Senate Approves Anti-Crime Bill
The Senate returned to the Capitol last week to continue work on legislation to combat violent crime in our state’s metropolitan areas. After nearly 12 hours of spirited debate, the Senate approved a revised version of Senate Bill 1, the package of anti-crime measures requested by the governor in his call for an extra legislative session. The bill, which was passed by the Senate and forwarded to the House of Representatives, contains six specific measures to address witness intimidation, the commission of violent crimes by juveniles and a persistent staffing shortage within the St. Louis City Police Department.
In my opinion, one of the most promising aspects of SB 1 establishes a Pretrial Witness Protection Fund. Money in this fund could be used to pay relocation costs and provide additional security for witnesses in criminal cases. This provision is nearly identical to Senate Bill 857, which I sponsored during this year’s regular session. The witness protection fund received wide bipartisan support and, I believe, will help overcome the reluctance of witnesses to come forward. Also related to witness testimony, SB 1 allows certain “hearsay” statements to be admissible in court when witnesses have been intimidated from appearing in person.
Two other provisions of the bill seek to address the enlistment of children in the commission of violent crimes. Encouraging a juvenile to engage in a weapons offense will qualify as “endangering the welfare of a child,” once SB 1 becomes law. The bill also increases the penalty for transferring a firearm to a minor without the consent of the child’s guardian.
Much of the debate in the Senate chamber related to a provision requiring courts to determine whether juveniles charged with armed criminal action and other violent offenses should be tried as adults. The bill does not require minors accused of these crimes to face adult prosecution, only that a judge conduct a hearing. Senators eventually agreed on a compromise, which limits the hearing requirement to offenders over the age of 14. The revised bill also provides for the tracking of demographic information regarding juveniles who are referred to adult courts and requires incarcerated minors to be housed separately from adults.
The final provision of the bill removes the in-city residency requirement for members of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and other public safety employees in St. Louis. The city police department currently has 142 unfilled positions – or more than 10 percent of the 1,348 force authorized. It’s hoped that allowing employees to live outside the city will help attract new recruits. The bill passed by the Senate includes a three-year sunset on the relaxed residency rule.
The legislation approved by the Senate will not eliminate violent crime in Missouri, but these measures will provide our courts and police additional tools in their struggle to contain rising lawlessness. We will continue to seek solutions to violent crime. In the meantime, these measures will soon begin to reduce violence on our streets.
It is my great honor to represent the citizens of Platte and Buchanan counties in the Missouri Senate. Please contact my office at (573) 751-2183, or visit www.senate.mo.gov/mem34.