HB 591 — Modifies provisions relating to reporting requirements of law enforcement

Bill Text

Compared against the Missouri Revised Statutes as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

This bill amends 4 section(s) of the Missouri Revised Statutes: Section 43.505, RSMo; Section 536.028, RSMo; Section 217.721, RSMo; Section 650.040, RSMo.

• Section 43.505, RSMo

  (6) → bold-face Beginning January 1, 2026, publish quarterly clearance rates, as defined in section 650.040, on the department's website by the fifteenth calendar day on the month following the close of the preceding quarter; (6) Beginning January 1, 2027, report the data collected pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection 3 of this section to the governor, Missouri peace officers standards and training commission, chair of the committee on the judiciary and civil and criminal jurisprudence of the senate, chair of the committee on crime prevention and public safety of the house of representatives, and chair of the committee on the judiciary of the house of representatives by July 1, 2027, and by July first of each year thereafter. The department shall also make the report available to the public on the department's website; (7) (8)

  amended

• Section 536.028, RSMo

  (a) Beginning January 1, 2026, every law enforcement agency in the state shall collect data documenting case clearances, including information on clearance rates, as defined in section 650.040, for nonfatal shootings, as determined by the department of public safety, and report such data to the department on a monthly basis. (b) All clearance rate data collected and reported pursuant to this section shall be disaggregated by whether the offense was cleared by arrest or the offense was cleared by exceptional means, as defined in section 650.040; document the year of the offense and the demographic information of the victim; and detail the average duration per office from the date of the offense to the date of clearance.

  amended

• Section 217.721, RSMo

  court that placed the offender on probation and the office of the prosecuting attorney by

  amended

• Section 650.040, RSMo

  (1) "Clearance rates", the rate at which law enforcement agencies clear an offense by arrest or by exceptional means; (2) "Offense cleared by an arrest", when at least one person has been arrested, charged with the commission of the offense, and turned over to the court for prosecution; (3) "Offense cleared by exceptional means", when the law enforcement agency has: (a) Identified the offender; (b) Gathered enough evidence to support an arrest, make a charge, and turn over the offender to the court for prosecution; (c) Identified the offender's exact location so that the suspect could be taken into custody immediately; and (dEncountered a circumstance outside the control of such agency that prohibited the agency from arresting, charging, and prosecuting the offender. There is hereby created the "Missouri Violent Crime Clearance Grant Program" within the department of public safety. This program shall be developed in consultation with the Missouri peace officers standards and training commission created pursuant to section 590.120, the office for victims of crime created pursuant to section 650.310, and the crime laboratory review commission created pursuant to section 650.059. 3. The purpose of this program is to improve law enforcement strategies and initiatives aimed at increasing violent crime clearance rates. 4. To the extent that such uses can be demonstrated to advance the purposes described in subsection 3 of this section, eligible uses for the funding include: (1) Improved investigatory resources, including the hiring of personnel assigned to investigate violent crimes or collect, process, and test forensic evidence; (2) Development of evidence-based policies, procedures, and training; (3) Technical assistance; (4) Law enforcement equipment or technology, including investigative, evidence- processing, or forensic-testing equipment or technology; (5) Contractual support; (6) Information systems, with prioritization for projects that would improve data integration and the ability to share information across and between law enforcement agencies, prosecuting attorneys' offices, and crime labs; (7) Officer health and wellness services; (8) Hiring and retention of victim-witness coordinators; (9) Partnership with hospital-based violence intervention programs; (10) Partnership with accredited behavioral health programs; and (11) Partnership with local community service providers to improve support for victims of violent crime. 5. In awarding a grant under subsection 2 of this section for an allowable use under subsection 4 of this section, the department of public safety shall give priority to law enforcement agencies: (1) With consistent public reporting of low clearance rates; (2That demonstrate a commitment to working with community-based organizations and government agencies to reduce violent crime rates; or (3) That detail a process for evaluating the effectiveness of both investigators and investigative units, including the development of specific goals and performance metrics. 6. All law enforcement agencies that receive funding under this section shall report to the department of public safety annually on activities carried out to reduce violent crime and improve clearance rates during the preceding fiscal year including, but not limited to: (1) The number of personnel hired or assigned to investigate violent crimes, disaggregated between sworn law enforcement officers and civilian or unsworn professional staff; (2) The number of personnel hired or assigned to collect, process, and test forensic evidence; (3) The number of personnel hired or assigned to provide victim services; (4) The description of any training developed or implemented; (5) The description of any new technology purchased or acquired; (6) How grant-funded activities have impacted clearance rates; (The record management system, or equivalent, used to collect case information and its ability to integrate with other agencies', prosecuting attorney offic

  amended

Action History

1. April 23, 2025

   Referred: Rules - Administrative(H)

2. April 03, 2025

   HCS Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 17 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0

3. April 02, 2025

   HCS Voted Do Pass (H)

4. April 02, 2025

   Executive Session Completed (H)

5. March 26, 2025

   Public Hearing Completed (H)

6. March 10, 2025

   Referred: Crime and Public Safety(H)

7. January 09, 2025

   Read Second Time (H)

8. January 08, 2025

   Read First Time (H)

9. December 17, 2024

   Prefiled (H)

Sponsors

• Chad Perkins · Cosponsor
• Richard West · Primary

Votes

Subjects