HB 212 -- STATE HIGHWAY PATROL SALARY SCHEDULE

CO-SPONSORS:  Behnen, Wright, Myers, Bearden, Roark, Shoemaker
(8), Wagner, Moore, Cooper (120), McKenna, Smith (14), Quinn,
Avery, Stevenson

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Crime
Prevention and Public Safety by a vote of 16 to 0.

This bill requires the superintendent of the State Highway Patrol
to submit a salary schedule report to the Governor, Speaker of
the House of Representatives, and President Pro Tem of the Senate
on January 1 of each year.  The superintendent must include in
the report a comparison of the salaries of police officers of the
three largest police departments in the state.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the Highway Patrol loses
troopers every year because the salary structure is not
competitive with local law enforcement agencies.  The starting
salary is competitive, but after 10 years, a patrolman is earning
$10,000 less than what many county sheriffs' departments will
pay.  There are currently 100 vacancies in the Highway Patrol,
and there could be a good deal more in the months to come, if the
nation goes to war and reserve military members are called up.
The state spends a great deal of money to train its patrolmen,
only to lose them to other states or local law enforcement
agencies.

Testifying for the bill were Representatives Behnen and Wagner;
Missouri State Troopers Association; and Colonel Rod
Stottlemeyer, State Highway Patrol.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Richard Smreker, Senior Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated July 25, 2003 at 10:11 am