JEFFERSON CITY — Yesterday, the Missouri General Assembly overwhelmingly approved legislation advanced by Rep. Kevin Austin, R-Springfield, and Sen. Bob Dixon, R-Springfield, to improve local court facilities. The legislation was originally filed as House Bill 1825 and Senate Bill 915, and ultimately sent to the governor as part of House Bill 1238, handled in the Senate by Sen. Dixon. 

“This legislation reflects our deep concern about the safety of citizens and justice system staff,” stated Rep. Austin. “We must make certain that our court facilities are not overwhelmed by the demands being placed on them.”       

A provision of HB 1238 provides the governing bodies of Greene County and the City of Springfield with the local option of collecting a $10 surcharge on criminal court cases and ordinance violations. The funds raised would be dedicated to the maintenance, construction or improvement of court facilities. The revenue generated from municipal violations would represent a portion of the cost to construct a new municipal court facility to replace the current building, which was once the site of a cafeteria.               

“Access to justice should be swift, but it must also be safe,” pointed out Sen. Dixon. “Citizens have a right to their day in court, as our constitution guarantees. We must invest in the infrastructure necessary to provide these core constitutional services to the people of Greene County. I want to thank Rep. Austin and the area delegation for their leadership on this issue in the House.”  

For more information on these bills, or any of Sen. Dixon’s other legislation, please visit www.senate.mo.gov/Dixon.