MO SB797

Establishes a district attorney system to be elected in each judicial circuit starting in the 2014 general election, with district attorneys serving counties that opt into the system and replacing prosecuting attorneys.

District attorneys must be licensed attorneys with 12 months residency in the judicial circuit and receive the same annual salary as circuit judges, paid by the state, plus potential additional compensation in single-county charter counties.

Allows district attorneys to appoint assistant district attorneys, investigators, and clerical staff whose compensation is set within county commission allocations and paid from county treasury.

Requires counties to initially fund district attorney office operations with state reimbursement increasing incrementally from 5-10% in 2015 to 50% by 2024 for single-county circuits, and 10% in 2015 to 50% by 2019 for multi-county circuits.

Counties may join the district attorney system through county commission resolution (non-charter counties) or charter amendment (charter counties) transmitted to the secretary of state at least 12 months before the next general election, with the decision being irrevocable.