Law enforcement task forces looking for people who circulate child porn on the internet or use the web to entice young people into sexual relationships are looking for some state money. Local and regional sex-offender law enforcement programs are eligible for grants created by the legislature last year. The sponsor of the bill hopes to put three-million dollars into the program this year. Platte County Sheriff’s Captain Paul Currill, with the Western Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force, which works in nine western Missouri counties, says these types of cases “hit the cor of our children” in Missouri. He says 53,000 computers have been identified in Missouri “through various investigative techniques” with known child porn images on them. A spokesman for the Missouri Crimes Against Children Task Force, Lt. Chris Mateja, says the St. Charles County Sheriff’s department and the task force started in 2005 to identify those offering to distribute child porn and have uncovered 61-thousand transfers from 18-thousand computers throughout Missouri. But he says lack of manpower has meant only a few of those cases has been investigated. He hopes the grants will let agencies hire more cybercrimes officers, investigate more cases, and arrest more operators.
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Grants Sought to Fight Cyber Sex Crimes
Senate Members Seek "Quick Fix" To Minimum Wage Law
A resolution meant to “undo” a portion of the minimum wage law that voters overwhelmingly passed last November is on a fast track for approval by the Senate. Members of a Senate committee have sent a resolution dealing with a perceived flaw in the law’s overtime requirements to the full Senate. As the law stands, committee members say it’s unclear whether first responders and emergency officials, such as firefighters and police officers, are now eligible for overtime pay if they work more than 40 hours a week. Local governments say if they are included wage costs for first responders would spike and could cost local taxpayers up to $9 million in additional costs. Or, they say it’s more likely the number of first responders would be drastically reduced. They say that’s because firefighters and police officers often work 24-hour shifts. Sen John Loudon, chairman of the committee, says this proposal seeks to resolve “an unintended consequence” of the minimum wage law and seeks to resolve it immediately. Some local governments and state agencies have already filed a lawsuit against the state to combat the newly instated overtime pay requirements. The approved resolution also includes an amendment calling for a joint-committee to complete a comprehensive study on how, exactly, the minimum wage law affects Missourians in various sectors.
Governor Addresses Child Advocacy Rally
Governor Matt Blunt speaks to hundreds of people visiting the State Capitol to take part in Children’s Advocacy Day. The Governor stressed his commitment to improved access to quality health care, Internet safety, and the importance of a world class education. Blunt’s proposals have already been outlined in the budget he has submitted to the General Assembly. His children’s initiatives include $214-Million for school funding, $3.9-Million to focus on diagnosis and improvements for autism treatment, and funding to strengthen Missouri version of Jessica’s Law to better protect young children from Internet sexual predators.
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Counties Want More Jail Money
Missouri’s counties say they have to spend millions of dollars each year to house prisoners facing state charges while the legislature reimburses them for only 53 percent of those costs. That’s an average figure. Greene County Presiding Commissioner David Coonrod, speaking for fellow county commissioners in Missouri, says the state needs to do better. He recalls that in 2002 the state reduced payments to the state by $2.50 a day, to $20 a day. State law allows the legislature to appropriate $37.50 per day to house prisoners in county jails. But Coonrod says the payments would be below his county’s inmate costs even at the maximum figure. He says it costs $48 a day to house a prisoner in his county’s jail. He has told the Senate Appropriations Committee that eighty percent of the inmates in his jail are facing state charges. Coonrod is the President of the Missouri Association of County Commissioners. -bp-
SLU Turns Themselves Over
Kevin Lisch scored a game-high 18 points and Tommie Liddell recorded a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds, but it wasn?t enough as the Billikens failed to overcome 19 turnovers in a 59-58 loss to Houston.
The Billikens tripped themselves much of the way with the turnovers and shooting a paltry 39 percent from the field, including 26 percent from 3-point range.
Saint Louis had a chance to win the game on their final possession but were unable to get off a shot.
