SB 497 - This act transfers the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division of the state Highway Patrol to the Department of Public Safety and renames the division as the "Missouri Highway Safety Enforcement Division". Missouri highway safety enforcement officers shall be officers of the state of Missouri and shall have full power and authority as now or hereafter vested in certified peace officers to enforce all laws of the state. Under this act, Missouri highway and safety enforcement officers shall also have the power: (1) To require the operator of any commercial vehicle to stop and submit to a vehicle and driver inspection to determine compliance with commercial vehicle laws; (2) To enter in or upon commercial vehicles and break cargo seals in order to perform inspections or investigations on the public highways, at motor carrier terminal or other facilities; (3) To assure compliance with safety and hazardous materials regulations and homeland security regulations; (4) To place vehicles and drivers out of service in accordance with the North American Standard Out of Service Criteria and the right of search and seizure upon the public highways, at motor carrier terminals, or other facilities; and (5) To make arrests for violations not committed in the safety enforcement officer’s presence and apply for and serve search warrants. An operator of any vehicle who fails to obey a reasonable request of a Missouri highway safety enforcement officer shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Missouri highway safety enforcement officers must complete training approved by the director of the Department of Public Safety. The act creates the "Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Fund." The fund shall consist of money derived from three percent of all fees collected by the state of Missouri from the operation of commercial vehicles in the state. This act is identical to HB 634 (2005). STEPHEN WITTE