Misdemeanor probation may be provided by contract with private entities, not to exclude board of probation and parole

559.600. Misdemeanor probation may be provided by contract with private entities, not to exclude board of probation and parole — drug testing — travel limits. — 1. In cases where the division of probation and parole is not required under section 217.750 to provide probation supervision and rehabilitation services for misdemeanor offenders, the circuit and associate circuit judges in a circuit may contract with one or more private entities or other court-approved entity to provide such services. The court-approved entity, including private or other entities, shall act as a misdemeanor probation office in that circuit and shall, pursuant to the terms of the contract, supervise persons placed on probation by the judges for class A, B, C, and D misdemeanor offenses, specifically including persons placed on probation for violations of section 577.023. Nothing in sections 559.600 to 559.615 shall be construed to prohibit the division of probation and parole, or the court, from supervising misdemeanor offenders in a circuit where the judges have entered into a contract with a probation entity.

2. In all cases, the entity providing such private probation service shall utilize the cutoff concentrations utilized by the department of corrections with regard to drug and alcohol screening for clients assigned to such entity. A drug test is positive if drug presence is at or above the cutoff concentration or negative if no drug is detected or if drug presence is below the cutoff concentration.

3. In all cases, the entity providing such private probation service shall not require the clients assigned to such entity to travel in excess of fifty miles in order to attend their regular probation meetings.