St. Louis Sheriff Alfred Montgomery will have to immediately begin transporting jail detainees to receive medical care, a circuit judge ordered on Tuesday.

The ruling is in response to the sheriff’s request last week for a temporary restraining order on Board Bill 33, a recently passed law that requires the Sheriff’s Office to provide such transports and submit to yearlong financial monitoring. Montgomery said the legislation is unconstitutional and challenged the city’s ability to define the duties of an elected county office.

The city filed a competing temporary restraining order request in response, arguing that the bill should go into effect immediately due to the potential for irreparable harm.

Circuit Judge Joan L. Moriarty cited short staffing at the city jail as the root cau

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