Modifies provisions relating to jury instructions for the offense of murder in the first degree

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Coleman, Mary Elizabeth; House handler: N/A
Last action: 2026-01-27
Official status: Second Read and Referred S General Laws Committee
Effective date: 2026-08-28

Plain English Breakdown

The plain English breakdown is still being put together. The official documents below are already here.

Bill History

2026-01-27 S238
Second Read and Referred S General Laws Committee
2026-01-07 S68
S First Read
2025-12-01 Missouri House of Representatives and Missouri Senate
Prefiled

Official Summary Text

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Introduced

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SB 1186 - Under current law, if a jury is unable to agree upon the punishment for the offense of murder in the first degree, the court is to instruct the jury that the judge may decide upon a punishment of life imprisonment without eligibility for parole or a sentence of death.

This act repeals the provision that a judge may decide upon a punishment of death if the jury is unable to agree.

This act is identical to SB 225 (2025), HB 452 (2025), SB 1169 (2024), SB 687 (2023), SB 825 (2022), HB 1746 (2022), HB 2700 (2022), SB 341 (2021), SB 920 (2020), SB 288 (2019), and SB 996 (2018).
TRISTAN BENSON, JR.