Governor Calls Lawmakers into Special Session

Governor Mike Parson is calling lawmakers back to Jefferson City for a special session, beginning Monday, July 27. The focus will be on addressing violent crime in Missouri. Missouri has seen rapid increases in crime rates this year, primarily in the state’s urban areas. Kansas City recently reached 101 homicides for 2020, which is a 35 percent increase from 2019. In St. Louis, there have been 130 homicides so far this year compared to 99 at the same time last year. The special session will focus on amending state statutes related to violent crime.

Six different provisions will be considered: Police and Public Safety Employee Residency Requirements for St. Louis, Juvenile Certification, Witness Statement Admissibility, Witness Protection Fund, Endangering the Welfare of a Child, which modifies the offense of endangering the welfare of a child for a person who encourages a child to engage in any weapons offense, and Unlawful Transfer of Weapons, which would increase penalty for a person who knowingly sells or delivers any firearm to a child less than 18 years without the consent of the child’s parent or guardian.