HCSHB495--PUBLICSAFETY
SPONSOR: Christ
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonCrimeandPublicSafetybyavoteof13to6.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
495.
Thisbillallowsthechieflawenforcementexecutiveforanylaw
enforcementagencytorequestassistancefromalawenforcement
agencyinanotherjurisdiction,includingfromoutsidetheState
butwithintheUnitedStates.Thebillcreatesprovisionsforhow
arrestsarehandledifexecutedbyanofficeroutsideofhisorher
jurisdiction. Thisbillspecifiesthat,forbenefitsandother
employment-relatedmatters,lawenforcementofficersremain
employeesoftheirrespectivelawenforcementagenciesthroughout
anyrequestforassistance.
Currently,thedriverofanemergencyvehiclecanparkorstand,
regardlessofthenormalrulesoftheroad;proceedpastaredor
stopsignalorstopsignafterslowingdownasnecessaryforsafe
operation;exceedthespeedlimitaslongasthedriverdoesnot
endangerlifeorproperty;anddisregardregulationsgoverning
directionofmovementorturninginspecifieddirections. These
exemptionsapplyonlytoemergencyvehiclesthat,whileinmotion,
soundaudiblesignalsbybell,siren,orexhaustwhistleas
reasonablynecessary,andwhenthevehicleisequippedwithat
leastonelightedlampdisplayingaredlightorbluelightvisible
undernormalatmosphericconditionsfromadistanceof500feetto
thefrontofsuchvehicle.
Thebillprovidesthatanauthorizedemergencyvehicleoperatedas
apolicevehicleisnotrequiredtouseanaudiblesignalor
displayavisualsignalwhenthevehicleisbeingusedtoget
evidenceofaspeedingviolation;respondtoasuspectedcrimein
progresswhenuseofanaudibleorvisualsignal,orboth,could
reasonablyresultinthedestructionofevidenceorescapeofa
suspect;orconductsurveillanceofavehicleorthepassengersof
avehiclewhoaresuspectedofinvolvementinacrime.
BeginningAugust28,2025,theBoardofPoliceCommissionerswill
assumecontrolofthemunicipalpolicedepartmentofSt.Louisand,
nolaterthanSeptember28,2025,fourcitizencommissionerswill
beappointedtotheBoard,asprovidedinthebill,toservewith
themayorasthegoverningbodyofthepoliceforce.TheBoard
willhavethepowertoappointthechiefofpolice,determine appealsfromthedecisionsofthechiefofpolice,andto
promulgaterulesforthedepartment.
Additionally,untiltheBoardadoptsotherinvestigativeand
disciplinaryprocedures,thepoliceforcewillfollowthe
disciplinaryandinvestigativeproceduresestablishedbythePolice
ManualoftheSt.LouisMetropolitanPoliceDepartmentthatare
consistentwithlaw.
ThisbillprovidesthatthecityofSt.Louiscanpassordinances,
includingordinancesforpreservingorderandprotectingthe
public,butnoordinance,charterprovision,orinitiativepetition
canconflictorinterferewiththepowersortheexerciseofthe
powersoftheBoardofPoliceCommissioners. Additionally,the
mayororanycityofficermustnotimpedeorhindertheBoardof
PoliceCommissioners. Themayororanycityofficerwillbeliable
forapenaltyof$1,000foreachoffensetohindertheBoardand
willforeverbedisqualifiedfromholdingorexercisinganyoffice
ofthecity.
ThesalariespaidasofAugust28,2025,willnotbelessthanthe
annualsalariespaidtoeachmemberbeforetheenactmentofthis
bill.Noadditionalcompensationwillbegiventoanyofficerof
therankoflieutenantoraboveforovertime,courttime,orstand-
bycourttime.Thebillspecifiesprovisionsrelatedto
compensationandotheremploymentbenefitsforallpositionsonthe
policeforce.
Thisbillprovidesthatreimbursements fromtheLegalExpenseFund
totheBoardforliabilityclaimswillbeonaequalsharebasis
perclaimuptoamaximumof$1millionperfiscalyear.
Thisbillrepealsprovisionsrelatingtothemunicipalpoliceforce
establishedbythecityofSt.Louisandotherprovisionsrelating
toproceduresoftheBoard.
