SCS/HCS/HBs 971, 293 & 978 - This act modifies provisions relating to public safety.LINE OF DUTY COMPENSATION ACT (Section 287.243)
Currently, a claim for compensation for a public safety officer killed in the line of duty is $25,0000. This act changes the amount to $100,000 and provides that beginning in 2025, the amount of compensation shall be adjusted annually by the percent increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.
This program shall automatically sunset on December 31, 2030.
These provisions are similar to provisions in the truly agreed to and finally passed SS/SCS/HB 225 (2025), the truly agreed to and finally passed CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SBs 81 & 174 (2025), HCS/SS/SCS/SB 71 (2025), and substantially similar to HB 365 (2025) and HB 1584 (2025), and provisions in HCS/SS#2/SCS/SB 10 (2025), SB 143 (2025), HCS/SB 189 (2025), SCS/SB 669 (2025), HCS/HB 72 (2025), SCS/HCS/HB 87 (2025), and HCS/HB 497 (2025).
MENTAL HEALTH COURTS (Section 478.001)
Currently, the treatment court divisions of the circuit courts may include an adult treatment court, DWI court, family treatment court, juvenile treatment court, and veteran treatment court, which are specialized courts focused on addressing substance abuse disorders, mental health disorders, and co-occurring disorders of certain criminal defendants. This act provides for the establishment of a mental health treatment court to provide an alternative for the disposal of cases that stem from mental health or co-occurring disorders of criminal defendants.
These provisions are identical to provisions in the truly agreed to and finally passed HCS/SS/SB 218 (2025) and HCS/SS/SB 221 (2025), and substantially similar to provisions in HCS/HB 82 (2025), HCS/HB 83 (2025), SB 143 (2025), SCS/HCS/HB 176 (2025), HB 227 (2025), SB 352 (2025), SCS/SB 897 (2024), SB 1370 (2024), SCS/HCS/HB 2064 & HCS#2/HB 1886 (2024), and HCS/HB 2700 (2024).
ADMISSIBILITY OF CERTAIN EVIDENCE IN CRIMINAL CASES (Sections 491.075 and 492.304)
Under current law, a statement made by a child under 14 years of age may be admissible in criminal proceedings under certain circumstances. This act changes the age to a child under the age of 18 years of age.
Additionally, this act provides that visual or audio recordings of a child under 18 years of age or a vulnerable person relating to certain criminal offenses shall be admissible in criminal proceedings under certain circumstances.
These provisions are substantially similar to provisions in HCS/SS/SCS/SB 60 (2025), HCS/SS/SB 66 (2025), HCS/HB 224 (2025), SB 284 (2025), SB 755 (2025), SCS/HCS/HB 1464 (2025), HB 83 (2025), SB 143 (2025), SB 148 (2025), HCS/HB 219 (2025), SB 277 (2025), SB 352 (2025), HCS/HB 615 (2025), HCS/HB 916 (2025), SCS/HCS/HB 1259 (2025), HB 1292 (2025), HCS/HBs 1706 & 1539 (2024), SB 1245 (2024), SCS/HCS/HB 2700 (2024), SCS/SB 897 (2024), SB 906 (2024), HCS/HB 454 (2023), and HS/HCS/HBs 1108 & 1181 (2023), and similar to provisions in SCS/SB 83 (2025) and HB 1301 (2025).
PRETRIAL WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM (Section 491.641)
Under current law, any law enforcement agency may use funds from the "Pretrial Witness Protection Services Fund" to provide for the security of witnesses and immediate family members during criminal proceedings. This act adds that prosecuting and circuit attorney offices may also use such funds.
This act also repeals certain application requirements for reimbursement of costs for witness protection and provides that law enforcement agencies and prosecuting and circuit attorney offices shall submit an application to the Department of Public Safety.
These provisions are identical to provisions in SCS/HCS/HB 87 (2025), HCS/SS/SB 66 (2025), HCS/SS/SCS/SB 60 (2025), SB 143 (2025), HCS/HB 224 (2025), SB 284 (2025), SB 755 (2025), SCS/HCS/HB 1464 (2025), SS/SCS/HCS/HB 1659 (2024), and SCS/HCS/HBs 1706 & 1539 (2024), and substantially similar to SCS/SB 1266 (2024).
UNLAWFUL TRACKING OF A MOTOR VEHICLE (Section 565.260)
This act creates the criminal offense of unlawful tracking of a motor vehicle, which is committed if a person knowingly places an electronic tracking device in or on a motor vehicle without the consent of all owners of the vehicle for the purpose of monitoring or following a vehicle occupant. The act includes exceptions for: law enforcement; minors' parents and legal guardians; tracking stolen goods or vehicles; authorized representatives of vulnerable adults, as defined in the act; consent by all owners of the vehicle; vehicle rental, sharing, or leasing companies; lienholders for repossession purposes; participants in voluntary usage-based insurance programs, as defined in the act; and vehicle manufacturers.
Unlawful tracking of a motor vehicle is a class A misdemeanor for a first offense, and a class E felony for a second or subsequent offense.
These provisions are identical to provisions in SCS/HCS/HB 572 (2025).
OFFENSE OF BURGLARY IN THE SECOND DEGREE (Section 569.170)
Current law provides that the offense of burglary in the second degree occurs when a person knowingly enters or remains unlawfully in a building or inhabitable structure for the purpose of committing a crime. This act provides that a person also commits the offense for knowingly entering or remaining unlawfully in certain restricted areas of a commercial building. Such offense is a class B misdemeanor for a first offense and a class A misdemeanor for second and subsequent offenses.
These provisions are identical to provisions in SCS/SB 318 (2025) and HB 1218 (2025).
THE OFFENSE OF HAZING ("DANNY'S LAW") (Section 578.365)
This act provides that the offense of hazing shall be known as "Danny's Law" and provides that a person is guilty of the offense of hazing if a person knowingly, actively, and not under duress participates in, solicits another person to participate in, or causes or plans a willful act that endangers a student or certain members of organizations under the sanction of a public or private college or university.
This act provides that a person shall not be guilty of the offense of hazing if the person establishes that he or she:
· Was present at the event where hazing occurred and a person was in need of immediate medical assistance;
· Was the first person to call 911 or campus security to report the need for medical attention;
· Provided the relevant information to the 911 operator or campus security; and
· Remained at the scene until medical assistance arrived and cooperated with such assistance.
Additionally, this act provides that a person shall be immune from prosecution if the person can establish he or she rendered aid to the hazing victim before assistance arrived.
These provisions are identical to provisions in the truly agreed to and finally passed CCS/HCS/SS/SB 160 (2025), HCS/HB 234 (2025), HCS/SS/SB 43 (2025), HCS/SS#2/SB 167 (2025), and HCS/HB 234 (2025), and is similar to SB 384 (2025), SB 1427 (2024), and HB 1443 (2024).
CRIME VICTIMS' COMPENSATION FUND (Section 595.045)
This act adds that a person who pleads guilty to a class E felony shall pay a fee of $46 payable to the Crime Victims' Compensation Fund.
These provisions are identical to provisions in the truly agreed to and finally passed HCS/SS/SB 43 (2025), SB 143 (2025), HCS/HB 83 (2025), HCS/HB 615 (2025), SCS/HCS/HB 87 (2025), HCS/SB 189 (2025), SB 352 (2025), SS/SCS/HCS/HB 1659 (2024), SCS/SB 897 (2024), HCS#2/HB 1886 (2024), HCS/HB 2700 (2024), HCS/SS#3/SB 22 (2023), CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 72 (2023), and HS/HCS/HBs 1108 & 1181 (2023).
ERIC VANDER WEERD