Sponsor: Eric Schmitt - District 15 (R) from St Louis County

Recommendation: Pass

Defines "general operating revenue" and requires that municipalities in St. Louis County may only receive 15% of their operating revenue from minor traffic violations and any other municipality may only receive 20% of its revenue from minor traffic offenses; specifies basic requirements for municipal judges; provides procedures for any municipality that wants to set up a municipal court; requires the Missouri Supreme Court to promulgate rules regarding municipal judge conduct; requires the presiding judge of each judicial circuit to make a report to the Supreme Court of municipal divisions with the circuit's jurisdiction; specifies that a minor traffic offense must not result in the fine and court costs combined that exceeds $200.00; the offender must not be sentenced to confinement for a minor traffic offense or for failure to pay a fine; requires the defendant to have access to an attorney if the court sentences the defendant to confinement for another reason; requires the court to assess the defendant's ability to pay a fine and court costs; specifies a municipality may not issue an additional charge of failure to appear but municipalities may issue a warrant for the defendant's arrest; requires that when a defendant is arrested on an arrest warrant, he or she must be heard by a judge within 72 hours or be released; requires that when a defendant is arrested on probable cause of committing a crime, he or she must to be heard by a judge within 20 hours or be released; requires municipalities to use alternative payment plans, community service in lieu of fines, electronic payment, and/or payment by mail services; and specifies minor changes regarding the audit of a municipality by the State Auditor's Office.