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HB 2399

Creates a bill of rights for the unhoused

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Marty Murray

HB 2399 would prohibit denying rights or access to public services due to homelessness and grant unhoused individuals equal rights, including emergency care, privacy, and voting.

Referred: Emerging Issues(H)
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Bill Summary · HB 2399

Overview

Missouri House Bill 2399 (HB 2399), introduced in the 2026 session by Representative Murray, seeks to establish a formal bill of rights for individuals experiencing homelessness. The bill would prohibit denying or abridging rights, privileges, or access to public services solely on the basis of homelessness and would grant unhoused individuals the same rights as other citizens in several key areas.

Main purpose and intent

  • Ensure that no person’s rights or access to public services can be denied or restricted solely due to homelessness.
  • Affirm that homeless individuals are entitled to the same fundamental rights as every other Missouri citizen.
  • Provide specific enumerated rights to persons experiencing homelessness, clarifying protections and entitlements at the state level.

Key provisions and changes

  • Prohibition on discrimination: No person’s rights, privileges, or access to public services may be denied or abridged solely because they are experiencing homelessness.
  • Equal rights and privileges: Homeless individuals must receive the same rights and privileges as other state residents.

  • Enumerated rights for the unhoused:

    1. The right to move freely in public spaces, including sidewalks, public buildings, parks, and transportation.
    2. The right to equal treatment by city and state agencies.
    3. The right to emergency medical care.
    4. The right to a reasonable expectation of privacy for personal property, comparable to privacy expectations inside a home.
    5. The right to vote, to register to vote, and to obtain documentation necessary to prove identity.
    6. The right to protection from disclosure of records and information without appropriate legal authority and the right to confidentiality of personal records.

  • Constitutional/administrative alignment: The language positions these rights as enduring protections within Missouri law, aligning with civil rights-type protections for the unhoused.

Who would be affected

  • Individuals experiencing homelessness within Missouri.
  • State and local government agencies and officials responsible for enforcing public services, housing programs, health care access, voting, and record confidentiality.
  • Service providers, shelters, law enforcement, and administrative agencies that interact with the unhoused population, as they would need to ensure compliance with the newly recognized rights.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Sponsorship and referral: HB 2399 is introduced in the House and referred to the Emerging Issues Committee (H).
  • Key dates in the action history:
    • Prefiled: December 12, 2025
    • Read First Time: January 7, 2026
    • Read Second Time: January 8, 2026
    • Referred to Emerging Issues (H): May 15, 2026
  • The bill’s text adds a new section, Section 213.145, to Chapter 213 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri (RSMo).

Notes

  • The bill’s language emphasizes equal rights rather than creating specific funding mechanisms or detailed implementation plans.
  • A similar measure, HB 3266 (2026), is noted in supporting materials, suggesting parallel efforts or versions in the same session.

Potential impact considerations (non-bindings)

  • Administrative: Agencies would need to review and potentially revise policies to ensure nondiscrimination and privacy protections for the unhoused, including access to emergency medical care and voting documentation processes.
  • Voting: Outreach and documentation provisions could impact how unhoused residents prove identity and access voting-related services.
  • Privacy: Increased confidentiality protections for personal records associated with homelessness status or related services.
  • Services access: Encourages equal treatment by city and state agencies, possibly affecting enforcement of public space regulations and service provisioning.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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