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SECOND REGULAR SESSION
HOUSE BILL NO. 3459
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBL Y
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENT A TIVE FOUNT AIN HENDERSON.
6956H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
T o amend chapter 590, RSMo, by adding thereto six new sections relating to homicide
investigations, with penalty provisions and a delayed ef fective date.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 590, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto six new sections, to be
2 known as sections 590.1200, 590.1202, 590.1204, 590.1206, 590.1208, and 590.1210, to read
3 as follows:
590.1200. 1. The provi sions of sections 589.1200 to 589.1210 shall be known and
2 may be ref erred to as "Pr eston's Law".
3 2. For purposes of sections 589.1200 to 589.1210, the following terms mean:
4 (1) "Family", the next-of-kin of the deceased and any individual designated in
5 writing by the next-of-kin;
6 (2) "Homicide scene", any location where a deceased person is discover ed or
7 wher e law enforcem ent is conducting an active homicide investigation;
8 (3) "Next-of-kin", as such term is defined under section 194.1 19;
9 (4) "T rauma-informed conduct", behavior demonstrating empathy , res pect, and
10 awar eness of the emotional impact of violent loss;
11 (5) "V ictim information", any nonprivileged factual information reg arding the
12 deceased or the investigation that may be lawfully disclosed.
13 3. All peace officers and law enforc ement personnel respondi ng to or
14 investigating a homicide shall tr eat family members with integrity , r espect,
1 5 compassion, empathy , and pr ofessionalism.
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.
16 4. Peace officers shall refra in from any conduct that communicates victim-
17 blaming, derog atory commentary , or judgmental statements r egarding the deceased or
18 the deceased's past.
19 5. Peace officers shall pr otect the civil, legal, and privacy rights of the deceased
20 and the family .
21 6. All personal information r egarding the deceased or the family shall r emain
22 confidential, except where disclosure is re quir ed by law .
23 7. Communication with family members shall be ethical, transparent , and
24 trauma-informed.
590.1202. 1. The next-of-kin shall be permitted to visually verify the deceased
2 within twenty-four hours of identification by law enforcem ent or the medical examiner .
3 2. V erification may be delayed only if:
4 (1) Such verification would compr omise an active for ensic pr ocess; or
5 (2) The medical examiner pr ovides written justification for the delay .
6 3. In cases where verification is delayed as pro vided under subsection 2 of this
7 section, verification shall occur as soon as rea sonably possible, and no later than forty-
8 eight hours after the written justification is issued.
590.1204. 1. Law enforcem ent agencies shall pr ovide the following to the next-
2 of-kin:
3 (1) V ictims of Crime Act (V OCA) r esources and ref erral contacts within forty-
4 eight hours of initial notification;
5 (2) No mor e than two copies of police r eports at no cost, once the repo rts may be
6 disclosed under the law;
7 (3) The number of ballistic injuries or major wounds to the deceased, within
8 twenty-four to forty-eight hours of receivi ng prel iminary findings fr om the medical
9 examiner;
10 (4) A toxicology repo rt within six months of the homicide, unless the medical
11 examiner provi des written justification for the delay; and
12 (5) A full autopsy report within nine to twelve months of the homicide, unless the
13 medical examiner prov ides written justification for the delay .
590.1206. 1. In addition to the continuing education r equir ements for peace
2 officers under section 590.050, peace officers and other law enforcem ent personnel
3 involved in homicide investigations shall complete annual training in:
4 (1) T rauma-informed communication;
5 (2) Cultural sensitivity;
6 (3) V ictim rights; and
7 (4) Family engagement pr otocols.
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8 2. The department of public safety shall develop standards for the training
9 r equir ed under this section.
590.1208. 1. Law enforc ement agencies shall document compliance with the
2 pr ovisions of sections 589.1200 to 589.1210.
3 2. Families alleging a violation of any pro vision of sections 589.1200 to 589.1210
4 may file a complaint with the POST commission.
5 3. The POST commission may , in connection with a violation of sections 589.1200
6 to 589.1210, impose:
7 (1) Mandatory ret raining;
8 (2) Administrative discipline; or
9 (3) Civil penalties for rep eated or intentional violations.
10 4. No peace officer or law enforc ement agency shall r etaliate against any family
11 member for requ esting information, filing a complaint, or exer cising rights under the
12 pr ovisions of sections 589.1200 to 589.1210.
590.1210. The dir ector of the department of public safety may promul gate all
2 necessary rules and r egulations for the administration of sections 589.1200 to 589.1210.
3 Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, that is creat ed
4 under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies
5 with and is subject to all of the pr ovisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section
6 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested
7 with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to rev iew , to delay the effective date,
8 or to disappr ove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant
9 of rulemaking authority and any rule pr oposed or adopted after August 28, 2026, shall
10 be invalid and void.
Section B. The enactment of sections 590.1200 to 590.1210 of this act shall become
2 ef fective on January 1, 2027.
✔
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