Another Round of Legislation Supported by
Missouri Senate Given Governor's Approval

JEFFERSON CITY – A little more than week before his constitutional deadline to act on legislation delivered to him by the General Assembly, the governor signed multiple bills into law today (7-6), including a measure widely supported in the Missouri Senate that will give authorities access to a caller’s location via cell phone during emergency situations.

House Bill 1108, handled in the upper chamber by Sen. Mike Parson, R-Bolivar, requires telecommunications carriers and certain commercial mobile service providers to provide caller location information in certain emergency situations. Currently, 911 dispatchers can pull up the location information for landline calls. Cell phone signals, however, can only be tracked if the cellular company provides the information. House Bill 1108 will require cellular companies to provide that information, while also prohibiting them from being sued for doing so.  The law will take effect Aug. 28.

The governor also gave his signature to House Bill 1525, which creates the Sentencing and Corrections Oversight Commission, along with modifying a number of laws regarding criminal offenders under the supervision of the Department of Corrections. Under the bill, the commission would be charged with monitoring and implementing the provisions laid out in HB 1525, including the awarding of earned compliance credits for good behavior to certain offenders on probation, parole or conditional release to go towards the time of their sentence. The bill also allows probation officers to impose immediate 48-hour jail terms for violating the rules of probation, and in more serious instances, 120-day “shock” sentences in state prison. Having received the governor’s signature, the bill will take effect Aug. 28.

Other measures approved by the governor, many of which go into effect on Aug. 28, include:

• Senate Bill 736, sponsored by the chairman of the Senate Financial and Governmental Organizations and Elections Committee, exempts St. Francois County from a requirement that certain amounts of money from the county’s special road and bridge tax be spent on spent within a city or town.
  
• House Bill 1037, handled in the upper chamber by Sen. Purgason, R-Caulfield, authorizes commissioners of road districts, upon majority vote, to receive compensation of up to $100 a month for their services.
  
• House Bill 1112, ushered through the Senate by the chairman of the Small Business, Industry and Insurance Committee, allows an insurance company to issue life insurance policies outside the United States under certain conditions, among other provisions.
  
• House 1128, handled in the Senate by Sen. Will Kraus, designates the observance of Vietnam Veterans Day on March 30 and Veterans of Operation Iraq/Enduring Freedom Day on March 26 in Missouri. The legislation also creates the Missouri National Guard Overseas Training Ribbon, the Missouri National Guard Partnership Program Ribbon and the Order of the Minuteman Award.
  
• House Bill 1141, sponsored by Sen. Brian Nieves, R-Washington, requires a person applying for a “Don’t Tread on Me” license plate to pay a $15 fee in addition to the regular registration fees.
  
• House Bill 1315, handled in the Senate by Sen. Ryan McKenna, D-Crystal City, gives state employees and certain other employees who are members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary a leave of absence when performing authorized military duties.
  
• House Bill 1340, handled in the Senate by Sen. Jay Wasson, R-Nixa, requires county commissions to appoint an interim county clerk, county collector or county assessor until the governor appoints a successor to fill the vacancy.
  
• House Bill 1807, carried in the upper chamber by Sen. Rob. Schaaf, R-St. Joseph, is an omnibus transportation bill that designates several memorial highways in Missouri and creates a number of special license plants. The bill also modifies laws regarding recreational off-highway vehicles.
  

Other bills signed by the governor today include House Bill 1236, which modifies the paperwork requirements of a new political party and the nomination of independent candidates, and House Bill 1424, which allows the Missouri State Highway Patrol to sell surplus watercraft, watercraft motors and trailers in the same way the highway patrol currently sells surplus vehicles. The change to state law was necessary following the unification of the state water patrol with the highway patrol in 2011.

To see a complete list of the bills delivered to the governor, visit www.senate.mo.gov and click on the “Truly Agreed Bills” link under the “Legislation” tab.  To contact the Senate Newsroom, call (573) 751-3824 or email: newsroom@senate.mo.gov.