Missouri 2026 Regular Session Status: In Committee

SB 1197 — Enacts the "Alexander Whalen Safe Highways Act" pertaining to wrong-way vehicle detection systems

Last action — SCS Voted Do Pass S Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee (4863S.02C)

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced December 01, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Senate.

Prognosis

Stalled 14% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

SCS/SB 1197 - This act establishes the "Alexander Whalen Safe Highways Act", requiring the Department of Transportation to implement wrong-way vehicle detection systems (WWVDSs), as defined in the act. Implementation shall begin no later than March 1, 2027, and shall prioritize certain interchanges, as specified in the act. The Department shall evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of notification systems for other drivers and for emergency responders. The Department shall produce annual reports on the implementation and effectiveness of WWVDSs. This act is similar to SCS/SB 672 (2025) and is similar to HB 1387 (2025). TAYLOR MIDDLETON

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

45 added · 51 removed

Plain-language change summary

The revised version of SB 1197 retains the intent of the original bill, which is to establish a wrong-way vehicle detection system, now known as the "Alexander Whalen Safe Highways Act." The key change is that the bill specifies the prioritization of the installation of the detection system at a particular intersection on Interstate 64 instead of a more general directive to prioritize "highway interchanges." This matters because it makes the implementation more focused and immediate for a specific area, which could enhance safety more effectively where wrong-way driving incidents are more likely.

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SECOND REGULAR SESSION SENATE BILLNO.
4863S.02C SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR SENATE BILL NO.
1197 103RD GENERALASSEMBLY INTRODUCED BY SENATOR GREGORY (15).
1197 AN ACT To amend chapter 226, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to wrong-way vehicle detection systems.
4863S.01I KRISTINAMARTIN, Secretary ANACT To amend chapter 226, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to wrong-way vehicle detection systems.
The department shall prioritize the installation of WWVDSs at highway interchanges, beginning with:
The department shall prioritize the installation of a WWVDS at the intersection of westbound Interstate 64 and Jefferson Avenue.
(1) The intersection of westbound Interstate 64 and Jefferson Avenue;
The implementation of other WWVDSs will be upon appropriation or upon approval from the director as needed.
and (2) Other interchanges with increased wrong-way driving incidents as identified by the department through crash and traffic data analysis.
4.
SB 1197 2 4.
The department shall provide educational information to inform drivers about wrong-way driving risks and safety measures.
7.
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Action History

  1. SCS Voted Do Pass S Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee (4863S.02C)

  2. Hearing Conducted S Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee

  3. Second Read and Referred S Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee

  4. S First Read

  5. Prefiled

Sponsors

  • David Gregory (15) · Primary

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 198 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

  • Gregory (15), David

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (198)

198 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 198 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety transportation
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does SB 1197 do?
SCS/SB 1197 - This act establishes the "Alexander Whalen Safe Highways Act", requiring the Department of Transportation to implement wrong-way vehicle detection systems (WWVDSs), as defined in the act. Implementation shall begin no later than March 1, 2027, and shall prioritize certain interchanges, as specified in the act. The Department shall evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of notification systems for other drivers and for emergency responders. The Department shall produce annual reports on the implementation and effectiveness of WWVDSs. This act is similar to SCS/SB 672 (2025) and is similar to HB 1387 (2025). TAYLOR MIDDLETON
Who sponsors SB 1197?
SB 1197 is sponsored by Gregory (15), David.
What is the current status of SB 1197?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced December 01, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 1197?
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Last checked for changes 2 months ago · updated continuously

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