State Rep. Barry Hovis Archives

UPDATE: Missouri House gives final approval of five crime bills; juvenile certification bill is dead

August 25, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

The Missouri House voted Tuesday in Jefferson City to give final approval to five bills that are key components of Governor Mike Parson’s (R) special session call on violent crime. The five bills received initial House approval on Monday.

Missouri House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, gavels the House into session on August 24, 2020 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Meantime, House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, confirms that juvenile certification legislation that has drawn criticism from state lawmakers in both parties will not be taken up by the House, and is dead.

“There’s no consensus about moving a juvenile certification bill, so at this point we’re going to let the law remain where it is,” Speaker Haahr told Missourinet late Monday morning, during an interview in his Capitol office in Jefferson City.

Earlier this month, the Missouri Senate approved legislation that would allow Missouri courts to certify juveniles 14-18 as adults for violent weapons offenses. Governor Parson called for the provision, saying it’s aimed at violent crime like murder. But State Rep. Rasheen Aldridge, D-St. Louis, and other critics say it would lock up children and put them in prison with violent offenders and murderers.

The Missouri House Special Committee on Criminal Justice amended the bill last week, changing the ages to 16-18.

“You know I always had concerns with it. Senate Bill One came over and there was some concerns about a variety of parts. We thought it was better for the House to break them down and analyze them separately,” says Haahr.

The five bills given final approval by the House today include witness protection legislation and legislation eliminating the residency requirements for St. Louis police officers, firefighters and EMS personnel.

The bipartisan witness protection bill was approved today by a 147-3 vote. The legislation from State Rep. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, will create a pretrial witness protection services fund, to be operated by the state Department of Public Safety (DPS) to law enforcement agencies. The money would be used to provide security to witnesses, potential witnesses and their immediate families in criminal proceedings or investigations.

We learned Monday that a second special session will be called to fund the program. House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, told colleagues on the House floor that if lawmakers approve the Patterson bill, Governor Parson will call the second special session to fund the program.

State Rep. Ron Hicks, R-Dardenne Prairie, sponsored the legislation that eliminates the residency requirements for St. Louis police officers, firefighters and EMS personnel. It has a three-year sunset clause. Today’s final House vote was 117-35.

State Rep. Barry Hovis, R-Cape Girardeau, sponsors the legislation that increases penalties for witness and victim tampering. The vote was 133-11.

The other two crime bills are sponsored by State Rep. Nick Schroer, R-O’Fallon. The Schroer bills passed 117-33 and 103-45.

Neither the Senate nor House has held a hearing yet on the governor’s amended special session call involving St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner (D). Speaker Haahr says he’s been in touch with his Senate colleagues.

“The (special session) call was sort of expanded in the middle of the special session. We’ve been in constant dialogue with the Senate. Neither side seems to be prepared at this point to move forward yet on that issue. So I think we are going to try to put these other ones (crime bills) to bed before we figure out what to do with that,” Haahr says.

The governor wants to allow the Missouri Attorney General’s office to take on some murder cases that haven’t been prosecuted yet by Gardner’s office. Circuit Attorney Gardner and the bipartisan Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys oppose that plan.

Rural Missouri prosecutor: victim tampering “happens everywhere, even in little Johnson County”

August 21, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Legislation that increases penalties for witness and victim tampering will go to the Missouri House floor in Jefferson City on Monday, after being approved by the Judiciary Committee on a 17-0 vote this week.

State Rep. Barry Hovis, R-Cape Girardeau, testifies before the Missouri House Judiciary Committee on August 17, 2020 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The prosecutor in western Missouri’s Johnson County traveled from Warrensburg to Jefferson City to testify for the bill, saying that witness and victim tampering happens across the state.

“And we find that those who commit violent offenses are not afraid to use intimidation, harassment, threats and more violence to escape justice for what they do,” Johnson County Prosecutor Robert Russell says.

Russell, who serves as treasurer for the Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, says witness and victim tampering happen frequently in homicide and domestic violence cases.

“Victim tampering is a problem not unique to the cities of Missouri. It happens everywhere, even in little Johnson County,” Russell testifies.

Johnson County is southeast of Kansas City.

The measure is a key part of Governor Mike Parson’s special session call on violent crime.

