HB298--STATEHIGHWAYPATROL SPONSOR: Deaton COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPass"bytheStandingCommitteeon CrimePreventionandPublicSafetybyavoteof17to0. Currentlawrequiresanychangeinthestatepersonnelpayplanto bemadeonastatewidebasis.Thisbillprovidesanexceptionto thisrequirementfortheStateHighwayPatrol. PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythat,currently,astateemployeehas tostaywithastateemployeebasepayplansoitisuniform,and itmakessenseingeneraltokeepitthatway.However,the highwaypatrolshouldbeabletopayahigherbasepaysothisbill excludestheagencyfromtherequirement. Iftheymakethesame acrosstheboard,atrooperwholivesinaruralcountywherethe costoflivingislowerarguablymakesmoremoneythanatrooper wholivesinaplacelikeSt.Louis,wherethecostoflivingis higher.Foradifferenttypeofstateemployee,youcantakeajob wherethecostoflivingislowersoyoumakemoremoney,but troopersdonothavethatoption.Troopershavetogowherethey aresentbecausetheyworkforastatelawenforcementagency. Thiswillhelpwithrecruitmentandretainment,includingminority recruitment. TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Deaton;and MissouriStateTroopersAssociation. OPPONENTS: Therewasnooppositionvoicedtothecommittee. Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.