SS/SB 1 - This act amends sections of law relating to county officials which were declared unconstitutional in Byrd, et al. v. State of Missouri, et al. COMPENSATION FOR COUNTY CORONERS This act provides that the salary of a coroner in a noncharter county may be set as a base schedule as provided by law subject to an increase up to $14,000 upon the majority approval of the salary commission. (Sections 50.327 and 58.095) These provisions are identical to provisions in HCS/HB 249 (2025), HCS/HB 532 (2025), and CCS/SS/SCS/HB 1606 (2022) and SCS/SB 1128 (2022), and are similar to HB 2438 (2022). Additionally, under current law, when the office of the sheriff is vacant, the county coroner is authorized to perform all the duties of the sheriff, until another sheriff is appointed. This act provides that if the coroner becomes acting sheriff and the sheriff is no longer receiving the sheriff's salary, the coroner may be paid, in addition to the coroner's salary, the difference between the salaries of the sheriff and coroner so that the coroner receives the equivalent of the sheriff's salary while serving as acting sheriff. (Section 58.200) These provisions are identical to provisions in SS#2/SCS/HB 199 (2025), HCS/HB 249 (2025), HCS/HB 532 (2025), SB 1363 (2024), CCS/SS/SCS/HB 1606 (2022), SB 1085 (2022), and HB 2175 (2022). BASE SALARY SCHEDULES FOR THIRD CLASS COUNTIES This act provides that the salary commission of any third class county may amend the base salary schedules as provided by law for the computation of salaries for county officials to include assessed valuation factors in excess of $300 million dollars; provided that the percentage of any adjustments shall be equal for all county officials in that county. (Section 50.327) These provisions are identical to provisions in HCS/HB 249 (2025), HCS/HB 532 (2025), SB 1363 (2024), CCS/SS/SCS/HB 1606 (2022), and SB 704 (2022). COUNTY AUDITORS This act provides that, upon request, a county auditor in certain counties shall have access to and the ability to audit and examine claims of every kind and character for which a county officer has a fiduciary duty. (Section 55.160) These provisions are identical to provisions in HCS/HB 249 (2025), HCS/HB 532 (2025), SB 1363 (2024), and CCS/SS/SCS/HB 1606 (2022), and are substantially similar to SB 889 (2022) and SB 628 (2021). BOONE COUNTY SHERIFF Under current law, first and second class county sheriffs shall receive salaries equal to 80% of the compensation of associate circuit judges of the county. (Section 57.317) This act excludes the sheriff in Boone County. These provisions are identical to provisions in HCS/HB 249 (2025), HCS/HB 532 (2025), SB 1363 (2024), and CCS/SS/SCS/HB 1606 (2022). SALARIES OF COUNTY PUBLIC ADMINISTRATORS Currently, if a public administrator of a second, third, or fourth class county or of the City of St. Louis elects to be placed on salary, the salary is determined by a schedule based on the average number of open letters in the two years preceding the term in which the salary is elected. This act provides that every public administrator who begins his or her term on or after January 1, 2024, shall be deemed to have elected to receive such salary. This act also provides that a letter of guardianship and a letter of conservatorship shall be counted as separate letters. Additionally, it shall be two letters if the public administrator is appointed by the court as both a guardian and a conservator to the same ward or protectee. Furthermore, this act provides that upon majority approval by the salary commission, a public administrator may be paid according to the assessed valuation schedule set forth in the act. If the salary commission elects to pay a public administrator according to the assessed valuation schedule, the salary commission shall not elect to change at any future time to pay the public administrator according to the average number of open letters in lieu of paying them according to the assessed valuation schedule. (Section 473.742) These provisions are identical to provisions in HCS/HB 249 (2025), SB 1363 (2024), CCS/SS/SCS/HB 1606 (2022), and SB 1088 (2022), and are substantially similar to HB 2450 (2022) and HB 2450 (2021), and are similar to SB 803 (2020). JOSH NORBERG