HCSHBs1692&1748--ARRESTS,STOPS,ANDDETENTIONS
SPONSOR: Sparks
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonCrimePreventionandPublicSafetybyavoteof19to
0.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
1692.
Thisbillamendsthepenaltyfortheoffenseofresistingor
interferingwitharrest,whichiscurrentlyaclassAmisdemeanor
undercertaincircumstancesandaclassEfelonyunderother
circumstances. Thisbillspecifiesthatresistingorinterfering
withorescapingorattemptingtoescapefromastop,detention,or
arrestorfromcustodyaftersuchstop,detention,orarrestisa
classAmisdemeanor,unlessitfallswithinoneoftheexceptions
listedinthebill,inwhichcaseitisaclassEfelony.Ifthe
escapeorattemptedescapeiscommittedbymeansofadeadlyweapon
oradangerousinstrumentorbyholdinganotherpersonhostage,it
isaclassAfelony.
Thebillalsocreates"Valentine'sLaw",whichestablishesthe
offenseofaggravatedfleeingastopordetentionofamotor
vehicle. Apersoncommitssuchoffenseifheorsheknowsor
reasonablyshouldknowthatalawenforcementofficerisattempting
todetainorstopamotorvehicleand,invariouswaysdescribedin
thebill,heorsheflees.Apersonispresumedtobefleeingan
attemptedvehicledetentionorstopifheorshecontinuesto
operateamotorvehicleafterheorshehasseenorreasonably
shouldhaveseenclearlyvisibleemergencylightsorhasheardor
reasonablyshouldhaveheardanaudiblesignalemanatingfromthe
pursuinglawenforcementvehicle. Whileitisnotadefenseto
prosecutionofthisoffensethattheofficerwasactingunlawfully,
theprovisionsofthebilldonotbarcivilsuitsforunlawful
arrest.Theoffenseofaggravatedfleeingastopordetentionwhen
apersonoperatesavehicleatahighrateofspeedorinsucha
waythatcreatesasubstantialriskofseriousphysicalinjuryor
deathtoanypersonisaclassDfelonywithouteligibilityfor
probation,parole,orconditionalreleaseuntilthepersonhas
servedatleastoneyearofhisorhersentence. Theoffensewhen,
asaresultofthefleeing,thepersoncausesphysicalinjuryto
anotherpersonisaclassBfelony.If,asaresultofthe
fleeing,apersoncausesdeathtoanotherperson,theoffenseisa
classAfelony. Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatcriminalsaredisregardingthe
safetyofothersandfleeingatahighrateofspeed.Supporters
saythatthecurrentpursuitpolicyissoconservativethatnoone
reallychasesanyoneanymore. Thedesiretocatchaperpetrator
shouldbebalancedagainstprotectingthesafetyofthepublicbut
itshouldn'tbesolaxthatpeopleknowthatthepolicewillnot
chasethem.Thislawequatestosavinglives.It’snotasilver
bulletbutit’satleastadeterrent. Oneyear,therewere2,740
“failurestoyield,”whichmeansacarthatpolicearetryingto
pulloverrefusesstop.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Sparks;
MissouriFraternalOrderofPolice;St.LouisPoliceOfficers
Association;KansasCityFraternalOrderOfPolice;JasonLaw,St.
LouisCountyPolice;TimWare,St.LouisCountyPolice;Lenell
Anderson,St.LouisCounty;ChaseCampbell,WintonPolicyGroup;
ChrisDigiuseppi,LELC/MPCA;JoePatterson,St.LouisCountyPolice
Association;andMissouriPoliceChiefsAssociation.
OPPONENTS: Therewasnooppositionvoicedtothecommittee.
OTHERS:Otherstestifyingonthebillsaytherejustneedstobe
sometechnicallanguagefixesmadetothebilltoensurethereare
noproofthresholdissues.
TestifyinginpersononthebillwasStephenSokoloff,MoOfficeOf
ProsecutionServices.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.