Bill > SB888

This bill modifies various provisions within Missouri's criminal justice system, primarily focusing on criminal record keeping, juvenile justice procedures, sentencing, and sex offender registration. Key changes include updating the age of majority for certain offenses from seventeen to eighteen, expanding the types of offenses for which juveniles can be fingerprinted and potentially transferred to adult court, and clarifying definitions related to juvenile detention facilities and their operation. The bill also revises sentencing guidelines by introducing new parole eligibility percentages for various felony classes, including specific requirements for sex offenses and repeat offenders, and mandates that certain serious felonies require offenders to serve a higher percentage of their sentence before parole eligibility. Additionally, it amends definitions of dangerous felonies to include more offenses and adjusts penalties for sex trafficking of a child and endangering the welfare of a child. The bill also makes changes to the requirements for sex offender registration and failing to register, and includes a severability clause to ensure that if any part of the act is found unconstitutional, the remaining provisions will still be in effect. Some of these changes, particularly those related to sentencing and parole eligibility, are set to take effect on January 1, 2028.