HCS HB 138 -- CORRECTIONS OFFICERS CERTIFICATION

SPONSOR:  Kelly, 144 (Crawford)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on
Corrections and State Institutions by a vote of 10 to 0.

This substitute contains provisions relating to the Department of
Corrections.  The substitute:

(1)  Establishes the Corrections Officers Certification
Commission within the department;

(2)  Allows the commission to cause a job task analysis to be
made for corrections officers and jailers, both public and
private;

(3)  Authorizes the commission to make recommendations to the
department, the General Assembly, and the Governor regarding
qualifications, training, testing, and certification of
corrections officers and jailers;

(4)  Allows for the appointment of commission members,
establishes their qualifications, and sets their terms of
service;

(5)  Allows the department director to create various classes of
corrections officer certification;

(6)  Contains provisions regarding the confidentiality of
personnel records of corrections officers;

(7)  Requires that certain information be provided prior to the
delivery of prisoners to correctional centers.  The county
sheriff must provide a certified copy of the sentence, including
specifics on statutes violated, probation, restitution, gang
affiliation, and any information about the physical and mental
health of the prisoner;

(8)  Allows the department to refuse to accept a prisoner without
all the required information;

(9)  Requires all offenders under the age of 17 to be emancipated
for the purposes of decision making and participation in all
department programs; and

(10)  Provides that hearings for violations of correctional
facility rules are not considered contested cases according to
administrative procedure and review.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that at this time morale within the
department is very low and corrections officer turnover is high.
It is felt that certification could change this by giving
corrections officers a better opportunity to make a career with
the department.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Crawford; and
Missouri Correctional Officers Association.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Bob Dominique, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated July 25, 2003 at 10:10 am