Establishes provisions relating to reduction of certain criminal sentences of imprisonment

Plain English Breakdown

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

Establishes provisions relating to reduction of certain criminal sentences of imprisonment

The following summaries of this bill are available: Print All Summaries Introduced Print SB 1215 - This act authorizes the sentencing court to reduce a sentence of life without eligibility for probation or parole or reduce a sentence of 30 years or greater to a sentence of life with eligibility for probation or parole if the convicted person has served at least 30 years, was under 20 years of age at the time of the offense, made reasonable efforts towards rehabilitation, and has exhibited model citizen behavior.

What This Bill Does

• The following summaries of this bill are available: Print All Summaries Introduced Print SB 1215 - This act authorizes the sentencing court to reduce a sentence of life without eligibility for probation or parole or reduce a sentence of 30 years or greater to a sentence of life with eligibility for probation or parole if the convicted person has served at least 30 years, was under 20 years of age at the time of the offense, made reasonable efforts towards rehabilitation, and has exhibited model citizen behavior.
• Any offender receiving such reduction shall be granted a hearing before the Parole Board.
• Furthermore, an offender receiving a reduction shall provide the Parole Board the following in order to be eligible for supervised release: (1) At least 5 statements from current or former Department of Corrections employees attesting to the offender demonstration of institutional adaptability and conduct in the correctional center; (2) At least 20 signed statements from residents of the community where the offender will reside upon release that commit to providing assistance with the offender's reentry; and (3) A safe and secure home plan.
• This act is identical to HB 2663 (2026), SB 582 (2025), HB 1151 (2025) and is similar to HB 2127 (2024), HB 907 (2023), and contains a provision similar to HB 1799 (2022), HB 2232 (2022), HB 2254 (2020), HB 195 (2019), and HB 2072 (2018).

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.

Official Summary Text

The following summaries of this bill are available:

Print All Summaries

Introduced

Print

SB 1215 - This act authorizes the sentencing court to reduce a sentence of life without eligibility for probation or parole or reduce a sentence of 30 years or greater to a sentence of life with eligibility for probation or parole if the convicted person has served at least 30 years, was under 20 years of age at the time of the offense, made reasonable efforts towards rehabilitation, and has exhibited model citizen behavior.

Any offender receiving such reduction shall be granted a hearing before the Parole Board. Furthermore, an offender receiving a reduction shall provide the Parole Board the following in order to be eligible for supervised release:
(1) At least 5 statements from current or former Department of Corrections employees attesting to the offender demonstration of institutional adaptability and conduct in the correctional center;
(2) At least 20 signed statements from residents of the community where the offender will reside upon release that commit to providing assistance with the offender's reentry; and
(3) A safe and secure home plan.

This act is identical to HB 2663 (2026), SB 582 (2025), HB 1151 (2025) and is similar to HB 2127 (2024), HB 907 (2023), and contains a provision similar to HB 1799 (2022), HB 2232 (2022), HB 2254 (2020), HB 195 (2019), and HB 2072 (2018).
TRISTAN BENSON, JR.

Current Bill Text

SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 1215
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR NURRENBERN.
3904S.01I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
AN ACT
To amend chapters 217 and 558, RSMo, by adding thereto two new sections relating to terms of
imprisonment.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapters 217 and 558, RSMo, are amended by 1
adding thereto two new sections, to be known as sections 217.738 2
and 558.500, to read as follows:3
217.738. 1. Any offender receiving a reduction of 1
sentence under section 558.500 shall be granted a hearing 2
before the parole board. 3
2. In addition to meeting all other requirements of 4
this chapter, for an offender receiving a reduction of 5
sentence under section 558.500 to be eligible for supervised 6
release as a condition of parole, the offender shall provide 7
to the board the following: 8
(1) At least five statements from current or former 9
department of corrections employees attesting to the 10
offender's demonstration of institutional adaptability and 11
the offender's conduct in the correctional center; 12
(2) Signed statements of at least twenty residents of 13
the community where the offender will reside upon release 14
supporting the offender's release and who commit to 15
providing assistance with the offender's reentry into the 16
community; and 17
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(3) A safe and secure home plan for implementation 18
upon the offender's release. 19
558.500. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of 1
law to the contrary, the sentencing court may, upon 2
petition, reduce a sentence of life without eligibility for 3
probation or parole, or reduce a sentence of thirty years or 4
greater, to a sentence of life with eligibility for 5
probation or parole if the court determines that: 6
(1) The convicted person has served at least thirty 7
years in the department of corrections; 8
(2) The convicted person was under twenty years of age 9
at the time the offense was committed; and 10
(3) Since the commission of the offense the convicted 11
person has: 12
(a) Made reasonable efforts toward rehabilitation by 13
successfully completing rehabilitation programs, which may 14
include, but shall not be limited to, substance abuse 15
treatment, effective communication classes, victim impact 16
classes, vocational training, correspondence courses to 17
obtain a degree or diploma, or acquiring job skills; and 18
(b) Exhibited model citizen behavior within his or her 19
correctional facility, which may include, but shall not be 20
limited to, maintaining sobriety or demonstrating sober 21
living; demonstrating traits of leadership; and attending 22
education-based activities, which may include, but shall not 23
be limited to, coursework relating to victim impact, 24
restorative justice, substance abuse treatment, or effective 25
communication. 26
2. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the 27
contrary, the division of probation and parole shall 28
supervise any convicted person receiving a reduction of 29
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sentence under subsection 1 of this section for the duration 30
of the convicted person's natural life. 31
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