Currently I am working on the bills I have filed.
On the House side, I am carrying HB 1282, pertaining to private colleges that the College of the Ozarks asked me to carry, HB 1283, on tourism funding, HCR 68, a resolution on the Gold Star Family Memorial at College of the Ozarks, HB 2504, about transient guest tax, for the City of Branson, and as Chair of the Special Committee on Tourism, I get to carry the Tourism Committee bill, HCB 12.
Variations of HB 1282, Private College Protection Act, have been filed in the last three sessions. These bills would allow private colleges and universities in Missouri to establish a police department.
Missouri public colleges and universities, by statute, have had this ability for several years. Some of the public Missouri colleges and universities have developed a police department, others have not.
Current statute does not demand that the public collages have to have a police department, just gives them the authority to do so. The first two versions started out giving all private colleges and universities the authority to establish a police department.
Last year’s version was amended to exclude Springfield colleges. All three versions mirror the wording of the statute that was used for public colleges. This year’s version, HB 1282, is tailored to apply only to College of the Ozarks.
Although no private colleges had any push back, because it did not demand any college to form a police department, some police departments did have some concerns.
As this bill was heard in committee, it was suggested that it have a five-year sunset. What that means is in five years the bill will be reevaluated, if it worked it could be extended, if not, then the college would not have the authority to keep their department.
Twenty-four states now allow private colleges to have police departments. The only problem I have read about is that some private colleges did not think their police department had to comply with sunshine information requests.
So two amendments were added, a five-year sunset with the ability to reauthorize and that the police department must comply with sunshine requests just as any Missouri police departments would have to comply. The bill was voted out of committee, 7 ayes, 1 no, 1 present.
At this time it is in Rules committee. When out of Rules it will have to come to the House floor, Perfected, where it can be amended again. Third Read, then to the Senate. The legislation mirrors current Missouri public college statute, 24 other states allow private colleges, there is a sunset and must follow sunshine laws.
Hopefully it gets through the House, Senate and signed by the Governor it will be law and then the College will have the authority to develop a police department. There will be no cost to the State and does not require any college to have a police department.
The College has a great working relationship with the Taney County Sheriff Department and the surrounding police departments. The College understands that all these departments can be stretched very thin and that their community’s safety needs, need to be addressed.
After much discussion, study and inquiries, this is the best approach for the College and its community.
No comments:
Post a Comment