FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSECOMMITTEESUBSTITUTEFOR
HOUSEBILLNO.736
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
1817H.02C JOSEPHENGLER,ChiefClerk
ANACT
Torepealsections455.010,455.035,and455.513,RSMo,andtoenactinlieuthereofthree
newsectionsrelatingtoordersofprotection.
BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
SectionA.Sections455.010,455.035,and455.513,RSMo,arerepealedandthree
2newsectionsenactedinlieuthereof,tobeknownassections455.010,455.035,and455.513,
3toreadasfollows:
455.010.Asusedinthischapter,unlessthecontextclearlyindicatesotherwise,the
2followingtermsshallmean:
3 (1)"Abuse",includesbutisnotlimitedtotheoccurrenceofanyofthefollowingacts,
4attemptsorthreatsagainstapersonwhomaybeprotectedpursuanttothischapter,except
5abuseshallnotincludeabuseinflictedonachildbyaccidentalmeansbyanadulthousehold
6memberordisciplineofachild,includingspanking,inareasonablemanner:
7 (a)"Abusingapet",purposelyorknowinglycausing,attemptingtocause,or
8threateningtocausephysicalinjurytoapetwiththeintenttocontrol,punish,intimidate,or
9distressthepetitioner;
10 (b)"Assault",purposelyorknowinglyplacingorattemptingtoplaceanotherinfear
11ofphysicalharm;
12 (c)"Battery",purposelyorknowinglycausingphysicalharmtoanotherwithor
13withoutadeadlyweapon;
14 (d)"Coercion",compellinganotherbyforceorthreatofforcetoengageinconduct
15fromwhichthelatterhasarighttoabstainortoabstainfromconductinwhichthepersonhas
16arighttoengage;
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 17 (e)"Harassment",engaginginapurposefulorknowingcourseofconductinvolving
18morethanoneincidentthatalarmsorcausesdistresstoanadultorchildandservesno
19legitimatepurpose.Thecourseofconductmustbesuchaswouldcauseareasonableadultor
20childtosuffersubstantialemotionaldistressandmustactuallycausesubstantialemotional
21distresstothepetitionerorchild.Suchconductmightinclude,butisnotlimitedto:
22 a.Followinganotheraboutinapublicplaceorplaces;
23 b.Peeringinthewindoworlingeringoutsidetheresidenceofanother;butdoesnot
24includeconstitutionallyprotectedactivity;
25 (f)"Sexualassault",causingorattemptingtocauseanothertoengageinvoluntarilyin
26anysexualactbyforce,threatofforce,duress,orwithoutthatperson'sconsent;
27 (g)"Unlawfulimprisonment",holding,confining,detainingorabductinganother
28personagainstthatperson'swill;
29 (2)"Adult",anyperson[seventeen] eighteenyearsofageorolderorotherwise
30emancipated;
31 (3)"Child",anypersonunder[seventeen] eighteenyearsofageunlessotherwise
32emancipated;
33 (4)"Court",thecircuitorassociatecircuitjudgeorafamilycourtcommissioner;
34 (5)"Domesticviolence",abuseorstalkingcommittedbyafamilyorhousehold
35member,assuchtermsaredefinedinthissection;
36 (6)"Exparteorderofprotection",anorderofprotectionissuedbythecourtbefore
37therespondenthasreceivednoticeofthepetitionoranopportunitytobeheardonit;
38 (7)"Family"or"householdmember",spouses,formerspouses,anypersonrelatedby
39bloodormarriage,personswhoarepresentlyresidingtogetherorhaveresidedtogetherinthe
40past,anypersonwhoisorhasbeeninacontinuingsocialrelationshipofaromanticor
41intimatenaturewiththevictim,andanyonewhohasachildincommonregardlessofwhether
42theyhavebeenmarriedorhaveresidedtogetheratanytime;
43 (8)"Fullorderofprotection",anorderofprotectionissuedafterahearingonthe
44recordwheretherespondenthasreceivednoticeoftheproceedingsandhashadan
45opportunitytobeheard;
46 (9)"Orderofprotection",eitheranexparteorderofprotectionorafullorderof
47protection;
48 (10)"Pending",existsorforwhichahearingdatehasbeenset;
49 (11)"Pet",alivingcreaturemaintainedbyahouseholdmemberforcompanionship
50andnotforcommercialpurposes;
51 (12)"Petitioner",afamilyorhouseholdmemberwhohasbeenavictimofdomestic
52violence,oranypersonwhohasbeenthevictimofstalkingorsexualassault,oraperson
HCSHB736 2 53filingonbehalfofachildpursuanttosection455.503whohasfiledaverifiedpetition
54pursuanttotheprovisionsofsection455.020orsection455.505;
55 (13)"Respondent",thefamilyorhouseholdmemberallegedtohavecommittedanact
56ofdomesticviolence,orpersonallegedtohavecommittedanactofstalkingorsexualassault,
57againstwhomaverifiedpetitionhasbeenfiledorapersonservedonbehalfofachild
58pursuanttosection455.503;
59 (14)"Sexualassault",asdefinedundersubdivision(1)ofthissection;
60 (15)"Stalking",iswhenanypersonpurposelyengagesinanunwantedcourseof
61conductthatcausesalarmtoanotherperson,orapersonwhoresidestogetherinthesame
62householdwiththepersonseekingtheorderofprotectionwhenitisreasonableinthat
63person'ssituationtohavebeenalarmedbytheconduct.Asusedinthissubdivision:
64 (a)"Alarm",tocausefearofdangerofphysicalharm;and
65 (b)"Courseofconduct",twoormoreactsthatservenolegitimatepurposeincluding,
66butnotlimitedto,actsinwhichthestalkerdirectly,indirectly,orthroughathirdparty
67follows,monitors,observes,surveils,threatens,orcommunicatestoapersonbyanyaction,
68method,ordevice.
