Gov. Mike Parson on July 14 signed into law a bill full of police reforms, the first of its kind in the state since Michael Brown’s death.
Missouri Sen. Brian Williams, D-University City, sponsored the bill on police reform, the passing of which was his main goal heading into this latest legislative session.
The laws outlined in the bill will go into effect Aug. 28.
“Without a doubt, this new law will save Black lives and make Missouri’s streets safer for everyone.” — Sen. Brian Williams
“I grew up in Ferguson, Missouri, and in 2018 became the first Black man elected to the State Senate in 20 years. I know that George Floyd could have easily been me or any of the countless Black men and women who live in our state,” Williams wrote in a statement. “Without a doubt, this new law will save Black lives and make Missouri’s streets safer for everyone.”
Williams represents District 14 and was elected to the Senate in 2018 when he ran unopposed; his current term ends Jan. 4, 2023. He was the only Black man serving as senator in the last session and became the first Black man in two decades to hold a leadership role in the state Senate as assistant minority floor leader. District 14 includes University City up through Ferguson and west through Hazelwood.
The bill, which was combined with another, will implement a whole list of police reforms including prohibiting law enforcement from using chokeholds unless deadly force is authorized; increasing the penalty to a Class E felony for officers and correctional staff who engage in sexual conduct with a person in their custody; and preventing officers who have been discharged from one department for wrongdoing from simply moving to another department by granting immunity to departments to release that information.
In addition, it creates a statewide database to keep track of officers who have been investigated or reprimanded for using too much force, which will be run and maintained by the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission.
“Right now, innocent men like Lamar Johnson and Kevin Strickland have spent decades behind bars for crimes they did not commit. This new law will help set these innocent men free,” Williams wrote. “I appreciate the advocates, activists, law enforcement partners, and my fellow elected officials for never giving up on these issues. This bill is proof that Missouri is a great state capable of doing great things if its leaders have the courage to work hard and set aside petty politics for the common good.”
In an editorial for The St. Louis American last month, Williams wrote that his bill took a confusing route through both chambers.
“But when we hit a roadblock, we would find a way around it,” he wrote then. “If we lost one supporter, we found two more. If someone only offered a clenched fist, we responded with an outstretched hand. We held no grudges, but also made no excuses.”
Local legislator bills
In addition to Williams’ bill, area legislators were able to get multiple bills to the governor’s desk.
Sen. Karla May’s bill SB57 made it across the finish line, which establishes the “Economic Distress Zone Fund.” It will be a fund at the Department of Public Safety’s disposal to provide money to nonprofits providing services to people in areas of high incidents of crime and deteriorating infrastructure.
Parson signed the bill June 29, it will become law Aug. 28.
“It’s no secret our state has been battling a surge of violent crime in recent years,” May wrote. “I believe our crime problem will not be solved by policing alone, but will require a range of initiatives and efforts, such as this one, that seek to address the root causes of crime, like poverty and a lack of opportunities.”
Another of May’s bills, SB318, passed after it was combined with another bill. It cracks down on the theft of catalytic converters, copper and other metals by requiring a license in order to sell scrap metals and for dealers to maintain additional records of sales.
Sen. Steven Roberts, D-St. Louis, successfully passed his bill memorializing several people by renaming highways and bridges across the state.
Some of those local memorials include designating:
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Interstate 55 crossing over Butler Hill Road in St. Louis County as “Police Officer Michael V Langsdorf Memorial Bridge”
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Interstate 70 from Shreve Road continuing to Kingshighway Boulevard as “David Dorn Memorial Highway”
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Interstate 64 crossing over Sarah Street in St. Louis City as the “Police Surgeon James F Cooper MD Memorial Bridge”
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Interstate 64 between Jefferson Avenue and Tucker Boulevard located in the City of Saint Louis as “Bobby Plager Memorial Highway”
