Bill > HB1033

This bill modifies Missouri's statute of limitations for criminal prosecutions, specifically focusing on offenses under chapter 566 (which covers sexual offenses). The bill repeals the existing section 556.037 and amends section 556.036 to allow prosecutions for murder and offenses under chapter 566 to be commenced at any time, removing previous time restrictions. Under the new law, most other felonies would still have a three-year statute of limitations, misdemeanors would have a one-year limit, and infractions would have a six-month limit. The bill maintains several existing exceptions to the statute of limitations, such as cases involving fraud, misconduct by public officials, or when the accused is absent from the state or concealing themselves from justice. The legislation also preserves provisions that pause the statute of limitations clock under certain circumstances, such as when a DNA profile is developed or when the accused lacks mental fitness to proceed. This change effectively eliminates the time limit for prosecuting sexual offenses, potentially allowing victims to seek justice long after the initial incident occurred.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1033&year=2025&code=R