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SB1253 • 2026

Modifies the penalties for the offense of assault on a law enforcement animal

Modifies the penalties for the offense of assault on a law enforcement animal

Crime
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Hudson, Brad; House handler: N/A
Last action
2026-01-27
Official status
Second Read and Referred S Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee
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.

Modifies the penalties for the offense of assault on a law enforcement animal

The following summaries of this bill are available: Print All Summaries Introduced Print SB 1253 - This act provides that the offense of assault on a law enforcement animal is a class E felony, instead of a class A misdemeanor.

What This Bill Does

  • The following summaries of this bill are available: Print All Summaries Introduced Print SB 1253 - This act provides that the offense of assault on a law enforcement animal is a class E felony, instead of a class A misdemeanor.
  • Additionally, this act provides that it shall be a class D felony, instead of a class E felony, if the law enforcement animal is seriously injured to the point of requiring veterinary care or treatment or a class C felony, instead of a class D felony, if the assault results in the death of such animal.
  • TRISTAN BENSON, JR.

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. 2026-01-27 S240

    Second Read and Referred S Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee

  2. 2026-01-07 S74

    S First Read

  3. 2025-12-01 Missouri House of Representatives and Missouri Senate

    Prefiled

Official Summary Text

The following summaries of this bill are available:

Print All Summaries

Introduced

Print

SB 1253 - This act provides that the offense of assault on a law enforcement animal is a class E felony, instead of a class A misdemeanor. Additionally, this act provides that it shall be a class D felony, instead of a class E felony, if the law enforcement animal is seriously injured to the point of requiring veterinary care or treatment or a class C felony, instead of a class D felony, if the assault results in the death of such animal.
TRISTAN BENSON, JR.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
EXPLANATION-Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in this bill is not enacted
and is intended to be omitted in the law.
SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 1253
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR HUDSON.
4032S.01I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
AN ACT
To repeal section 575.353, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to the
offense of assault on a law enforcement animal, with penalty provisions.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Section 575.353, RSMo, is repealed and one new 1
section enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as section 575.353, 2
to read as follows:3
575.353. 1. This section shall be known and may be 1
cited as "Max's Law". 2
2. A person commits the offense of assault on a law 3
enforcement animal if he or she knowingly attempts to kill 4
or disable or knowingly causes or attempts to cause serious 5
physical injury to a law enforcement animal when that animal 6
is involved in law enforcement investigation, apprehension, 7
tracking, or search, or the animal is in the custody of or 8
under the control of a law enforcement officer, department 9
of corrections officer, municipal police department, fire 10
department or a rescue unit or agency. 11
3. The offense of assault on a law enforcement animal 12
is a: 13
(1) Class [A misdemeanor] E felony, if the law 14
enforcement animal is not injured to the point of requiring 15
veterinary care or treatment; 16
SB 1253 2
(2) Class [E] D felony if the law enforcement animal 17
is seriously injured to the point of requiring veterinary 18
care or treatment; and 19
(3) Class [D] C felony if the assault results in the 20
death of such animal. 21
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