HOUSE BILL NO. 1923 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE MURRAY.
5156H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT To amend chapter 221, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to visitors to jails.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 221, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be 2 known as section 221.356, to read as follows: 221.356. 1. The provisions of this section shall be known and may be referred to 2 as the "No More Jail Deaths Act". 3 2. Except as provided in subsections 3, 4, and 5 of this section, no person shall be 4 permitted to enter a jail or detention facility of any political subdivision except by 5 special permission of the chief administrative officer of the jail or detention facility 6 under rules or regulations as such officer shall prescribe. 7 3. The following persons shall be authorized to visit the jails or detention 8 facilities of any city, county, or other political subdivision at any time: 9 (1) Authorized employees of the political subdivision; 10 (2) The chief executive officer of the political subdivision; 11 (3) The governor; 12 (4) The lieutenant governor; 13 (5) The attorney general; 14 (6) The state auditor; 15 (7) The state treasurer; 16 (8) The secretary of state; 17 (9) Members of the general assembly; 18 (10) The director of the department of public safety;
EXPLANATION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is intended to be omitted from the law. Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language. HB 1923 2
19 (11) The commissioners of the department of elementary and secondary 20 education; 21 (12) The commissioners of the department of higher education and workforce 22 development; 23 (13) The adjutant general of the state; 24 (14) Judges of the supreme court, courts of appeal, and circuit courts; and 25 (15) Circuit and prosecuting attorneys. 26 4. The assistants of any person named in subsection 3 of this section shall be 27 authorized to visit a jail or detention facility at any reasonable time as specifically 28 authorized by their superiors and in accordance with rules and regulations established 29 by the chief administrative officer of the jail or detention facility. 30 5. All clergy of every recognized denomination shall have access to the jails or 31 detention facilities of any city, county, or other political subdivision and may visit any 32 offender confined in a jail or detention facility, subject to such rules or regulations as 33 may be deemed necessary for maintaining security and safety in the jail or detention 34 facility. Such clergy may administer the rites and ceremonies of the church to which 35 they belong, if such offender desires it and it is in compliance with rules or regulations of 36 the jail or detention facility. 37 6. The governing authority of each city, county, or other political subdivision 38 that operates a jail or detention facility shall adopt or update rules or regulations 39 consistent with this section no later than March 1, 2027, and submit a copy thereof to the 40 department of public safety for archival purposes. The department of public safety 41 shall have authority to provide guidance and may review the rules or regulations for 42 consistency with state standards. ✔
Statutes affected: