HB 2590 -- SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY FOR INMATES

SPONSOR:  Moore

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on
Corrections and Public Institutions by a vote of 7 to 0.

This bill specifies that the terms "public employees" and
"employee of the public entity" do not include offenders in the
custody of the Department of Corrections or prisoners in the
custody of a county or municipal jail for the purpose of state
sovereign immunity protection.  The term "custody" includes any
prisoner or offender outside of a correctional center or jail for
the purpose of work release.  The bill also abrogates any court
decision issued after August 13, 1978, that interprets these
terms to the contrary.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2009, FY 2010, and
FY 2011.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the courts have interpreted that
inmates working outside of correctional facilities are considered
state employees and the bill will clarify that they are not.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Moore; Department of
Corrections; and Department of Transportation.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated October 15, 2008 at 3:12 pm