Bill
HB 2699
Strengthens penalties for tampering with court officers or proceedings by removing parole/probation and protecting more individuals, aiming to deter threats and doxxing.
HB 2699 (2026) — Offenses Involving the Judiciary (Missouri)
Purpose and intent
- The bill tightens penalties for two offenses related to the judiciary: tampering with a judicial officer (575.095) and tampering with a judicial proceeding (575.260).
- The core aim is to remove eligibility for parole, probation, or conditional release for offenders convicted under these provisions, thereby mandating longer periods of confinement.
Key provisions and changes
- 575.095 — Tampering with a judicial officer
- With the purpose of harassing, intimidating, or influencing a judicial officer in the performance of duties, a person commits this offense if they:
- Threaten or cause harm to the officer or the officer’s family;
- Use force, threats, or deception against or toward the officer or family;
- Offer or convey any direct or indirect benefit to the officer or family;
- Engage in conduct intended to harass or alarm (including stalking);
- Disseminate the officer’s or their family’s personal information (defined as home addresses, phone numbers, personal emails, SSN, tax IDs, bank account numbers, marital status, or a child’s identity under 18), including online postings.
- Definition scope: includes judges, commissioners, arbitrators, juvenile officers, prosecutors, probation officers, and other listed court-related officials or authorities.
- Classification and penalties:
- General offense: Class D felony.
- If the violation results in death or bodily injury to the officer or family member: Class B felony.
- Parole/probation prohibition:
- Offenders convicted under this section (subdivisions 1 or 2) or under subsection 5 (injury/death scenarios) are not eligible for parole, probation, or conditional release.
- 575.260 — Tampering with a judicial proceeding
- With the aim of influencing the official action of specified judicial personnel in a proceeding, a person commits this offense if they:
- Threaten or harm any person or property;
- Engage in conduct reasonably calculated to harass or alarm the official or juror;
- Offer, confer, or promise any benefit to the official or juror.
- Classification and penalties:
- Class D felony.
- Parole/probation prohibition:
- Offenders convicted under this section are not eligible for parole, probation, or conditional release.
Who is affected
- Offenders convicted of tampering with a court-related officer (575.095) or tampering with a judicial proceeding (575.260).
- Court-related officers and their families (as defined in the bill) are given enhanced protection from harassment, threats, and doxxing.
- The Department of Corrections (DOC) would oversee incorporation of stricter sentences and associated costs; the Office of the State Courts Administrator (OSCA) may incur less predictable court-related costs.
Procedural and timeline aspects
- This is a statutory reform bill introduced in the 2026 session and includes a fiscal note with General Revenue impacts starting in FY 2027 and continuing thereafter.
- The fiscal notes anticipate increased incarceration costs due to longer sentences, with estimates showing a net General Revenue impact that could reach over $250,000 annually in later years, depending on population growth and capacity.
- The bill’s effective date appears to align with regular implementation timelines for criminal statutes, with the fiscal analyses projecting long-term effects through FY 2032–2034.
Summary
HB 2699 strengthens penalties for tampering with court-related officers and judicial proceedings by eliminating parole, probation, and conditional release eligibility for those convicted, while expanding the scope of protected individuals and defining the offenses as Class D (and Class B in fatal/bodily-injury scenarios). The bill aims to enhance courthouse safety and deter acts of intimidation or manipulation directed at the judiciary, though it carries projected fiscal costs related to increased incarceration.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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