Criminal Justice (Civil Rights)

SB 951 - This act establishes the "Equal Protection Act". Under this act, the intent of the General Assembly is to acknowledge the sanctity of innocent human life, which should be protected from the beginning of biological development to natural death. This act also provides that any person accused of committing any criminal offense against a person under the laws of this state where the victim is an unborn child shall be prosecuted in a venue as provided in the act. The affirmative defense of duress for the offense of murder shall be available where the victim is an unborn child and the defendant is the child's mother. This act also provides it shall be a justifiable defense if a medical procedure is performed by a licensed physician on a pregnant female to avert the death of the female which the results in the accidental or unintentional death of the unborn child and all reasonable alternatives to save the life of the unborn child were unavailable or were unsuccessful. Finally, this act adds the definition of person in the criminal code to include a human being, including an unborn child at every stage of development from the moment of fertilization until birth. This act contains a referendum clause. This act is identical to SB 619 (2025), and to provisions in SB 775 (2024) and SB 356 (2023), and is substantially similar to HB 1682 (2026), HB 1417 (2026), and HB 1072 (2025). TRISTAN BENSON, JR.

HB 2787 modifies Missouri's voter qualification rules by allowing residents aged 17 years and 6 months or older to register to vote (with voting beginning at 18). It restricts voting rights for individuals: (1) incarcerated under a sentence of imprisonment, (2) on probation or parole for a felony conviction until discharged, and (3) convicted of certain felonies or misdemeanors related to voting rights. The bill also maintains the requirement that voters must register in their residence jurisdiction before the election deadline, except as permitted by federal law. These changes directly affect Missouri residents seeking to register or maintain voting eligibility under current state law.

HB 1682 defines "person" to include "an unborn child at every stage of development from the moment of fertilization until birth," treating abortion as criminal homicide under existing murder laws. It prohibits abortion except in limited medical emergencies where a licensed physician performs a procedure to save the pregnant person’s life when all alternatives failed. The bill removes defenses like "duress" for abortion-related offenses (except for the mother in specific cases) and allows prosecution in multiple counties based on where the offense occurred or the victim resided. This would directly affect individuals seeking or providing abortions, medical providers, and law enforcement in Missouri.