Official Summary Text
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Truly Agreed to and Finally Passed
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CCS/HCS/SS/SJR 87 - This constitutional amendment, if approved by the voters, provides that each county shall elect a sheriff for a term of four years by a majority of the qualified voters of the county. This constitutional amendment shall not apply to St. Louis City, St. Louis County, or St. Charles County.
Additionally, the sheriff shall commit to jail all felons and traitors as well as other duties as provided in the act. The sheriff may be removed from office by a quo warranto petition brought by the Attorney General.
This amendment is identical to SS/SCS/SJR 40 (2025), is substantially similar to HJR 61 (2025) and HJR 71 (2025), and is similar to SJR 75 (2024).
TRISTAN BENSJON, JR.
Conference Committee Substitute
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CCS/HCS/SS/SJR 87 - This constitutional amendment, if approved by the voters, provides that each county shall elect a sheriff for a term of four years by a majority of the qualified voters of the county. This constitutional amendment shall not apply to St. Louis City, St. Louis County, or St. Charles County.
Additionally, the sheriff shall commit to jail all felons and traitors as well as other duties as provided in the act. The sheriff may be removed from office by a quo warranto petition brought by the Attorney General.
This amendment is identical to SS/SCS/SJR 40 (2025), is substantially similar to HJR 61 (2025) and HJR 71 (2025), and is similar to SJR 75 (2024).
TRISTAN BENSJON, JR.
House Amendment
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HCS/SS/SJR 87 - This constitutional amendment, if approved by the voters, provides that each county shall elect a sheriff for a term of four years by a majority of the qualified voters of the county. This constitutional amendment shall not apply to St. Louis City, St. Louis County, or St. Charles County.
Additionally, the sheriff shall commit to jail all felons and traitors. The sheriff is also tasked with attending each division of the circuit court in their county and executing process. The sheriff may be removed from office by a quo warranto petition brought by the Attorney General.
This amendment is substantially similar to SS/SCS/SJR 40 (2025) and HJR 61 (2025) and HJR 71 (2025), and is similar to SJR 75 (2024).
TRISTAN BENSON, JR.
HA #1 - EXCLUDES ST. LOUIS COUNTY, ST. CHARLES COUNTY, AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICES WITHIN THOSE COUNTIES FROM THIS ACT.
House Committee Substitute
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HCS/SS/SJR 87 - This constitutional amendment, if approved by the voters, provides that each county shall elect a sheriff for a term of four years by a majority of the qualified voters of the county. This constitutional amendment shall not apply to St. Louis City, St. Louis County, or St. Charles County.
Additionally, the sheriff shall commit to jail all felons and traitors. The sheriff is also tasked with attending each division of the circuit court in their county and executing process. The sheriff may be removed from office by a quo warranto petition brought by the Attorney General.
This amendment is substantially similar to SS/SCS/SJR 40 (2025) and HJR 61 (2025) and HJR 71 (2025), and is similar to SJR 75 (2024).
TRISTAN BENSON, JR.
Perfected
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SS/SJR 87 - This constitutional amendment, if approved by the voters, provides that each county shall elect a sheriff for a term of four years by a majority of the qualified voters of the county. This constitutional amendment shall not apply to St. Louis County, or St. Charles County.
Additionally, the sheriff shall commit to jail all felons and traitors as well as other duties as provided in the act. The sheriff may be removed from office by a quo warranto petition brought by the Attorney General.
This amendment is identical to SS/SCS/SJR 40 (2025), is substantially similar to HJR 61 (2025) and HJR 71 (2025), and is similar to SJR 75 (2024).
TRISTAN BENSON, JR.
Senate Substitute
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SS/SJR 87 - This constitutional amendment, if approved by the voters, provides that each county shall elect a sheriff for a term of four years by a majority of the qualified voters of the county. This constitutional amendment shall not apply to St. Louis City, St. Louis County, or St. Charles County.
Additionally, the sheriff shall commit to jail all felons and traitors as well as other duties as provided in the act. The sheriff may be removed from office by a quo warranto petition brought by the Attorney General.
This amendment is identical to SS/SCS/SJR 40 (2025), is substantially similar to HJR 61 (2025) and HJR 71 (2025), and is similar to SJR 75 (2024).
