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. 1311
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR SCHROER.
5117S.01I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
AN ACT
To amend supreme court rule 15.05, relating to continuing legal education requirements for
lawyers.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Supreme court rule 15.05 is amended, to read 1
as follows:2
15.05. Continuing Legal Education Requirements 1
(a) After July 1, 1988, except as provided in Rule 2
15.05(c), each lawyer shall complete and report, during each 3
reporting year, a total of at least 15 credit hours of 4
accredited programs, seminars, and activities. For each 5
reporting year: 6
(1) at least [three] two of the total 15 credit hours 7
must be devoted exclusively to accredited ethics programs, 8
seminars, and activities, including professionalism, 9
substance abuse, mental health, legal or judicial ethics, 10
malpractice prevention, explicit or implicit bias, 11
diversity, inclusion, or cultural competency programs, 12
seminars, and activities[; and 13
(2) at least one of the three ethics credit hours 14
required under Rule 15.05(a)(1) must be devoted exclusively 15
to explicit or implicit bias, diversity, inclusion, or 16
cultural competency]. 17
SB 1311 2
(b) Completion of the requirements of Rule 15.05(a) 18
shall be reported to The Missouri Bar as specified by The 19
Missouri Bar. A lawyer reporting completion of more than a 20
total of 15 credit hours of accredited programs, seminars, 21
and activities during one reporting year may receive credit 22
in the next succeeding reporting year for the excess credit 23
hours. 24
(c) A lawyer is not required to complete or report any 25
credit hours in the reporting year in which the lawyer is 26
initially licensed to practice law in this state except as 27
provided in Rule 15.05(d). Any lawyer not an active judge 28
who has not actively practiced law in Missouri during a 29
reporting year or has given notice of inactive status 30
pursuant to Rule 6.03 shall not be required to complete or 31
report any credit hours during that reporting year. Upon 32
written application and for good cause shown, waivers or 33
extensions of time of the credit hour or reporting 34
requirements of this Rule 15 may be granted in individual 35
cases or classes of cases involving hardship or extenuating 36
circumstances. 37
(d) A person seeking admission under Rule 8.10 shall, 38
prior to being issued a license, attend The Missouri Bar 39
Annual Law Update Program or a continuing legal education 40
program accredited as provided in this Rule 15 that has 41
intellectual and practical content substantially equivalent 42
to The Missouri Bar Annual Law Update Program. Attendance 43
shall be no earlier than 12 months prior to the date the 44
application for admission under Rule 8.10 is filed. The 45
person shall report the completion of this requirement to 46
the board of law examiners as the board shall specify. 47
(e) For each reporting year, not more than six credit 48
hours may consist of self-study, videotape, audiotape, or 49
SB 1311 3
other similar accredited programs, seminars, or activities. 50
A speaker at an accredited program, seminar, or activity may 51
receive credit for preparation and presentation time. An 52
author may receive credit for research and composition time 53
for written materials that have been or will be published by 54
an accredited sponsor, in a professional journal, or as a 55
monograph. 56
(f) Each judge of the family court division and each 57
commissioner of the family court division shall complete at 58
least six hours of continuing legal education courses 59
relating to family court issues and law not later than six 60
months after designation or appointment. The hours completed 61
to fulfill this requirement may be used to fulfill the 62
requirements of Rule 15.05(a). 63
Each year thereafter, such judges and commissioners 64
shall complete at least six hours of continuing legal 65
education courses relating to family court issues and law. 66
The hours completed on an annual basis may be used to 67
fulfill the requirements of Rule 15.05(a). 68
Completion of the requirements of this Rule 15.05(f) 69
shall be reported to The Missouri Bar as specified by The 70
Missouri Bar. 71
This Rule 15.05(f) shall apply to all reporting years 72
beginning on or after September 1, 2020. This Rule 15.05(f) 73
shall not apply to judges who are temporarily transferred or 74
assigned to family court divisions; however, judges who have 75
met the requirements of this Rule 15.05(f) shall be 76
preferred for such transfers and assignments. 77
(g) Each lawyer who is a member or employee of the 78
general assembly may report in each reporting year credit 79
for 15 hours of continuing legal education for service 80
during that reporting year's regular legislative session. 81
SB 1311 4
Such credits shall not satisfy the Rule 15.05(a)(1) 82
requirement for [three] two credit hours devoted exclusively 83
to ethics programs, seminars, or activities. 84
✓