SECOND REGULAR SESSION
[TRULY AGREED TO AND FINALLY PASSED]
HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
SENATE BILL NO. 972
92ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
2004
2579L.07T
AN ACT
To amend chapter 650, RSMo, by adding thereto five new sections relating to the creation of a public safety officer medal of valor.
Section A. Chapter 650, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto five new sections, to be known as sections 650.600, 650.605, 650.610, 650.615, and 650.620, to read as follows:
650.600. Sections 650.600 to 650.620 may be cited as the "Missouri Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Act".
650.605. As they appear in sections 650.600 to 650.620, the following words and terms shall mean:
(1) "Act", the public safety officer medal of valor act of 2004;
(2) "Board", the medal of valor review board as established by section 650.615;
(3) "Medal", a Missouri public safety medal of valor, which shall be of suitable design as may be determined by the governor;
(4) "Public safety officer", a person serving a public agency, with or without compensation, as a firefighter, law enforcement officer, or emergency personnel. The term "law enforcement officer" includes a person who is a state or local corrections or court officer or a civil defense officer.
650.610. 1. The governor is hereby authorized to award and present, in the name of the state of Missouri, a medal to a public safety officer, upon the recommendation of the board, for extraordinary valor above and beyond the call of duty. The medal shall be Missouri's highest award for valor by a public safety officer.
2. In the event of the death of any person who would be entitled to a medal pursuant to the provisions of this act, the same may be presented to a surviving relative on behalf of the deceased in the following order: widow, if not remarried; eldest living son; eldest living daughter; father; mother; eldest living brother; eldest living sister; and eldest living grandchild.
650.615. 1. There is established a "Missouri Medal of Valor Review Board", the members of which shall be individuals with knowledge or expertise, whether by experience or training, in the field of public safety, which shall conduct its business in accordance with sections 650.600 to 650.620, and be composed of eleven members, all residents of Missouri, and appointed in the following manner:
(1) One member shall be either the director of the department of public safety or a designee appointed by the director;
(2) One member shall be a police chief;
(3) One member shall be a fire chief;
(4) One member shall be an elected county sheriff;
(5) One member shall be the director of an ambulance district;
(6) One member shall be a citizen with experience in law enforcement;
(7) One member shall be a citizen with experience in corrections;
(8) One member shall be a citizen with experience in firefighting;
(9) One member shall be a citizen with experience in emergency medical services; and
(10) Two members shall be appointed at the governor's discretion.
2. The term of a board member shall be four years.
3. Any vacancy in the membership of the board shall not affect the powers of the board and shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
4. (1) The chairman of the board shall be elected by the members of the board from among the members of the board.
(2) The board shall conduct its first meeting not later than ninety days after the appointment of the last member appointed of the initial group of members appointed to the board. Thereafter, the board shall meet at the call of the chairman of the board. The board shall meet not less often than once each year and not more than three times a year.
(3) A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum to conduct business, but the board may establish a lesser quorum for conducting hearings scheduled by the board. The board may establish by majority vote any other rules for the conduct of the board's business, if such rules are not inconsistent with this act or other applicable law.
(4) The board shall select candidates as recipients of the medal from among those applications received by the board. Not more often than once each year, the board shall present to the governor the name or names of those it recommends as medal recipients. In a given year, the board shall not be required to select any recipients but may not select more than seven recipients. The governor may in extraordinary cases increase the number of recipients in a given year. The board shall set an annual timetable for fulfilling its duties under this act.
(5) The board may secure directly from any department or agency such information as the board considers necessary to carry out its duties. Upon the request of the board, the head of such department or agency may furnish such information to the board.
(6) The board shall not disclose any information which may compromise an ongoing law enforcement investigation or is otherwise required by law to be kept confidential.
(7) The members of the board shall serve without compensation, except that the members may be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses arising from board activities or business. Such expenses shall be paid by the department of public safety from the fund created pursuant to section 650.620.
650.620. 1. There is hereby established in the state treasury a fund to be known as the "Missouri Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Fund", which shall consist of all moneys that may include any gifts, contributions, grants, or bequests received from federal, state, private, or other sources. The fund shall be administered by the office of administration. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080, RSMo, to the contrary, moneys in the Missouri public safety officer medal of valor fund shall not be transferred to the credit of the general revenue fund at the end of the biennium. Interest and moneys earned on the fund shall be credited to the fund.
2. Moneys in the fund shall be used solely for the purpose of reimbursing members of the medal of valor review board for their actual and necessary travel expenses and to promote the solicitation for designs for, aid in the manufacture of, and aid in the distribution of the Missouri public safety medal of valor.