HCS SB 342 -- MUNICIPAL COURTS

SPONSOR:  Bartle (Byrd)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Judiciary
by a vote of 9 to 1.

This substitute authorizes municipal courts to contract with a
public entity or to employ a person to serve as the city's
probation officer.  Currently, municipal courts may only contract
with a private entity to provide probation services.  Persons
found guilty of a violation of municipal ordinances and placed on
probation are required to pay a service fee to the court for the
probation services.

Currently, only cities which do not have probation services for
persons convicted of ordinance violations may contract with
private entities to provide probation services.  The substitute
authorizes any city to contract with a private or public entity
or to employ a probation officer to provide probation services.
Cities are allowed to continue their current contract with a
private entity for probation services.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2006, FY 2007, and
FY 2008.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill allows municipal courts
to contract with other entities to provide probation services.

Testifying for the bill were Senator Bartle; and City of Lee's
Summit.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Amy Woods, Senior Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
93rd General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated August 25, 2005 at 1:21 pm