JEFFERSON CITY — Legislation to increase funding for the Kansas City Police Department was among the first bills considered during the 2022 legislative session by the Missouri Senate Committee on the Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence. Senate Bill 678 and Senate Joint Resolution 38 are sponsored by Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville, chairman of the committee.

“Time is of the essence to prevent the city council from attempting again to defund the Kansas City Police Department,” Sen. Luetkemeyer said. “It is vital we move this legislation forward quickly to ensure the Kansas City Police Department has adequate funding to keep our community safe.”

Senate Bill 678 would increase the minimum threshold for police funding in Kansas City to 25% of general revenue. Currently, state law requires the city to spend at least 20% of its revenue on the police department. The legislation would also clarify what constitutes general revenue in the city’s budget. The accompanying Senate Joint Resolution would place a constitutional amendment on an upcoming ballot to provide the Legislature the authority to raise the funding threshold.

The legislative proposals introduced by Sen. Luetkemeyer are a direct response to an attempt by the city council to slash $42 million from police funding in 2021. That effort was temporarily blocked by a court decision, but is expected to resurface as the city again takes up police budgets in the coming months.

For more information about Sen. Luetkemeyer, visit www.senate.mo.gov/mem34.