SECONDREGULARSESSION
HOUSEJOINT
RESOLUTION NO.134
102NDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVEBURGER.
5625H.01I DANARADEMANMILLER,ChiefClerk
JOINTRESOLUTION
SubmittingtothequalifiedvotersofMissourianamendmenttoArticleIIIoftheConstitution
ofMissouri,byadoptingtwonewsectionsrelatingtofirstresponders.
BeitresolvedbytheHouseofRepresentatives,theSenateconcurringtherein:
ThatatthenextgeneralelectiontobeheldinthestateofMissouri,onTuesdaynext
2followingthefirstMondayinNovember,2024,orataspecialelectiontobecalledbythe
3governorforthatpurpose,thereisherebysubmittedtothequalifiedvotersofthisstate,for
4adoptionorrejection,thefollowingamendmenttoArticleIIIoftheConstitutionofthestate
5ofMissouri:
SectionA.ArticleIII,ConstitutionofMissouri,isamendedbyadoptingtwonew
2sections,tobeknownasSections38(e)and38(f),toreadasfollows:
Section38(e).1.Apersoncommitstheoffenseofassaultagainstafirst
2responderifheorsheattemptstokillorknowinglycausesorattemptstocauseserious
3physicalinjurytoafirstresponder.ThisoffenseshallbeaclassAfelony.
4 2.Asusedinthissection,theterm"firstresponder"shallincludeanylaw
5enforcementofficer;emergencypersonnel;paidorvolunteerfirefighter;emergency
6room,hospital,ortraumacenterpersonnel;emergencymedicaltechnician;ormember
7oftheNationalGuardwhendeployedinthisstatewhoisassaultedintheperformance
8ofhisorherofficialdutiesorasadirectresultofsuchofficialduties.
Section38(f).1.Asusedinthissection,thefollowingtermsmean:
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 2 (1)"Firstresponder",anypersonemployedasalawenforcementofficer;
3emergencypersonnel;paidorvolunteerfirefighter;emergencyroom,hospital,or
4traumacenterpersonnel;emergencymedicaltechnician;ormemberoftheNational
5Guardwhendeployedinthisstate;
6 (2)"Killedinthelineofduty",shallincludeanyfirstresponderasdefinedin
7thissectionwholoseshisorherlifewhen:
8 (a)Deathiscausedbyanaccidentorthewillfulactofviolenceofanother;
9 (b)Thefirstresponderisintheactiveperformanceofhisorherdutiesinhisor
10herrespectiveprofessionandthereisarelationshipbetweentheaccidentorcommission
11oftheactofviolenceandtheperformanceoftheduty,eveniftheindividualisoffduty;
12thefirstresponderistravelingtoorfromemployment;orthefirstresponderistaking
13anymealbreakorotherbreakthattakesplacewhileheorsheisonduty;
14 (c)Deathisthenaturalandprobableconsequenceoftheinjury;and
15 (d)Deathoccurswithinthreehundredweeksfromthedatetheinjurywas
16received.
17
18Thetermexcludesdeathresultingfromthewillfulmisconductorintoxicationofthe
19firstresponder.Thedivisionofworkers'compensationshallhavetheburdenofproving
20suchwillfulmisconductorintoxication.
21 2.Aclaimforcompensationforafirstresponderkilledinthelineofdutyshall
22befiledbysurvivorsofthedeceasedwiththedivisionofworkers'compensationnot
23laterthanoneyearfromthedateofthedeathofthefirstresponder.Ifaclaimismade
24withinoneyearofthedateofthedeathofthefirstresponderkilledinthelineofduty,
25compensationshallbepaidifthedivisionfindsthattheclaimantisentitledto
26compensation.Anycompensationawardedshallbedistributedasprovidedbylaw.The
27amountofcompensationpaidtotheclaimantshallbetwohundredandfiftythousand
28dollarsforanysuchdeathoccurringafterDecember31,2024.
29 3.Asurchargeoftwentydollarsshallbeassessedascostsineachcourt
30proceedingfiledinanycourtinthestateinallcriminalcasesincludingviolationsofany
31countyordinanceoranyviolationofcriminalortrafficlawsofthestate,includingan
32infractionandviolationofamunicipalordinance;exceptthat,nosuchfeeshallbe
33collectedinanyproceedinginanycourtwhentheproceedingorthedefendanthasbeen
34dismissedbythecourtorwhencostsaretobepaidbythestate,county,ormunicipality.
35Notwithstandinganyotherprovisionoflawtothecontrary,themoneyscollectedby
36clerksofthecourtspursuanttothissubsectionshallbedepositedintothe"LineofDuty
HJR134 2 37CompensationFund"oranyotherfundusedsolelyforpayingclaimsoffirstresponders
38killedinthelineofduty.
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HJR134 3