HB 2695 modifies Missouri's correctional credit system by creating two distinct types of credit for offenders: "good time" for behavioral compliance and "earned time" for participation in rehabilitation programs. Offenders serving sentences longer than one year (excluding death penalty or life without parole) can earn up to 54 days of good time credit annually for exemplary conduct and up to 10 days of earned time credit for every 30 days in approved programs like education, job training, or substance abuse treatment. The bill requires the Department of Corrections to publish policies on these credits, notify inmates about eligibility, and allows petitioning for earned time credit for programs completed after 2010 starting January 1, 2027. Offenders sentenced to death or life without parole are excluded from credit but their program participation is still documented.
HB 2676 ensures inmates receive credit for all time spent in custody after an offense occurred but before their sentence began, including retroactive credit for those held before August 28, 2023. It requires sheriffs and custodial officers to certify pre-sentence custody time, which must be applied toward the sentence regardless of when the offense happened. The bill also clarifies that time served under a vacated sentence counts toward a new sentence and that escapes interrupt both the sentence and credit calculation. This directly affects all individuals sentenced to imprisonment in the state, ensuring they receive full credit for pre-sentence detention. The law mandates that credit cannot exceed the actual time spent in custody prior to sentencing.
HB 2785 allows incarcerated individuals to attend funerals of immediate family members under specific conditions. Offenders must be escorted by corrections staff, pay all associated costs (including escort fees) in advance, and the deceased relative must be a close family member (e.g., parent, child, spouse, or sibling). This provision exempts funeral visits from the standard annual 30-day furlough limit and ensures access if the offender does not receive prior approval. The bill adds this as a defined right without altering sentencing or correctional policies.
HB 2832 creates a new "Office of the Department of Corrections Ombudsman" to independently monitor prison conditions and investigate inmate concerns. The office will track issues like sanitation, abuse, medical care access, and facility safety through annual facility inspections, data collection on incidents (e.g., suicides, assaults), and complaint investigations. It directly affects inmates by providing oversight of their living conditions and rights, and family members by improving access to visitation and communication. The ombudsman will issue public reports and recommendations to the corrections oversight committee, which includes formerly incarcerated individuals and family members. This bill establishes a concrete mechanism for accountability without altering prison funding or sentencing policies.
HB 2880 increases mandatory minimum prison terms for certain felony offenders in Missouri. It requires non-dangerous felony offenders with prior prison commitments to serve 80% of their sentence (up from 40-50% under current law), while those without prior commitments must serve 75% (up from 70%). Dangerous felons must serve 85% of their sentence. The bill also creates a Sentencing Advisory Commission to study sentencing disparities and alternative programs like probation and work release. It directly affects repeat felony offenders sentenced under the specified statutes.
HB 2915 allows the Department of Corrections to file a claim of actual innocence in postconviction cases challenging a conviction or sentence. It requires courts to review such claims only if clear and convincing evidence shows innocence and undermines confidence in the original verdict, considering all evidence - including new evidence not presented at trial. If proven, the court must vacate the conviction and provide written findings explaining the evidence used. This directly affects individuals serving prison sentences who can now present new evidence of innocence through this specific legal pathway.
HB 1834 changes Missouri's law on enticing children by raising the age of protected minors from 17 to 18 years. It makes it a felony for anyone 21 or older to persuade, lure, or communicate with a person under 18 for sexual purposes, including online. Convictions require mandatory prison sentences of 5 to 30 years with no parole, probation, or early release for five years after sentencing. This law directly affects adults who target minors under 18 for sexual conduct.
HB 2302 requires the state Department of Corrections to provide specific services to inmates before their release from state custody. It mandates the department to provide documentation for post-release employment (including vocational records, work history, and a resume) and coordinate with the Department of Revenue to issue state-issued identification cards to inmates without current IDs. The bill applies to most inmates released within the state, with exceptions for those aged 65+ or in medical parole. Identification cards issued under this law are valid for four years, non-renewable, and funded through department resources or inmate trust funds.
HB 2256 modifies Missouri's minimum prison terms for certain felony offenders sentenced after August 28, 2026. It requires offenders with one or two prior felony convictions (unrelated to the current offense) to serve at least 50% of their sentence or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The bill also mandates that presentence reports include available alternatives to incarceration, such as restorative justice programs, and details about the crime's impact on victims. This affects individuals convicted of qualifying felonies who are committed to the Department of Corrections, altering sentencing options and minimum service requirements.
HB 1721 requires prosecuting and circuit attorneys to submit standardized, annual reports on case handling to the governor, attorney general, and legislative committees by March 1st each year. The reports must include non-personally identifying data broken down by offense category, covering intake (arrests, referrals, dismissals), dispositions (diversion, pleas, dismissals), and sentencing (incarceration, probation, jail terms). These reports must be made publicly available upon request and help compile uniform data for oversight. The bill directly affects local prosecutors' offices by mandating specific data collection and reporting formats. It aims to increase transparency in how criminal cases are processed across jurisdictions.
