Series of special sessions begin today to focus on violent crime in Missouri

An increase in homicides on both sides of the state has led to today’s special session where legislators will address violent crime in a series of sessions which are expected to last through mid-August.

Today begins a series of special sessions in Missouri to address violent crime while the state continues to see an increasing number of homicides.

Rising concern over crime led to Gov. Mike Parson calling for a gathering of legislators in Missouri who will meet to begin the first session today in a series of meetings expected to last through mid-August.

However, legislators say work won’t truly begin until after the primary elections.

On Aug. 5, the Senate will begin meeting in committees. Bills will go from the Senate to the House of Representatives before heading to Gov. Mike Parson for final approval, reports 41 Action News.

Kansas City and St. Louis have shown markedly sharp increase in homicides and overall crime compared to last year, each city the main motivation for the special sessions.

“Every day we delay on this, someone is dying and we all know that,” Parson said last week. “Somebody is getting killed every day. Anything we can do to speed this process up to give law enforcement and prosecutors the advantage to use this, I would like to see it done as soon as possible.”

Parson has listed six priorities for the special session, including improving witness protection, addressing when to charge juveniles as adults, giving harsher penalties to adults who encourage a minor to commit a crime or give a minor a gun.

Some representatives in the state have argued that current operations deal with crime only after it has occurred, rather than prevent it.

“This special session deals with things after a crime has occurred and nothing to prevent them from occurring in the first place,” Greg Razer said.

Razer is representative of House District 25, which includes Waldo, Brookside and South Plaza, who along with another representative plans to introduce their own bills focused on gun control, red flag laws and increasing penalties for people who kill children in drive-by shootings, reports 41 Action News.