TRISTAN BENSON, JR.
Introduced
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SJR 87 - This constitutional amendment, if approved by the voters, provides that each county shall elect a sheriff for a term of four years by a majority of the qualified voters of the county. This constitutional amendment shall not apply to St. Louis City, St. Louis County, or St. Charles County.
Additionally, the sheriff shall commit to jail all felons and traitors as well as other duties as provided in the act. The sheriff may be removed from office by a quo warranto petition brought by the Attorney General.
This amendment is identical to SS/SCS/SJR 40 (2025), is substantially similar to HJR 61 (2025) and HJR 71 (2025), and is similar to SJR 75 (2024).
TRISTAN BENSON, JR.
Current Bill Text
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SECOND REGULAR SESSION
[TRULY AGREED TO AND FINALLY PASSED]
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
SENATE SUBSTITUTE FOR
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 87
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
2026
4330S.06T
JOINT RESOLUTION
Submitting to the qualified voters of Missouri, an amendment to article VII of the Constitution of
Missouri, by adding thereto one new section relating to sheriffs.
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 VII of the 6
Constitution of the state of Missouri:7
Section A. Article VII, Constitution of Missouri, is 1
amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as 2
section 15, to read as follows:3
Section 15. 1. Except as provided in subsection 2 of 1
this section, each county shall elect a sheriff for a term 2
of four years by a majority of the qualified voters of the 3
county voting thereon at the time of voting designated for 4
such office provided by law as of the effective date of this 5
section and every four years thereafter. 6
2. The provisions of this section shall not apply to: 7
CCS HCS SS SJR 87 2
(1) Any city not within a county; 8
(2) Any county with a charter form of government 9
adjacent to a city not within a county; or 10
(3) Any county with a charter form of government that 11
has a population greater than four hundred thousand 12
inhabitants and that is adjacent to a county with a 13
population greater than nine hundred thousand inhabitants. 14
3. Except as provided in subsection 2 of this section, 15
the elected sheriff shall be the chief law enforcement 16
officer in his or her county. Notwithstanding Article VI, 17
Section 18(a) or any other article of the Missouri 18
Constitution to the contrary, every sheriff, except as 19
provided in subsection 2 of this section, in addition to 20
duties as set in law, shall quell and suppress assaults, 21
batteries, riots, routs, affrays, and insurrections and 22
shall: 23
(1) Apprehend and commit to jail all felons and 24
traitors; 25
(2) Attend each division of the circuit court presided 26
over by a circuit or associate circuit court judge held in 27
his or her county, when so directed by the court; and 28
(3) Execute process, including writs of replevin, 29
attachments, and final process issued by circuit and 30
associate circuit court judges, unless the sheriff of the 31
county does not perform such duties as of August 28, 2026. 32
4. Except as provided in subsection 2 of this section, 33
every sheriff is a conservator of the peace within his or 34
her county and shall cause all offenders against law to 35
appear at the next term of the circuit or associate court of 36
the county, and to be committed to jail in case of failure 37
to give the recognizance. 38
CCS HCS SS SJR 87 3
5. Except as provided in subsection 2 of this section, 39
the sheriff shall hire and appoint such deputies, 40
assistants, and other employees as the sheriff deems 41
necessary for the proper discharge of the duties of his or 42
her office, who shall hold office at the will and pleasure 43
of the sheriff and may set their compensation within the 44
limits of the allocations made for that purpose. 45
6. Except as provided in subsection 2 of this section, 46
an elected county sheriff shall not be removed from office 47
except by writ of quo warranto initiated by the attorney 48
general. 49
Section B. Pursuant to chapter 116, and other 1
applicable constitutional provisions and laws of this state 2
allowing the general assembly to adopt ballot language for 3
the submission of this joint resolution to the voters of 4
this state, the official summary statement of this 5
resolution shall be as follows: 6
"Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to 7
support law enforcement by preserving the right 8
of citizens to elect a county sheriff, 9
prohibiting the removal of a county sheriff 10
except by a writ of quo warranto, and 11
recognizing the office of sheriff as part of the 12
administration of justice?". 13