Modifies provisions relating to public safety personnel, including the Line of Duty Compensation Act and the offense of interference with a first responder
SB 669 revises Missouri’s Line of Duty Compensation Act and creates a new criminal offense for interfering with first responders. The bill repeals and reenacts section 287.243 to rename and update the compensation program for public safety personnel killed in the line of duty. It expands and clarifies the list of covered occupations, including law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMTs, parole and probation officers, correctional employees, highway patrol, park rangers, conservation officers, water safety officers, and certain air ambulance personnel. It also defines when a death is considered “killed in the line of duty,” establishes claim procedures, and provides that compensation is paid to eligible survivors according to a priority order.
The bill increases the line-of-duty death benefit from $25,000 to $100,000 for qualifying deaths occurring on or after June 19, 2009, subject to appropriation, and creates a Line of Duty Compensation Fund in the state treasury to pay claims. It preserves the benefit as separate from pension or other death benefits, bars subrogation and most creditor claims against the award, and authorizes the division of workers’ compensation to administer claims and adopt rules. The bill also adds section 574.207, making it a class A misdemeanor to knowingly and willfully approach within 25 feet of a first responder after a verbal warning, with intent to impede duties, threaten harm, or cause emotional distress.
The available context suggests generally favorable treatment of the bill as a public safety measure, especially because it is framed as ensuring benefits for public safety officers killed in the line of duty and protecting first responders while they work. The bill includes an emergency clause for the compensation provisions, indicating legislative urgency and support for immediate effect. No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no documented opposition or recorded floor sentiment in the supplied materials.
The main policy issues appear to be the size and funding of the death benefit, since the increased payment is expressly subject to appropriation and paid from a dedicated state fund. Another likely point of contention is the new interference offense, which criminalizes approaching a first responder within 25 feet after a warning when done with certain intent; critics could view that as potentially broad or difficult to enforce, while supporters would see it as a safety and anti-harassment measure. The bill also broadens the categories of covered public safety personnel, which may raise questions about scope and eligibility, but no specific objections are recorded in the provided context.