Missouri prosecutors and victim advocacy groups are urging the Legislature to pass an overhaul of the state's criminal laws.
At a news conference in the Capitol on Tuesday, supporters argued the measure would lengthen jail terms for violent repeat offenders, while going easier on non-violent criminals.
The measure's sponsor in the Senate, Democratic Minority Leader Jolie Justus, says the biggest obstacle facing the bill is its length — 1,100 pages.
Justus' bill would create new classes of felonies and misdemeanors, as well as reduce the penalties for certain drug crimes for first-time offenders.
House and Senate panels have both endorsed the legislation. The Senate version is awaiting floor debate, while the House bill is in the Rules Committee.