Rep. Chrissy Sommer's Weekly Capitol Connection - June 24, 2016

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Governor Continues to Sign Bills into Law

In recent weeks the governor has signed into law numerous bills that were passed by the General Assembly during the 2016 legislative session. The soon-to-be laws cover a wide array of subject matter ranging from protections against child abuse and neglect to improvements to the state’s system of education. The majority of bills signed by the governor will take effect as law on August 28. The governor has until July 14 to take action on all of the bills sent to him by the legislature. If he does not sign or veto a bill, it will take effect as law without his signature.

Civics Education (SB 638)

The governor also signed legislation to promote American history and civics education in Missouri classrooms. The bill creates the Missouri Civics Education Initiative to require students in public, charter, and private high schools to receive a passing grade on a standardized civics test in order to graduate. Exams will consist of the same 100 questions used on the civics portion of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services’ U.S. Naturalization test that is taken by immigrants looking to gain American citizenship. All students entering ninth grade after July 1, 2017, will now be required to receive a passing grade on the civics test. The bill is meant to empower students with a thorough knowledge of the country’s history and system of government.

A+ School Expansion (SB 638)

Another portion of SB 638, which was signed into law by the governor, will expand the state’s A+ Scholarship Program to be available to private school students in Missouri. Currently, the program provides scholarship funds to eligible graduates of A+ designated high schools who attend a participating public community college or vocational/technical school, or certain private two-year vocational/technical schools. The legislation approved by the General Assembly will make the scholarship program available to students in participating private schools. Supporters of the change noted that parents of private school students pay taxes to help fund the state’s scholarship programs. They said it only makes sense to allow their children to benefit from the taxpayer-funded A+ program as well.

Supporting Students with Dyslexia (SB 638)

A third component of SB 638 that is now set to become law will provide additional resources and assistance to young people with dyslexia. This bill requires each public school to screen students for dyslexia and related disorders at appropriate times. In addition, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must develop guidelines for the appropriate screening of students and the necessary classroom supports. The requirements and guidelines must be consistent with the findings and recommendations of the Legislative Task Force on Dyslexia, which is also created by the bill.

Protecting Children from Abuse and Neglect (HB 1877)

One of the bills signed by the governor takes steps to better protect young people from abuse and neglect. The legislation takes a multi-prong approach to create stronger safeguards for children. It takes steps to ensure anyone who would be a danger to children is listed on the Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry. Specifically the bill adds the crimes of rape; sodomy; promoting prostitution of a victim younger than 18; sexual exploitation of a minor; using a child in a sexual performance or promoting a sexual performance by a child; and possessing child pornography or giving it to a minor to the registry. In addition, the bill improves the system of notification so that the Children’s Division will be better able to add offenders to the registry.

The bill also requires a medical provider with child abuse expertise to examine any child younger than three when a case of abuse or neglect is reported. The medical provider will then look for any signs of abuse and will recommend any steps necessary to protect the child from danger. Additionally, the bill requires some Children’s Division employees to obtain at least four hours of training each year in medical forensics. The goal is to give these individuals a better ability to recognize the signs of abuse.

Finally, the bill creates the Task Force on the Prevention of Infant Abuse and Neglect. The task force will study and make recommendations concerning the prevention of infant abuse and neglect in Missouri. The task force will hold its first meeting in October and have a report prepared for the General Assembly by December 31.

Career and Technical Education (SBs 620 & 582)

The governor recently signed legislation that is meant to better prepare young people for success after high school. The new law will require the state Board of Education to establish minimum graduation requirements for a Career and Technical Education certificate that a student can earn in addition to their high school diploma.

With the statutory change, the State Board of Education and the Career and Technical Education Advisory Council will establish minimum requirements for a CTE certificate. Each local school district will determine the curriculum, programs of study, and course offerings based on the needs and interests of students in the district, and the state education department will develop a process for recognition of a school district’s CTE certificate program. Students entering high school in the 2017-2018 academic year and thereafter will be eligible for a CTE certificate.

CPR Instruction (SB 711)

Under another bill signed by the governor, students will have to receive CPR training in order to graduate. With the new law, students will not be able to graduate until they receive 30 minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation instruction and training in the proper performance of the Heimlich maneuver or other first aid for choking. The requirement will begin for health and physical education classes in the 2017-2018 school year. The goal of the legislation is to help save lives and give parents greater peace of mind with the knowledge that their child’s peers are trained to deal with an emergency situation.

Saving the Lives of Overdose Victims (HB 1568)

Another bill now set to become law with the governor’s signature is meant to provide lifesaving support for heroin and opiate overdose victims. The bill will allow pharmacists to sell Naloxone, which is an antidote for heroin overdoses, without a prescription. The antidote has FDA approval and can be administered in the form of a shot or nasal spray. The General Assembly approved legislation in 2014 that put Naloxone in the hands of qualified first responders. The bill passed this year will place the lifesaving medication in the hands of family or friends who can save the life of a loved one who overdoses on opiates. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more people died from drug overdoses in 2014 than in any year on record, and more than six out of every 10 drug overdose deaths involve an opioid.

Municipal Court Reforms Signed into Law (SB 572)

It was in 2015 when the Missouri General Assembly passed legislation to crack down on the predatory practices some municipalities have used to raise revenue through excessive traffic tickets. That legislation put limits in place on the amount of revenue municipalities can generate from traffic tickets and other violations. This year the legislature revisited the issue to provide additional protections for Missouri citizens by further limiting the ability of municipalities to profit from traffic tickets and fines.

The bill that is now set to become law will lower the maximum fine for minor traffic violations from $300 to $225. The bill also expands the law to include limits on fines from ordinance violations. The new law will cap fines for first offenses for violations of nuisance, building, and zoning ordinances at $200. It also will make it clear that defendants will not be jailed for non-payment.

Fighting Human Traffickers (HB 1562)

Also set to become law with the governor’s signature is a piece of legislation designed to help stop the multi-billion dollar criminal industry of human trafficking. The new law expands the crime of sexual trafficking of a child to include the advertisement of a child participating in a commercial sexual act. Similar to the federal SAVE Act that is already law, the new state law gives law enforcement another tool to investigate and prosecute those who knowingly advertise the victims of sex trafficking.

Missouri has been proactive in its approach to stop traffickers. It was in 2004 that Missouri became one of the first states in the nation to put sex trafficking laws in place. The new law is an important part of the comprehensive approach the legislature wants to take to fight human trafficking in Missouri.

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