SB 1782, titled "Justin's Law," authorizes law enforcement agencies to use trained canines for detecting illicit narcotics. This bill directly affects police departments and other law enforcement entities by providing a legal basis for employing drug-sniffing dogs during investigations. The key provision is the explicit authorization for canine use in narcotics detection, which becomes part of standard law enforcement procedures. The abstract does not specify additional requirements or limitations for this authorization.
HJR 106 proposes a constitutional amendment to replace Missouri's current cannabis-related constitutional sections with 18 new sections. It would establish a medical cannabis program by defining terms like "qualifying patient" (18+ with a medical need) and "medical identification card," allowing patients to obtain marijuana with a card issued after certification by a healthcare provider. The amendment distinguishes between "hemp" (with ≤0.3% THC) and "marijuana," excluding hemp products from the definition. This amendment must be approved by voters in the 2026 general election to take effect.
SB 1509 - This act establishes the "Office of State Ombudsman for Inmates in the Custody of the Department of Corrections" ("Office") within the Department of Corrections ("Department") for the purpose of ensuring the adequacy of care and improving the quality of life of inmates. The Office shall establish and implement procedures for receiving, processing, responding to, and resolving complaints made by or on behalf of inmates in the custody of the Department as well as establish procedures for the resolution of complaints. The Office shall be directed by an Ombudsman, who shall be appointed by the Governor and serve a 6-year term. The Ombudsman shall not be a current or former Department employee or have a spouse, child, or parent as a current or former Department employee. This act provides that the Office shall have the authority to: • Provide information to inmates, family members and representative of inmates, and others regarding the rights of inmates; • Monitor conditions of confinement and assess whether the Department is in compliance with federal, state, and Department regulations; • Establish a state-wide reporting system to collect data related to complaints received by the Department; and • Monitor all decisions of the parole board. The Office shall have reasonable access to all Department facilities, including all areas which are accessible to inmates, and access to programs for inmates at reasonable times. The Office shall have the authority to interview any inmates, Department employees or contractors, or any other person. The Office shall have the authority to copy documents in the possession or control of the Department that the Office considers necessary in an investigation of a complaint and the Department shall provide such documents no later than 30 days after the Office's written request. If the records relate to an inmate death, threat of death, sexual assault, or the denial of necessary medical treatment, the records shall be provided within 5 days, unless a waiver is provided by the Office to the Department. The Office shall establish confidentiality rules and procedures for all information maintained by the Office to ensure that the identity of a complainant is not known to Department employees or other inmates. The Office shall conduct at least one inspection each year of each Department facility and at least two times each year for each maximum security facility to monitor the status of all covered issues as defined in this act. The Office shall release a public report of each inspection. An inspection of a Department facility shall include an assessment of the following: • All policies and procedures related to the care of inmates; • Conditions of confinement; • Availability of educational and rehabilitative programing, drug and mental health treatment, and inmate job training; • All policies and procedures related to visitation; • All procedures and policies of medical facilities; • Review of lock-downs at the facility in the time since the last inspection; • Review of staffing at the facility; • Review of physical and sexual assaults at the facility; • Review of any inmate or staff deaths; and • Review of staff recruitment for the Department. Upon completion of the inspection, the Office shall produce a public report, with information as provided in the act, on its website, and deliver the report to the Governor, Attorney General, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Director of the Department of Corrections. The Department shall then submit a report to the Office within 30 days of the Office's inspection report which shall include a corrective action plan for each recommendation of the Office. This act also provides that the Office may initiate and attempt to resolve an investigation upon its own initiative or upon receipt of a complaint from an inmate, the inmate's family or representative, or a Department employee, regarding violations as provided in the act. The Office may decline to investigate any complaint and shall decline a complaint if the inmate has failed to first utilize Department grievance policies. The Office shall notify the complainant if it does not investigate a complaint. The Office may not investigate any complaints relating to an inmate's underlying criminal conviction and may refer any complaint to another state or federal agency. At the conclusion of an investigation, the Office shall render a public decision within 90 days of the filing of the complaint, except that the documents supporting the decision are subject to the confidentiality procedures established by the Office. The Office shall give a decision in writing to the inmate and to the Department. The Office shall give its recommendations for further action if needed. The Department shall give a report upon request to the Office within thirty days of any action taken on the Office's recommendations or the reasons for not complying with the recommendations. If the Office finds that there has been a significant inmate health or safety issue, the Office shall report such findings to the Governor, the Attorney General, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Director of the Department of Corrections. Finally, the Department and its employees shall not discharge, retaliate against, or in any manner discriminate against any person because such person has filed any complaint or instituted any proceeding under this act. A complaint may be filed with the Attorney General, within 30 days after a violation occurs, for any alleged discharge or retaliation against a complainant. There shall be a rebuttable presumption of retaliation if the complainant has suffered abuse or any other violation after he or she filed a complaint under this act. This act is identical to SB 378 (2025), SB 798 (2024), SB 327 (2023), SB 899 (2022), and SB 471 (2021). TRISTAN BENSON, JR.
