Bill > HB721

This bill prohibits governmental entities in Missouri from granting or recognizing legal personhood to a wide range of non-human entities, including artificial intelligence, inanimate objects, bodies of water, land, real property, atmospheric gases, astronomical objects, weather, plants, non-human animals, and any non-human species. The bill defines key terms such as "legal personhood" as the rights and obligations typically afforded to individuals under state law, and "governmental entity" as courts, legislative bodies, or other state or political subdivision entities with rule-making or adjudicatory authority. By explicitly listing the entities that cannot be granted legal personhood, the bill aims to prevent the extension of legal rights traditionally reserved for human beings to objects, natural phenomena, or non-human life forms. This legislation appears to be a preemptive measure to maintain a clear legal distinction between human beings and other entities, potentially in response to emerging debates about the legal status of artificial intelligence or environmental rights.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB721&year=2025&code=R