Missouri 2026 Regular Session Status: In Committee

SB 1491 — Extends implementation period by one year, excludes litigation costs from maintenance of police force, and authorizes Board of Police Commissioners to adopt and certify its own budget

Last action — Second Read and Referred S Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee

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  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 31, 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

SB 1491 - This act modifies provisions regarding the St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners. The act excludes litigation costs, including attorneys' fees for representation of the board or individual officers, settlements or judgments from the calculation of expenses for the maintenance of the police force. Currently, the Board cannot transfer appropriated funds from one line item to another. This act repeals this provision and provides that the Board has the authority to adopt and certify its budget. There shall be no transfer from one character classification of expenditure in the Board budget to another character classification without the approval of the Board. Under current law, the Governor appoints a transition director to ensure an orderly transition of control of the St. Louis police force from the city to the Board of Police Commissioners. This act extends the implementation period from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2027. Upon the assumption of control by the Board, this act provides that the Board, rather than the state, shall be responsible for any contractual obligations of the police department. For any claim, lawsuit, or other action arising from events that occurred before the completion of the transfer, St. Louis City shall continue to provide legal representation and pay all costs, settlements, and judgments associated with such claims without reimbursement from the State Legal Expense Fund or any offset to the Board's minimum appropriation to fund the police force. Currently, the State Legal Expense Fund is responsible for claims for boards of police commissioners on an equal share basis per claim up to a maximum of $2 million per fiscal year. This act provides that it shall be a "collective" maximum of $2 million per fiscal year. This act is similar to HCS/HB 3066 (2026). TRISTAN BENSON, JR.

Bill Text

Action History

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

  2. S First Read

  3. Prefiled

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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

Sponsors (1)

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 elections labor
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 1491 do?
SB 1491 - This act modifies provisions regarding the St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners. The act excludes litigation costs, including attorneys' fees for representation of the board or individual officers, settlements or judgments from the calculation of expenses for the maintenance of the police force. Currently, the Board cannot transfer appropriated funds from one line item to another. This act repeals this provision and provides that the Board has the authority to adopt and certify its budget. There shall be no transfer from one character classification of expenditure in the Board budget to another character classification without the approval of the Board. Under current law, the Governor appoints a transition director to ensure an orderly transition of control of the St. Louis police force from the city to the Board of Police Commissioners. This act extends the implementation period from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2027. Upon the assumption of control by the Board, this act provides that the Board, rather than the state, shall be responsible for any contractual obligations of the police department. For any claim, lawsuit, or other action arising from events that occurred before the completion of the transfer, St. Louis City shall continue to provide legal representation and pay all costs, settlements, and judgments associated with such claims without reimbursement from the State Legal Expense Fund or any offset to the Board's minimum appropriation to fund the police force. Currently, the State Legal Expense Fund is responsible for claims for boards of police commissioners on an equal share basis per claim up to a maximum of $2 million per fiscal year. This act provides that it shall be a "collective" maximum of $2 million per fiscal year. This act is similar to HCS/HB 3066 (2026). TRISTAN BENSON, JR.
Who sponsors SB 1491?
SB 1491 is sponsored by Nick Schroer.
What is the current status of SB 1491?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced December 31, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB 1491?
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