HCS/SS/SB 218 - This act modifies provisions relating to court operations.INTERPRETER SERVICES IN COURT PROCEEDINGS (SECTION 476.806)
This act provides that if a party or witness to a civil, juvenile, or criminal proceeding, instead of only in criminal proceedings, requires an interpreter or translator, the fees and expenses for such interpreter or translator are payable by the State from funds thus appropriated.
This provision is identical to HB 182 (2025) and a provision in HCS/SS/SB 221 (2025).
CONFIDENTIALITY ON CASE.NET OF DECEASED INDIVIDUALS WITH CERTAIN CONVICTIONS (SECTION 476.1025)
This act provides that a parent, spouse, child, or personal representative of a person who was convicted of a misdemeanor offense may file a motion with a copy of the death certificate in the court of conviction to have the record made confidential on any automated case management system (Missouri Case.net) if the person has been deceased for six months or more. Prior to making such conviction confidential, the court shall determine whether any person would be unfairly prejudiced by the confidentiality of such conviction.
This provision is identical to a provision in HCS/HB 83 (2025), HB 143 (2025), in SCS/HCS/HB 176 (2025), in HCS/SS/SB 221 (2025), HB 1718 (2024), in SCS/HCS/HB 2064 & HCS#2/HB 1886 (2024), in HCS/SS/SCS/SB 72 (2023), and HCS/HB 371 (2023) and is similar to HB 1599 (2022), HB 972 (2021), and HB 2514 (2020).
JUDICIAL PRIVACY ACT (SECTIONS 476.1300 TO 476.1313)
This act modifies the Judicial Privacy Act by providing for the regulation of the use of personal information of certain court-related officers, including circuit clerks, court administrators, deputy circuit clerks, division clerks, municipal clerks, juvenile officers, and chief deputy juvenile officers.
The act provides that the Judicial Privacy Act shall not apply to personal information present in records of court proceedings on the statewide court automation system (Missouri Case.net). Additionally, under this act, no person, business, or association shall publicly post or display on the internet a judicial officer's personal information if such person, business, or association has received a written request, rather than if the judicial officer has provided written consent or made a written request.
These provisions are identical to provisions in HCS/HB 1457 (2025) and in HCS/SS/SB 221 (2025) and are substantially similar to provisions in SCS/HCS/HB 615 (2205) and in SCS/HCS/HB 1259 (2025).
BASIC CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES FUND (SECTION 477.650)
Currently, the provision of law establishing the Basic Civil Legal Services Fund, which provides funding to legal services organizations in this state to provide civil legal services and representation to eligible low-income persons, is set to expire on December 31, 2025. This act repeals the expiration date.
This provision is identical to a provision in SS#2/SCS/SB 10 (2025), in HCS/HB 83 (2025), in SCS/HCS/HB 87 (2025), HB 124 (2025), in SCS/HCS/HB 176 (2025), in HCS/HB 179 (2025), HB 181 (2025), in HCS/SS/SB 221 (2025), SCS/SBs 391 & 355 (2025), in SCS/HCS/HB 615 (2025), in SCS/HCS/HB 1259 (2025), HB 1838 (2024), and in SCS/HCS/HB 2064 & HCS#2/HB 1886 (2024) and is substantially similar to SB 946 (2024) and a provision in SCS/HB 2719 (2024).
TREATMENT COURTS (SECTION 478.001)
Currently, the treatment court divisions of the circuit courts may include an adult treatment court, DWI court, family treatment court, juvenile treatment court, and veteran treatment court, which are specialized courts focused on addressing substance abuse disorders, mental health disorders, and co-occurring disorders of certain criminal defendants. This act provides for the establishment of a mental health treatment court to provide an alternative for the disposal of cases that stem from mental health or co-occurring disorders of criminal defendants.
This provision is substantially similar to a provision in HCS/HB 82 (2025), in HCS/HB 83 (2025), in SB 143 (2025), in SCS/HCS/HB 176 (2025), in HCS/SS/SB 221 (2025), HB 227 (2025), in SB 352 (2025), in SCS/HCS/HBs 971, 293 & 978 (2025), in SCS/SB 897 (2024), SB 1370 (2024), in SCS/HCS/HB 2064 & HCS#2/HB 1886 (2024), and in HCS/HB 2700 (2024).
CIRCUIT JUDGES AUTHORIZATION (SECTIONS 478.330)
This act modifies provisions relating to the addition of circuit judges based on judicial performance reports and for certain circuits. The act provides that the clerk of the Supreme Court of Missouri shall notify the Revisor of Statutes of any new circuit judgeships authorized pursuant to judicial performance reports and an initial appropriation. The Revisor shall publish a footnote listing the authorized judgeships and corresponding circuit. Authorized judgeships in partisan counties shall be elected at the next general election after the authorization, and every six years thereafter.
This provision is substantially similar to a provision in HCS/HB 93 & 1139 (2025), in HCS/SS/SB 221 (2025), and in SB 352 (2025).
6TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT - PLATTE: CIRCUIT JUDGE (SECTION 478.376)
This act codifies three circuit judges in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, which consists of Platte County.
This provision is identical to a provision in HCS/HB 93 & 1139 (2025), in HCS/SS/SB 221 (2025), and in SB 352 (2025).
13TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT - BOONE & CALLAWAY: CIRCUIT JUDGES (SECTION 478.610)
This act codifies five circuit judges in the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, consisting of Boone County and Callaway County. The fifth circuit judge is to be elected in 2030, and every six years thereafter.
This provision is identical to a provision in HCS/HB 93 & 1139 (2025), in HCS/SS/SB 221 (2025), and in SB 352 (2025).
19TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT - COLE: CIRCUIT JUDGES (SECTION 478.625)
This act codifies four circuit judges in the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, consisting of Cole County. The fourth circuit judge is to be elected in 2030, and every six years thereafter.
This provision is identical to a provision in SB 352 (2025).
24TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT - MADISON, ST. FRANCOIS, STE. GENEVIEVE & WASHINGTON: CIRCUIT JUDGE (SECTION 478.690)
Currently, the 24th Judicial District, consisting of the counties of Madison, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, and Washington, has two circuit judges. This act increases the number of circuit judges to three, with the third circuit judge appointed by the Governor for a term ending January 1, 2031, and thereafter shall be elected, beginning with an election in 2030.
This provision is identical to a provision in HCS/HB 93 & 1139 (2025).
32ND JUDICIAL CIRCUIT - PERRY, BOLLINGER & CAPE GIRARDEAU: CIRCUIT JUDGE (SECTION 478.710)
Currently, there are two circuit judges in the 32nd Judicial Circuit, which consists of Perry, Bollinger, and Cape Girardeau. This act increases the number of circuit judges to three, with the third circuit judge appointed by the Governor for a term ending January 1, 2029, and thereafter shall be elected, beginning with an election in 2028.
This provision is identical to a provision in HCS/SS/SB 221 (2025) and is substantially similar to a provision in HCS/HB 93 & 1139 (2025), SB 558 (2025), SB 1384 (2024), and HB 2600 (2024).
COMPENSATION OF JURORS (SECTIONS 488.040 & 494.455)
Currently, a juror shall receive seven cents per mile to and from his or her place of residence and the courthouse. This act modifies the mileage rate of jurors to the mileage rate of state employees, which is currently provided at sixty-five and half cents. Current law also provides that grand or petit jurors in certain counties, including in Clay and Greene, shall not receive compensation for the first two days of service, but shall receive fifty dollars with seven cents per mile for the third and any subsequent days that the juror actually serves. This act provides that the governing body of the county or the City of St. Louis may adopt a system of juror compensation that provides grand or petit jurors to receive no compensation on the first two days of actual service, but receive fifty dollars with the state employee mileage rate for the third and any subsequent days of actual service.
These provisions are identical to provisions in HCS/HB 83 (2025), in SCS/HCS/HB 176 (2025), in HCS/SS/SB 221 (2025), in SB 352 (2025), SB 447 (2025), in SCS/HCS/HB 615 (2025), in SCS/SB 897 (2024), SCS/SB 1220 (2024), and in SCS/HCS/HB 2064 & HCS#2/HB 1886 (2024), are substantially similar to provisions in HB 131 (2024), SCS/HCS/HB 2700 (2024), and are similar to HB 1457 (2024).
KATIE O'BRIEN