SECONDREGULARSESSION
HOUSEBILLNO.2137
102NDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVEVOSS.
4828H.01I DANARADEMANMILLER,ChiefClerk
ANACT
Torepealsection491.641,RSMo,andtoenactinlieuthereofonenewsectionrelatingtothe
pretrialwitnessprotectionservicesfund.
BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
SectionA.Section491.641,RSMo,isrepealedandonenewsectionenactedinlieu
2thereof,tobeknownassection491.641,toreadasfollows:
491.641.1.(1)Thereisherebycreatedinthestatetreasurythe"PretrialWitness
2ProtectionServicesFund",whichshallconsistofmoneyscollectedunderthissection.The
3statetreasurershallbecustodianofthefund.Inaccordancewithsections30.170and30.180,
4thestatetreasurermayapprovedisbursements.Thefundshallbeadedicatedfundandmoney
5inthefundshallbeusedsolelybythedepartmentofpublicsafetyforthepurposesofwitness
6protectionservicespursuanttothissection.
7 (2)Notwithstandingtheprovisionsofsection33.080tothecontrary,anymoneys
8remaininginthefundattheendofthebienniumshallnotreverttothecreditofthegeneral
9revenuefund.
10 (3)Thestatetreasurershallinvestmoneysinthefundinthesamemannerasother
11fundsareinvested.Anyinterestandmoneysearnedonsuchinvestmentsshallbecreditedto
12thefund.
13 2.Anylawenforcementagencyorprosecutingattorney'sofficemayprovideforthe
14securityofwitnesses,potentialwitnesses,andtheirimmediatefamiliesincriminal
15proceedingsinstitutedorinvestigationspendingagainstapersonallegedtohaveengaged
16inaviolationofstatelaw.Providingforwitnessesmayincludeprovisionofhousingfacilities
17andforthehealth,safety,andwelfareofsuchwitnessesandtheirimmediatefamilies,if
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 18testimonybysuchawitnessmightsubjectthewitnessoramemberofhisorherimmediate
19familytodangerofbodilyinjury,andmaycontinuesolongassuchdangerexists.Subjectto
20appropriationsfromthegeneralassemblyforthepurposesprovidedforinthissection,funds
21maybeappropriatedfromthepretrialwitnessprotectionservicesfund.
22 3.Thedepartmentofpublicsafetymayauthorizefundstobedisbursedtolaw
23enforcementagenciesorprosecutingattorneys'officesforthepurchase,rental,or
24modificationofprotectedhousingfacilitiesforthepurposeofthissection.Thelaw
25enforcementagencyorprosecutingattorney'sofficemaycontractwithanydepartmentof
26federalorstategovernmenttoobtainortoprovidethefacilitiesorservicestocarryoutthis
27section.
28 4.Thedepartmentofpublicsafetymayauthorizeexpendituresforlawenforcement
29agenciesorprosecutingattorneys'officestoprovideforthehealth,safety,andwelfareof
30witnessesandvictims,andthefamiliesofsuchwitnessesandvictims,whenevertestimony
31from,orawillingnesstotestifyby,suchawitnessorvictimwouldplacethelifeofsuch
32person,oramemberofhisorherfamilyorhousehold,injeopardy.[Alawenforcement
33agencyshallsubmitanapplicationtothedepartmentofpublicsafetywhichshallinclude,but
34notnecessarilybelimitedto:
35 (1)Statementofconditionswhichqualifypersonsforprotection;
36 (2)Precisemethodstheoriginatingagencywillusetoprovideprotection,including
37relocationofpersonsandreciprocalagreementswithotherlawenforcementagencies;
38 (3)Statementoftheprojectedcostsoveraspecifiedperiodoftime;
39 (4)Iftherequestingagencyexpectsthepersontoprovideevidenceinanycourtof
40competentjurisdiction:
41 (a)Briefstatementoftheanticipatedevidence;
42 (b)Certificationofareasonablebeliefintheperson'scompetencytogiveevidence;
43 (c)Statementoffactssupportingthelawenforcementagency'sbeliefintheaccuracy
44oftheevidence;and
45 (d)Anyoffermadeinexchangeforthepersonagreeingtogiveevidence.] Alaw
46enforcementagencyorprosecutingattorney'sofficeseekingreimbursementshall
47submitanapplicationtobeapprovedbythedepartmentofpublicsafety.The
48departmentofpublicsafetymayalsobereimbursedorpaidforincurredcoststhatare
49directlyrelatedtothemanagementandadministrationofthefund,uptofivepercentof
50theappropriatedamountinthefund.
51 5.Theapplicationandanyassociateddocumentssubmittedinsubsection4ofthis
52sectionshallbeaclosedrecordandnotsubjecttodisclosureundertheprovisionsofchapter
53610.Anyinformationcontainedintheapplication[, or]andanyotherdocuments[, which
54reveals] thatrevealorcouldrevealthelocationoraddressoftheindividualorindividuals
HB2137 2 55whoqualifyforservicesunderthissectionshallbeconfidentialandshallnotbedisclosedby
56anyentity.
57 6.Thedepartmentofpublicsafetymaypromulgaterulesastotheapplication
58processtoseekreimbursement.Anyruleorportionofarule,asthattermisdefinedin
59section536.010,thatiscreatedundertheauthoritydelegatedinthissectionshall
60becomeeffectiveonlyifitcomplieswithandissubjecttoalloftheprovisionsofchapter
61536and,ifapplicable,section536.028.Thissectionandchapter536arenonseverable
62andifanyofthepowersvestedwiththegeneralassemblypursuanttochapter536to
63review,todelaytheeffectivedate,ortodisapproveandannularulearesubsequently
64heldunconstitutional,thenthegrantofrulemakingauthorityandanyruleproposedor
65adoptedafterAugust28,2024,shallbeinvalidandvoid.
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