HB 2587 restricts drone operations near specific facilities to enhance security. It prohibits flying drones within 400 feet vertically over correctional centers (prisons), large open-air venues (like stadiums with 500+ capacity), or mental health hospitals without authorization. Exceptions allow facility staff, law enforcement, utilities, and others with written permission or official duties. Violations are typically infractions, but delivering weapons, drugs, or aiding escapes escalates penalties to felonies (class B, C, or D). The bill requires facilities to post 11x14 inch warning signs and permits law enforcement to intercept drones posing immediate threats.
HB 1719 requires that all peace officers' basic law enforcement training include at least four hours of instruction on officer-canine encounters and canine behaviors. This training must cover specific topics such as understanding canine behavior, handling unplanned encounters, using humane methods, relevant state canine laws, and nonlethal defense techniques. The bill applies to every peace officer's basic training requirement, meaning it will be mandated for new officers as part of their initial certification process. The bill is currently pending in the legislature after being prefaced and read in the House.
HB 1861 modifies Missouri law specifically for the sheriff of the City of St. Louis by replacing sections 57.010 and 57.530 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri (RSMo). The bill requires the St. Louis sheriff to hold a valid peace officer license (with limited exceptions) and mandates that deputies receive a minimum annual salary of $50,000. It also requires the sheriff to obtain circuit court judge approval before appointing deputies and sets salary limits based on the City of St. Louis Board of Aldermen's approved rates. This bill directly affects the St. Louis sheriff’s office and its deputy employees.
HB 1946 replaces multiple existing Missouri laws with 42 new sections to strengthen anti-trafficking efforts. It creates a "Committee on Sex and Human Trafficking Training" composed of representatives from state agencies (like the attorney general and public safety), child advocacy groups, and victim services. The committee will develop annual training guidelines and produce a digital training platform for required anti-trafficking education, targeting professions such as law enforcement and child advocates. This initiative is scheduled to begin on January 1, 2027, and end on December 31, 2031.
HB 2519 expands Missouri's hate crime definitions to include offenses motivated by race, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. It upgrades penalties for hate-motivated crimes to class D or E felonies and requires law enforcement agencies to report such offenses. The bill mandates new training for peace officers, including six hours on hate offense identification and victim assistance for those licensed after 2026, and six hours on racial profiling and bias for those licensed after 2027. These changes directly affect law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and court systems by altering how hate crimes are defined, prosecuted, and handled during officer training.
HB 2451 modifies Missouri's law against making false reports to law enforcement or emergency services. It defines the offense as knowingly providing false information to: (1) implicate someone in a crime, (2) report a fake crime or emergency, (3) falsely report an emergency situation, or (4) falsely report someone's immigration status. The law classifies this as a class B misdemeanor (punishable by up to 90 days in jail or fines), and allows a defense if the false report is retracted before authorities take action. This bill directly affects individuals who intentionally mislead police, fire departments, or emergency responders with false information.
HB 2524 prohibits Missouri local governments and law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement in ways that involve racial profiling or violate constitutional rights. It requires annual training for law enforcement on constitutional rights and allows local entities to share immigration status information with federal authorities (like ICE) only when there is a documented public safety concern. The bill also blocks state funding for local agencies that restrict such cooperation or violate these rules, while exempting agencies administering federal benefit programs. It directly affects local law enforcement, government entities, and public employees handling immigration-related information.
HB 2323 establishes Missouri's "Domestic Abuse Offender Registration and Accountability Act," requiring high-risk domestic abuse offenders (those with two prior convictions or a high-risk assessment) to register with the Department of Public Safety. Offenders must provide detailed personal, residential, employment, and vehicle information within 72 hours of conviction or release, update details within 10 days of changes, and maintain registration for five years post-sentence. The law mandates court hearings before registration orders, restricts database access to law enforcement for victim safety (not public disclosure), and requires victim notification before sharing offender data. Violations carry civil fines for first offenses and misdemeanor penalties for repeat failures, with biennial reports to the legislature on registry effectiveness.
HB 1678 requires hotels, motels, vacation rentals (including those listed on platforms like Airbnb), and similar lodging establishments with five or more guest rooms to provide human trafficking awareness training to all employees. The training must cover identifying trafficking signs, distinguishing labor/sex trafficking in hospitality settings, reporting procedures to the national hotline or local law enforcement, and contact information for support. Operators must provide initial training within 180 days of hire or listing, conduct annual refresher training by December 31st, and maintain training records for one year after employment ends. This bill directly affects all lodging businesses and short-term rental operators in the state, aiming to equip staff to recognize and report potential trafficking incidents. The bill is currently pending (prefiled and read first/second time in 2026).
SB 1103 (Missouri Senate Bill 1103) creates a new legal provision requiring courts to automatically issue lifetime protection orders at sentencing for defendants convicted of dangerous felonies (as defined in Section 556.061). These orders immediately restrict contact between the defendant and the victim and remain in effect for the defendant's lifetime unless the victim dies, the conviction is overturned, or the victim submits a written request for termination. The bill mandates that law enforcement agencies enter these orders into Missouri's MULES system within 24 hours and forward them to national databases (NCIC/NICS), including any child custody details specified in the order. This directly affects victims of dangerous felony convictions, convicted defendants, and law enforcement agencies responsible for implementing the orders.
