HB 552 -- RETIREMENT BENEFITS FOR UNIFORMED CONSERVATION AGENTS

CO-SPONSORS:  Crump, Hagen-Harrell, Griesheimer

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on
Retirement by a vote of 5 to 2.

This bill increases the retirement benefit for uniformed
conservation agents under the existing Missouri State Employees'
Retirement System by one-third.  Uniformed conservation agents
who are currently receiving retirement benefits and their
beneficiaries are made special consultants whose benefit will be
equal to the benefit the person would be receiving if the
one-third increase had been in place when the employee retired.

FISCAL NOTE:  Cost to Various State Funds of $0 in FY 2002,
$919,320 in FY 2003, and $942,303 in FY 2004.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill allows conservation
agents to receive the same benefits as Water Patrol and Highway
Patrol officers.  Conservation agents complete the same Peace
Officers Standard Training as other officers.  They also must
have a college degree and are dedicated professionals.  The
conservation agents face the same dangers as other officers when
enforcing wildlife regulations.  Enforcing these regulations
often means facing individuals carrying firearms.  The job can
be extremely dangerous.  They are often called upon to help the
Highway Patrol and the local sheriff to enforce other Missouri
laws.  Agents sometimes save lives.  The families of officers
also face difficulties and hardships.  The conservation agent is
often out late at night enforcing poaching laws.  They work
alone and without back-up.  The bill will only include about 200
agents.  Agents have only had one other increase in recent years.

Testifying for the bill were Representatives Crump, Griesheimer,
and Hagan-Harrell; Conservation Agents Association; Bill
Lenhart; Rose Porkorney; Pam Evans; and Gordon Jarvis.

OPPONENTS:  Those who oppose the bill say that the bill will
create inequity within the Department of Conservation.  Other
department employees also have high risk jobs.  A select group
of employees should not receive special benefits.  Agents are
compensated better than most employees.  Higher salaries will
bring higher retirement benefits.  The bill affects as many as
500 employees because the bill does not define a uniformed
agent.  Conservation agent jobs are not comparable to Highway
Patrol and Water Patrol jobs.  The training an agent receives is
different from the patrols.  Conservation agents handle few
felonies on the job.

Testifying against the bill were Howard Wood, member,
Conservation Commission; Jerry Conley, Director of the
Department of Conservation; Protection Division Administrator;
and Deputy Director, Department of Conservation.

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated November 26, 2001 at 11:44 am