The Missouri Police Chiefs Association and the Missouri Sheriff’s Association also testified for the bill this week. State Rep. Barry Hovis, R-Cape Girardeau, the bill sponsor, served as a law enforcement officer for more than 30 years.

The Hovis bill, which is House bill 2, specifies that the offense of tampering with a witness or a victim is a class C felony, if the original charge is a class A felony or an unclassified felony. It’s currently a class D felony, under state law.

Representative Hovis tells Judiciary Committee members that the bill was unanimously approved in committee this spring. He says the Legislature would have approved it, but that the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the General Assembly’s time frame.

Another piece of legislation that goes to the Missouri House on Monday involves witness protection.

The Judiciary Committee voted 17-0 this week for witness protection legislation from State Rep. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit. It would create a pretrial witness protection services fund, to be administered by the state Department of Public Safety (DPS) to law enforcement agencies.

The money would be used to provide security to witnesses, potential witnesses and their immediate families in criminal proceedings or investigations.

St. Louis Police residency requirement legislation heading to Missouri House floor

August 17, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Legislation that eliminates the residency requirement for St. Louis Police officers has been approved by the Missouri House Judiciary Committee. Monday afternoon’s vote was 12-4.

State Rep. Ron Hicks, R-Dardenne Prairie, testifies before the Missouri House Judiciary Committee on August 17, 2020 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

The bill is a key part of Governor Mike Parson’s special session call on violent crime.

State Rep. Ron Hicks, R-Dardenne Prairie, the bill sponsor, presented his bill and testified before the committee on Monday. Hicks tells State Rep. Justin Hill, R-Lake St. Louis, that improving public safety in St. Louis will help the entire state.

“This is a statewide thing,” Hicks testifies.

“St. Louis is our economic hub, and we have a crime problem,” Hill tells Hicks. “And we’ve identified that policemen that are being forced to live in there are making decisions to move out so that their families can feel safer.”

House Bill 46 was amended during the hearing. It now also eliminates the residency requirements for St. Louis firefighters and EMS personnel, and has a three-year sunset clause.

St. Louis Police Chief John Hayden traveled to Jefferson City to testify for the Hicks bill, saying his department is more than 100 officers short. Chief Hayden tells state lawmakers that St. Louis has had 169 homicides this year, compared to 125 at this time last year.

“As of today, (the) St. Louis Police Department is down 143 officers from its authorized strength. We continue to be challenged by meeting the demands of this ongoing gun violence, continuous demonstrations. Our officers have had to endure 12-hour shifts,” Hayden says.

Chief Hayden says there were 53 St. Louis homicides in July, and 16 so far in August.

He also says six St. Louis police officers have been shot in the past few months, and that retired Police Captain Dorn was shot and killed.

Advocacy group “Empower Missouri” testified against the bill. Former State Rep. Jeanette Mott Oxford, D-St. Louis, is the organization’s policy director. She says when officers live in communities and know their neighbors, they can create partnerships and strategies for reducing crime and unhealthy living conditions.

Mott Oxford testifies that Empower Missouri would rather see more investment in St. Louis schools.

“And the solution is for us to invest in communities, so that we all have safe communities and good schools,” says Mott Oxford.

Oxford also notes St. Louis residents will be casting ballots in November, on residency requirements. She says Missouri lawmakers should recognize the right of St. Louis City to govern itself.

Chief Hayden has testified that the residency requirement is the greatest challenge that his department has with recruitment and retention.

The four no votes were from Democrats: State Reps. Gina Mitten, D-Richmond Heights, Ian Mackey, D-St. Louis, Steven Roberts, D-St. Louis, and Robert Sauls, D-Independence.

The Judiciary Committee also unanimously approved two other crime bills on Monday.

The committee voted 17-0 for witness protection legislation from State Rep. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit. It would create a pretrial witness protection services fund, to be administered by the state Department of Public Safety (DPS) to law enforcement agencies. The money would be used to provide security to witnesses, potential witnesses and their immediate families in criminal proceedings or investigations.

The Judiciary Committee also voted 17-0 to approve legislation from State Rep. Barry Hovis, R-Cape Girardeau, that increases penalties for witness and victim tampering.

