HCSHB301--PUBLICSAFETY(Roberts)
COMMITTEEOFORIGIN:StandingCommitteeonCrimePreventionand
PublicSafety
SPECIALPROSECUTOR(Section56.601)
ThisbillallowstheGovernortoappointaspecialprosecutorfora
periodofuptofiveyearsiftherateofhomicidesinanycircuit
orprosecutingattorney'sjurisdictionexceeds35casesperevery
100,000peopleand,afterareviewofcertaincrimestatistics,the
Governordeterminesthereisathreattopublicsafetyandhealth.
Thespecialprosecutorwillhaveexclusivejurisdictiontoinitiate
andprosecutecertainoffensesasspecifiedinthebill.Fundsfor
thespecialprosecutorwillbeprovidedbythestatefromthe
GeneralRevenueFund.Thespecialprosecutorwillhaveabudget
andbeauthorizedtohireupto15assistantspecialprosecuting
attorneysandupto15staffmembers. Theseprovisionsaresubject
toanemergencyclause.
SERVICESFORFORMERINMATES(Section217.830)
ThebillprovidesthatDOCmustcreateapolicyandprocedures
outliningforoffendershowtoapplyforMedicaidandhowtoobtain
variousdocumentation, includingbirthcertificates,Social
Securitycards,andastateidentification cards,priortothe
offender'srelease.
SPECIALLICENSEPLATES(Section301.3175)
ThebilldirectstheDepartmentofRevenuetoissuetheBackthe
Bluespeciallicenseplatefornon-apportionedvehiclesofany
classification forwhichitissuesplates.
CONDITIONSOFRELEASE(Section544.453)
Thebillestablishescertainfactorsthatmustbeconsideredwhena
judgeorjudicialofficersetsbail.Thefactorsincludewhether
thepersonposesadanger,isaflightrisk,hascommittedcertain
offensesinthelastfiveyears,orhasfailedtoappearincourt
asaconditionforprobationorparoleforcertainoffenseswithin
thelastthreeyears.
MINIMUMPRISONTERMS(Section558.019)
Currently,certainoffenses,includingseconddegreemurder,
voluntaryandinvoluntarymanslaughter,firstdegreeassault,and
otheroffenses,haveminimumprisontermsforoffenderswithprior
felonyconvictions. Thisbillrepealsthoseprovisionsrelatingtocertainoffensesand
providesthatallclassesoffelonies,exceptcontrolledsubstance
offenses,shallbesubjecttominimumprisontermsforoffenders
withpriorfelonyconvictions.However,acourtmaydepartfromthe
minimumprisontermifthecourtfindssubstantialandcompelling
reasons,asspecifiedinthebill,thatimposingtheminimum
sentencewouldresultinasubstantialinjusticeorisnot
necessaryfortheprotectionofthepublic.
UNLAWFULFIREARMOFFENSES(Sections571.010,571.030,and571.070)
Thebillamendsthedefinitionof"rifle"toincludeafirearm
designedtobeoperatedacertainwayratherthandesignedor
adaptedtooperateinacertainway.
Thebillprovidesthataschoolofficercommissionedbythe
districtschoolboardoraschoolprotectionofficer,asdescribed
underSection160.665shallnotbeprohibitedfromcarryinga
firearmintoanyschool,ontoanyschoolbus,orontothepremises
ofanyfunctionoractivitysponsoredorsanctionedbyschool
officialsorthedistrictschoolboard.
Currentlawprovidesthatapersoncommitstheoffenseofunlawful
possessionofafirearmifthepersonknowinglypossessesafirearm
andthepersonhasbeenconvictedofafelony.Thisbillchanges
theprovisiontoapplyonlytoindividualswhohavebeenconvicted
ofaviolentfelony,asdefinedinthebill.Thebillalso
specifiesthatapersoncommitstheoffenseofunlawfulpossession
ofafirearmifthepersonknowinglyhasafirearminhisorher
possessionandthepersoniseitheronprobationorparolefora
felonyotherthanadangerousfelony.
BLAIR'SLAW(Section571.031)
Thisbillestablishes"Blair'sLaw"whichstatesapersoncommits
theoffenseofunlawfuldischargeofafirearmifthatperson,with
criminalnegligence,dischargesafirearmwithinorintothelimits
ofanymunicipality. Thisprovisiondoesnotapplyiftheperson
dischargesafirearmasspecifiedinthebill.
Thisbillcontainsagraduatedpenaltyprovision.
DISCLOSUREOFPERSONALINFORMATION(Sections575.095and578.710)
Apersoncommitstheoffenseoftamperingwithajudicialofficer
ifthepersondisseminates,throughanymeans,includingpostingon
theInternet,thejudicialofficer'sorthejudicialofficer's
family'spersonalinformation. "Personalinformation"isdefined inthebill.Judicialofficer,forthepurposeofthisbill,also
includesacommissionerofstateorfederalcourt.Ifaviolation
ofthissectionresultsindeathorbodilyinjurytoajudicial
officeroramemberofthejudicialofficer'sfamily,theperson
whocommittedtheoffensewillbeguiltyofaclassBfelony.
Thebillalsocreatestheoffenseofunlawfuldisclosureof
personallyidentifiableinformation,whichapersoncommitsifhe
orsheknowinglyreleases,publicizes,orotherwisepublicly
disclosespersonalinformationofanelectedofficialoramember
oftheelectedofficial'sfamilywiththeintenttoharass,
intimidate,orcausedeathorbodilyinjurytotheofficialora
memberofhisorherfamily.Aviolationofthisoffenseisa
classAmisdemeanor,unlesstheviolationwascommittedwiththe
intenttoinfluenceanelectedofficialintheperformanceofhis
orherofficialduties,inwhichcaseitisaclassDfelony.
LAWENFORCEMENT(Sections590.060,590.1070,and590.1075)
ThebillalsospecifiesthatinstructorsatMissouripolice
academiesmustbeapprovedbythePOSTCommission.
Thebillalsoestablishesthe"PeaceOfficerBasicTrainingTuition
ReimbursementProgram". Missouriresidentswhoattendabasiclaw
enforcementacademyfortrainingrequiredtobeapeaceofficerand
whoobtainfull-timeemploymentwithalawenforcementagency,on
orafterSeptember1,2023,mayapplytohavetheirtuition
reimbursedundertheprogramatarateof25%peryearof
employment,withfulltuitionreimbursedbytheendoffouryears
ofemployment. Qualifyinggovernmententitiesthatpayfora
persontoattendtheacademymaysubmitfortuitionreimbursement
atthesamerate.ThePOSTCommissionwillbetheadministrative
agencyforimplementation ofthereimbursementprogram.
Thebillalsoestablishesthe"PeaceOfficerBasicTrainingTuition
ReimbursementFund",whichwillconsistofmoneysappropriatedby
theGeneralAssembly,aswellasanygifts,bequests,ordonations,
andthefundsaretobeusedsolelyfortheadministration ofthe
reimbursementprogram.