# Missouri HB2273: Modifies and establishes provisions relating to the protection of children and vulnerable persons Missouri HB2273, Modifies and establishes provisions relating to the protection of children and vulnerable persons, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Ed Lewis (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-07 (Delivered to Secretary of State (G)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-04). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MO-HB2273-2026 - As of: 2026-11-04 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Missouri HB2273 - State: Missouri - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Modifies and establishes provisions relating to the protection of children and vulnerable persons - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-12-08 - Last action: 2026-04-07, Delivered to Secretary of State (G) - Sponsor: Ed Lewis (Republican) - Cosponsors: 14 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 8 (496 yes, 6 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 24 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Coerced prostitution convictions can be cleared: benefit, medium. People who pleaded guilty to or were convicted of prostitution can apply to clear the conviction, regardless of their age then. The court must grant expungement when it finds the person acted under an agent's coercion as defined by law. - Longer deadlines for child trafficking lawsuits: benefit, medium. Survivors who were under 18 during a listed child trafficking offense can sue for related physical or mental harm. The deadline is 20 years after turning 21, or three years after discovering the trafficking caused the harm. The discovery deadline also runs from when the survivor reasonably should h… - Protection orders can cover cyberstalking victims: benefit, medium. People seeking protection from cyberstalking can ask for a full or emergency court order of protection. Courts can temporarily bar the other person from committing or threatening cyberstalking. - Required compensation for sexual abuse victims: benefit, medium. Victims of covered grooming, trafficking, and private-image offenses are entitled to court-ordered compensation after a guilty finding. For grooming and private-image victims, it covers mental and physical recovery, lost income or disrupted education, and relocation or housing. Private-image victim… - Child care screening appeals require speed: benefit, low. People barred from child care work or facility presence based on listed offenses can file a written appeal. The appeal list expressly includes child sexual abuse material offenses and matching child pornography offenses from before August 28, 2026. The appeal must be filed with the department withi… - More support for child exploitation investigations: benefit, low. Local prosecutors can request attorney general help and resources for child sex trafficking cases. Eligible law enforcement agencies and task forces can use cybercrime grants for staff and other program costs. Covered internet sex crime investigations include grooming or enticement of minors. The l… - New state grants support crime victims: benefit, low. The law creates the Missouri Crime Victims Fund using appropriations and donations. When money is appropriated, eligible jurisdictions, local governments, and organizations receive grants for victim assistance. Recipients and uses must qualify under the federal Victims of Crime Act grant rules. Unu… - State broadens its response to grooming: benefit, low. The state committee must publish guidance on recognizing and responding to grooming, including victim treatment and services. It must also guide procedures and training for professionals who investigate or prosecute grooming or enticement of minors. The sexual assault definition used in state preve… - State coordinates trafficking prevention and awareness: benefit, low. Missouri places its statewide trafficking council in the attorney general's office to recommend a coordinated response. The council must form within 30 days of August 28, 2026, and meet at least quarterly. The attorney general appoints an executive director and provides office support. A new child… - Trafficking defendants can lose offense-related property: cost, medium. A defendant's real estate or personal property can be seized when used in a listed trafficking offense. Property intended or unsuccessfully attempted to be used in the offense is also covered. Seized property must be forfeited through the required legal process. - Abuse material convictions restrict professional licenses: cost, medium. Listed child sexual abuse material convictions count as directly related to professional duties under Missouri's Fresh Start Act. Teachers found guilty of listed offenses may face certificate discipline. The cosmetology board may deny exams or licenses, while real estate licenses must be denied or… - Covered professionals need trafficking training for renewal: cost, low. Missouri professionals licensed under sections 337.600 through 337.689 must include sex and human trafficking training in renewal education. The first renewal cycle after initial licensing requires two hours; each later renewal requires one hour. The requirement begins January 1, 2027, and expires… - Juvenile officers must take yearly trafficking training: cost, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, each Missouri juvenile officer must complete one hour of sex and human trafficking training annually. The training must follow state trafficking training guidelines. The requirement expires December 31, 2031. - Child abuse material rules cover objects: cost, low. Child sexual abuse material includes certain anatomically correct dolls, mannequins, robots, and similar objects resembling someone under 18. The object must be intended for sexual arousal or gratification, or to terrorize or cause emotional distress. This broader definition also applies to referen… - Felony penalties for buying sexual services: cost, low. Patronizing prostitution involving an adult is a class E felony. The offense is class D when the person is 16 or 17. It remains class B when the person is 15 or younger. Covered conduct includes offering, agreeing to give, or giving something of value for sexual conduct. - Higher penalties for private image threats: cost, low. Threatening to share private sexual images to gain something of value or force action is a felony. The image must identify the person, show sexual activity or exposed intimate parts, and have been obtained with an expectation of privacy. The offense is class E, rising to class D for a second offens… - Life sentences for custodial child trafficking: cost, low. Second-degree child sex trafficking carries life imprisonment when committed by the child's parent, guardian, or another person with custody or control. Life imprisonment means the person's entire natural life. - More offenses trigger sex offender registration: cost, low. Grooming, private-image sharing and threats, and specified child sexual abuse material offenses can trigger registration after qualifying convictions or adjudications. Grooming