Creates provisions relating to reporting requirements of prosecuting attorneys
Summary
HB 1252 creates new reporting requirements for Missouri prosecuting attorneys and circuit attorneys. It requires each office to submit an annual report by March 1 to the governor and attorney general, and to make the report available to the public upon request. The report must include aggregate, non-personally identifying data about case intake, charging decisions, diversion referrals, dismissals, trial outcomes, and sentencing outcomes for each category of offense.
The bill also directs the attorney general to compile the individual office reports into a statewide report that is organized in a uniform way and sortable by offense and jurisdiction. That statewide report must be made public and delivered to the governor and legislative leaders, who then distribute it to the relevant House and Senate committees. Prosecuting and circuit attorneys must cooperate with the attorney general by providing additional, disaggregated, or clarifying information when requested.
Impact
HB 1252 would add sections 27.120 and 56.910 to Missouri law, expanding transparency and data reporting obligations for local prosecuting and circuit attorneys. It would not change criminal penalties or substantive criminal procedure directly, but it would create a new statewide reporting framework covering arrests/referrals, prosecution acceptance, diversion, dismissals, convictions, and sentencing outcomes. The bill affects prosecuting attorneys, circuit attorneys, the attorney general, and state legislative oversight committees by formalizing a public data collection and reporting process.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to be framed as an accountability and transparency bill, with no recorded committee debate or vote history provided. The structure of the proposal suggests a policy interest in making prosecutorial decision-making more visible to the public and to state officials. Because there are no transcripts or votes included, there is no documented opposition or support in the provided materials, but the bill’s reporting focus implies a generally oversight-oriented purpose.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is the scope and burden of the reporting requirements on prosecuting and circuit attorneys, especially the need to provide detailed, disaggregated, and clarifying information to the attorney general. Another likely issue is whether the required categories of data are sufficiently standardized across jurisdictions to allow fair comparisons, and whether public reporting could be used to criticize charging or dismissal decisions without full case context. Supporters would likely emphasize transparency, while critics may raise concerns about administrative workload, data interpretation, and local prosecutorial discretion.