In the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s annual CEO poll, 90% of business leaders said they are concerned with public safety and 70% believe crime is hurting the state’s economic competitiveness.
Improving public safety is among the organization’s top priorities for the 2024 legislative session. The Missouri Chamber is supporting an omnibus crime bill sponsored by Sen. Nick Schroer (R-St. Charles County), which was heard in the Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee this week.
SB 1115 would, among other initiatives, allow the governor to appoint a special prosecutor for up to five years if it is determined there is a threat to public safety in a jurisdiction with a certain number of homicide cases. It also adds the offense of rioting to the definition of “dangerous felonies” in the criminal code.
In the House, the Missouri Chamber is supporting a bill by Rep. Lane Roberts (R-Joplin) that creates the offense of organized retail theft.
HB 1652 creates stiffer penalties for those who commit a series of thefts of retail merchandise at a merchant’s store or use the internet to purchase items from a merchant with the intent to return the merchandise for resale. The bill has been referred to the House Crime and Prevention and Public Safety Committee, which Roberts chairs.
Another Roberts bill, HB 2208, aims to improve the recruitment and retention of law enforcement officers.
“We’re looking at how to inspire people to want to be law enforcement officers,” Roberts said. “There are so many things that would deter people from wanting to do it, but with this bill a statewide campaign would be launched which would hopefully show the positives of what got me into law enforcement – such as service to the community. As far as retention, we’d be talking about tuition-free credits at state universities and health benefits upon retirement.”
For more information on these bills, contact Kara Corches, vice president of governmental affairs for the Missouri Chamber, at kcorches@mochamber.com or call 573-634-3511.
