HB2855--PROSECUTINGATTORNEYS
SPONSOR: Hovis
Thisbillspecifiesthattwoormorecontiguouscountiesina
judicialcircuitmayactcooperativelytoemployaprosecuting
attorneypursuanttoproceduresundercurrentlawallowing
cooperationamongcounties. Thesharedprosecutingattorneyisto
beelectedatthe2026generalelectionandeveryfouryears
thereafter.
Thebillallowsanyprosecutingattorneytorepresentstate
agenciesindebtcollectioncasesandprovideatleastsixhoursof
continuingeducationtopoliceofficers. Unlessthereisa
differentagreement,theprosecutingattorneyretains20%ofall
debtcollectedonbehalfofstateagencieswithone-halfofthefee
togototheMissouriOfficeofProsecutionServicesFundandone-
halftogotothecountytreasurertobeusedsolelyforthe
prosecutor'soffice.Iftheprosecutorisasharedprosecutor,
thentheretainedfeegoestoeachcountyonaproratabasis.
Undertheseprovisions,prosecutingattorneysrepresentingmultiple
countiesmustreceivecompensationequaltothatofanassociate
circuitjudge,whichisproratedamongthecounties.
Currentlawprovidesthatpart-timeprosecutorsaretobepaid
accordingtoascalesetinstatutethatisbasedontheassessed
valuationofthecounty.Thescalerangesfrom$37,000to$55,000.
Thisbillprovidesthatpart-timeprosecutorswillreceiveasalary
equalto67%ofthecompensationofanassociatecircuitjudgeand
mustdevoteaminimumof25hoursperweektothedutiesofthe
prosecutingattorney.
Whenthecountiesadoptapropositiontocooperatetoemploya
prosecutor,thecommissionersofallthecountiesmustapprovea
jointagreementthatincludesaformulaforcalculatingeach
county'scostsandproceduresfortheapprovaloftheprosecutor's
annualbudget.
ThisbillissimilartoHB2920(2024).