JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – This week, lawmakers in the Missouri House of Representatives are preparing for floor debate on HB 301, a bill with several provisions to address the multifaceted and complex issue of rising crime. Led by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Missouri business community is uniting to urge the General Assembly to take action.
More than 500 Missouri employers and business leaders have co-signed a Missouri Chamber letter urging lawmakers to consider legislation stemming from recommendations in Safer Missouri, Stronger Missouri, a public safety report released during the legislative interim. These recommendations include:
- Deploying evidence-based and hot-spot approaches to crime reduction
- Increasing and protecting tools to support policing
- Addressing substance misuse and mental health
- Reducing recidivism
- Improving training and employment opportunities for incarcerated individuals
- Increasing public safety staffing
- Increasing prosecutorial consistency and transparency
“We cannot expect our state or economy to thrive when Missouri ranks in the top ten states in violent crime and property crime,” said Daniel P. Mehan, president and CEO, Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “Public safety is a top priority for the Missouri Chamber because it impacts businesses everywhere, across nearly every Missouri community. Our crime rate is holding our state back. The negative national attention stalls economic growth. But most importantly, the day-to-day impacts on Missouri lives and communities are unacceptable. Something must be done.”
One prominent provision of HB 301 allows the governor to appoint a special prosecutor in certain regions with a designated high rate of homicide cases to initiate and prosecute violent offenses.
Requiring more prosecutorial transparency and accountability was one of the recommendations in a report issued by the Missouri Chamber during the summer. Safer Missouri, Stronger Missouri highlighted the critical role that prosecutors play in controlling crime.
Missouri businesses and individuals are encouraged to co-sign the letter asking lawmakers to address crime in our state. Missourians can join the effort here: https://mochamber.com/issues-advocacy/public-safety-letter/
The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the largest business association in Missouri. Together with the Missouri Chamber Federation, the Missouri Chamber represents more than 75,000 employers. To learn more, go to www.mochamber.com, or follow us @MissouriChamber on Twitter.