Missouri 2025 Regular Session

Missouri Senate Bill SB355 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2	EXPLANATION-Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in this bill is not enacted
3	3	and is intended to be omitted in the law.
4	4	FIRST REGULAR SESSION
5	5	SENATE BILL NO. 355
6	6	103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
7	7	INTRODUCED BY SENATOR BLACK.
8	8	1322S.01I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
9	9	AN ACT
10	10	To repeal section 477.650, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to the
11	11	expiration date of funding of basic civil legal services for certain persons.
12	12
13	13	Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
14	14	Section A. Section 477.650, RSMo, is repealed and one new 1
15	15	section enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as section 477.650, 2
16	16	to read as follows:3
17	17	477.650. 1. There is hereby created in the state 1
18	18	treasury the "Basic Civil Legal Services Fund", to be 2
19	19	administered by, or under the direction of, the Missouri 3
20	20	supreme court. All moneys collected under section 488.031 4
21	21	shall be credited to the fund. In addition to the court 5
22	22	filing surcharges, funds from other public or private 6
23	23	sources also may be deposited into the fund and all earnings 7
24	24	of the fund shall be credited to the fund. The purpose of 8
25	25	this section is to increa se the funding available for basic 9
26	26	civil legal services to eligible low -income persons as such 10
27	27	persons are defined by the Federal Legal Services 11
28	28	Corporation's Income Eligibility Guidelines. 12
29	29	2. Funds in the basic civil legal services fund shall 13
30	30	be allocated annually and expended to provide legal 14
31	31	representation to eligible low -income persons in the state 15
32	32	in civil matters. Moneys, funds, or payments paid to the 16
33	33	credit of the basic civil legal services fund shall, at 17
34	34	least as often as annually, b e distributed to the legal 18 SB 355 2
35	35	services organizations in this state which qualify for 19
36	36	Federal Legal Services Corporation funding. The funds so 20
37	37	distributed shall be used by legal services organizations in 21
38	38	this state solely to provide legal services to elig ible low- 22
39	39	income persons as such persons are defined by the Federal 23
40	40	Legal Services Corporation's Income Eligibility Guidelines. 24
41	41	Fund money shall be subject to all restrictions imposed on 25
42	42	such legal services organizations by law. Funds shall be 26
43	43	allocated to the programs according to the funding formula 27
44	44	employed by the Federal Legal Services Corporation for the 28
45	45	distribution of funds to this state. Notwithstanding the 29
46	46	provisions of section 33.080, any balance remaining in the 30
47	47	basic civil legal servi ces fund at the end of any year shall 31
48	48	not be transferred to the state's general revenue fund. 32
49	49	Moneys in the basic civil legal services fund shall not be 33
50	50	used to pay any portion of a refund mandated by Article X, 34
51	51	Section [15] 18 of the Missouri Constit ution. State legal 35
52	52	services programs shall represent individuals to secure 36
53	53	lawful state benefits, but shall not sue the state, its 37
54	54	agencies, or its officials, with any state funds. 38
55	55	3. Contracts for services with state legal services 39
56	56	programs shall provide eligible low -income Missouri citizens 40
57	57	with equal access to the civil justice system, with a high 41
58	58	priority on families and children, domestic violence, the 42
59	59	elderly, and qualification for benefits under the Social 43
60	60	Security Act. State legal services programs shall abide by 44
61	61	all restrictions, requirements, and regulations of the Legal 45
62	62	Services Corporation regarding their cases. 46
63	63	4. The Missouri supreme court, or a person or 47
64	64	organization designated by the court, is the administrator 48
65	65	and shall administer the fund in such manner as determined 49
66	66	by the Missouri supreme court, including in accordance with 50 SB 355 3
67	67	any rules and policies adopted by the Missouri supreme court 51
68	68	for such purpose. Moneys from the fund shall be used to pay 52
69	69	for the collection of the fee and the implementation and 53
70	70	administration of the fund. 54
71	71	5. Each recipient of funds from the basic civil legal 55
72	72	services fund shall maintain appropriate records accounting 56
73	73	for the receipt and expenditure of all funds distributed and 57
74	74	received pursuant to this section. These records must be 58
75	75	maintained for a period of five years from the close of the 59
76	76	fiscal year in which such funds are distributed or received 60
77	77	or until audited, whichever is sooner. All funds 61
78	78	distributed or received pu rsuant to this section are subject 62
79	79	to audit by the Missouri supreme court or the state auditor. 63
80	80	6. The Missouri supreme court, or a person or 64
81	81	organization designated by the court, shall, by January 65
82	82	thirty-first of each year, report to the general assembly on 66
83	83	the moneys collected and disbursed pursuant to this section 67
84	84	and section 488.031 by judicial circuit. 68
85	85	[7. The provisions of this section shall expire on 69
86	86	December 31, 2025.] 70
87	87	