HCS HB 260 -- ST. LOUIS POLICE COMPENSATION

SPONSOR:  Shelton

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Municipal
Corporations by a vote of 11 to 0.

This substitute requires the Board of Police Commissioners to
provide health, medical, and life insurance coverage for spouses
or dependents of deceased or retired officers and employees of
the department who receive pension benefits.  Current state law
prohibits the board from providing these benefits to dependents.

The board is also required to pay additional compensation or, in
lieu of compensation, grant compensatory leave time to police
officers of the rank of lieutenant or below who are required to
work on special private details.  The additional compensation or
compensatory leave time will accrue at a rate of one-half hour
earned per one hour worked.  The compensatory leave may be taken
in accordance with the policies of the City of St. Louis Police
Department.  Current state law prohibits the board from paying
additional compensation for overtime, court time, and standby
court time to any officer of the rank of sergeant or above.

FISCAL NOTE:  Not available at time of printing.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that when a police officer or
employee dies, insurance coverage is terminated for the
surviving spouse and dependents and that purchasing new
insurance is very costly, thus resulting in financial hardships
for surviving spouses and dependents.  Costs associated with the
additional compensation for police officers required to work on
special private details could be re-couped from the persons or
entities in charge of the events.

Testifying for the bill were Representatives Kennedy and Johnson
(61); St. Louis Police Officers Association; Widows of St. Louis
Police Officers; Missouri State Fraternal Order of Police; St.
Louis Firefighters, Local 73; and Mary Strate.

OPPONENTS:  Those who oppose the bill say that the City of St.
Louis has fiscal constraints and that more flexibility is needed
on the issue of providing compensation for officers required to
work on special private details.

Testifying against the bill was St. Louis Board of Police
Commissioners.

Joseph Deering, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated November 26, 2001 at 11:43 am