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Read. Follow. Verify.Missouri requires two qualified attorneys for indigent defendants facing the death penalty in postconviction relief
Last action · April 21, 2026: Reported Do Pass (H)Sponsor: Barry Hovis
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What This Bill Would Do
Missouri HB 2254 mandates that circuit courts immediately appoint two qualified lawyers to represent defendants sentenced to death during postconviction proceedings. The state public defender will provide reasonable compensation and litigation expenses for the appointed counsel, and newly codified rules set specific experience and training requirements for at least one of the appointed attorneys.
individuals sentenced to death receive state-funded legal representation with strict qualifications for postconviction hearings, while the state public defender is required to cover all associated compensation and litigation expenses.
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.
indigent defendants
Indigent defendants sentenced to death receive the mandatory appointment of two qualified attorneys to handle postconviction relief motions.
state public defender
The state public defender must provide reasonable compensation and litigation expenses for all attorneys appointed under this measure.
appointed counsel
Attorneys appointed to these cases must meet strict experiential and training thresholds and must certify their qualifications to the state public defender.
Key Facts
- Circuit courts must find on the record whether a defendant is indigent at the time a death sentence and judgment are imposed.
- If the defendant is indigent, the court must appoint two counsel without delay to represent the defendant in postconviction motions under Missouri supreme court rule 24.035 or 29.15.
- A defendant may only reject the appointment of counsel if the court finds on the record, after a hearing, that the defendant is competent to make that decision with an understanding of its legal consequences.
- At least one appointed attorney must have completed at least twelve hours of training on postconviction phases and death penalty cases within the preceding two years.
Show all 8 facts
- At least one appointed attorney must have three years of criminal law litigation experience, three years of postconviction law experience, and have participated in at least five class A felony postconviction motions to final judgment.
- Appointed counsel must not have represented the defendant at trial or on direct appeal.
- The state public defender must provide reasonable compensation and necessary litigation expenses for appointed counsel.
- The state must comply with federal requirements under 28 U.S.C Sections 2261 and 2265 and 28 CFR Section 26.22.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who qualifies to serve as appointed counsel for a death row inmate's postconviction relief?
Can a defendant choose to reject appointed counsel?
Who pays for the appointed attorneys?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
12 actions- Apr 21, 2026HouseCommitteeReported Do Pass (H)
- Apr 20, 2026HouseCommitteeVoted Do Pass (H)
- Apr 20, 2026HouseExecutive Session Completed (H)
- Mar 31, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred: Rules - Legislative(H)
- Mar 9, 2026HouseCommitteeHCS Reported Do Pass (H)
- Mar 4, 2026HouseCommitteeHCS Voted Do Pass (H)
Show 6 earlier actions
- Mar 4, 2026HouseExecutive Session Completed (H)
- Feb 18, 2026HousePublic Hearing Completed (H)
- Jan 8, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred: Judiciary(H)
- Jan 8, 2026HouseFloorRead Second Time (H)
- Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroducedRead First Time (H)
- Dec 8, 2025HouseIntroducedPrefiled (H)
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →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
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Codification of Strict Capital Defense Standards
The bill updates existing postconviction appointment guidelines by removing bracketed text and establishing explicit training hour minimums and trial experience counts for counsel.
Sources
house.mo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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