Missouri House committees to hear crime bills on Monday; Kendrick wants to expand special session call

August 14, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Three Missouri House committees plan hearings on Monday afternoon in Jefferson City, relating to the special session on violent crime.

House Speaker Elijah Haahr, R-Springfield, Speaker Pro Tem John Wiemann, R-O’Fallon, and Majority Leader Rob Vescovo, R-Arnold, announced earlier this week that they would simplify the process with single-subject bills to protect the integrity of the lawmaking process and to ensure the issues are thoroughly vetted.

Missouri House Judiciary Committee Chairman David Gregory, R-St. Louis County, checks paperwork at a hearing on August 10, 2020 in Jefferson City (photo courtesy of Ben Peters at House Communications)

The House Judiciary Committee, which is chaired by State Rep. David Gregory, R-St. Louis County, will hear three bills on Monday, including legislation from State Rep. Ron Hicks, R-Dardenne Prairie, that would eliminate the residency requirement for St. Louis Police officers.

The Hicks bill says that St. Louis Police cannot impose a residency requirement on their officers, more stringent than a one-hour response time. St. Louis Police Chief John Hayden has testified that the residency requirement is the greatest challenge that his department has with recruitment and retention. Opponents of the plan say it’s safer for neighborhoods to have the officers living in the city.

The Judiciary Committee will also hear a bill on Monday about witness protection. State Rep. Jonathan Patterson, R-Lee’s Summit, has filed legislation that would create a pretrial witness protection services fund, which would be administered by the state Department of Public Safety (DPS) to law enforcement agencies. The money would be used to provide security to witnesses, potential witnesses and their immediate families in criminal proceedings or investigations.

The Judiciary Committee will also hold a hearing on legislation from State Rep. Barry Hovis, R-Cape Girardeau, regarding witness and victim tampering.

The House Special Committee on Criminal Justice will hold a Monday hearing on legislation from State Rep. Nick Schroer, R-O’Fallon, which would allow Missouri courts to certify some juveniles as adults for violent weapons offenses.

Governor Mike Parson (R) has called for this provision, saying it’s aimed at violent crime, such as murder and rape.

But State Rep. Rasheen Aldridge, D-St. Louis, and other critics say it will lock up children and put them in prison with violent offenders and murderers. Aldridge and others protested in downtown Jefferson City this week.

“Charge them as an adult because that is how we are going to fix violence- by being tough on crime to individuals that have made a mistake and should be held accountable but you are charging our youngest babies,” Aldridge said Thursday. “When do we go to ten? When do we go to nine? What’s going to be next? Eight? Seven? We are locking up literally babies and putting them in jail with serial killers.”

The House General Laws Committee will hold a Monday hearing on two bills from Representative Schroer. One involves the unlawful transfer of weapons, and the other involves endangering the welfare of a child.

Meantime, Governor Parson spoke to Missouri House members today about the special session on violent crime. The governor hosted conference calls with House members. Parson spokeswoman Kelli Jones tells Missourinet that there have been several calls today.

There have been 167 homicides in St. Louis in 2020. The city had 194 murders in 2019. The “St. Louis Post-Dispatch” reports there have been 15 child homicides so far in 2020, which tops all of last year.

Across the state in Kansas City, there have been 124 homicides. There were 90, at this point in 2019 in Kansas City.

The governor expanded his special session call on Monday, to include a provision to allow the state attorney general’s office to take on some murder cases that haven’t been prosecuted yet by St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner (D). The governor says this is about fighting violent crime.

Circuit Attorney Gardner and the bipartisan Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys oppose that plan.

A hearing on a Gardner-related bill has not been scheduled, at this time.

The Missouri Senate approved the crime bill earlier this month, by a bipartisan 27-3 vote. The full Missouri House is scheduled to return to Jefferson City on Monday August 24.

There was another development in Jefferson City on Friday, when State Rep. Kip Kendrick, D-Columbia, requested that the governor expand the special session call to address absentee ballots for the November general election.

Representative Kendrick, the House Budget Committee’s ranking Democrat, wants the General Assembly to take legislative and appropriation action to ensure that every Missourian’s properly postmarked, but late delivered, absentee ballot for November will count.

Kendrick, House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, and others will address Capitol reporters Monday in Jefferson City, about the issue.