JEFFERSON CITY - A Missouri House Bill is seen as a last hope for some offenders hoping to serve shorter prison sentences.
After the Missouri Supreme Court ruled last year that a particular law would not be applied retroactively to some offenderâs cases, House Bill 504 became the next best hope for clemency.
House Bill 504 states that nonviolent drug offenders sentenced under a particular section of the law with no prior offenses can become eligible for parole after serving 10 years of their sentence.
The billâs sponsor Cheri Toalson Reisch (R-Hallsville) has introduced multiple criminal justice reform bills this session in Jefferson City. The bills have addressed issues ranging from time incarcerated to easing employment restrictions for felons upon release.
JEFFERSON CITY â Lawmakers in Missouri met for the first public hearing two bills that will give non-violent drug offenders a second chance.
Missouri law doesn t allow previously convicted felons to work in establishments that sell alcohol and lottery tickets. House Bill 316 will reverse this.
HB 316 passed nearly unanimous through the House last year, except one vote. It was in the Senate until COVID-19 interrupted the process.
The second bill, HB 504, will allow non-violent drug offenders to be eligible for parole after serving 10 years of their sentence if the Parole Board determines the offender will not re-offend.
Rep. Cheri Toalson Reisch (R-Hallsville) is the sponsor behind both bills.Â
The new plan relies on hospitals and public health departments to coordinate with their communities.
Missouri receives approximately 76,000 doses every week from the federal government. The state will commit about 53% of weekly allocations to the selected hospitals and about 23% will be devoted to mass vaccination clinics in partnership with local vaccination implementation teams and the Missouri National Guard.
Missouri has not seen a rise in fuel tax since 1996, but that could change soon.
The Missouri Senateâs Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee discussed Senate Bill 262 Tuesday morning that could raise the stateâs fuel tax by 10 cents over the next five years. That means a two cent increase each year until it becomes 27 cents by 2026.