and possession are tier I: generally 15 years of registration with annual in-person check-ins. Promoting the material is t… - More reporting duties for registered offenders: cost, low. The law changes tier III coverage, including listed public-duty and student sexual-contact offenses; covered registrants must report in person every 90 days. Registrants must also register in another Missouri area where they work, study, train, or temporarily live. Work includes volunteering and un… - Stronger penalties for sharing private images: cost, low. Sharing a private sexual image to harass, threaten, or coerce is covered regardless of the depicted person's age. The person must be identifiable, and the image must show sexual activity or exposed intimate parts. The image must have been obtained with an expectation of privacy, with the sharer kno… - Emergency medical workers need free trafficking training: mixed, low. Emergency medical technicians, advanced emergency medical technicians, and paramedics must complete one four-hour sex and human trafficking course. This applies to license renewals effective after March 31, 2027. The course is free, may be online, and may count toward elective training topics. It m… - Licensing boards face training spending limits: mixed, low. Professional licensing bodies need division director approval to use licensing fees or outside partners for continuing education classes. Approved classes must be available to all licensees covered by that licensing body. The law does not set a new licensing fee. - New penalties for digital sexual abuse: mixed, low. Sharing realistic, digitally created or altered intimate images of identifiable people is generally a class D felony; threats are class E. The offense requires the specified intent, knowledge, or reckless disregard concerning harm. Repeat violations, or images reasonably expected to affect governme… - Officers must complete trafficking training: mixed, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, a state committee must set trafficking training guidelines each year and distribute training online. It can also approve training from other organizations. Peace officers must complete two hours of trafficking training during each one-year continuing education reporting p… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Ed Lewis (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Ann Kelley (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Bill Irwin (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Brian Seitz (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Burt Whaley (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Cathy Jo Loy (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Christopher Warwick (Republican), House - Cosponsor: David Dolan (Republican), House - Cosponsor: George Hruza (Republican), House - Cosponsor: John Hewkin (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Marla Smith (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Michael Johnson (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Phil Amato (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Terri Violet (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Wendy L. Hausman (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-12 | House | House Adopts - SS SCS, as amended | pass | 137 | 2 | | | 2026-03-12 | House | Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed | pass | 134 | 2 | | | 2026-03-12 | House | Reported Do Pass | pass | 8 | 0 | | | 2026-03-11 | Senate | Third Read and Passed with Amendments - SA 1, adopted | pass | 32 | 0 | | | 2026-02-09 | House | Third Read and Passed | pass | 148 | 2 | | | 2026-02-09 | House | Reported Do Pass | pass | 8 | 0 | | | 2026-02-02 | House | Reported Do Pass | pass | 12 | 0 | | | 2026-01-27 | House | HCS Reported Do Pass | pass | 17 | 0 | | ## Bill text - Truly Agreed, 2026-03-12: [PDF](https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills261/hlrbillspdf/5011S.09T.pdf) - Perfected, 2026-02-04: [PDF](https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills261/hlrbillspdf/5011H.04P.pdf) - Committee Substitute, 2026-01-27: [PDF](https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills261/hlrbillspdf/5011H.04C.pdf), [PDF](https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills261/hlrbillspdf/5011S.05C.pdf) - Senate Substitute, 2026-01-27: [PDF](https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills261/hlrbillspdf/5011S.09F.pdf) - Introduced, 2026-01-07: [PDF](https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills261/hlrbillspdf/5011H.01I.pdf) ## Related bills - HB1871: Modifies provisions relating to elections (signed) - HB1867: Authorizes Joplin to increase a transient guest tax for tourism to no more than six percent upon a vote of the people (signed) - HB1827: Adds licensed occupational therapists to the definition of "other authorized health care practitioner" for purposes of physician's statements required for disa… (signed) - HB1840: Establishes an alert system to assist in the location of missing persons with developmental disabilities (signed) - HB1825: Removes the prosecuting attorney and the sheriff from the county salary commission (signed) - SB1408: Increases the maximum speed limit from 70 to 75 miles per hour on rural interstates and freeways (signed) ## Sources - [Truly Agreed (PDF)](https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills261/hlrbillspdf/5011S.09T.pdf) - [Perfected (PDF)](https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills261/hlrbillspdf/5011H.04P.pdf) - [Committee Substitute (PDF)](https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills261/hlrbillspdf/5011H.04C.pdf) - [Committee Substitute (PDF)](https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills261/hlrbillspdf/5011S.05C.pdf) - [Senate Substitute (PDF)](https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills261/hlrbillspdf/5011S.09F.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills261/hlrbillspdf/5011H.01I.pdf) ## Related - [HB1871: Modifies provisions relating to elections](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MO-HB1871-2026) - [HB1867: Authorizes Joplin to increase a transient guest tax for tourism to no more than…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MO-HB1867-2026) - [HB1827: Adds licensed occupational therapists to the definition of "other authorized he…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MO-HB1827-2026) - [HB1840: Establishes an alert system to assist in the location of missing persons with d…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MO-HB1840-2026) - [HB1825: Removes the prosecuting attorney and the sheriff from the county salary commiss…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MO-HB1825-2026) - [SB1408: Increases the maximum speed limit from 70 to 75 miles per hour on rural interst…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MO-SB1408-2026) - [Missouri bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/missouri/bills) - [Missouri state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/missouri) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MO-HB2273-2026 (as of 2026-11-04).