Thebillprohibitsstuntdriving,asdefinedinthebill,onthe
roadsandhighwaysofthisState.Aviolationofthisprovisionis
aclassBmisdemeanorunlessanaccidentisinvolved,inwhichcase
itisaclassAmisdemeanor. Thebillalsoprohibitsstuntdriving
inconnectionwithastreettakeoverorperformingorparticipating
inastreettakeover,asdefinedinthebill.Aviolationofthis
provisionisaclassAmisdemeanorforafirstoffense,aclassE
felonyforasecondoffense,andaclassDfelonyforathirdor
subsequentoffense. Thebillalsoprohibitsasuspendedimposition
ofsentenceorafineinlieuofimprisonmentforadefendantwho
isproventobeaprior,persistent,aggravated,chronic,or
habitualoffender. Thebillalsospecifiesminimumprisonterms
forsuchadefendant. Thebillprovidesexceptionsforevents sanctionedbyapoliticalsubdivisionorprivateentitywith
responsibility formaintenanceandcontroloftheportionof
highwayorprivatepropertyonwhichthemotorvehicleoperation
occurs.
Thebilladdstheoffenseofendangeringthewelfareofachildin
thefirstdegreetothedefinitionof"dangerousfelony"inthe
criminalcode.Thebillalsoamendstheoffenseofendangeringthe
welfareofachildtoincludewhenaperson,inthepresenceofa
childorinaresidencewhereachildresides,unlawfully
manufacturesorattemptstomanufacture,compounds,possesses,
produces,prepares,sells,transports,tests,oranalyzesfentanyl
orcarfentanil. Theoffenseinsuchcircumstancescarriesa
sentenceoffiveto10yearsofimprisonmentandisnoteligible
forsuspendedexecutionofsentence,forafineinlieuof
imprisonment,orforconditionalreleaseorparoleuntiltheperson
servesatleastfiveyearsofimprisonment.
Thisbilladdstotheoffenseofburglaryintheseconddegreewhen
apersonunlawfullyentersamotorvehicleoranypartofamotor
vehiclewiththeintenttocommitatheftoranyfelony.Thebill
defines"enters"asapersonintrudingwithanypartofthebodyor
anyphysicalobjectconnectedwiththebody.Ifapersonwho
commitsaviolationunderthisprovisionwasinpossessionofa
firearmatthetimeorstoleafirearmfromthemotorvehicle
duringtheviolation,heorsheisguiltyofaclassCfelony.
Thebillalsocreatestheoffenseofunlawfullygainingentryinto
amotorvehicle,whichapersoncommitsifheorsheliftsthedoor
handlesorotherwisetriesthedoorsandlocksofsuccessive
vehiclesinanattempttogainentry.Aviolationofthissection
isaclassEfelony.Apersondoesnotcommittheoffenseof
unlawfullygainingentryintoamotorvehicleifthepersonisthe
ownerofthevehicleorhastheowner'spermissiontoenterthe
vehicle.
Currently,theoffenseofriotingiscommittedwhenaperson
knowinglyassemblesandconspireswithsixormoreindividualsto
violatethecriminallawsofthisstateoroftheUnitedStates,
andtheoffenseisaclassAmisdemeanor. Thisbillremovesthe
requirementforaconspiracyanditinvolvesapersonassembling
withsixormorepersonsandthereafterviolatinganyofthe
criminallawsofthissStateortheUnitedStates.Italso
increasesthepenaltytoaclassDfelonyforafirstoffenseanda
classCfelonyforasecondorsubsequentoffense.
Thebillspecifiesthatanyvehicleinvolvedinthecommissionof
theoffenseofresistinganarrest,detention,orstopwhenthe
offenseisaclassEfelonywillbeimpoundedandforfeited. Thisbillestablishesthe"CommitteeonSchoolSafety"withinthe
DepartmentofPublicSafetywithmembershipasprovidedinthe
bill.TheCommitteewillatleastquarterlyevaluateandestablish
guidelinesforschoolsafetyconcerns,includingplanstoprevent
schoolfirearmviolence. TheCommitteemustsubmitareporttothe
Governor,thePresidentProTemoftheSenate,andtheSpeakerof
theHouseofRepresentatives aftereverymeetingofthecommittee.
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthiswouldputalocalboardin
placetotakecontrolofthepolicedepartmentinthecityofSt.
