SB 999: Modifies provisions relating to vulnerable persons

SS#2/SB 999 - This act modifies several provisions relating to vulnerable persons. ASSISTANCE FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Section 27.117) Under this act, a prosecuting attorney may request assistance from the Attorney General for the prosecution of the certain sexual offenses. This provision is identical to a provision in CCS/SS/SCS/HCS/HBs 2637 & 3155 (2026) and substantially similar to a provision in the truly agreed to and finally passed SS/SCS/HCS/HBs 2273 et al (2026). "BORN-ALIVE ABORTION SURVIVORS PROTECTION ACT (Section 188.035) This act creates the "Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act". Under this act, a child born alive during or after an abortion or attempted abortion shall have the same rights, privileges, and immunities as any other person, citizen, and resident of Missouri, including any other live-born child. Any licensed, registered, or certified health care provider present in the provider's professional capacity at the time a child is born alive during or after an abortion or attempted abortion shall exercise the same degree of professional skill, care, and diligence to preserve the life, health, and comfort of the child as a reasonably diligent and conscientious provider would render to any other child born alive at the same gestational age. Any person who knowingly performs or attempts to perform an overt act that kills a child born alive shall be guilty of first-degree murder. A person shall have the right to bring a cause of action for wrongful death or improper health care, as described in this act. This provision is similar to HCS/HBs 195 & 1119 (2025), SB 702 (2025), SCS/SB 753 (2022), provisions in SCS/HCS/HB 2012 (2022), HCS/HBs 1593 & 1959 (2022), SB 168 (2021), SB 665 (2020), and SB 388 (2019). PREGNANCY-ASSOCIATED MORTALITY REVIEW BOARD (Section 192.990) This act modifies the "Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review Board" within the Department of Health and Senior Services. Under this act, board membership shall include at least one member from each congressional district with demographically diverse membership. Board members are increased from no more than 18 members to no more than 22 members. Additionally, the board shall, in its study and review of maternal deaths, consider the level and timing of prenatal and postnatal care, the presence or absence of maternity care deserts, approaches taken in this state and other states to reduce or eliminate racial inequities in maternal deaths, and the adequacy of data collected by the board. Data reported by the board shall be disaggregated by race, ethnicity, language, nationality, age, zip code, and level and timing of prenatal and postnatal care. This provision is identical to a provision in the truly agreed to and finally passed SS/SCS/HCS/HB 2372 (2026) and substantially similar to SCS/SB 871 (2026), SB 39 (2025), SCS/SBs 1357 & 888 (2024), and SCS/SBs 579 & 595 (2023). RELEASE FROM JAIL (Section 544.667) Currently, a person can be released from jail upon recognizance or bond. This act provides that a person that has been released under such circumstances that fails to comply with the conditions of such release that imposes no contact with the victim shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor and shall forfeit any security that was pledged for their release. This provision is identical to a provision in CCS/SS/SCS/HCS/HBs 2637 & 3155 (2026) and SCS/SB 928 (2026). CRIMINAL OFFENSES (Sections 455.050, 565.002, 565.050-565.056, 565.072-565.074, 565.090-565.091, 565.225-565.227, 565.400-565.405, 573.570, 573.575, and Section C) This act modifies the offenses of assault in the first, second, third, and fourth degrees and the offenses of domestic violence in the first, second, third, and fourth degrees by removing the defined terms of "serious physical injury" and "physical injury" and providing for the following harms: • Great bodily harm: Bodily injury which creates a high probability of death, or which causes serious permanent or protracted loss or impairment of function of any bodily member or organ, or other serious bodily harm; • Substantial bodily harm: Bodily harm which involves a temporary but substantial disfigurement, or which causes temporary but substantial loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ, or which causes a fracture of any bodily member; and • Bodily harm: Physical pain or injury, illness, or any impairment of physical condition. Under current law, the first offense of harassment in the first degree is a class E felony. This act provides that a second or subsequent conviction of harassment in the first degree shall be a class D felony where the individual has previously been found guilty of harassment in the first or second degree. Currently, a first offense of harassment in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor. Under this act, provisions relating to a second or subsequent conviction of harassment in the second degree are modified to include a conviction of harassment in the first degree as a previous conviction in which case it is a class E felony. This act modifies the offense of stalking in the first degree by repealing the elements of such offense and providing that a person commits the offense of stalking in the first degree when the person knowingly, through a course of conduct that is directed at another person or through technological abuse, as defined in the act, engages in conduct that would cause a reasonable person under similar circumstances to: • Fear death or bodily injury, as defined in this act; • Fear that an offense will be committed against a member of the person's family, household members, or an individual with whom the person has a dating relationship; • Fear that an offense will be committed against the person's property; or • Feel harassed, terrified, or intimidated. This act modifies the offense of stalking in the second degree by repealing the elements of such offense and providing that a person commits the offense of stalking in the second degree when the person knowingly, through a course of conduct that is directed at another person or through technological abuse, as defined in the act, engages in conduct that would cause a reasonable person under similar circumstances to feel harassed, terrified, or intimidated. This act creates the offense of cyberharassment. A person commits this offense if he or she purposely or knowingly engages in a threatening, aggressive, or otherwise fear-inducing, course of conduct by using digital technology, internet service providers, electronic service providers or other electronic communications and devices cause reasonable fear, alarm, anxiety, undo stress, or terror to others by repeated contact with no legitimate purpose. This offense shall be a class B misdemeanor upon a first offense and a class A misdemeanor for second or subsequent offenses. A person commits the offense of cyberstalking if such person purposely or knowingly engages in a threatening, aggressive, or otherwise fear-inducing, course of conduct by using digital technology, internet service providers, electronic service providers or other electronic communications and devices to enhance the ability to intimidate, track, follow or cause reasonable fear, alarm, anxiety, undo stress, or terror to another person. A first offense shall be a class A misdemeanor and a second or subsequent offense shall be a class E felony. These provisions are identical to provisions in CCS/SS/SCS/HCS/HBs 2637 & 3155 (2026) and SCS/SB 928 (2026). This act creates the offense of disclosure of an intimate digital depiction. A person shall be guilty of such offense if he or she discloses or threatens to disclose an intimate digital depiction with the intent to harass or threaten another person. A violation of such offense is a class D felony if the person discloses an intimate digital depiction and a class E felony if the person threatens to disclose an intimate digital depiction. Any second or subsequent violation of such offense is a class C felony. Additionally, it shall be a class C felony if the disclosure interferes with a government proceeding or causes violence. This act creates the offense of sadistic online exploitation. A person commits this offense where he or she uses the internet to coerce a victim into committing certain acts. This offense shall be a class E felony. These provisions are identical to provision in the truly agreed to and finally passed SS/SCS/HCS/HBs 2273 et al (2026), CCS/SS/SCS/HCS/HBs 2637 & 3155 (2026), and SCS/SB 928 (2026). Provisions of this act have an effective date of July 1, 2027. This act has a non-severability provision for the act. SARAH HASKINS