HB2701--HIGHWAYPATROLSALARIES
SPONSOR: Copeland
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPass"bytheSpecialCommitteeon
PublicPolicybyavoteof7to0.
Currently,thesalaryschedulereportpreparedbythe
Superintendent oftheStateHighwayPatrolmustincludea
comparisonofthethreelargestpolicedepartmentsintheState.
Thisbillrequiresthereporttoalsoincludeacomparisonofthe
salariesandbenefitsofpoliceofficersemployedbythelaw
enforcementagenciesspecifiedinthebill.
PROPONENTS: SupporterssaythattheHighwayPatrolisloosing
membersbecauseofthepoorsalary.Currently,theHighwayPatrol
isunderstaffedbecausemembersareleavingforotherDepartments
withintheStateandtoHighwayPatrolsinneighboringstatesthat
paymore.Whenyoulookattheeightsurroundingstatesof
Missouri,weare7thoutoftheninestatesintermsofthehighest
paidtroopers. Missouriiscompetingagainstneighboringstatesin
tryingtoretainthemembersofourHighwayPatrol.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Copeland;and
LanceMcLaughlin,MissouriStateTroopersAssociation.
OPPONENTS: Therewasnooppositionvoicedtothecommittee.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.