HB 661 -- LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

SPONSOR:  Wagner

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass by consent" by the Committee
on Labor by a vote of 13 to 0.

This bill makes technical changes to certain statutes and
deletes obsolete statutes pertaining to the Department of Labor
and Industrial Relations.  In its main provisions, the bill:

(1)  Removes the obsolete reference to "Director of the
Inspection Section," and replaces the reference with the
"Director of the Division of Labor Standards" or the "Director
of the Division of Labor Standards and the director's delegates";

(2)  Deletes Sections 291.020 through 291.050, RSMo, pertaining
to the Section of Industrial Inspection;

(3)  Removes obsolete language pertaining to deputizing a county
superintendent of public welfare and assistants by the Director
of the Inspection Section.  These officers are now deputized by
the Director of the Division of Labor Standards and have the
same powers and authority as division inspectors;

(4)  Revises language pertaining to the approval of adopted or
revised rules and regulations as contained in Section 291.065;

(5)  Revises Section 291.130, which requires owners, managers,
or other persons to pay the Director of the Department of
Revenue a fee for each inspection made in accordance with
Chapter 292;

(6)  Clarifies language requiring the director to investigate
all accidents which are serious enough to require physical
rehabilitation under the provisions of the State Board of
Rehabilitation Center as contained in Chapter 172 and 199;

(7)  Deletes Section 292.010 pertaining to the notification
requirement for occupancy of a foundry;

(8)  Deletes Sections 292.030 through 292.060; Sections 292.080,
292.090, 292.110, and 292.120; Sections 292.140 through 292.170
and Section 292.190, pertaining to the Health and Safety of
Employees in Establishments.  Language contained in Section
292.070, pertaining to the opening of main doors in an
establishment is revised;

(9)  Clarifies that all fines collected for a violation of
Sections 292.010 to 292.250, pertaining to the Health and Safety
of Employees in Establishments, are paid into the County School
Fund as contained in Section 166.131;

(10)  Deletes Sections 292.260 and 292.070, pertaining to the
Health and Safety of Foundry Employees and requires the director
to enforce the provisions of Chapter 292;

(11)  Deletes Sections 292.360 through 292.400 and Section
292.420, pertaining to the Prevention of Occupational Diseases
and requires the director and delegates of the director to
enforce the remaining provisions;

(12)  Deletes Sections 292.450 through 292.510, pertaining to
the Safety of Construction Workers in Certain Cities and
requires the chief executives of political subdivisions and the
director to enforce the remaining provisions; and

(13)  Requires the Division of Fire Safety and the State Fire
Marshal to be responsible for ensuring that all establishments
have one outside iron fire escape if the structure is 2 or more
stories high with 20 or more employees who work above the first
floor.  For every 20 employees who work above the second floor,
one fire escape is required.  An ample means to extinguish a
fire is also required on each floor.  The fire escape
requirement for establishments currently exists in Section
292.060, a provision pertaining to the Health and Safety of
Employees in Establishments.

FISCAL NOTE:  Cost to General Revenue Fund of Unknown in FY
2002, FY 2003, and FY 2004.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill will clean up
antiquated language in Missouri's labor laws and will correctly
name the Division of Labor Standards.

Testifying for the bill was Representative Wagner.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Greg Linhares, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated November 26, 2001 at 11:45 am