "Green-to-Blue Bridge Program" to help military veterans transition to law enforcement. It allows veterans who earned a diploma from the U.S. Army Military Police School (USAMPS) with MOS 31A or 31B to receive POST credit toward Missouri peace officer certification, exempting them from redundant training for skills like firearms, defensive tactics, and criminal investigation. The bill requires the POST commission to design a training program that grants this credit and consults with the Missouri National Guard to align military training with state standards. This directly affects qualifying veterans seeking to become Missouri law enforcement officers.
HB 3042 requires the Missouri State Highway Patrol to investigate any officer-involved shooting or incident resulting in death within St. Louis City or St. Louis County. It specifically covers cases where law enforcement officers use force against civilians causing death, or civilians use force against officers causing death. The bill mandates that local law enforcement agencies reimburse the Highway Patrol for all investigation costs incurred. This bill directly affects St. Louis City and County law enforcement agencies and the Missouri State Highway Patrol by shifting investigation responsibility to the state agency. The bill is currently in early stages (introduced January 2026) and has not yet been voted on.
HB 2889 changes the legal definition of "delivery of a controlled substance causing death" to make it a class A felony. It applies when someone delivers or distributes a Schedule I or II controlled substance (like opioids or stimulants) and a death results, regardless of whether the user contributed to their own death or consented to the substance. The bill removes the defense that the user's actions caused their death, holding distributors fully accountable. This directly affects drug distributors who cause fatal overdoses through their actions.
