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MO HB3124

Bill

Status

Introduced

1/28/2026

Primary Sponsor

Deanna Self

Click for details

Origin

House of Representatives

2026 Regular Session

AI Summary

  • Lowers the age of juvenile court jurisdiction from 18 to 17 years old, meaning 17-year-olds would be prosecuted as adults in criminal court rather than juvenile court
  • Consolidates the grounds for juvenile court jurisdiction by eliminating separate categories for status offenses (truancy, running away, beyond parental control) and streamlining into cases involving children needing care, protection, or rehabilitation
  • Maintains that juveniles ages 12-17 may be certified and transferred to adult court for serious felonies including murder, rape, sodomy, robbery, and certain drug offenses
  • Reduces the maximum age the Division of Youth Services can retain custody of a juvenile from the 19th birthday to the 18th birthday
  • Repeals sections establishing the Juvenile Justice Preservation Fund and associated surcharges that were created to fund the previous expansion of juvenile court jurisdiction to age 18

Legislative Description

Requires children under the age of seventeen to be prosecuted for most criminal offenses in juvenile courts unless the child is certified as an adult

Last Action

Read Second Time (H)

1/29/2026

Full Bill Text

No bill text available