SB 575 - This act creates the "Missouri Special Prosecutor Appointment Committee" within the office of the Attorney General whose members shall be appointed by secret ballot vote of the prosecuting and circuit attorneys of the state. The committee may appoint a special prosecutor when a prosecuting or circuit attorney has a conflict of interest in a criminal prosecution. Additionally, if the Governor determines that a threat to public safety and health exists in a jurisdiction that has a certain number of homicide cases as provided in to the act, he or she may submit a request to the committee to select a special prosecutor. The committee shall select an attorney to provide to the Governor within 30 days of receiving the request and the Governor shall appoint such attorney to serve for a period of up to 5 years. If the committee does not provide the Governor with a name of an attorney within 30 days, the Governor shall then select an attorney to appoint as special prosecutor. The special prosecutor is not required to reside in the jurisdiction to which he or she was appointed.
Such special prosecutor shall have exclusive jurisdiction to initiate prosecutions for the offenses of murder in the first and second degree, assault in the first and second degree, robbery in the first or second degree, and vehicle hijacking. The special prosecutor shall also have exclusive jurisdiction over all other charges stemming from the same criminal event as the initial offense.
This act also provides that such special prosecutor shall have the same salary as a circuit court judge and has the authority to hire additional special prosecuting attorneys and staff which shall be funded by General Revenue. Finally, the Governor may continue to appoint such special prosecutor for additional 5 year terms, as provided in the act.
This act is substantially similar to HB 301 (2023).
MARY GRACE PRINGLE