General Column – Week of June 30, 2008
Property Tax Relief on the Way for Missourians
Comprehensive Crime Bill Signed into Law
Jefferson City — With the July 14 deadline for signing bills rapidly approaching, the governor has continued to sign legislation into law. The bills signed during the past few weeks cover a broad range of topics, from autism to sky-rocketing textbook prices, and most of the new laws will take effect on August 28, 2008.
Property tax relief is now a reality for Missourians with the governor adding his signature to SB 711, sponsored by Senate leader Mike Gibbons (R-Kirkwood). The legislation requires tax rate roll backs; closes a loophole in the law that allows taxing districts to apply new voter-approved levies to future and unknown assessments; requires that taxpayers receive a projected tax liability along with their reassessment notices; and increases the Senior Citizen Property Tax Credit award from $750 to $1,100 for homeowners while expanding the income eligibility threshold.
A comprehensive crime bill, sponsored by Sen. John Loudon (R-Chesterfield), now has a place in the law books. Senate Bill 714 strengthens the protections already in place for Missouri children, particularly as it relates to sexual offenders — including those who exploit children online. The legislation expands information included in the state’s sex offender registry, strengthens the severity of charges for sex crimes and attempted sex crimes against children, and provides more buffers and protections for kids from sexual predators.
Senate Bill 768, sponsored by Sen. Scott T. Rupp (R-Wentzville), also received the governor’s signature. The new law creates the Missouri Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), which will advise the governor, lawmakers and state agencies, as well as develop a sweeping statewide plan for an integrated system of training, treatment and services for people of all ages with ASD.
Also signed by the governor and sponsored by Sen. Rupp is SB 818, which makes online harassment a crime in Missouri. The legislation expands stalking and harassment laws to include Web-related and other electronic communication and strengthens the penalties for committing the crime. Additionally, SB 818 requires school boards to add stalking and harassment to the list of crimes they must report to law enforcement officers.
Flags will now fly at half-staff for Missouri service men and women killed in combat after the governor signed SB 806 into law. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Kevin Engler (R-Farmington), requires the U.S. and Missouri state flags to be flown at half-staff for one full day whenever a Missouri resident is killed in the line of duty.
Certain combat veterans are now eligible to receive reduced tuition rates under SB 830, sponsored by Sen. Maida Coleman (D-St. Louis). The new law limits the amount of tuition that Missouri’s public college and universities may charge to certain veterans to no more than $50 per credit hour for any program leading to a certificate, or an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.
Senate Bill 1081, sponsored by Sen. Gary Nodler (R-Joplin), standardizes regulations for facilities and programs assisting the developmentally disabled. The bill, signed by the governor on June 25, amends the Family Care Safety Registry to include protections for the developmentally disabled and requires the registry to contain information on mental health workers.
Crime labs in Missouri will now be held to a higher standard with the signing of SB 733, sponsored by Sen. Norma Champion (R-Springfield). The legislation requires crime laboratories providing reports or testimony to a state court to be accredited by 2012, helping ensure the quality of crime labs and the evidence they produce.
Consumer protection legislation was signed into law this week. House Bill 1384 allows consumers who suspect they are victims of identity theft to request a “security freeze,” or lock, on their credit file to prevent anyone from trying to receive credit, loans or services in their name. Consumers would then be able to temporarily lift freezes when they want to make use of their own credit files, such as when applying for credit or loans. It also specifies that identity theft victims have the right to contact local law enforcement and request that an incident report regarding the identity theft be prepared and filed.
House Bill 1883, a wide-ranging employment bill, now requires that payments from Missouri’s Second Injury Fund cease upon the death of the injured worker. The legislation counteracts a 2007 Missouri Supreme Court decision (Schoemehl v. Treasurer of the State of Missouri) that ruled payments were to continue to the injured worker’s dependents following his or her death. The legislation also prohibits employers from requiring employees to have personal identification microchip technology implanted in their bodies. Any employer who violates this provision is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
Legislation relating to gun rights was also signed into law. House Bill 2034 protects owners and users of firearm ranges and hunting preserves by shielding them from civil and criminal liability for noise emission. Another major provision removes residency requirements for concealed carry permits. Under current law, new residents must live in Missouri for six months before they can receive a permit. The new legislation waives the six-month requirement for those who already have a valid permit from another state. It also closes the records of those who filed with their county sheriff to receive a concealed carry permit and makes it a Class C felony for any felon to possess any firearm.
Establishing the “Textbook Transparency Act,” HB 2048 requires textbook publishers to make the price, any substantial content revision between the last two editions, copyright dates, and the variety of formats for a text available, upon request, to faculty members or textbook adopters at public higher education institutions. When possible, public institutions of higher education must also develop policies allowing students to use financial aid that has not been disbursed for tuition or fees to purchase textbooks at campus bookstores.
Deputy sheriffs will soon receive a pay raise after HB 2224 was signed into law. The legislation allows sheriffs to receive an additional $10 fee for processing any civil summons, writ, subpoena or other court order. This money will go into the newly created “Deputy Sheriff Salary Supplementation Fund,” which will be used to increase the pay of county deputy sheriffs. The average salary for county deputies is slightly more than $22,000 — with most taking home only about $15,500 per year — and putting those with families below the federal poverty line.
The fiscal year 2009 state budget, which began July 1, was also signed by the governor. The $22.4 billion budget includes, among other things, a $121.3 million increase to fund elementary and secondary schools, a 3 percent cost-of-living adjustment for state employees, and a $483.3 million increase in funding for the Department of Transportation’s construction program to help maintain our roads and infrastructure.
This column is written bi-monthly during the interim. To follow these and other issues facing the Missouri Senate, visit www.senate.mo.gov. Visitors can research legislation, learn more about their Senate district, or watch video or listen to audio highlights of the Second Regular Session of the 94th Missouri General Assembly.
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