Modifies provisions relating to jury trial waivers in criminal cases

Plain English Breakdown

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

Modifies provisions relating to jury trial waivers in criminal cases

The following summaries of this bill are available: Print All Summaries Introduced Print SJR 110 - Under current law, in every criminal case a defendant may, with the assent of the court, waive a trial by jury.

What This Bill Does

• The following summaries of this bill are available: Print All Summaries Introduced Print SJR 110 - Under current law, in every criminal case a defendant may, with the assent of the court, waive a trial by jury.
• This proposed constitutional amendment, if approved by the voters, adds that a defendant may waive a trial by jury if he or she receives assent by both the government and the court.
• This act is identical to SJR 15 (2025), SJR 67 (2024), SJR 24 (2023), SJR 44 (2022), and SJR 22 (2021).
• 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.

Official Summary Text

The following summaries of this bill are available:

Print All Summaries

Introduced

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SJR 110 - Under current law, in every criminal case a defendant may, with the assent of the court, waive a trial by jury. This proposed constitutional amendment, if approved by the voters, adds that a defendant may waive a trial by jury if he or she receives assent by both the government and the court.

This act is identical to SJR 15 (2025), SJR 67 (2024), SJR 24 (2023), SJR 44 (2022), and SJR 22 (2021).
TRISTAN BENSON, JR.

Current Bill Text

SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 110
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR MOSLEY .
3366S.01I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
JOINT RESOLUTION
Submitting to the qualified voters of Missouri, an amendment repealing section 22(a) of article I
of the Constitution of Missouri, and adopting one new section in lieu thereof relating
to jury trial waivers.
Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring therein:
That at the next general election to be held in the 1
state of Missouri, on Tuesday next following the first Monday 2
in November, 2026, or at a special election to be called by 3
the governor for that purpose, there is hereby submitted to 4
the qualified voters of this state, for adoption or 5
rejection, the following amendment to article I of the 6
Constitution of the state of Missouri:7
Section A. Section 22(a), article I, Constitution of 1
Missouri, is repealed and one new section adopted in lieu 2
thereof, to be known as section 22(a), to read as follows:3
Section 22(a). That the right of trial by jury as 1
heretofore enjoyed shall remain inviolate; provided that a 2
jury for the trial of criminal and civil cases in courts not 3
of record may consist of less than twelve citizens as may be 4
prescribed by law, and a two-thirds majority of such number 5
concurring may render a verdict in all civil cases; that in 6
all civil cases in courts of record, three-fourths of the 7
members of the jury concurring may render a verdict; and 8
that in every criminal case any defendant may, with the 9
assent of the government and the court, waive a jury trial 10
SJR 110 2
and submit the trial of such case to the court, whose 11
finding shall have the force and effect of a verdict of a 12
jury. 13
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