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HB2286 • 2026

Prohibits governmental entities from granting legal personhood to a variety of objects

Prohibits governmental entities from granting legal personhood to a variety of objects

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Christensen, Mazzie (002)
Last action
2026-05-15
Official status
05/15/2026 - Referred: Emerging Issues(H)
Effective date
2026-08-28

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Prohibits governmental entities from granting legal personhood to a variety of objects

Prohibits governmental entities from granting legal personhood to a variety of objects

What This Bill Does

  • Prohibits governmental entities from granting legal personhood to a variety of objects

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-15 Missouri House of Representatives and Missouri Senate

    Referred: Emerging Issues(H)

  2. 2026-01-08 Missouri House of Representatives and Missouri Senate

    Read Second Time (H)

  3. 2026-01-07 Missouri House of Representatives and Missouri Senate

    Read First Time (H)

  4. 2025-12-09 Missouri House of Representatives and Missouri Senate

    Prefiled (H)

Official Summary Text

Prohibits governmental entities from granting legal personhood to a variety of objects

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SECOND REGULAR SESSION
HOUSE BILL NO. 2286
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBL Y
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENT A TIVE CHRISTENSEN.
5990H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
T o amend chapter 1, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to legal personhood.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 1, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be
2 known as section 1.206, to read as follows:
1.206. 1. As used in this section, the following terms mean:
2 (1) "Body of water", any natural or man-made accumulation of water ,
3 r egardless of whether the accumulation of water is static or subject to a for ce that causes
4 a hydr ological curr ent;
5 (2) "Governmental entity", a court, the general assembly , the legislative body of
6 a political subdivision, or another entity of the state or a political subdivision if the
7 entity has adjudicatory or rulemaking authority;
8 (3) "Human being", a member of the species classified as homo sapiens;
9 (4) "Land", the solid terr estrial surface or subsurface of the Earth;
10 (5) "Legal personhood", the legal rights and obligations of an individual under
11 the laws of this state or the legal rights and obligations of a person other than an
12 individual under the laws of this state;
13 (6) "Political subdivision", the same as under section 67.750;
14 (7) "Real pr operty", any building, fixtur e, improv ement, appurtenance,
15 structur e, or other development that is affixed permanently to land;
16 (8) "State", the same as under section 1.020.
17 2. Notwithstanding any other pr ovision of law to the contrary , a governmental
18 entity shall not grant legal personhood to, nor recog nize legal personhood in:
EXPLANA TION — 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.
19 (1) Artificial intelligence;
20 (2) An inanimate object;
21 (3) A body of water;
22 (4) Land;
23 (5) Real prop erty;
24 (6) Atmospheric gases;
25 (7) An astr onomical object;
26 (8) W eather;
27 (9) A plant;
28 (10) A nonhuman animal; or
29 (1 1) Any member of a taxonomic species that is not a human being.
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HB 2286 2