SS/SCS/HB 1825 - This act modifies provisions relating to county finances. COUNTY CLASSIFICATIONS (SECTION 48.020) Under this act, counties that attain the fourth classification counties prior to January 1, 2027, and would otherwise become a third classification county after January 1, 2027, shall remain a county in the fourth classification through December 31, 2030. SALARY SCHEDULES FOR COUNTY OFFICIALS (SECTIONS 49.082, 50.327, 50.334, 51.281, 52.269, 53.082, 54.261, 54.320, 55.091, 58.095, 58.095, & 473.742) This act provides increases to the salary schedules for various county officials. The increase in salary shall apply to all terms that begin after August 28, 2026. Any salary adjustment that occurs after August 28, 2026, shall not decrease the current salary of an official. This act also provides that salaries for certain county officials shall be adjusted each year on the anniversary date of each official's current term. Further, this act provides a formula to calculate the adjustment of salaries. COUNTY SALARY COMMISSIONS (SECTION 50.333) Under current law, every noncharter county has a salary commission that is made up of specified members. This act removes the prosecuting attorney and county sheriff from the membership of the salary commission, except in Boone County where they shall remain on the commission. In counties that utilize part-time prosecuting attorneys, they shall be members of the salary commission. PROSECUTING ATTORNEY SALARY (SECTION 56.265) This act provides that a full-time prosecuting attorney of a charter, first or second class county, or of a city not within a county, shall receive compensation equal to one hundred percent of the compensation of a circuit judge. A full-time prosecuting attorney in a third or fourth class county shall receive compensation equal to one hundred percent of the compensation of an associate circuit judge or ninety-five percent of the compensation of a circuit judge if such salary is approved by the county commission. Under this act, a part-time prosecuting attorney shall receive between thirty and sixty percent of the compensation of a circuit judge. The county salary commission has the discretion to determine the salary of part-time prosecuting attorney. The act provides that the salary of a prosecuting attorney shall not be lowered during the tenure of such attorney. Any county with a vacancy in the office of the prosecuting attorney for more than sixty days may consolidate with one contiguous county with a sitting prosecuting attorney if the county commission of each county votes unanimously to establish a cooperative regional prosecuting attorney's office. The sitting prosecuting attorney shall then be the prosecuting attorney of the region for the remainder of their term, or until the Governor appoints a prosecuting attorney to fill the vacancy. Regional prosecuting attorneys shall be full-time prosecuting attorneys and shall be compensated the same as a prosecuting attorney in a third or fourth class county. This provision is substantially similar to a provision in CCS/SS/SCS/HCS/HBs 2637 & 3155 (2026). TRISTAN BENSON, JR.