Requires the Highway Patrol to conduct an independent investigation any time a person under the age of fifty-five dies within a department of corrections facility

HB 2784 requires the Missouri State Highway Patrol to conduct an independent investigation whenever a person under 55 dies in a state Department of Corrections facility. This applies directly to deaths occurring in correctional facilities, ensuring an external review of such incidents. The bill mandates that the Highway Patrol must have full access to all autopsy records and findings from investigations conducted under existing law. It does not alter sentencing or facility operations but establishes a specific procedural requirement for death investigations in prisons. The bill is currently in its early legislative stages, having been introduced in January 2026.