Louis.ItismarketedasStatecontrol,butthecommissionmembers
willbelocalcitizensaswellasthemayorofthecity.Thereare
reportsthatcrimeinthecityisdown,butthereissomeadjusting
ofthenumbers,suchasconsolidatingcrimesintoone,tomakeit
looklikecrimeisdown.Sincetheboardwasremoved,thecityhas
lostover40,000residents,andmanybusinessesandinvestorshave
lefttheareaandtheydonotwanttoinvestinthecity.Thereis
anargumentthatKansasCityhassimilarcrimestatisticsanditis
underthecontrolofaStateboard,butthatcityhasamuchlarger
populationthanthecityofSt.Louis.Localcontrolforthelast
11yearshasclearlyfailed.Facilitiesarecollapsing,officers
areleavingbecausetheyknowtheyareworkinginoneofthemost
dangerouscitiesinthecountry. Theboardwouldcreatestability
anduniformitywithinthecity.Itisreallyimportanttoincrease
thepenaltiesfortheoffenseofendangeringthewelfareofachild
andforthedealinginfentanylandcarfentanil. TheMayorofSt.
Louishasfull-timeofficersguardingherandherson,andthatis
awasteoftaxpayerdollars,especiallywhenyouhearthatthere
aresometimestwoofficersinadistrictpershift.Many
businesses,likeradiostationsandnewsstations,haveleftthe
cityforthecounty.Almostall200+membersoftheethical
societyofpoliceareinsupportofStatecontrolofthepolice
department. The7%payincreasewenttotheofficerswhoarein
years1-20ofservice,butapersonwhohasbeenthere20yearsor
moregot2%.Thecivilianpersonnelofthepolicedepartmentdid
notgetaraise.Therehavebeengreatstridesmadetoincrease
thepayofofficersinthecitybutthereisstilla$12,000
differencebetweenthepayoftopofficersinthecityversusthe
topofficersinthecounty,andittakessevenyearslongertoget
thereinthecity.Thegoodthingaboutmovingthepolice
departmentbackunderthecontrolofaboardisitbringsthe departmentbackundertheauspicesoftheAttorneyGeneral’soffice
andthelegalexpensefund.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Christ;Arnie
Dienoff;St.LouisPoliceOfficersAssoc.,StlCountyPolice
OfficersAssoc.&MoFop;ToddScott,MissouriAttorneyGeneral's
Office;ByronKeelin,FreedomPrincipleOfMo;St.LouisCounty
PoliceAssociation;JaySchroeder,MissouriFop;StevePelton,
MissouriSheriffsUnited;DonnyWalters,EthicalSocietyOfPolice;
JoeSteiger,St.LouisPoliceOfficers'Association.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythatthislegislation
willnotmakeStLouissaferanditwillunderminetheeffortsthe
cityhasalreadybeenmaking.Crimeisdowninthecityandit’s
lowerthanpre-pandemicnumbers. Theclearanceratehasincreased
fromlessthan40%to70%.UnderStatecontrolin2006,St.Louis
wasthemostdangerouscityinthecountry. St.Louisisinthe
middleofarenaissance. TheMayorholdstownhallmeetingswith
thebusinessownerswhohavedecidedtolayrootsinthecityand,
asaresult,thesebusinesseshavedecidedtorenewtheirleases.
Thecityhasnottakenanymoneyawayfromthepolicedepartment.
Thecityholdseventsforyouthtohelpkeepthemawayfrom
violenceandcrimeandtoreducethechancesthattheywill
recidivate. Ifthepolicedepartmenthasaskedforadditional
funding,ithasreceivedit.ThecrimeinSt.Louisisdownbut
notacceptable. PointonepercentofthepopulationofSt.Louis
commitsmostofthecrime,andthedemographicis31-year-oldblack
males.Redflaglawswouldhelpdecreasecrimeinthecity,as
wouldlawsthatrequireaCCWtocarry.
TestifyinginpersonagainstthebillwereAbortionAction
Missouri;MayorTishauraO.Jones,CityOfSt.Louis;RobertJ.
Tracy,St.LouisPoliceDepartment;JamesFigueroa-RobnettJr.,
MissouriNaacpConference;AdolphusPruitt,St.LouisCityNAACP;
PreciousJones,BreakingGenerationalPovertyFoundation.
OTHERS:Otherstestifyingonthebillsubmittedtheirtestimonyin
writing.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.