Senate Passes Legislation To Restore Law and Order in St. Louis City
Last week, the Missouri Senate continued the extra session to address violent crime with the passage of several important measures. In an effort to put an end to the increase in violent crime in St. Louis, the governor called the Legislature back into session a month ago. This commonsense legislation will make our state a safer place for all Missourians.
House Bill 2 concerns the admissibility of certain witness statements. Unfortunately, witnesses are often intimidated or threatened with violence if they choose to appear in court. These witnesses may know vital information that could help convict the defendant. This legislation will allow witness statements to be admitted in court if, after a hearing, the court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant engaged in wrongdoing that resulted in the unavailability of the witness.
During our discussion of HB 2, my colleague, Sen. Bob Onder, offered an amendment to give the attorney general concurrent jurisdiction over murder cases in the City of St. Louis. Under the legislation, the attorney general would have the ability to prosecute first and second-degree murder cases that take place in the City of St. Louis. If the circuit attorney does not take action on a case after 90 days, the attorney general may step in and file charges.
According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, there have been more than 180 homicides so far this year. For comparison, in 2019 there were 194 total homicides, and 2018 saw 186 total homicides. This is an epidemic, and I believe authorizing the attorney general to have concurrent jurisdiction over murder cases will help raise prosecution and conviction rates and bring justice to the families who have lost loved ones to these senseless acts of violence.
During our discussion of this amendment, I had a conversation with Sen. Onder about the importance of this legislation. Article I Section 2 of the Missouri Constitution states that the government’s chief design is to secure our right to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and that we are created equal and should be treated equally under the law. If the government fails to provide that security, I believe it is failing altogether.
Below is an audio clip of my conversation with Sen. Onder.
We need to use every tool possible to put criminals behind bars. From my viewpoint, people are literally getting away with murder in the City of St. Louis. We need to be prosecuting these crimes, and I believe the attorney general has the staff, resources and willpower to try these cases and provide justice for the families of the victims.
My colleagues and I also passed House Bill 66, the “Pretrial Witness Protection Services Fund.” This fund will provide housing and security for witnesses while they testify in court. This legislation goes hand-in-hand with the admissibility of witness statements. Witnesses are being intimidated and threatened with violence to prevent them from testifying in court. I am hopeful this will provide witnesses with the peace of mind they need to testify in court without fear.
We also passed House Bill 46, which removes the residency requirement for police officers. Currently, officers must live within St. Louis City limits, but this legislation removes the residency requirement and allows them to live within a one-hour response time. In my opinion, this requirement is an unnecessary restriction and roadblock for people who want to become a police officer, but desire to live in a different community than the one they patrol. It is essential for our officers to have the ability to separate their work and home life.
House Bill 11 states a person commits the offense of endangering the welfare of a child if they knowingly encourage, aid or cause a child under the age of 17 to engage in a crime involving a firearm. Endangering the welfare of child in the first degree is a class D felony. House Bill 16 deals with the unlawful transfer of weapons to a minor. This legislation would make this action a felony. Many times, individuals will hand guns to minors to avoid arrest or with the intention of coercing the minor to commit a crime, knowing they will go through the juvenile system and likely be released.
Since the Senate made changes to HB 2, HB 11 and HB 16, they must be sent back to the House for their consideration, and hopefully, their approval. I am proud of the work my colleagues and I have accomplished. We are passing legislation that will have a positive impact in our communities and help combat the crime epidemic facing our state.