Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Contact: Jessica Robinson, (573)751-0290
Governor Saves Taxpayer Dollars through Cost Sharing, Honors Distinguished Missourians
Jefferson City–Gov. Matt Blunt today signed bills related to the Department of Corrections and designating highways to recognize several distinguished Missourians.
Among other things, HB 700, signed today, authorizes the Board of Probation and Parole to charge offenders under their supervision a monthly fee. The fee will be administered on a case-by-case basis and is estimated to net $3.5 million in FY06 and $7 million in FY07.
"The fee is a good example of appropriate cost sharing and will provide needed funding for corrections services at the expense of offenders." Blunt said. "It just makes sense that offenders should have a hand in paying for the services they receive."
This bill will also protect Corrections officers, visitors and offenders by making it a class C felony for offenders who are knowingly infected with HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C to intentionally cause another person to come into contact with any of their bodily fluids. Blunt also signed SB 367, which changes how overtime may be paid by allowing, in some circumstances, the balances to be paid within one month. The bill also requires state employees, members of the General Assembly, elected officials, and members of the judicial branch to file and pay state income taxes, allows the state to deduct taxes owed from paychecks and establishes consequences for those who fail to comply. In addition to these bills, Blunt also signed legislation establishing several memorial highways.
HB 43 designates a portion of U. S. Highway 160 in Taney County as the "Rick Harmon Memorial Highway." Harmon was a 15-year Missouri Department of Transportation veteran who died last August as the result of injuries sustained in a motorgrader accident on U.S. Highway 160 near Kissee Mills.
HB 155 designates a portion of State Highway E in McDonald County as the "Albert Brumley Memorial Highway." Albert Brumley is best remembered as the composer of many "southern gospel" songs performed by such a diverse group of performers as The Boston Pops Orchestra, the Oak Ridge Boys, the Ray Charles Singers and many others.
HB 513 designates a portion of State Highway 370 in St. Louis County as the "Officer Scott Armstrong Memorial Highway." Officer Armstrong died on January 12, 2005 at the age of 31 as a result of injuries sustained when his patrol car was struck head-on by a drunk driver driving the wrong way on Highway 370.
SB 38 changes designations on I-44 in Jasper County to correct a portion that had been named twice and designates a portion of State Route V in Newton County as the "Carver Prairie Drive" to honor George Washington Carver. Carver was an agriculture chemist whose contributions to agriculture and innovation still help to keep the agriculture industry thriving today.