July 16, 2021 – On Wednesday, I had the honor of attending a bill signing ceremony in the state capitol. I was invited to attend the ceremony for Senate Bill 26 and Senate Bill 53, two large public safety bills passed by the General Assembly. During session, my amendments were successfully added to both bills. I’m a strong supporter of law enforcement, and I applaud Governor Parson for signing these two public safety bills into law.
Senate Bill 26 makes quite a few changes to state law. Senate Bill 26 supports law enforcement by creating the Law Enforcement Bill of Rights, by imposing stricter penalties on dangerous felons who assault first responders, and allows taxpayers to sue the cities that try to defund the police. The bill also strengthens penalties against anyone who vandalizes statues, monuments, or other structures on public property.
My bill to improve police officer background checks was attached to this legislation. Now, under Missouri law, all peace officers will be enrolled in the RAP BACK background check program. I’m proud of this accomplishment – It gives good police the tools they need to hold bad police accountable for their actions.
Senate Bill 53 is also a large bill. This legislation protects law enforcement officers’ personal information by making it a class C misdemeanor to release officer’s name, address, or telephone number with the intent to harm the officer. Additionally, the bill also establishes the public safety fund to help law enforcement officers cope with stress and trauma they may experience while performing their duties. It also improves protections for victims of stalking, domestic violence, and sexual assault, improves protections for juveniles in the criminal justice system, and helps veterans access special veterans treatment courts.
Senate Bill 53 also gives our county sheriffs a much-needed pay raise. Sheriffs have an incredibly important role in our communities. They have long hours, and endure stressful and dangerous conditions while working to keep us safe. Unfortunately, many Missouri sheriffs are underpaid. This legislation tries to fix that. While we debated the bill in the House, we realized that some rural counties can’t afford a sudden increase in their sheriff’s salary. Before the bill was perfected, I offered an amendment that allows these rural counties to gradually increase the salary over a period of five years. I’m pleased that this compromise amendment was adopted – it allows our sheriffs the pay that they deserve, and it gives rural counties the time and flexibility they need to make the appropriate changes to their budgets.
Both bills include many other provisions. If you’re curious, I’d encourage you to read the full bill and legislative summary. Both documents can be found online at senate.mo.gov. If you have any questions or comments about this, or about any other issue, please don’t hesitate to contact my office, My email address is Ron.Copeland@house.mo.gov, and my office telephone number is 573-751-2264. As always, it’s an honor and privilege to serve as your state representative