HB 2708 updates rules for prohibited items in prisons and jails. It specifically bans controlled substances (except prescribed), intoxicating liquor, weapons, unauthorized electronic devices (like cell phones), and other items banned by facility rules. Violations carry penalties ranging from misdemeanors to class B felonies, depending on the item. The bill also adds a new rule: people convicted of bringing certain drugs (alkaloids) can have their records cleared through a specific expungement process, but only if they haven’t previously violated these rules. Facilities must post clear lists of prohibited items for visitors.
HB 2902 bans the sale, possession, or use of devices that can bypass car key fobs (like "relay attack devices" or "key programming tools") except for law enforcement, auto dealers, insurers, and mechanics. It also creates a "Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Commission" to manage grants for local law enforcement to fund programs targeting vehicle theft, including multi-jurisdiction task forces, specialized training, and public awareness campaigns. The commission, composed of state officials and industry representatives, will approve funding for prevention, investigation, and prosecution of vehicle-related crimes. This directly affects car thieves (by restricting tools), law enforcement agencies (via grant access), and auto industry professionals (who retain limited device access).
HB 2835 allows individuals convicted of drug-related felonies to access food assistance benefits (SNAP) if they meet specific conditions. To qualify, they must be in or completing approved substance abuse treatment, comply with court and probation requirements, avoid new drug offenses for one year, and pass voluntary sobriety tests. The bill directly affects people with past drug felony convictions who are actively working toward recovery through state-approved programs. It creates an exemption from a federal SNAP ineligibility rule for these individuals, using a state option permitted under federal law. The policy change applies only to those meeting all four criteria, not to individuals with additional drug convictions.
HB 2788 would have modified Missouri's unlawful firearm possession law by creating time-based exceptions for people with prior felony convictions. It would have allowed firearm possession after 10 years for violent felony convictions and 3 years for nonviolent felony convictions, following full sentence completion (including probation). The bill exempted antique firearms from these restrictions and defined "violent felony" as involving force/threat against others. However, the bill was introduced in January 2026 and withdrawn the same month without becoming law.
HB 3155 creates a new program for nonviolent offenders with serious substance abuse issues who haven't been convicted of violent crimes. It requires courts to refer eligible offenders to a 12-24 month treatment program in correctional facilities, with suspended incarceration during participation. The bill also mandates detailed information sharing when transferring offenders to correctional facilities, including health records, sentencing details, and victim impact statements. Additionally, it updates parole board guidelines to prioritize releasing lower-risk offenders, use risk assessments, and publish data on parole outcomes and recidivism.
HB 2574 allows individuals who successfully complete Missouri’s substance abuse treatment program for nonviolent offenders to petition a court for limited driving privileges. This applies specifically to graduates of the state’s intensive treatment program for chronic nonviolent offenders with serious substance abuse addictions who have not been convicted of dangerous felonies. The bill creates a direct pathway for these individuals to request restricted driving rights after program completion, connecting treatment outcomes to driving eligibility. It does not change existing driving laws but adds this new eligibility step for program graduates.
HB 2602 proposes to exempt registered harm reduction programs from penalties for distributing needles/syringes under state drug laws. It creates a registration process through the Department of Health and Senior Services, requiring programs to partner with mental health/substance use treatment providers and avoid locations within 500 feet of schools (unless the school existed before the program opened). The bill directly affects registered syringe access programs, their staff, and volunteers who distribute or manufacture needles/syringes solely for these programs. This would make such activities legal under the law, removing criminal penalties for these specific actions. The bill is currently in early legislative stages (prefiled, first reading).
