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SB 944MISSOURISession 2026State Billpassed chamber

Passed

Missouri bill empowers St. Louis City sheriff to set attorney salary and remove statutory pay caps

Original title: Modifies the salary for the attorney of the sheriff of St. Louis City

Last action · May 12, 2026: Hearing Conducted H Emerging IssuesSponsor: Karla May

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Would Do

The Missouri Senate passed SB 944 to eliminate the statutory pay range of $3,000 to $15,000 per year for the attorney of the sheriff of the City of St. Louis, granting the sheriff direct authority to set the attorney's compensation and terms of employment.

Why it matters

Removes state-mandated salary limits for a local legal position, shifting compensation authority entirely to the local sheriff.

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

the sheriff of the City of St. Louis

Gains the authority to set compensation and employment terms for their attorney.

Directly affected

the attorney for the sheriff of the City of St. Louis

Subject to salary determination directly by the sheriff and serves at the pleasure of the sheriff rather than under fixed statutory pay bands.

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

Who determines the salary of the St. Louis City sheriff's attorney under this bill?

The sheriff of the City of St. Louis sets the rate of compensation.

What were the previous salary limits for the attorney?

State law previously required compensation to be between $3,000 and $15,000 per year.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Check Your Understanding

1.According to version 4889S.03P of the bill, what are the employment terms for the attorney employed by a sheriff pursuant to subsection 1?

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2.According to version 4889S.03P of the bill, who is authorized to set the compensation for the attorney hired under this section?

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Follow the record

Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

Currently passed chamber. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.

Procedural history

13 actions

May 12, 2026House
Hearing Conducted H Emerging Issues
Apr 21, 2026HouseCommittee
Referred H Emerging Issues
Mar 25, 2026HouseFloor
H Second Read
Mar 24, 2026SenateFloor
SCS S adopted
Mar 24, 2026SenateFloor
S Third Read and Passed - Consent
Mar 24, 2026HouseIntroduced
H First Read

Show 7 earlier actions

Mar 9, 2026Senate
Reported from S Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee - Consent w/SCS
Feb 9, 2026SenateCommittee
SCS Voted Do Pass S Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee (4889S.03C)
Feb 9, 2026Senate
Motion to pass bill as consent taken by S Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee - Consent vote adopted
Jan 20, 2026Senate
Hearing Conducted S Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee
Jan 8, 2026SenateFloor
Second Read and Referred S Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee
Jan 7, 2026SenateIntroduced
S First Read
Dec 1, 2025Senate
Prefiled

Version history & redline

3 versions on file

Comparing 4889S.03C - Senate Committee Substitute → 4889S.03P - Perfected

removed addedOfficial text

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 [PERFECTED] SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR SENATE BILL NO. 944 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY 4889S.03C 4889S.03P KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary AN ACT To repeal section 57.540, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to compensation for the […] more than fifteen thousand dollars per annum, payable in semimonthly installments]. The sheriff shall set the compensation for an attorney hired pursuant to this section, section and such compensation shall be paid out of the same funds and revenue as the sheriff of such city is paid. 2. The attorney employed by a sheriff pursuant to subsection 1 of this section shall be employed at the pleasure of the sheriff.

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.

Connected Entities

General Assembly, City of St. Louis

OrganizationGeneral Assembly“Body enacting the legislation”Map →

locationCity of St. Louis“Jurisdiction where the sheriff and attorney operate”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.senate.mo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance20
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy10
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz15
Current news / social attention level

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