FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSEJOINT
RESOLUTION NO.61
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVECOOK.
0899H.01I JOSEPHENGLER,ChiefClerk
JOINTRESOLUTION
SubmittingtothequalifiedvotersofMissourianamendmenttoArticleVIIofthe
ConstitutionofMissouri,byadoptingtwonewsectionsrelatingtosheriffs.
BeitresolvedbytheHouseofRepresentatives,theSenateconcurringtherein:
ThatatthenextgeneralelectiontobeheldinthestateofMissouri,onTuesdaynext
2followingthefirstMondayinNovember,2026,orataspecialelectiontobecalledbythe
3governorforthatpurpose,thereisherebysubmittedtothequalifiedvotersofthisstate,for
4adoptionorrejection,thefollowingamendmenttoArticleVIIoftheConstitutionofthestate
5ofMissouri:
SectionA.ArticleVII,ConstitutionofMissouri,isamendedbyadoptingtwonew
2sections,tobeknownasSections15and16,toreadasfollows:
Section15.1.Exceptasprovidedinsubsection2ofthissection,eachcountyand
2anycitynotwithinacountyshallelectasheriffforatermoffouryearsbyamajorityof
3thequalifiedvotersofthecountyvotingthereonatthetimeofvotingdesignatedfor
4suchofficeprovidedbylawasoftheeffectivedateofthissectionandeveryfouryears
5thereafter.
6 2.Theprovisionsofsubsection1ofthissectionshallnotapplytoacountyin
7whichtheofficeofsheriffisnotanelectedofficeasoftheeffectivedateofthissection.
8Suchcountymayrestoretheofficeofsheriffasanelectedofficeasprovidedbylaw,and
9suchrestorationshallbeirrevocable.Acountythatrestorestheofficeofsheriffasan
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 10electedofficeshallelectasheriffbyamajorityofthequalifiedvotersofthecounty
11votingthereonforatermoffouryears.
12 3.Theelectedsheriffshallbethechieflawenforcementofficerinhisorher
13countyandshallbenotifiedofallfederalinvestigationsinhisorhercounty.
14NotwithstandingArticleVISection18(a)oranyotherarticleoftheMissouri
15Constitutiontothecontrary,everysheriff,inadditiontodutiesassetinlaw,shall
16quellandsuppressassaults,batteries,riots,routs,affrays,andinsurrectionsandshall:
17 (1)Apprehendandcommittojailallfelonsandtraitors;
18 (2)Attendeachdivisionofthecircuitcourtpresidedoverbyacircuitor
19associatecircuitcourtjudgeheldinhisorhercounty,whensodirectedbythecourt;
20and
21 (3)Executeprocess,includingwritsofreplevin,attachments,andfinalprocess
22issuedbycircuitandassociatecircuitjudges,unlessthesheriffofthecountydoesnot
23performsuchdutiesasofAugust28,2026.
24 4.Everysheriffisaconservatorofthepeacewithinhisorhercountyandshall
25causealloffendersagainstthelawtoappearatthenexttermofthecircuitorassociate
26courtofthecounty,andtobecommittedtojailincaseoffailuretogivethe
27recognizance.
28 5.Thesheriffofallcountiesshallhireandappointsuchdeputies,assistants,and
29otheremployeesasthesheriffdeemsnecessaryfortheproperdischargeofthedutiesof
30hisorheroffice,whoshallholdofficeatthewillandpleasureofthesheriff,andmayset
31theircompensationwithinthelimitsoftheallocationsmadeforthatpurpose.
32 6.Anelectedcountysheriffshallnotberemovedfromofficeexceptbywritof
33quowarrantoinitiatedbytheattorneygeneral.
Section16.Becausesheriffsarepartoftheadministrationofjustice,thegeneral
2assemblymaylevycourtcostsandfeestosupportsalariesorbenefitsforsheriffsand
3retiredsheriffspursuanttoSection14ofArticleIoftheConstitutionofthestateof
4Missouri.
SectionB.Pursuanttochapter116,andotherapplicableconstitutionalprovisionsand
2lawsofthisstateallowingthegeneralassemblytoadoptballotlanguageforthesubmissionof
3thisjointresolutiontothevotersofthisstate,theofficialsummarystatementofthis
4resolutionshallbeasfollows:
5 "ShalltheMissouriConstitutionbeamendedtosupportlawenforcementby
6 preservingtherightofcitizenstoelectacountysheriff,prohibitingtheremovalofa
HJR61 2 7 countysheriffexceptbyawritofquowarranto,andprotectingfundingforlaw
8 enforcementofficials?".
âś”
HJR61 3