CCS/SCS/SB 921 - This act modifies several provisions of law relating to victims of crime, including: (1) the "Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month"; (2) domestic violence incident reporting; (3) higher education memoranda of understanding; (4) compensable mental health services for victims of crime; and (5) victims' rights.TEEN DATING VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH (Section 9.172)
This act designates February as the "Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month" in Missouri.
This provision is identical to HB 2481 (2016).
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENT REPORTING (Sections 43.545, 455.543, 455.545)
Currently, the Missouri State Highway Patrol must include all reported domestic violence incidents for compilation in the "Crime in Missouri". This act removes the reference to "Crime in Missouri" and provides instead that the incidents must be reported for compilation in the annual crime report published by the Department of Public Safety.
This act removes time requirements in current law for the required reporting by law enforcement agencies of domestic-violence related homicides and suicides to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. In addition, this act requires the Highway Patrol to present its annual report on domestic-violence related homicides and suicides to the Governor and General Assembly by March 1 rather than February 1.
These provisions are identical to provisions in SB 732 (2016) and HCS/HB 1930 (2016).
HIGHER EDUCATION MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING (Section 173.2050)
This act also requires the governing board of each public institution of higher education in Missouri to engage in discussions with law enforcement agencies and to enter into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) concerning sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking involving students on and off campus.
The MOU shall contain detailed policies and protocols regarding sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking involving students that comports with the best and current professional practices, and set out the procedural requirements for the reporting of an offense, protocol for establishing jurisdiction, and criteria for determining when an offense must be reported to law enforcement.
This provision is identical to a provision in HB 1678 (2016), HCS/HB 1930 (2016), and SB 1085 (2016).
COMPENSABLE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME (Section 595.030)
Under current law, compensation paid for mental health services from the Crime Victims' Compensation Fund may only be paid if the service was provided by certain licensed professionals. This act adds licensed board-certified psychiatric-mental health clinical nurse specialists and nurse practitioners to the list.
This provision is substantially similar to a provision in SCS/HCS/HB 2561 (2016) and HB 1403 (2016).
VICTIMS' RIGHTS (Section 595.209)
Under current law, victims of certain specified crimes automatically have certain enumerated rights. Victims of other types of crimes have the same rights upon written request. This act adds victims of sexual offenses and victims of domestic assault to the list of crime victims who automatically have the enumerated rights.
This provision is substantially similar to a provision in SCS/HCS/HB 2561 (2016) and HB 2133 (2016).
SARAH HASKINS