Criminal Justice (Courts)

HB 2054 requires Missouri's Department of Mental Health (DMH) to reimburse counties and cities without counties for the cost of housing individuals who lack mental fitness to stand trial due to mental illness. Specifically, DMH will pay $200 per day for custody time plus medication costs when a person is held in jail because they cannot understand court proceedings or assist in their defense. County sheriffs or city officials must submit certified records of days held and medication costs within two years of eligibility, and DMH will review and pay eligible claims. This bill directly affects local governments managing jail costs for mental health-related custody cases under Section 552.020 of Missouri law.

HB 2047 creates an "automated expungement" system in Missouri, allowing eligible criminal records to be closed without requiring individuals to file court petitions. It applies to people convicted of non-violent offenses (infractions, misdemeanors, or certain felonies) who have completed their sentence, paid all restitution, and had no new felony/misdemeanor convictions (excluding traffic violations) for 1-3 years after completion. Records will be automatically closed by the state's central repository system starting August 28, 2029, for qualifying cases, but excludes juvenile records, traffic violations, and cases with pending charges. This policy change directly affects Missouri residents with eligible convictions who meet the time and offense-free criteria, removing public access to their records while maintaining court access for legal purposes.

SB 1158 creates new legal provisions for "extreme risk orders of protection," which would allow courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals deemed to pose an immediate risk of harm to themselves or others. This bill directly affects people identified by a court as being at extreme risk of causing violence, typically through emergency petitions filed by family members, law enforcement, or others with credible concerns. The key mechanism requires a judge to issue a temporary order (often within 24-72 hours) for firearm removal, with a later hearing to determine if a longer-term order is needed. The bill is currently pending review by the Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee after being prefaced and first read.