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SB 893MISSOURISession 2026State Billin committee
High Impact

Statewide Expansion of Sexual Offense Statutes, Training Mandates, and Child Protection Measures

Original title: Creates and modifies provisions regarding sexual offenses

Last action · February 4, 2026: SCS Voted Do Pass S Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee (3820S.04C)Sponsor: Jill Carter

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Would Do

State statutes now replace references to child pornography with , expand criminal definitions to include sexually explicit items resembling minors, and establish mandatory sex and human trafficking training for specific professionals and lodging staff. Child care providers are required to request Department of Elementary and Secondary Education background checks before hiring staff, and courts are prohibited from allowing defendants to duplicate evidence containing child sexual abuse material. Additionally, the legislation creates the Statewide Council Against Adult Trafficking and the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, establishes a dedicated awareness fund, and defines the new class C or B felony offense of grooming a minor.

Why it matters

Emergency medical technicians, peace officers, juvenile officers, prosecutors, and lodging workers must complete mandatory annual human trafficking training between 2027 and 2031, while child care operators face mandatory prior background checks for all new staff.

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

County prosecuting attorneys

Prosecutors must complete annual classroom instruction and sex and human trafficking training to receive a portion of their annual salary compensation.

Directly affected

Emergency medical technicians

EMTs and paramedics must complete escalating hours of sex and human trafficking training as part of continuing education requirements for relicensure between 2027 and 2031.

Directly affected

Lodging establishment employees and operators

Employees must complete human trafficking awareness training, and operators must implement reporting policies, maintain training records, and provide records to the department upon request.

Directly affected

Child care staff members

Prospective and current staff must undergo comprehensive criminal background checks and face disqualification based on specified criminal history.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What terminology change does the bill make regarding child sexual abuse images?
The bill replaces the phrase "child pornography" with "" throughout Missouri codes and expands the definition to include items like anatomically correct dolls or mannequins intended for sexual arousal or distress.
Who is required to take the newly mandated sex and human trafficking training?
County prosecutors, emergency medical technicians, peace officers, and juvenile officers are required to complete specific hours of training annually between January 1, 2027, and December 31, 2031.
What are lodging establishments required to do under this legislation?
Lodging operators must ensure all employees receive human trafficking awareness training within 180 days of hire and annually by December 31st, adopt reporting procedures for suspected trafficking, and keep training records on file.
Can defendants copy or photograph child sexual abuse material in criminal proceedings?
No. Courts must deny any request by a defendant to copy, duplicate, or photograph as long as the state provides ample opportunity for inspection at a government facility.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Check Your Understanding

1.According to the Senate Committee Substitute version of the bill, what training requirement does the bill establish for employees of a lodging establishment?

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2.According to the Senate Committee Substitute version of the bill, what requirement does the bill place on operators of a lodging establishment?

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Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Procedural history

5 actions
  1. Feb 4, 2026SenateCommittee
    SCS Voted Do Pass S Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee (3820S.04C)
  2. Jan 21, 2026Senate
    Hearing Conducted S Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee
  3. Jan 8, 2026SenateFloor
    Second Read and Referred S Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee
  4. Jan 7, 2026SenateIntroduced
    S First Read
  5. Dec 1, 2025Senate
    Prefiled

