Legislation Relating to Farm Work and a Gun Safety Program Moves to the Missouri House

JEFFERSON CITY – The Missouri Senate began its legislative week by giving final approval to several Senate bills.  Final passage in the Senate moves these measures to the House of Representatives for similar consideration.

Senate Bill 16, sponsored by Sen. Brian Munzlinger, R-Williamstown, would exempt farm work performed by children under the age of 16 from certain federal child labor requirements.  The legislation would allow youth working on their family farms to operate and maintain power-driven machinery, climb ladders, and operate certain farm vehicles, among other jobs.  In addition, youth would be allowed to work on other family farms with permission of their parents. 

Lawmakers in the Senate also advanced Senate Bill 75 to the House.  This measure, sponsored by Sen. Dan Brown, R-Rolla, would allow school districts and charter schools in Missouri to provide training and education about firearms safety and address potentially dangerous or armed intruders.  The act would establish the Active Shooter and Intruder Response Training for Schools Program, which would allow schools in Missouri to annually train teachers and employees on how to respond to students with information about a threatening situation and how to address a potentially dangerous individual, armed intruder or active shooter in or on the school’s property. 

Additionally, each school under Senate Bill 75 would be permitted to teach the Eddie Eagle Gunsafe Program, or a similar program promoting safety and protection of children and emphasizing how students should respond if they encounter a firearm, to first grade students each year.  The bill states that firearms would be banned from use for the program. 

Both measures would take effect Aug. 28 if approved by the House and signed by the governor into law.

To follow this and other bills filed for the 2013 legislative session, visit www.senate.mo.gov.