Criminal Justice (Courts)

HB 2040 revises Missouri's criminal penalties for custody-related offenses. It creates two new offenses: "interference with custody" (a felony if a child is taken out of state) and "parental kidnapping" (a felony escalating to higher levels based on how long a child is detained). The bill requires courts to order defendants to pay restitution to legal custodians for reasonable expenses incurred in searching for or returning the child. It directly affects individuals who illegally remove, conceal, or take children from legal custody without court authorization. The law replaces outdated sections of Missouri law with these updated penalty structures and restitution requirements.

HB 2201 strengthens penalties for filing false documents with government entities in Missouri. It defines specific documents (like property records, liens, court filings, or financial forms) as "false" if they contain materially false information, are fraudulent, or lack proper consent. The bill makes this a Class C felony for first offenses, but elevates it to a Class B felony if the victim is a judge, law enforcement officer, elected official, or other protected public servant. It also requires government agencies (like county recorders) to log suspicious filings and notify law enforcement within two days, while mandating restitution to victims. This directly affects individuals or entities submitting documents to government offices, particularly those targeting public officials.

HB 1938, known as the "Respect the Whistle Act," creates two new offenses related to school and recreation athletic events in Missouri. It prohibits harassment of athletic officials (defined as behavior causing reasonable fear of harm during contests) and unauthorized entry or remaining on event sites after being forbidden by officials. Violators face fines up to $500, up to 90 days in jail for harassment, or up to six months for entry violations, plus mandatory 40-hour community service and court-approved counseling. The law directly affects attendees, spectators, or participants at public or private school athletic contests or sanctioned recreation events.

SB 1321 creates a new Missouri state offense for people entering the state while violating federal immigration law (8 U.S.C. § 1325). It imposes a $10,000 fine for a first offense (classified as a misdemeanor) and escalates to a class E felony for repeat violations. The bill mandates court-ordered removal from Missouri after fines or prison terms, requiring specific details like transportation to a port of entry and law enforcement monitoring. Law enforcement officers may arrest individuals suspected of violating this provision upon probable cause. This bill directly affects immigrants entering Missouri in violation of federal immigration rules, establishing state-level penalties distinct from federal enforcement.

HB 1687 is a proposed bill that would allow courts to sentence certain sexual offenders to surgical castration as an additional penalty. It applies to individuals convicted of specific aggravated sexual offenses against victims under 13 years old (occurring on or after August 28, 2026), excluding some sexual abuse charges. The court must first obtain a medical expert's determination that the procedure is appropriate, and the surgery must be performed by a licensed physician in a correctional facility no later than one week before the offender's release. Refusing the procedure could result in an additional 3-5 years in prison, but the bill exempts offenders under 17 and does not require castration if medically inappropriate. The bill is currently in early legislative stages (prefiled, read first/second time).

SB 1418 would exempt certain criminal offense records from public view on the state's court automation systems. It directly affects individuals convicted of specific offenses whose records would no longer be accessible to the public through these online systems. The bill's key provision is removing these designated records from public search capabilities on the statewide court database, changing how such information is handled. This is a procedural change to court record access, not a new criminal law.