MISSOURI — HB 301 is designed to help the people of St. Louis who have been overwhelmed by crime for years. Upon passage, Rep. Perkins noted, “The crime problem in the once great city of St. Louis is multifaceted and affects more than just the city. We are obligated, as representatives of the state, to step in when the criminal justice system has broken down. This bill will create a special state prosecutor to pursue certain crimes that occur within the city.” Perkins concluded, “This legislation wouldn’t be necessary if the elected St. Louis Prosecutor would do her job and prosecute these dangerous criminals.”

Missouri House Approves Vital Public Safety Legislation (HB 301)
House Speaker Dean Plocher and the members of the Missouri House of Representatives took an important step this week to provide assistance to areas of the state plagued by violent crime. The House approved HB 301 by a vote of 109-35.

It was during his Opening Day Address that Speaker Plocher told his colleagues they “cannot be bystanders as unchecked crime causes the systematic destruction of our proud state.” He called on House members to make it a priority to enact common sense reforms and provide the resources necessary to protect every Missouri community. Plocher said HB 301 represents a good faith effort by the legislature to provide assistance to areas of the state such as St. Louis where violent crime has run rampant.

“As someone who is from St. Louis and who cares deeply about the families and businesses who call our part of the state home, I want to do everything we can to ensure we have safe communities where kids live without fear and criminals know they will be prosecuted for their violent actions,” said Plocher. “However, with hundreds of murders each year and thousands of unprosecuted criminal cases, we see a St. Louis that is anything but safe and that drives people and employers away from our area. I’m confident HB 301 can give us an important tool to restore law and order to St. Louis or any part of our state where violent crime has grown out of control.”

HB 301 is a wide-ranging public safety bill that includes a key provision that would allow the governor to appoint a special prosecutor in areas of the state with an excessive homicide rate. The bill specifies the governor would be empowered to appoint a prosecutor in any circuit or prosecuting attorney’s jurisdiction that has a homicide rate in excess of 35 cases per 100,000 people and where the governor determines there is a threat to public safety and health. The special prosecutor would be appointed for a period of up to five years.

The sponsor of HB 301, who previously served as director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety, said it’s important that the state act to help with the problem of violent crime in St. Louis or in any part of the state.

HB 301 specifies that the prosecutor appointed by the governor would have exclusive jurisdiction to initiate and prosecute offenses specified in the bill. The state will provide funding to the special prosecutor, who would be authorized to hire up to 15 assistant special prosecuting attorneys and up to 15 staff members.

HB 301 also contains several other provisions designed to improve public safety in Missouri. The bill would establish the Peace Officer Basic Training Tuition Reimbursement Program to help address the shortage of police officers in some parts of the state. The bill would also ensure the Department of Corrections to implement a policy to help offenders apply for Medicaid and obtain vital documents such as a birth certificate or Social Security card. Additionally, the legislation establishes factors for a judge or judicial officer to consider when setting bail, includes protections for a judicial officer’s personal information, and creates Blair’s Law.

The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Missouri House Approves Supplemental Budget Bill (HB 14)

HB 14 was approved by the Missouri House today. “The supplemental budget for FY 23 is important because it keeps state worker wages competitive in this era of high inflation brought on by the failed policies of Joe Biden. Perkins said. “We in state government are forced to respond to this disaster in numerous ways, but most importantly for state worker retention is the 8.7% raise in pay that they will receive.” Perkins concluded, “I am pleased that we passed this urgent legislation early in the session, and I hope that the senate acts in an expedited fashion to get this to the governor’s desk as soon as possible.”

In total, the bill allocates more than $627 million in funding. Some of the highlights of the supplementing spending plan include:

• 8.7% pay increase for state workers
  • Does not include general assembly and statewide elected officials
  • Additional $2 an hour shift differential for night shift direct care workforce (prisons, hospitals, other care facilities)
• $286.5 million in spending authority for the State Emergency Management Agency.
• $628,750 appropriation to the Department of Agriculture to help address the growing black vulture problem impacting livestock owners statewide.
• $20 million to establish school safety programs, including physical security upgrades and associated technology, bleeding control kits, and automatic external defibrillators

The bill now requires a final vote in the House before moving to the Senate.

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