Bill > HB2832

This bill establishes the "Office of the Department of Corrections Ombudsman" to address "covered issues," which include concerns like sanitation, nutrition, temperature, abuse, threats, neglect, denial of rights, visitation, access to healthcare, and educational/rehabilitative programs within correctional facilities. The office will have two sections: one for inspections and one for complaint investigations. It will monitor conditions, provide information to inmates and their families, and collect data on critical incidents such as deaths, assaults, and segregation. The office will conduct inspections of all facilities at least every three years, and maximum security facilities annually, publishing reports with recommendations. The ombudsman, selected by a newly created Corrections Oversight Committee, will lead the office and have the authority to hire staff and contract with experts. The bill also outlines the composition and duties of the Corrections Oversight Committee, which will appoint the ombudsman and hold public hearings. The ombudsman and committee will have broad access to facilities and records, and the office's communications will be confidential. The bill specifies procedures for inmates and their families to file complaints through online forms, paper copies, and telephone hotlines, ensuring these submissions are not monitored by department staff. Finally, it prohibits retaliation against anyone who files a complaint or participates in an investigation.

Justice

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB2832&year=2026&code=R