Bill > HB2153

This bill abolishes the death penalty in Missouri and mandates that anyone previously sentenced to death must now be sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of probation, parole, or release except by an act of the governor. The legislation removes all existing statutes related to capital punishment and modifies several criminal code sections to eliminate references to the death penalty. Specifically, the bill changes murder in the first degree sentencing for adults to automatically mean life imprisonment without eligibility for parole, replacing the previous option of capital punishment. For individuals under 18 at the time of the offense, sentencing will follow existing juvenile sentencing guidelines. The bill also removes detailed provisions about execution procedures, witness requirements, and death penalty review processes that were previously part of Missouri law. By repealing these sections, the legislation effectively ends capital punishment in the state and ensures that the most serious murder convictions will result in life imprisonment without the possibility of release, except through gubernatorial action.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB2153&year=2026&code=R