HB 543 Missouri House · 2025 Regular Session

Modifies provisions relating to civil detention procedures

HB 543 removes the notarization requirement for applications seeking emergency mental health detention, allowing any adult (including family members or medical staff) to file a sworn statement alleging a mental health crisis. It specifies that applications must detail factual evidence of imminent harm and be submitted to a court with probate jurisdiction. If probable cause is established, peace officers may detain individuals for up to 96 hours for evaluation at a mental health facility, with medical professionals also permitted to initiate this process based on their observations. The bill maintains existing safeguards requiring probable cause and the right to be heard, but streamlines the initial filing process by eliminating notarization for applications filed by peace officers, healthcare providers, or hospital staff.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2024
Committee Review
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Dec 13, 2024 Last action Apr 16, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Perfected · 2 edits
MINOR
The bill was perfected with minor administrative updates to the clerk's name and a formatting correction to line 17. These changes do not alter the substantive policy or legal requirements of the mental health detention provisions.
TECHNICAL

Updated the Chief Clerk's name from Dana Rademan Miller to Joseph Engler in the bill header.

Corrected a line break error on line 17, moving text from a deleted line to the correct position to ensure proper sentence structure regarding custody and transport authority.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
22
Key actions
5
Committee
7
Apr 10, 2025
Committee
Second read and referred: Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence(S)
upper
Apr 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
Third Read and Passed (H) - AYES: 141 NOES: 9 PRESENT: 1
lower
Mar 13, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 8 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0
lower
Mar 11, 2025
Lower · Passed
Voted Do Pass (H)
lower
Feb 26, 2025
Committee
Referred: Rules - Administrative(H)
lower
Feb 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 17 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0
lower
Feb 18, 2025
Lower · Passed
Voted Do Pass (H)
lower
Feb 6, 2025
Committee
Referred: Health and Mental Health(H)
lower
Dec 13, 2024
Introduced
Prefiled (H)
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Bennie Cook
Bennie Cook
RRepublican
MO
143