Version history & redline

2 versions on file
Comparing 3820S.02I - Introduced → Senate Committee Substitute - Committee Version
removed addedOfficial text
removed: EXPLANATION-Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in this bill is not enacted and is intended to be omitted in the law. SECOND REGULAR SESSION SENATE BILL NO. 893 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY INTRODUCED BY SENATOR CARTER. 3820S.02I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary AN ACT To repeal sections 573.010, 573.110, 573.112, 589.400, 589.414, and 595.045, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof eight new sections relating to sexual offenses, with penalty provisions. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows: Section A. Sections 573.010, 573.110, 573.112, 589.400, 589.414, and 595.045, RSMo, are repealed and eight new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 566.152, 573.010, 573.110, 573.112, 573.114, 589.400, 589.414, and 595.045, to read as follows: 566.152. 1. This section shall be known and may be cited as "Sophie's Law". 2. A person commits the offense of grooming of a minor if such person, who is eighteen years of age or older, knowingly engages in a pattern of conduct, that includes at least one overtly sexual act or communication, directed towards another person who is less than eighteen years of age that, by its nature or context, a reasonable person would infer the intent to prepare, condition, or manipulate such person for sexual conduct, sexual performance, or a commercial sex act. 3. For the purposes of prosecution of the offense of grooming of a minor, the following shall apply: (1) Direct evidence of explicit statements of intent of the offender shall not be required. Intent of the offender may be established by the nature, frequency, and context of communications or actions, except that intent of the offender is only required to be evaluated based upon what a reasonable person would infer the intent of the offender to be; and (2) A pattern of conduct shall be determined by objective facts, not by the reputation or character of the defendant. 4. The offense of grooming of a minor shall not apply to a person who is: (1) 60,317 more removed characters - read the previous versionadded: 3820S.04C 1 SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR SENATE BILL NO. 893 AN ACT To repeal sections 43.656, 56.265, 67.2540, 168.071, 190.142, 210.1080, 210.1505, 211.326, 315.005, 324.012, 324.035, 329.050, 337.618, 339.100, 542.301, 566.010, 566.147, 566.148, 566.149, 566.150, 566.155, 566.211, 566.218, 567.030, 573.010, 573.023, 573.025, 573.035, 573.037, 573.038, 573.050, 573.052, 573.110, 573.112, 573.215, 589.042, 589.400, 589.414, 590.050, 595.045, 610.131, 650.120, and 660.520, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof forty-nine new sections relating to sexual offenses, with penalty provisions. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows: Section A. Sections 43.656, 56.265, 67.2540, 168.071, 190.142, 210.1080, 210.1505, 211.326, 315.005, 324.012, 324.035, 329.050, 337.618, 339.100, 542.301, 566.010, 566.147, 566.148, 566.149, 566.150, 566.155, 566.211, 566.218, 567.030, 573.010, 573.023, 573.025, 573.035, 573.037, 573.038, 573.050, 573.052, 573.110, 573.112, 573.215, 589.042, 589.400, 589.414, 590.050, 595.045, 610.131, 650.120, and 660.520, RSMo, are repealed and forty-nine new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 43.656, 56.265, 67.2540, 168.071, 190.142, 210.1080, 210.1505, 211.326, 315.005, 315.081, 324.012, 324.035, 329.050, 337.618, 339.100, 537.054, 542.301, 566.010, 566.147, 566.148, 566.149, 566.150, 566.152, 566.155, 566.201, 566.211, 566.218, 567.030, 573.010, 573.023, 573.025, 573.035, 573.037, 573.038, 573.050, 573.052, 573.110, 573.112, 573.114, 573.215, 589.042, 589.400, 589.414, 590.050, 595.045, 595.047, 610.131, 650.120, and 660.520, to read as follows: 43.656. It is hereby found and declared that: 2 (1) With the widespread use of computers, the internet and electronic devices to commit crimes and the critical lack of resources at state and local levels; (2) Modern day criminals have learned to exploit the internet and electronic communication to leverage computer technology to reach a virtually 209,066 more added characters - read this version
Redline computed from the official version text (record lane).View this version →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Jill CarterSenate · District 32RepublicanPrimary sponsor

Discoveries

2 patterns noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift99% confidence

Standardization of Terminology

The legislation systematically replaces outdated references to 'child pornography' with 'child sexual abuse material' across numerous chapters of Missouri law.

General Assembly
policy shift95% confidence

Mandatory Cross-Sector Training

The bill implements a synchronized set of training mandates across diverse public safety, legal, and hospitality sectors effective from 2027 through 2031.

Statewide Council Against Adult Trafficking and the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

Connected Entities

Missouri Office of Prosecution Services, Statewide Council Against Adult Trafficking and the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, General Assembly and 5 more
OrganizationMissouri Office of Prosecution Services“Receives compliance data from prosecutors”Map →
OrganizationStatewide Council Against Adult Trafficking and the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children“Created within the office of the attorney general”Map →
OrganizationGeneral Assembly“Legislative body enacting the bill”Map →
OrganizationMissouri State Highway Patrol“Conducts background checks and receives registration changes”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Elementary and Secondary Education“Regulates teacher certification and child care background checks”Map →
OrganizationMissouri Regional Computer Forensics Lab“Established to prevent computer and internet-based crimes”Map →
OrganizationNational Human Trafficking Hotline“Hotline for reporting suspected human trafficking”Map →
OrganizationFederal Bureau of Investigation“Conducts fingerprint checks for background screenings”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.senate.mo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance85
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy40
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz50
    Current news / social attention level

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