455.035.1.Uponthefilingofaverifiedpetitionpursuanttosections455.010to
2455.085andforgoodcauseshowninthepetition,thecourtmayimmediatelyissueanex
3parteorderofprotection.Animmediateandpresentdangerofdomesticviolencetothe
4petitionerorthechildonwhosebehalfthepetitionisfiledshallconstitutegoodcausefor
5purposesofthissection.Anexparteorderofprotectionenteredbythecourtshalltakeeffect
6whenenteredandshallremainineffectuntilthereisvalidserviceofprocessandahearingis
7heldonthemotion.Thecourtshalldenytheexparteorderanddismissthepetitionifthe
8petitionerisnotauthorizedtoseekreliefpursuanttosection455.020.
9 2.Failuretoserveanexparteorderofprotectionontherespondentshallnotaffect
10thevalidityorenforceabilityofsuchorder.Iftherespondentislessthan[seventeen] eighteen
11yearsofage,unlessotherwiseemancipated,serviceofprocessshallbemadeuponacustodial
12parentorguardianoftherespondent,oruponaguardianadlitemappointedbythecourt,
13requiringthatthepersonappearandbringtherespondentbeforethecourtatthetimeand
14placestated.
15 3.Ifanexparteorderisenteredandtherespondentislessthan[seventeen] eighteen
16yearsofage,thecourtshalltransferthecasetojuvenilecourtforahearingonafullorderof
17protection.Thecourtshallappointaguardianadlitemforanysuchrespondentnot
18representedbyaparentorguardian.
455.513.1.Thecourtmayimmediatelyissueanexparteorderofprotectionuponthe
2filingofaverifiedpetitionundersections455.500to455.538,forgoodcauseshowninthe
3petition,anduponfindingthat:
HCSHB736 3 4 (1)Nopriororderregardingcustodyinvolvingtherespondentandthechildis
5pendingorhasbeenmade;or
6 (2)Therespondentislessthan[seventeen] eighteenyearsofage.
7
8Animmediateandpresentdangerofdomesticviolence,includingdangertothechild'spet,
9stalking,orsexualassaulttoachildshallconstitutegoodcauseforpurposesofthissection.
10Anexparteorderofprotectionenteredbythecourtshallbeineffectuntilthetimeofthe
11hearing.Thecourtshalldenytheexparteorderanddismissthepetitionifthepetitionerisnot
12authorizedtoseekreliefpursuanttosection455.505.
13 2.Upontheentryoftheexparteorderofprotection,thecourtshallenteritsorder
14appointingaguardianadlitemorcourt-appointedspecialadvocatetorepresentthechild
15victim.
16 3.Iftheallegationsinthepetitionwouldgiverisetojurisdictionundersection
17211.031,thecourtmaydirectthechildren'sdivisiontoconductaninvestigationandto
18provideappropriateservices.Thedivisionshallsubmitawritteninvestigativereporttothe
19courtandtothejuvenileofficerwithinthirtydaysofbeingorderedtodoso.Thereportshall
20bemadeavailabletothepartiesandtheguardianadlitemorcourt-appointedspecial
21advocate.
22 4.Iftheallegationsinthepetitionwouldgiverisetojurisdictionundersection
23211.031becausetherespondentislessthan[seventeen] eighteenyearsofage,thecourtmay
24issueanexparteorderandshalltransferthecasetojuvenilecourtforahearingonafullorder
25ofprotection.Serviceofprocessshallbemadepursuanttosection455.035.
âś”
HCSHB736 4